Losing the training wheel.

[MichaelFarley56]

The Waiex is looking great! Were you able to use the same wheel pants when you swapped the gear? Hopefully they lined up fine for you.

What do you have left to finish? The plane looks ready to go!

Do you ever have crosswind issues at your home base? The wind is always different when we fly into BJC; variable gusting to 30 isn't all that uncommon!

Keep us up to date on the final steps for converting the Waiex, as well as what you think of flying it now.

[fastj22]

The Waiex is looking great! Were you able to use the same wheel pants when you swapped the gear? Hopefully they lined up fine for you.

What do you have left to finish? The plane looks ready to go!

Do you ever have crosswind issues at your home base? The wind is always different when we fly into BJC; variable gusting to 30 isn't all that uncommon!

Keep us up to date on the final steps for converting the Waiex, as well as what you think of flying it now.

BJC is crazy with wind. Usually its lined up down the runways, but being right up against the mountains, who knows. If its calm in Denver, its blowing the dog off the chain at BJC. If its calm at BJC, everything else in Colorado is nasty.

KFLY's runways are 33/15. Which is the predominant wind. we have a gravel crosswind 8/26 we can use if it blowing from the west. I've used it once when the crosswind was 20 knots.

The pants will need some work but can wait. I originally cut the insides to accommodate the Great Plains disk brakes. The TOB brakes don't need as much clearance and I'll probably just put big .025 aluminum plates to cover the gaps and give a mounting point. I also still need to fabricate the leg fairings.

I've got another day or so to complete the annual inspection and then go fly (adjust the valves and compression tests). Maybe Saturday or Sunday. We seem to have some major sporting event next Sunday evening here.

[daleandee]

Good day today. Cowl installed and tweaked for the new configuration. Pulled both planes out of the hangar to do some cleaning.
I hope to fly next weekend.

Wow! Your tail wheel Waiex looks great! Seems the weight came out pretty good also. I'm hoping you are planning to share some video from your next "first flight."

Dale
N319WF

[fastj22]

Almost got a flight in today. Took her out for some taxi tests and a full run up. She did great, except #1 wasn't coming up to EGT temp like the other cylinders. I already had planned to take the cowl off after test to check for oil leaks and things. So back to the hangar. Thought maybe I screwed up adjusting the valves. Did a leak down on #1 while hot, was 80/80. Cold it was my worst cylinder, 63/80. Engine wasn't running poorly, made target static RPM on Run up.

By the time I put everything back together, the wind came up and was blowing 35knots gusting to 50knots crosswind. Gotta love Colorado. Listened to the CTAF and heard a Tri-Pacer landing on the gravel crosswind runway. He radioed he now knows what moderate turbulence is.

So just worked on my wheel pants. Forecast looks poor for next weekend so probably two more weeks before I get back in the air.

[MichaelFarley56]

Sorry to hear about the low EGT reading. Do you think it's a sensor issue? Hopefully it's nothing and you'll be able to fly again ASAP!

Man, I knew the winds out there were crazy that 50 knot crosswind is something! Probably best to keep your baby in the hangar and wait it out, even if it takes a week or two.

Keep us up to date on how things go!

[fastj22]

A Stinson that was tied up on the ramp broke free and rolled up on a fuel truck. Sad sight. The owner had just moved it out of a hangar so a friend could do some maintenance on his plane. No insurance I was told. Plane looked totaled to me.

[fastj22]

It Flies! Finally got back in the air. Rendezvoused with Jeff Schultz 20 miles from our airports and few a three leg cross country in loose formation for an a couple hundred miles as we are both still in Phase 1, he in initial 40 and me in my 5 hour flyoff because of the conversion. Did my first direct x-wind takeoff and landing in 7 knots. I had considered just landing on the gravel X-wind runway but the pattern was full and I needed to just put on my big boy pants. Plane was surprisingly fairly easy to handle, not as easy as a trike, but manageable.

Finally got to see Jeff's plane up close. He as done some really nice finishing touches. Just needs paint. I hope he joins me on heading to OSH this summer.

[Bryan Cotton]

Congratulations! We flew the golf cart today. Not as exciting, plus it is tri-gear.

[fastj22]

I had the exact same butterflies in my belly that I had on first flight. It was awesome.

[MichaelFarley56]

Great News! I'm glad to hear the Waiex is back up flying and doing well. Keep us up to date on how the next Phase 1 goes and if you discover anything new or interesting as you keep flying the airplane.

I can't wait to see it at Oshkosh this summer!