Source: 2009 Q1 Beartracks. Operation PHOENIX NOISEMAKER – Russ Erb
Back in 2004 I bought a used Lycoming O-540 engine sans accessories for $12,000. I was told that the engine had a fresh overhaul, and the sole entry in the logbook said so. The seller even said he would give me a one year warranty starting when I first ran the engine. Sounded like a real deal. Do you really get what you pay for? Fast forward four years, and on 7 June 2008 Three Sigma had its First Flight, such as it was. Shortly after takeoff, it developed a nasty case of trim tab flutter, which went away after slowing down. One trip around the pattern and the flight was over.
On 11 June 2008, with the trim tab pushrods replaced with stiffer pushrods, we launched onto the Second First Flight, which ended shortly thereafter with a severely overheating engine. The engine was removed from the airplane and shipped back to the seller for investigation and repair. Eventually he would discover that chrome rings had been installed in chrome cylinders, an absolutely forbidden no-no. He had four of the cylinders re-chromed and changed out the rings and pistons. The engine was returned after six months. (No, I’m not telling you who the seller was, so don’t ask).
Lycoming O-540 Overhaul Considerations
Burro Schmidt’s Tunnel
Source: 2009 Q1 Beartracks, Pat and Carol Fagan
Think back to when you were a kid. Remember reading the Sunday funnies? Perhaps your comics included a weekly “Ripley’s Believe it or Not”. Mine did. If so, you may have read about Burro Schmidt, or as Ripley dubbed him, “The Human Mole”. Mister Schmidt spent 32 years digging a tunnel nearly ½ mile long through solid granite, using only hand tools and dynamite.
Router-Cut Wing Inspection Panel Parts
Dan Shilling Builder Update
John Sample Flying Update
Installing Clamar Floats on the Bearhawk
Source: 2008 Q4 Beartracks, Al Robinson - Cold Lake, Alberta
When I bought Tom Yeoman’s BH in April, I was well aware of the performance of these aircraft and was convinced that N416TY would make an excellent floatplane. By July I had collected enough money to prompt Claire Sceli of Clamar Floats to begin the fabrication of a set of 2500 straights. These floats meet the float capacity requirements for a gross weight of 2700 lbs. (2500 lbs. per float exceeds the 180% of gross weight float capacity required). By mid October I hauled my newly constructed floats to a father and son team living in Marwayne, Alberta. Charlie and Eddie Seville have scratch-built ten Bushmasters and have decades of experience installing floats.