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It's Always Something Gilda?

Piper J3

Well Known Member
Just some random thoughts while sheltering-in-place?

Remember Gilda Radner from Saturday Night Live? She used to say ?it?s always something?. I kind of adopted that philosophy with the RV-12 that I bought flying from original builder. I have owned 633CM now for almost 5 years and 500 flight hours and ?it?s always been something Gilda?.

So, why am I writing this? Not complaining one bit. All the labor and time spent has been a wonderful learning experience and the plane is safer today than ever before. I have learned the airplane intimately. I think I?m finally done with SB?s, addressed everything on my squawk sheet, done tweaking and polishing, and even the hanger is cleaned out. Having said all that, I?m probably setting myself up for a major maintenance event.

It feels good to just drive out to the hanger and go fly. The 12 is such a nice design for both owner maintenance and its wonderful flying characteristics. Control harmony and light stick forces, wide cabin with ergonomic seating, excellent visibility, modern avionics, 5 GPH Mogas, 130 MPH cruise, 1000 FPM climb, and 550 lbs. useful load. Couple all of that with the 12 being eligible for Repairman (light sport) with an Inspection Rating (LSRI) and it just doesn?t get any better.

I?ve been flying for 50 years. My father taught me to fly when I was in high school. Dad and I owned a Cub for 23 years. I traded the Cub for the 12 and never looked back. My father passed on July 9, 2006 and never got to see or fly my 12. He would have been amazed. I have his Air Force Wings proudly displayed on the instrument panel. I flew one hour this morning and passed over Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery and dipped the wings?

So, now we have COVID and everyone is flying solo.

It?s always something Gilda?
 
That would be ....."Roseanne Roseannadanna"
 
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I feel very, very lucky buying a 2012 that the owner liked building planes as much or more than flying them. He liked getting in to things, drilling out old rivets and bucking in new rivets and braces and the like.

His logs are pretty darn meticulous.

He sold the RV-12 to me, because he like building so much, that he went and built a TAF Sling2, and just finished it, and so the RV-12 had to go to make room in the hangar for the Sling2. Built a RV6 and a RV-9A before he slowed down and built the RV-12.

There were some minor electrical gremlins, which I've found out are common with the spade connectors some folks use on the sensors for a Skyview system, with fine wires that are a bugaboo to crimp and maintain continuity with 22 ga wire.

But all the big stuff or hard stuff with braces, all of it was done timely. The nose landing gear was ordered from Van's and paid for by the previous owner, they are aware that I am the new owner and have my shipping address.

So, I am down to 2 things to do at the October annual. Front nose landing gear and the trim motor bushing. All ready have the bushing in hand.

New tires and tubes, bearings repacked with new grease, brake pads look darn near new in thickness, prop repitched for slightly more rpm's, SV470 ADS-B In and 261 XPNDR and the new GPS-2020 I bought, all working.

For now, she's good to go.
 
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Need a bushing or spring for the canopy latch to provide some tension, gravity keeps having it's way with it wanting to partial latch, instead of staying the full 90 degrees in the open position, for lifting the canopy and getting in and out.

The solution to rotating handle is to remove shaft and then squeeze barrel tube a little bit so that it provides slight resistance to unwanted turning...
 
The solution to rotating handle is to remove shaft and then squeeze barrel tube a little bit so that it provides slight resistance to unwanted turning...

I was possibly thinking of stuffing it with some heavy, tacky grease to add a little turning resistance. :eek:
 
The solution to rotating handle is to remove shaft and then squeeze barrel tube a little bit so that it provides slight resistance to unwanted turning...

Didn't even remove the shaft, gave 3 gentle squeezes, bottom, middle and top, with latch in the Open position, with some Vice Grips, and now it's fine. Added a dash of LP-2 in there, too. Worked a charm, thanks for the tip!

The Slippery Blue Devil is shaping up nicely, bit by bit.

Every new day is a new discovery, and something new learned with this hobby.
 
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I fixed our canopy latch by JB Welding a small rare earth magnetic on front of the stop, it's just enough to keep it from latching itself. Everything else is just temporary.
 
I fixed our canopy latch by JB Welding a small rare earth magnetic on front of the stop, it's just enough to keep it from latching itself. Everything else is just temporary.

Squeezing the tube on the canopy frame very slightly as detailed in the KAI actually works very well, and once done it is permanent. An also keeps an SLSA in compliance with its SLSA certification.
 
I added a small magnet before someone mentioned squeezing the tube. There is some concern about having a magnet in the baggage compartment in proximity to the magnetometer. I have checked compass calibration on the ground and not a problem...
 
Never mind . . . . . .

No, that would have been Emily Littella.

:)

Emily.jpg
 
Prettiest Day of the Year...

I didn’t want to start a new thread, so I’ll stick this here…

For about as long as I can remember I have had a compulsion to judge the weather and in particular to try to pick the prettiest day of the year.

So, this morning I fired up the 12 and headed south for a three-airport round-robin. Did all the compass points. Sparse clouds with bases right at 2500 MSL and easy to climb on top. Visibility literally unlimited. I could see the Canadian shoreline (70nm) from Northern Ohio at pattern altitude.

I think today is the prettiest day of the year so far. In the spring it’s easy to pick a good day; no rain - good day. As the season turns to summer, it’s a subtle difference that allows the current day to outshine all previous days. Today is that day…

 
Yep... yesterday was just about the prettiest day we'd seen around here, too. Scattered little clouds at 5-6K MSL, not bad below, smooth as glass above, winds calm until maybe 6K where they were no more than 10 knots or so. Couldn't have asked for a better day, other than it being a little warm down low.
 
No such luck for me...

Tuesday, 8 AM on shore flow and cloud cover. One 2 hour session scratched, no flying.

Thursday, clouds come in at 6:45 AM for my 8 am Lesson. Converted to 2 hours of ground school.

Rescheduled Tuesday's lesson for Friday.

Far from best day yet this year, so far. Been a week, waiting for airtime as a student. Hope tomorrow the fog and clouds stay out at sea, for a change.
 
I made an abbreviated checklist for engine items and fastened it to the inside of the cowling oil door.

A good reminder as you're "staring into the void".

 
Fuel Weighs a Ton…

I filled four jugs of fuel with 6 gallons each and took to the airplane this morning. Fuel is a very heavy commodity. Maybe lifting the fuel jugs is starting to show my age. Gives me a good appreciation for how hard the 100 HP Rotax is working when it can lift airframe, 20 gallons fuel, me, and the wife at 1000 FPM climb rate.

I haven’t tried lifting the wife lately… :D

 
Is this safe?

I filled four jugs of fuel with 6 gallons each and took to the airplane this morning.


Not knowing much about handling gasoline, I have to ask: Is this considered a safe way to transport 24 gallons of fuel? I drive a small hatchback, so in my car the jugs would be even closer to the rear of the car than what is shown in the picture.
 
I have a Costco 1.5 miles from my hangar, where I fill up. I'd be fine with that setup to refuel. I might strap the jugs in so they can't fall side to side or fall over, front to back, but that would be about it.
 
Not knowing much about handling gasoline, I have to ask: Is this considered a safe way to transport 24 gallons of fuel? I drive a small hatchback, so in my car the jugs would be even closer to the rear of the car than what is shown in the picture.

There is a very stout crossbar made of extruded aluminum that the jugs are pressing against. I think its pretty safe - certainly no worse than if jugs were loose in a trunk. I drive extra careful and take back roads when delivering the fuel approx once a week during flying season.
 
Jim,

I have 4 five gallon fuel containers. I only put 4 gallons in each one because I am an old man and it is easier to lift 4 gallons. I also have a personal rule that I never land with less than 5 gallons so 16 gallons has always been enough fuel to fill the tank.
 
Something I've Never Seen Before...

I have been flying my RV-12 since 2015. Last night a friend took a video of my takeoff and sent it to me via email today. This is the first time I have seen my plane flying from outside the cabin. Also, I’ve never witnessed any other 12 taking off from while standing on the ground observing. Eye opener…

This thought I’d share the short clip. Maybe others are in the same boat.

https://youtu.be/JOhBrYDS6Vo
 
This was taken after re pitching the prop on N72DJ for the 2nd time, from 71.4 to 72.0, for less cruise speed bite and more climb. Getting 5100 rpm on the runway and 5000 to 5020 rpm at 75 kts on takeoff. Still doesn't have a great climb rate.

https://youtu.be/dCcQWGH88Jc

Will re pitch again to get closer to 5150 to 5175 at 75 kts for a better fpm climb rate. Will probably try 72.8 degrees this time.
 
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