From: Fredmoreno@aol.com
Message-ID: <3a4c2e37.24dba6d5@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 22:47:49 EDT
Subject: Oshkosh Trip Report
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Oshkosh Trip Report
by Fred Moreno  8-4-99

    Below I have summarized information from notes, brochures, lectures, and 
brochures obtained while at OSH.  I make no guarantees for completeness, and 
I have tried to be objective although my enthusiasm for some topics is 
greater than others.  I have organized the material into several major topic 
areas.  (Since I am building a Lancair IV, it was my primary focal area.)  
Topics are in no special order.

FINISHING: I heard a lecture and demonstration by Jon Goldenbaum of Poly 
Fiber.  He was very even handed in describing the various finishing materials 
and techniques.  Key points:
1)  Use only two component systems for aircraft.  Anything else will not last.
2)  Filling with their light weight epoxy instead of home mixed micro will 
yield a lighter result which is much easier to sand evenly because it will 
always be the same consistency.  For micro or the Poly-Fiber filler, maximum 
of 1/16 inch per layer, and if you must apply more than 1/8" of build up, 
cover with light weight glass, and then continue finishing.
3)  The top quality glass-like finish will require color sanding (wet sanding 
final coat) with 600-1000-1500-2000 grit followed by slow speed foam disk 
power polishing with medium and fine polish.  
4)  All finishes and epoxies settle with time (months, a bit faster in high 
temperatures).  Therefore, he recommends wet sanding and polishing after 3-6 
months after all settling has stopped.  I can confirm having repainted a 
Mercedes 420 SEL dark blue, clear coat, color sand, and now 8 months later it 
needs to be sanded and buffed again as the finish is now a bit wavy.  
5)  Do not fly the airplane in primer.  Primer is not designed to tolerate 
the flight environment.  It is designed to let the final coat stick well.  
Bare primer soaks up contaminants, and can never be fully cleaned of bugs, 
oil, etc. prior to additional coats.  He advises as a minimum priming and 
then the finish base coat (all white for example) if you expect that you will 
cut and fix the airplane.  However, nearly all finishes can be easily patched 
and repaired with sanding and polishing.  Repeat: don’t fly in primer.
6)  He is not keen on clear coats for airplanes.  They have no UV inhibitors 
since chemical UV inhibitors are brown and tint the clear coat.  Consequently 
they fail in 3-5 years.  Moreover, auto finishes are made for quick repair 
cycles: shoot on a lot in as few coats as possible, cover with clear coat, 
ship it, and do it fast.  
7)  The Poly-Fiber water based polyurethane finishing system now incorporates 
UV inhibitor in the Smooth Prime so that the layer of Silver Shield 
previously required is no longer needed, simplifying the painting process.
Full disclosure: I have used the polyurethane Smooth Prime system and I love 
it because it is water soluble, can be rolled on, fills pin holes very well, 
and sands very, very easily.  I have not tried the finish coats yet.  They 
are best applied with a conventional pressure gun instead of an HVLP system.  
Goldenbaum said that any homebuilder can paint his own airplane even though 
most choose not to do so.  If you want to save money but are afraid to shoot 
the final layer, do the priming and sanding yourself, and then wet sand and 
polish the finish coat yourself months after the final coat is shot on.   
909-684-4280

AVIONICS

Moving maps everywhere.  They are coming out of the woodwork.  And there is 
lots of new good stuff including some that will blow your sox off.

Garmin 430 - Rapidly becoming the standard, displacing King.  Will shortly be 
able to display Stormscope information on its moving map display.  Full 
disclosure: I have flown a new unit in our partnership C-182, and I love it. 

Sandel Electronic HIS - A beautiful instrument with an impressive display 
with no jaggies.  Crisp and clear.  A natural match for a system with no 
other moving map, but it requires a separate gyro and flux gate as an input, 
so you will need King horizontal situation indicator driver equipment (gyro, 
flux gate, etc.) or other comparable hardware in addition to radios to drive 
it.  If you have another moving map in the cockpit (especially the Garmin 
430) you will not need it; it adds little more for a lot of money.  I planned 
to use a Sandel in my Lancair IV, but after a comprehensive demonstration, 
found it adds little on top of a Garmin 430.

Sierra Flight Systems showed new glass for the cockpit that was the talk of 
the show.  I watched a B-767 captain tell them "I wish we had stuff this good 
in our airplanes."  The primary flight display makes the Archangel stuff look 
obsolete since it shows terrain ahead using a USGS data base, and provides 
highway in the sky symbology driven by an optional solid state attitude 
heading reference system (AHRS) produced by British Aerospace and modified by 
a supplier to meet their needs.  A second presentation is a moving map with 
terrain within 250 feet of your altitude shown in gray as well as all the 
normal stuff.  A digital engine monitor display is also offered.  All 
displays can be shown on all screens.  You can buy and install 1, 2 or 3 
screens although 2 seems like plenty.  The package includes a GPS.  You need 
to supply a Nav-com with ILS to round out the package, and you are finished 
and ready to fly.  I spent a lot of time in the booth studying the equipment 
and talking to the supplier who provides the AHRS package.  The basic AHRS 
package uses 3D sensors, each described as being like a small bell that is 
vibrated in an oval mode. When bell is rotated the vibration mode remains 
fixed in space (like a gyro) and the position of the oval is noted by a ring 
of sensors around the bell.  This is supplemented by accelerometers and a 
flux gate that detects magnetic north.  The system includes a processor which 
massages the raw data and sends heading and attitude information to the 
display processors.  The sensor package is about the size of half a brick, 
but a lot lighter.  These packages are sold primarily for under sea robots 
and small submersibles used for putting down trans-oceanic cables, underwater 
oil wells, etc.  This package will be the new standard for GA glass cockpits, 
in my opinion.  Bring money.  But keep in mind that you will not need $10K 
for that slaved King horizontal situation indicator, plus more $ for the 
Avidyne (or equal)  moving map display, or electric gyro (for the all 
electric airplanes), or a separate panel mount GPS.  Recommended back up is a 
standard 6 pack primary instrument set on the right hand panel.  Meeting with 
the FAA next week to define requirements for certification for primary use in 
certified aircraft.  Web site:  www.sierraflightsystems,com

Seagull Technology of Los Gatos, CA displayed their "Flightsense" solid state 
sensor that uses the signals from GPS satellites received at three antennas 
arranged in a T to deduce aircraft attitude, heading, and position.  Attitude 
is deduced by looking at the phase differences between incoming carrier 
frequency waves, and the legs of the T are only about 18 inches long.  The 
development was supported by NASA who will fund the company to certify the 
package, but there is no flight hardware yet.   Cost yet to be determined and 
production plans unclear.  Nice brochure available.  Www.seagull.com.  
408-358-7071

ENGINES

I saw Michael Zoche again (every year) and this year the 2 years to go will 
be shorter than last year’s 2 years to go.  New news: he has worked a deal 
with Partenavia in which a 300 HP Zoche 8 cylinder diesel will be mounted on 
a Partenavia turboprop twin (above the fuselage) late this year for flight 
testing.  Partenavia wants to replace the Allison turboprops with two Zoche 
diesels to double the range of the twin and maintain power at altitude.  I 
hope he gets these engines flying before I die as I would like to build an 
airplane around one.  But since I am already in my 50’s, I may not live that 
long. 

I spent time in the Eagle 540 (500 HP V-8) tent, and have visited their 
facilities in southern California.  This is a beautiful engine built by an 
experienced engine guy (Darrell Buell) who knows his stuff, and the engine 
and layout have been very carefully thought out.  This is the engine Tigress 
should have had.  (Weight is in the under 600 pound area while the Orenda 
goes out 800 pounds fully loaded, possibly lots more with all the extra 
hardware required.)  It would also be a perfect match for the Bellanca 
Skyrocket pressurized 6 place kit offered at OSH (go fast, bring money).  The 
first Lancair IV with this engine (which uses a belly scoop for the radiator) 
should be flying in a few months.   Expect more time to work out the 
inevitable bugs.  It’s a LOT of engine on the Lancair IV air frame, in my 
opinion.   Expect to see some race winners if this package works out.  Bring 
money.  Burn  fuel.  Hang on.  

I spent a lot of time examining Jim Rahm’s 420 horsepower V-8 in a Lancair IV 
this year, making several visits to see Al Joniec, Jim’s engine guru.  This 
package is a lot smaller than the Eagle 540 with the engine and radiator 
package contained within the cowl.  I kept coming back with hundreds of 
questions, , and Al had solid answers.  Full disclosure: I have a deposit on 
one of Jim’s engines and expect to place an order when he gets the gearbox 
production line warmed up.  There have been a lot of refinements in the 
installation during the three years the system has been flying.  These 
include larger and repositioned radiators (they remain along side the engine, 
but are now behind the intercoolers for increased flow) that have eliminate 
occasional cooling problems that previously occurred on hot days.  Desired 
power is now being obtained at lower RPM, and many details (too many to list) 
have been refined.  Jim’s Archangel display locked up without warning during 
the EAA race from Kitty Hawk while he was jawboning on 122.75 with other 
racers.  He wandered off course for about 60 miles before noting that the 
thing was not updating.  Due to head winds he was on the deck at 3500 feet 
making about 237 knots.  He made up the time and won the event overall.  He 
even beat the famous Polan special which was recently sold and is flying 
again.  Jim is delivering engines with accessories completely assembled on 
the engine mount, but without gearboxes which remain a sore point being a 
year or more behind schedule.  The gearbox supplier is very capable, but 
pushed this job back to do some other work that led to major delays.  
Gearboxes should be forthcoming shortly now (a few months). Phone number at 
Engineair, Jim’s company, is 904-788-2852.  

Crossflow Aero of Canada is rebuilding and blueprinting Japanese engines 
(Mitsubishi?), adding vibration dampers and gearboxes, and selling 4 and 6 
cylinder versions, all liquid cooled.  These include electronic ignition and 
fuel injection, alternators, radiator, exhaust, fuel and electrical systems.  
Here is a sampling of prices and horsepower:  350 HP, $25,200.  320 HP, 
$22,700.  300 HP, $21,100.  250 HP, $19,500.  200 HP, $18,700.  180 HP, 
$17,100.  They said one is destined for a Lancair IV should fly in a few 
months.  (Most common phrase heard at OSH - "It will be flying shortly.)   
Www.crossflow.com.  e-mail  infor@crossflow.com  phone 519-925-5255

If you need a rebuilt engine for your car, Jasper Engines and Transmissions 
had a booth.  They do 350 engines a day (that’s right, a day), and have a 
performance division that also fields a NASCAR race team.  They offer 
warranty of 75,000 miles and 36 months.  I was interested in an engine for my 
63 corvette which is coming up on 180,000 miles which needs to burn less oil 
and make MORE HORSEPOWER (of course).  www. Jasperengines.com  1-800-827-7455 
(Indiana).

The NASA AGATE program is plodding forward.  The Continental diesel is 
running on the test stand, but has not exceeded 30% power.  The Williams 700 
pound thrust turbofan is making good progress.  Most interesting is the new 
Williams 500 HP turboprop derived from the turbofan, now in design, and 
starting testing late this year.  Goal is  under $100K and a specific fuel 
consumption of 0.5 pounds per HP hr. (Would be 23 GPH of jet fuel at 300 HP.) 
 

Renault Diesel (4 cylinder, 200 HP) was running on a test stand operated by a 
university.  It ran every hour.  Sounds like any other four cylinder engine, 
except at idle there is a little diesel sound.  The program manager said that 
the vibration level was under 0.5 inches per second (moderately smooth).  
Specific fuel consumption is 0.32 lbs. per hp hour jet fuel, or 7.2 GPH at 
150 HP.  Larger engines will be gear driven, but I have a tough time 
comprehending a 4 cylinder four stroke diesel engine driving a propeller 
through a gearbox with the massive torque reversals occuring twice every rev. 
 Hmm.…

Rotary engines were on display again from the Wankel factory  Most are for 
ultralights, but supposedly a 5 rotor 260 HP unit is under development to 
burn jet fuel.  Www.wankel-rotary.com.  In the US www.atkinsrotary.com

 EPOXY and GLUE

Ultimate instant cement was offered in a booth.  It bonds rubber parts, 
rubber tubes to rubber  tubes, etc. and I could not pull them apart.  Neat 
stuff, called PascoFix.  Pasco Technologies, Port Charlotte, Florida,  
941-627-9334   www.pasco@netway.at or weloewe@sunline.net (distributor).

At the Lancair meeting, one builder reported on a new Jeffco 3156, a 30 
minute hardener that gives longer pot life.  He handed out a sheet of 
information and properties.  Looks good. Jeffco at 858-576-9900.  Goes into 
your existing pump.  

One of our group sat in on an epoxy technical briefing.  Good news.  Tests in 
the weather for 20 years show better life time than suggested by accelerated 
lifetime tests.  Radomes have been sitting around at various locations for 
years, paint flaking off, and even where the paint is off, the damage is not 
that deep.  New epoxy systems have softening temperatures of over 350F, but 
as you might expect, they are somewhat nasty to use.  However, the day of 
glass or carbon fiber engine baffling is rapidly approaching. 

SEAT BELTS

Visited the booth of AMSAFE, Phoenix  602-850-2850.  Tom Hodgdon of AMSAFE 
spoke with me about retractors, inertia reels, etc. for Lancair IV.  He is 
talking with Jim Griffin who does the super neat interiors in Redmond 
primarily on Lancairs.  He said he would send me some sample inertia reels to 
see how they might fit in my Lancair IV.  I will send them on to Dick Studer, 
our resident crash safety expert for inspection.  Goal: a standardized (read 
lower cost) inertial reel package with web length long enough for Lancair IV 
that you can buy from them (or Jim Griffin, I presume). 

LANCAIR IV STUFF

Some builders have reduced rudder counterweight mass by extending the length 
of the rudder counterweight arm farther forward.  Sounds like a good idea 
since you can cut up to 5 pounds, and the pressurized planes tend to be tail 
heavy.   I spoke at length with Mark Kirshner, a retired Boeing 
aerodynamicist who consulted with Jim Frantz on Jim’s angle of attack 
indicator (www.angleofattack.com).  He just finished a beautiful LIV, and he 
did the same (extended counterweight lever) giving it a blessing as long as 
you don’t stick the counterweight out the front where it would get iced up.  
Mark said that the Lancair IV has too little fixed vertical stabilizer area 
which contributes to wiggles in rough air (like a Bonanza).  This can be 
partially addressed by keeping feet on the rudder pedals to fix the position 
of the rudder during the wiggles.  The rudder is more than big enough to do 
its job as a rudder and when fixed (by your feet) the fixed area is 
increased, and stability increased.  Another possibility: extend the leading 
edge of the vertical stabilizer a few inches (foam and glass) to increase 
fixed stabilizer size.  We also discussed how to get more speed.  We agreed 
that the airframe is as slick as it gets, and more speed must come from 
decreased cooling drag, the next great challenge.  

OTHER STUFF

Mac Servo has introduced a small (about 0.75 inch by 1 inch) black panel with 
three green LEDs and three red LEDs for gear down and gear up indications.  
For $49.00 it does not make sense to do it yourself.    They no longer make 
the 5 pin connectors for their trim tab servos, but a comparable product is 
available from Radio Shack, part number 274-003A and 274-006A according to a 
factory rep in the booth.

Mountain High has a new pulse oxygen box that meters oxygen in pulses 
tailored to the altitude when you inhale.  Same as their prior offering, but 
smaller.  And a bit more costly, natch.   Www.mtn-high.com  800-468-8185

Talk about endurance.  Henri Chorosz flew his fixed gear Glasair from Hawaii 
to OSH non-stop in 22 hours.  A map on the airplane showed long range trips 
all over the world.  Very impressive.  Fuel everywhere (extended wings with 
multiple tanks, bigger header tank, tank in passenger seat), and he has some 
experimental tubes on the wing tips about 6 inches in diameter and as long as 
the wing tip chord that decrease the wingtip vortex a bit like winglets.  He 
is selling the Glasair to raise money for research.  Www.Hchorosz@aol.com 


And yes, it was hot.  On Friday the combined heat and humidity index was 118F 
(actual temperature 104F, and very humid).  I went to the air conditioned 
museum to get out of the heat, and the place looked like a refugee center 
with people lying down all over the place.  Otherwise a great trip.  


[Thank you very much, Fred, for this very interesting report... lots of
great information.  The next best thing to being there, and without having
to put up with the heat.  Bravo!!

      <Marv>        ]
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