Of course nothing can be easy these days…

A couple of weeks ago I went to try to order the paint I had previously shot the wagon with. Lo and behold U-Tech no longer makes their 3.8 polyurethane (of course.)

This normally isn’t that big of a deal, but since I was using a custom additive formula and not a standard color, the paint shop could not cross-reference the old formula with the new replacement U350. For a while, it was looking like I was SOL.

Long story short, the engineers at AkzoNobel bent over backwards for me and have now created my very own “official” AkzoNobel “Skywagon Red.” Pretty cool…

Today I’m shooting the spinner and backing plate with the replacement U350. Seems to paint just as nice, so Im pretty pleased thus far.

Traveling this week, but hopefully next weekend I will get to test the performance of the MT.

Well, the jury is in… I hung the 2 blade MT on the scale and got the hard number. W/out oil, the 2 blade MT came in a CH above 41lbs. I didn’t weight the spinner/backing plate as I’m prepping for paint, but Im hoping its the same or just a bit lighter than the 4 lb stock.

So all in, it looks like the net savings over the 82″ McCauley 2A34C20390D is only 14lbs, which is a far cry from the 20-30 that gets kicked around the old world-wide-super-web-internet-network. Of course this is still a well needed savings at -45″ of arm so I’m not complaining yet. I will run the numbers tomorrow and see just how much the CG walks back, but all I have to say is the performance upgrade better be substantive, otherwise its gong to be an expensive 14 lbs. Fingers crossed…

Hit the 100hr mark since I started flying the wagon so it was time for the 4th oil change… Also pulled the stock prop today in prep for the MT.

I weighed the 82″ McCauley 2A34C20390D and she was lighter than the 64lbs the Flight Resources website claims. The blade w/out oil came in at 55lbs. The spinner, backing plate, and fasteners were 4lbs. I will weigh the MT and spinner tomorrow.

I was looking forward to the 18lb savings advertised, but I’m starting to think this “magical” super weight savings is a bit of hyperbole. We will see…

(flight resources advertising material)

With the airplane grounded while the gov was out for overhaul, I also got to catch up on some of the smaller items that have been still hanging on the punch list. When Ron Matta at Aviation Creations did my seats, I had him use the extra leather to make a bunch of matching accessory pockets.

Finally got around to mounting the wing root pockets.

Also installed an external antenna for the Garmin 796.

Got the prop gov back from the shop… Pulled it as it was getting a bit wonky and as the thing hadn’t been overhauled since 99 it was about time. Figured if I’m upgrading the prop I’d better get it all perfect… Love that old Garwin!

I had Aircraft Accessories do the work in Tulsa and they really did an amazing job. p

Prop came last week… Now just gotta get the time to swap em out!

Been flying the piss out of the old girl lately, but ran into a stumbling block that has had me grounded for two weeks with a bad prop gov. Sent the old Garwin out for overhaul which got my wheels turning….

Regrettably, I fell victim to temptation…..

Which prop did I go with? The STC only covers a two blade for the stock O-470 so its the only real option, but for me, it was really the better choice anyway. The two blade pulls a bit harder, is cheaper, and is lighter than the three blade. The jury is out on exactly what the weight savings is going to be.   Time will tell indeed….

Well Im happy to report I just did my first oil change and have 27 hrs on the clock. Still ironing out some small squawks here and there, but overall I couldn’t be more pleased. I’m gonna bang out another 25 in the next two weeks or so after which I will try to sit down and give some honest critiques of some of the choices I made on the build.

In the meantime, the modifications have in no way stopped. (slowed perhaps, but not stopped) During the oil change today I took the opportunity to install the Sky-tec I picked up at OSH. Sorry bout the pics… just had the damn iPhone.

Saved almost 8lbs at -4.25″. (welcomed as I have a pretty far fwd CG after all the mods, but more on that later…)

(Old Energizer weight)

(New ST3 Weight)

Time to light a cigar… Finally got her up in the air. Logged 3.1 hrs of testing. It’s a good day.

Did some taxi work tonight…  Big smile indeed!

Annual is done, but bogged down with finishing all the paperwork.  The good news is I might be flying early next week! Dem bush tyres sure are big!

Rolled out the ABWs to see the difference.  New shoes are 39.3 lbs ea and are about 5.5″ taller than the 5.5 x 10’s. Ironically (from my previous notes) the 8.5×10’s on AB 10″ wheels are 42.5 lbs ea. I will weigh em when I remove em, but it looks like the

weight savings continues….

Annual is done. Just hammering out a couple of squawks. FedEx brought a nice surprise today….

Where the thread title “Madness” came from… This is the binder containing the STC’s, 337’s, etc… It’s about 80% complete so far.

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.” JFK-

So the weight:

The net net is that I was pretty bummed out earlier today not getting even close to where I wanted. We weighed her, freaked out, pulled the scales, zeroed them again, and re-hung her. Same.

Like many who have come before me, (and many yet to come) I fell victim to my own hyperbolie and half baked dreams of a bushed-out sub-1700 H model. After a tasty sandwich and a cup a joe, I came to realize that I had done pretty damn well considering all the mods and gizmos I added, so I’m content with where she’s at.

So…..

The day before I ripped into the Skywagon I had her on the scales for a baseline. On 8.5x10s with all old seats, junky interior, old radios, 12 qts of oil and 79 gal full of she came in at 2303lbs.  This morning on the scales she weighed in at 2265 (with another 2 lbs getting subtracted for a flashlight and portable GPS that was left inside.) Net savings of -40lbs.

For my standard flying config, I will have the back seats out, which will give me an empty weight of 1802lbs on big wheels, max gross of 3190, and a useful of 1388lbs. (Skytec starter on order to get me under 1800 lbs) Of course my CG will probably be right up against the forward side of the envelope and will have to stuff 50lbs of gear in the ext baggage to get her to land in the sweet spot.  I know I could have saved a bunch more had I forwent the comfy leather, all the powdercoating, used less 1/4″ foam, not painted the interior and not shot base coat/clear coat on the exterior, but I recon it’s a respectable enough weight considering all the mods on the airplane. I think not to shabby for an auto-pilot’d IFR bush plane…

CG paper work tomorrow, then all that’s left is to bleed the breaks and I can start her up…

Big hump in the rear view today… Finished the entire A/C with Nuvite F9. Now its a hard march to the scales… I’ll pick away at the Nuvite “C” and then “S” after I fly.

(BTW… Polishing sucks)

Since the flaps and ailerons are already painted red, I shot a coat of UTech on the flap rollers and cove edges. I just need to spend some time polishing the cove and then the flaps can go back on!

I also got all the rubber U-channel installed and the tail cone buttoned up. (from Brown Aircraft if anyone needs to source it) Almost finished!

One of the downsides of the “utility” interior is lack of places to put stuff. When Ron (Aviation Creations) did my 170, I had him make some custom map pockets for the front. When he did the seats for the Skywagon there was a bit of leather left over so I designed a bunch more custom pockets for him to sew up. Like the rest of the airplane, form follows function. The pockets are based on how I like to use the airplane. I was pretty anal with the designs sending him detailed drawings. I know he cursed my name, but Ron really stepped up and made exactly what I wanted.

Today I started to install a couple of the pockets. Below is a map pocket for the half panel up front, a small door pocket to hold a flashlight and fuel tester (you can also see the armrest he covered w/ the grey leather,) and a small pocket for the baggage door. All the pockets have the same Italian double needle stitch that the are in the front and jump seats. More to come.

Finished the VGs and got em on the wings…

Then pulled her out to get a look in the fresh air… Been a while since she’s seen the sun.

Pulled out the old Vestal White Imron today and added the missing cowl stripe today. It was totally bugging me… Another line item crossed off the punch list.

Tomorrow the plan is to finish up the painting with the red on the spinner backplate.