EAA Chapter 430 Newsletter, July 2020

Serving the Port Angeles & Sequim Area EAA 430 FLYER JULY 2020 Dedicated to having fun with airplanes and promoting General Aviation CHAPTER CHATTER With President Ken Brown July and summer have arrived, well sort-of. Here in the beautiful PNW we traditionally celebrate summer arriving on the 5th but somehow this year it has slipped. Like so many other events, we are seeing cancellations and postponements. Thank you all who answered the survey. It is valuable information which we will add to a member’s record in the roster listing. One of the ongoing events still going forward is the annual nominating committee search to fill positions. The chapter chair is Ernie Hansen, VP. If you would like to be a part of the leadership team, we would love to have you join us. Contact Ernie. Positions are for a two-year term: Current Officers: * served or completed a two year term President* Ken Brown Vice President* Ernie Hansen Secretary* Ray Ballantyne Treasurer* Mary (Skip) Brown Membership Madeline Patterson Young Eagles* Bud Davies Scholarship* Dave Miller Newsletter* Mary (Skip Brown) Fly-out* Barry Halsted Last month I was hopefully over-optimistic, thinking we could gather this month. This will not be possible as Clallam County is still in Phase II for the near future. When we get the All Clear for Phase III, we will plan on an in-person meeting. Until then stay safe, stay distanced and stay well. **The picture of Ken was taken on July 3, 2019 in Whitehorse. He is throwing a leaf in the Yukon River and will try to race it to the Bering Sea. (Continued on next page)

P a g e 2 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R Where are we on projects? The chapter paver project has stalled, but the web site is up and running for you to purchase pavers for the EAA 430 patio. We currently have 15 bricks in our possession and could do a small start to the patio. However, you can go online and look at the bricks and buy a couple for those whom you would like to remember. All proceeds fund the scholarship program. https://polarengraving.com/eaa430 The next board meeting will be a Zoom virtual meeting on July 17, 2020 at 0900. Coffee and donuts will be served. If you would like to attend, email president@eaa430.org. Until next time, let’s fly somewhere and be socially distanced and safe. Ken A Summary of the EAA 430 Chapter Survey of June 28 2020 The survey was sent to 97 members and was completed by 48 members.  41 Active Pilots  37 have airplanes  3 are currently in the build process  54 airplanes are owned/partnered  16 Young Eagle Pilots  1 would like to be a YE pilot

P a g e 3 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R IN THIS ISSUE Page Chapter Chatter (Ken Brown) 1-2 Calendar of Events 3 Pipistrel Sinus 912 (Paul Kuntz) 4 Project Update (Lee Does Super-Koala) 5-7 Concrete Fly-out 8 VMC Club (Ray Ballantyne) 9 Board & Directors 9 July 2020  VMC Club Meeting CANCELLED 2nd Wednesday of the Month Mariner’s Café JC Penny Plaza  EAA Chapter 430 Board Meeting July 17 9:00 am ZOOM MEETING  EAA Chapter 430 Chapter Gathering July 25 ZOOM MEETING Sequim Valley Airport Newly asphalted entry road at Sequim Valley Airport

P a g e 4 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R Paul Kuntz’s Pipistrel Sinus 912 David LeRoux submitted this photo and note to the Pulse of Aviation (General Aviation News) “Paul Kuntz landing at Sequim Valley Airport next to his home in Discovery Trail Farm Airpark “ Photo by Mary Kuntz The Pipistrel Sinus 912 is a two-place, side by side, high wing aircraft, powered by the Rotax 912UL 80 hp engine. This example weighs 715 lbs empty, 1320 pounds max take off, has a controllable-pitch feathering propeller, a 15-meter wing with a 30:1 glide ratio, and cruises at 115 knots while consuming 3.1 gal of fuel per hour, with a range of 900 NM. There’s plenty of room and load capacity for two people, luggage and full fuel (26 gallons). All in all, it’s just a delightful aircraft. This is the first Experimental Amateur-Built Sinus in the USA. I worked with the Seattle FAA MIDO to have the kit evaluated for compliance with the EAB ma- jor-portion rule before starting construction in 2007. First flight was in 2013 after a six-year construction period, minus three years sitting idle while I focused on building a house instead of building an airplane. I logged 750 hours of construction time. It is registered as a glider with self-launch capability, so although it is a full-function advanced aircraft, it can be legally soloed at age 14. I flew it to Oshkosh for the fifth time in 2019. Since I am no longer physically capable of flying due to medical issues, it is currently for sale, listed on Trade-a-Plane.com and WingsandWheels.com. Paul Kuntz

P a g e 5 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R My project is a high-wing Fisher Super-Koala on conven- tional gear. While I haven’t a clue why the designer named his creation after a small animal that lives in a tree, I can still take comfort that the plane’s basic construction mimics that of the Vickers-Warwick and Wellington Bomb- ers of WWII. Thanks to the lightweight wooden geodetic construction, a completed Super Koala (SK) typically weighs in around at a paltry 400-450lbs. Pulled by the standard 52hp Rotax, takeoff is possible within 200ft. Climbout with pilot and passenger aboard would likely be around 500-600 fpm. I’m expecting my plane to cruise at around 55mph, with full-stall landings at or under a com- fortable 30mph. Note that SK performance numbers I’m offer- ing here reflect my own experience combined with that of current SK owners. The Fisher design evolved long before C&C precision-cut and shaped airplane kits hit the mainstream, and the Super Koala continues to be offered as either plans-only or in kit form. My project officially began when I answered a private ad for a “partially built” plane located in Fairbanks AK. What actually arrived was a set of plans, a jig for wing ribs, and a large crate of spruce and birch lumber. Since that humble beginning, building progress stuttered somewhat as my wife and I updated several old houses, changed careers, and cared for aging parents. Fisher plans are supplied full-scale, enabling layout and assembly right over the appropriate print. The system works, although organizing and paging through a stack of 16’ drawings requires a large room and works best if the family dog is willing to nap in another part of the house. The wings and fuselage structure for my plane were built in the single car garage at our first house. Space was tight, such that a completed assembly had to be winched up to the rafters before starting the next segment of the project . Project Update By Lee Does Factory-built Fisher Super Koala aircraft (Fisher Flying Products) Vickers geodetic airframe and Fisher Super Koala (continued on next page)

P a g e 6 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R The fuselage was the last major assembly, and seeing it on the gear was a major boost to my motivation. Those of you who have already built will know, of course, that completing an airframe is only the beginning! Fisher’s approach to controls and general hardware was a bit too casual for my tastes. As luck would have it, my need for hardware coincided with a new employer’s requirement for CAD classes. My new-found CAD ex- perience led me to purchase a small digital milling machine, and I soon became my own go-to manufacturing source for all manner of small parts and assemblies for the plane. Learning and working in 3-D is great exer- cise for your brain. With my CAD work going straight to the vise on my mill, I soon learned volumes about the difference between drawing what’s cool vs. drawing something that can actually be manufactured. Plane and builder with CAD-designed and machined parts: 1. Fiberglass molded panel. 2. Cockpit layout w/dual controls. 4. Engine mounting. 3. Jury strut connector and strut end. 5. Flap crank and support bearing. Building at our first house was tight! Main wheels are Piper; tailwheel fork & bearing head are from a friend’s wheelchair. Continued on next page

Opting for low weight with ease of installation, I chose Lanitz’ Oratex for covering my SK airframe. Oratex fabric comes in a variety of colors, and is bonded to the aircraft structure with a heat-activated adhesive. There’s no smell with the process, such that I was able to cover, stitch, and tape many parts right our dining room table. Bonding and heat-shrinking Oratex require strict temperature control, and a digital iron and digital heat gun were used throughout the project. Strong hands are essential for pre-stretching Oratex around compound curves, as the shrink rate on heating is less than with Stits fabric. Pre-colored Oratex doesn’t have the gloss of conven- tional filled and sprayed fabric, but there’s a lot to be said for being DONE as soon as the last wrinkle has been flattened under the heated iron. Another tantalizing bonus is in the final weight savings of not having to dead-lift 1½ gallons of paint every time you coax your bird into the air. As I write this, I’ve just been awarded N8879D, and have the plane packed up and ready for moving to a hangar. Just finding a hangar has become more difficult than airplane building, it seems, and has become a quest I hadn’t contemplated when I first started my project. My as yet unflown aircraft will need a lot of testing and tweaking, so nearby Jefferson County OS9 is really my only option. I’ve taken to walking the hangar rows every week or so, ready to jump on the first “for rent” sign I see. Enjoy the pictures, and I promise to reply to any questions or corrections from my fellow experimenters. The question I hear most often is “How long did it take…?” I have yet to provide a straight answer to that one, as I don’t consider the project done until it actually leaves the ground. If I’m pushed, I’ll admit that I stopped tracking my project somewhere around 2000 hours. A significant portion of that was head-scratching and design work, as I discovered my real passion is in building and learning new skills. As a guy who originally trained in and would still prefer flying a Cub, my flying philosophy continues to be “Low and Slow.” P a g e 7 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R Oratex process is clean and odor-free; small parts could be done inside on the kitchen table. Wingtip before and after heat-shrinking. My tail artwork

P a g e 8 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R A Fun Day in Concrete

P a g e 7 E A A 4 3 0 F L Y E R 2020 BOARD AND OFFICERS Chapter Phone Toll free 877-EAA-0430 (877-322-0430) Position Name Phone Ext Email Address President Ken Brown 1 president@eaa430.org Vice-President Ernie Hansen 2 vicepresident@eaa430.org Secretary Ray Ballantyne 3 secretary@eaa430.org Treasurer Skip Brown 4 treasurer@eaa430.org Class II Directors Programs Deb Cox 5 programs@eaa430.org Membership Madelaine Patterson 6 membership@eaa430.org Newsletter Skip Brown 7 newsletter@eaa430.org Scholarship David Miller 8 scholarship@eaa430.org Young Eagles Bud Davies 9 youngeagles@eaa430.org Web Editor Andy Sallee webeditor@eaa430.org Tech Advisor Harry Cook techhc@eaa430.org Tech Advisor Barry Halstead techbh@eaa430.org Tech Advisor Ernie Hansen techeh@eaa430.org Tech Advisor Rick Vaux techrv@eaa430.org WHAT: VMC - Visual Meteorological Conditions (flying VFR - visual flight rules) Discussions involving flying airplanes visually led by Ray Ballantyne WHERE: Mariner’s Café 609 W Washington St. Sequim, WA Food and beverages are available for purchase during the meetings. WHEN: 2nd Wednesday of the month starting at 7:00 pm. WHO: Anyone interested in flying is welcome to attend. It is a great place to meet new people and have some fun! WHY: The one hour meetings use real-world scenarios to engage members and allow a free exchange of information that improves awareness and skills. Designed to provide organized “hangar flying” focused on building proficiency in VFR flying. We hope to create a community of aviators willing to share practical knowledge, nurture communication, improve safety and build proficiency.