...getting this weekend's thread started. Hope you're having a nice one.
v/r,dr
v/r,dr
Van's Air Force
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WDYDWYRTW? Aug 16-17, 2025
- Thread starter DeltaRomeo
- Start date
It was a big day for me yesterday! First flight since late June. A long taxi out of state led to brake failure and fire. AOG repairs were expensive and frustrating, got to talk to the FAA (overall a good experience) and travel way too much. After initial repair I'd rented a car, loaded my OSH gear, and drove back to the plane. My planned route was not to be as just before start up I tested the brakes and had brake line failure, needing another AOG service. Hired a ferry pilot home. Mechanic was unwilling to change to high temp Oring and fluid. My pucker factor had been thoroughly tested sitting in a plane full of fuel seeing smoke so once home I set about to drain all the 5606 out, change to Viton Orings, and put in high temp fluid per the suggested SB. Being the first time doing this it took me a while and I had to wait for new fittings after I'd used the wrong size tool and rounded them over. I also installed pedal extensions having learned they were not some adaptive device for short people but something to help overuse of brakes.
It was a short flight but I went flying yesterday for the first time in about two months! Hopefully today I take my girl up for a longer flight.
It was a short flight but I went flying yesterday for the first time in about two months! Hopefully today I take my girl up for a longer flight.
100 hour/Annual time.
The good news - the oil filter was clean (and so it should be!).
The bad news - the Air Filter plate was cracked. TSN:213.7 hours. Damn.
Other bad news - the Alternate Air cable had broken. The inner cable had broken at or around the point it passes through the firewall.
After reading of others woes with similar cracking on the original AFP-supplied part, I manufactured a replacement plate from 0.063" 6061 and have made up a cork gasket to install between the plate and the inner collar. Fingers crossed this prevents a similar occurrence in future. I'm skeptical.
As for the cable, this must be related to the vibration which caused the air filter plate to crack and when I install the new one I'll have to consider how I can mitigate this problem. McFarlane were great - they were responsive and managed to get the part ready to ship almost instantly however we had a bit of a hiccup with the freight when I was not happy to pay the US$505.30 quoted shipping price. We managed to find a more palatiable US$75 solution. Yeah. Still $130 Pacific Pesoes, but better than the cost to fly over and pick it up myself I guess. Freight costs are killing us at present, yet you can buy an $8 part on TEMU and get free shipping from China. Weird.
After missing out on a few stunning winter days I'm looking forward to getting this thing back in the air again.
The good news - the oil filter was clean (and so it should be!).
The bad news - the Air Filter plate was cracked. TSN:213.7 hours. Damn.
Other bad news - the Alternate Air cable had broken. The inner cable had broken at or around the point it passes through the firewall.
After reading of others woes with similar cracking on the original AFP-supplied part, I manufactured a replacement plate from 0.063" 6061 and have made up a cork gasket to install between the plate and the inner collar. Fingers crossed this prevents a similar occurrence in future. I'm skeptical.
As for the cable, this must be related to the vibration which caused the air filter plate to crack and when I install the new one I'll have to consider how I can mitigate this problem. McFarlane were great - they were responsive and managed to get the part ready to ship almost instantly however we had a bit of a hiccup with the freight when I was not happy to pay the US$505.30 quoted shipping price. We managed to find a more palatiable US$75 solution. Yeah. Still $130 Pacific Pesoes, but better than the cost to fly over and pick it up myself I guess. Freight costs are killing us at present, yet you can buy an $8 part on TEMU and get free shipping from China. Weird.
After missing out on a few stunning winter days I'm looking forward to getting this thing back in the air again.
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Flew to CEZ3 on Thursday to attend nieces wedding on Friday. Returned today. Love flying westbound over the rocks. Not so much coming back home to CYVK. 41 kts headwind at 16k’. After about :30 minutes of this I bailed and dropped into the VFR route at 9500’ by Golden and took that route home. Love traveling in the 10!
What’s the most headwind you have ever dealt with ?
What’s the most headwind you have ever dealt with ?
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I flew to Scotland which is one of the few places around here where you can enjoy some low level flying. Overnight at Glenforsa as usual. I've had some great experiences in aviation but landing at sunset after several hours flying around the Scottish highlands and enjoying a beer next to your aeroplane is very hard to top. Unfortunately I didn't take many photos this time and I didn't adjust my polarising filter so the canopy reflections ruined some good photo opportunities.
I've done this trip 3 times now, it's a two day route that begins with flying from my base on the south coast to Perth and refuelling. After that I get 3 or so hours in the afternoon to cross the highlands at low level wherever possible and then enjoy the views of the west coast. On this occasion I had enough time to stop at Plockton and dip my feet in the sea before heading to Glenforsa for dinner.
Turning final at Glenforsa
On the way home I stopped at Kirkbride for fuel. There's a pastel blue hangar there which makes a nice backdrop and I took a photo there when I first bought the plane in Sept 2023.
So I took another one two years later, having now redone the avionics, rebuilt the engine and finally changing the colour scheme.
I've done this trip 3 times now, it's a two day route that begins with flying from my base on the south coast to Perth and refuelling. After that I get 3 or so hours in the afternoon to cross the highlands at low level wherever possible and then enjoy the views of the west coast. On this occasion I had enough time to stop at Plockton and dip my feet in the sea before heading to Glenforsa for dinner.
Turning final at Glenforsa
On the way home I stopped at Kirkbride for fuel. There's a pastel blue hangar there which makes a nice backdrop and I took a photo there when I first bought the plane in Sept 2023.
So I took another one two years later, having now redone the avionics, rebuilt the engine and finally changing the colour scheme.
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I finally finished up my annual condition inspection. I always find something to repair! I guess that's why we do these. Overall this year it was pretty easy.
Brilliant!! Beautiful pics.
