irishfield Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 (edited) Usually you are all rid of me by now, sorry about that! 7 weeks late taking my sweetheart up North. In amongst all the normal stuff I look after year round for customers.. I started my winter work the day after I delivered my Sister's (that passed a year ago yesterday and I apologise to anyone I p'd off yesterday!) GMC Jimmy to our good friend Roy in October. Thanks again Roy.. it took a load off my mind and I think you got a nice new ride! The following morning I picked this unfortunate sole up at an Ottawa Valley aerodrome and hauled it home. Came up just shy of 500 long hours making that ready to paint and fly again... and then hauled it back to the owner in April. Split to jig / repair / rebuild and join each section back on as you go.. We're getting there.. All new tail surfaces going together.. and the entirely new front end is finished and the engine has been run. Everything ready for paint.. reassembly and flight.. being hauled back to the owner. While working on the above rebuild.. I was also putting the finishing touches on a set of amphibs that had been destroyed and that I'd spent most of last winter rebuilding.. I started the install in the fall and then finished it up in time for the May 24th weekend... working on it full time after I'd delivered the rebuild above back to the owner. This one has a Subaru car engine in it, with a geared redrive to get the propellor RPM down below 2700 max. Not my cup'a tea.. but to each his own! All done and gone.. and he's been fishing for awhile now! Next up.. floats delivered by truck.. airplane delivered by air from British Columbia. Now I like to keep things simple (KISS) with a hand pump and look out the damn windows to see where the wheels are before landing. I generally do an amphib installation, from scratch (cut all the struts, make/mill all the fittings etc) in just under 80 hours. I have 195 hours into this airplane... electric pump... electric gear selector with 4 lights for gear up.. 4 for gear down.. if that's not enough, an audio system that had to be hooked into the intercom that cries out CHECK LANDING GEAR>> CHECK LANDING GEAR>>> Water landing OKAY! And a list a mile long to add to it.. I squeezed him in for "3 weeks work" figuring we'd be a little late going North... but here we are almost 8 weeks later! Not even sure how I smiled in this pic.. maybe it's a lear... lol But as of today... it's ready for it's test flight. I just can't get it thru the mud to the runway. Tomorrow is gonna be "sheets of plywood day" and we'll get it into the air. Customer is flying in from Vancouver tomorrow night to leave with it Monday. It runs.. the brakes work.. that's good enough for me! Leah's fathers little Zenair is ready to go as well.. and of course I'm always last.. but now it's fishing time!! Now where did I leave my canoe??????? Have a great summer folks......I'm getting the hell outta Dodge.... Edited June 27, 2010 by irishfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohhenrygsr Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Your an amazing man Wayne. One day i'll get to shake your hand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted June 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Thanks Henry.. but there's nothing amazing about me! It's my wife that needs the accolades.... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandbag Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 You too Wayne...looks like your fishing time is well deserved. Cheers Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeds Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Awesome Irish. Have a good Summer. I'd love to have a float plane someday although I could still die happily (in the distant, distant, very distant future) without one. I've gotta know; how much could somebody score a working float plane for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuchikubo Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Wayne, you and Leah are wonderful people, I'm glad I had made the trip to meet you both finally in person. Cheers, be safe and have a great summer fishing! Stan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danc Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 I recognize the plane in the last photo Wayne. Enjoy your summer my friend.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted June 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 It looks much better in this setting Dan!.. Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted June 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 (edited) I've gotta know; how much could somebody score a working float plane for? Weeds... I've got a low time machine here (on normal wheels) that I picked up about 15 months ago, that I haven't had time to put thru the shop yet. Hopefully this fall I'll get on it.. and I'll be building a brand new set of amphibs for it this coming winter to install next spring. It will be going "out the door" for about $90k. That's about $35k less than I generally get for used ones in the past... as I picked up the airplane in a serious distress sale. You CAN find them cheaper... but you know how that saying goes! Edited June 27, 2010 by irishfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 LMAO Wayne, you bought a boat? looks like you could have made better one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbouck Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Awesome work Wayne! Unfortunately I can't visit you in July because of my work I can see someone wanted a plane for the summer but who needs an elevator lol Maybe September I can get up. Roy did get a nice ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 do you how now many people would be happy to have too much work..these days not me but some people out there would.....LOL..so I hear glad you got it all done, enjoy the lake for the summer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted June 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Well I might not get there so fast.. Looked like it was starting to clear, but now it's raining! I just can't win with this one.. Dan.. hopefully we'll still be there when you and yours get up in September. The beer will still be free.. for your wife! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radnine Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Thanks for the plane porn Wayne. Enjoy your summer! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 OK a question just came to mind it seems the plane needs to sit level in the water how do you find the balance point of the plane so you know where to have it sit on the floats I would think every plane is different weight distribution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocoda Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 (edited) Im probably wrong with this but here goes .... The displacement of the floats is far greater then the weight of the plane requirements so if there is 150 pounds heavier on one side of the plane and the plane is centered on the float chassis it wouldnt have much (if any?) effect (due to the distance from center to float)...but if there is a small difference this is probably why planes dont land on auto pilot and the pilots skill level with any individual plane shines through to deal with the many variables (wind weight etc) Now we should hear from the professionals ....this is just a guess or..maybe all planes are bilaterally symmetric??? Edited June 27, 2010 by Twocoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted June 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Actually Terry.. everything needs to have a centre of gravity for the flight part. The wing can only lift over a certain range.. on these ones it's from 7.7 to 19.7 inches behind the leading edge of the wing. Think of being on the teeter totter with the big fat kid in grade 3! You went home crying... the same thing will happen if you get outside that allowable envelope. Everything gets weighed and it's C of G calculated to balance the teeter totter. I like to have it empty somewhere around 9.5 to 11 inches.. as this allows you to load the cabin and the c of g will move back. If you start off empty too far back.. you won't be able to put anything in the thing.. even fuel moves the c of g back. Too far back... nose pitches up and Any further forward to start off and when light on fuel and alone it will be nose heavy and want to dig in on water landings. That's not good either! I've done enough of these now that I know the floats weight and c of g already.. the aircraft I have to consider and adjust the float position accordingly to get what I want.. wave a wand and presto.. the tangerine one came in at 10.95" after weighing it up completed. I also retract the gear and roll the airplane on a pipe until it balances hands off.. and check the measurement matches the calculated, just to be 100% certain. As for where to put the floats.. the bottom "step" gets located in relation to that envelope I just mentioned. Usually about 9" behind the wings rear c of g limit. The angle the floats are mounted at in relation to the wing.. length of attach struts etc... that's just my own "black magic" from doing this for over 15 years.... that I won't share on an open forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocoda Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Wayne - i have a associate with a 4 seater Piper that is considering floats for his plane....last Monday when we were flying up to Manitoulin (flying past our destination lake to the airport) he brought it up to have floats because my brother in laws camp is right on the water (mindimoya)sp)amongst other reasons im sure now that he JUST retired last friday... Could you PM me a ballpark figure as to cost and how long it would take to have his plane equipped? If you need pics of the plane i have some on my comp and can pass them along to help out the cause This isnt an immediate or priority at this time so it wont interfer with your summer plans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusky Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 This is some serious craftsmanship!!! awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted June 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Wayne - i have a associate with a 4 seater Piper that is considering floats for his plane....last Monday when we were flying up to Manitoulin (flying past our destination lake to the airport) he brought it up to have floats because my brother in laws camp is right on the water (mindimoya)sp)amongst other reasons im sure now that he JUST retired last friday... Could you PM me a ballpark figure as to cost and how long it would take to have his plane equipped? If you need pics of the plane i have some on my comp and can pass them along to help out the cause This isnt an immediate or priority at this time so it wont interfer with your summer plans Certified.. 4 seat.. Piper LOW WING.. he's out of luck there most likely. There might be one STC (supplimental type certificate) out there to allow it but I am not certain and why I stick with "homebuilts" where we can do what ever we want (as long as we can justify the safety). I have seen a Cherokee 160 on floats though, a long time ago, so I know it can be done. Wouldn't be a great float plane though and docking becomes a BIG issue with a low wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Shearer Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 I've been reading your posts, since I joined, but other than knowing you were somehow involved with aviation, had no idea how. After your very informative post, I have a much better idea now! I have a huge amount of respect for those who know and love what they do. Thanks for posting, and enjoy the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ketchenany Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 Amazing work Irish, enjoy your summer you surely deserved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted June 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 With a glimer of hope... 7 am to 2 pm staring at the radar, I saw a VERY small window of opportunity between rain waves and managed to get her out of here! Absolutely made a mess out of the runway.. but with more rain in the forecast it wasn't really an option. My customer will be here at 9am to take delivery... and I can't have him stuck at my house! Unfortunately I now know that I can't risk trying to get mine out as well.. so I'll be driving North. At least Leah will have company instead of towing the boat up herself! lol Weather held long enough to make 4 landings on the pavement and one in Midland Harbour to wash all the mud off the bottom of the floats and out of the landing gear mechanisms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbuck Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 Wayne, enjoy your summer!!! That's some nice work you did there. One day when I grow up I'd love to learn to fly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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