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QuickTalk 3 - LETTERS

"Even before you received my membership application, the QBA helped me solve a problem I've had for almost a year. I have been trying to find a place to build my Quickie here at the USAF Academy and after all my phone calls, it seemed that either no space was available or "It can't be done" was the common response. No one knew of any club that could help and even the hangar at the aero club was full.

It was not until I received a membership application from Mr. Herd that things began to happen. On the letter he had the address and number of a cadet at the Academy who has a Quickie. I called him up and we were on the phone for an hour making all the plans to get my kit into his space in a dormitory lab room when he leaves in a couple of months.

I have not been happier in years! From what Cadet Sanford told me, the QBA is a fantastic organization and I cannot wait to get going on my Quickie."

Cadet Todd Snively, USAF Academy, CO


"Since there have been several comments in the Newsletter concerning flying the Quickie and Q2 in the rain, I would like to relate my experience to your readers that ended in substantial damage to my Quickie. I had flown my Quickie for considerable time in mostly ideal conditions. The flight characteristics were excellent. I had considerable pitch trim travel in both directions, and therefore, didn't feel that I would have any problem in the rain. On January 9th and 10th of this year, I was participating in the Pomona Valley Air Fair here in southern California.....Prior to taxiing out for the morning show, I discussed the possibility of problems with the rain on the canard. The droplets were about 10 per square foot and I thought the wind would blow them off on takeoff.

As I accelerated to take-off speed, I checked the canard for droplet dissipation. They were still there. The take-off roll was taking a little longer than normal, but I attributed that to the uphill run. As I reached take-off speed, the Quickie didn't want to come off at first, but then staggered into the air. Once out of ground effect, I knew I was in trouble. It was too late to put it back down on the runway because I would have run into a fence at the end. I tried to level and accelerate to climb speed, but the rising terrain would not allow it.

I thought my prayers were answered when I saw an open-end cul-de-sac straight ahead. The street was clear so I decided to land with no apparent problem. At the last moment I spotted a street light pole at the end of the cul-de-sac and flew around it and tried to get it back on the street before hitting a fence on the left. Unfortunately, my left wheel hit the curb and spun me around 180 degrees and I came to rest within 30 feet from touchdown. I broke the canard in half, damaged the engine mounts and prop, and broke the right wing tip on the fence. I was able to just open the canopy and walk away from it without a scratch. I later sustained some avgas burns to the skin from fuel that had leaked into the seat pan when the fuel tank ruptured.

.....My Quickie had been normal under normal conditions. I had the cruise prop on and my climb wasn't that great, but I was getting 125 mph true at 75% power. From this experience I became a true believer that rain can make a dramatic difference in the performance of the canard type airplanes. There seems to be very little that can be done about it except to avoid it.....I strongly recommend to all Quickie pilots to learn from my unfortunate experience and DON'T fly in the rain. DON'T even see if your bird is any different than the others. The chances are too great that you may lose your Quickie or something even more valuable."

Howard Meissner (#35), Mission Viejo. CA


"I am responding to your May 1982 (Sport Aviation) announcement on the QBA in a somewhat unusual fashion. I have neither the technical experience, expertise nor time to build a Q2, but I am interested in having one built or buying a prebuilt. If any of your members, particularly those in the Colorado area, are interested in undertaking such a project, please have them contact me.

J. Dixon, 3631 South Grape, Denver, CO 80237


".....I read the newsletter and got some real honest answers. In particular the part on the blown head gaskets (Pilot Profile, Issue #1). I'm going on my fourth set now and I bet I use Copper Coat this time. This last time, though, instead of just bypass by the exhaust valve, it blew a half inch section right out.....

...Here's one you might remember. I took (my Quickie) N5584L to Oshkosh last year for the first couple of days. I put it with the Variezes since the Quickie row seemed filled. I tore it all apart and left it that way - fuselage apart, upper and lower cowling off. Boy, did I catch hell! One guy said, "You can't leave the plane that way!" I told him to stick it up his ear, I'll display it any way I want. I'm a member of EAA, too. I wish someone would have displayed it that way when I was in the building process.

I even got a trophy for my work of art. Presented by Martin Fisher and his wife from Pasadena. Real nice folks. Inscribed as follows:

Oshkosh 1981

"The Flying Scavenger Cup"

Presented to CAL BOWENS

For ingenuity and Originality in

Engineering and Parts Procurement


They were referring to my: roof vent, louvers, window latches, duck decoy weights (used for tail ballast), Formica panel, truck clearance lights, turn signal flashers, snowmobile headlight and primer, cabinet knobs, wood clamp trim system, car no-lead filler spout, lawn mower gas gauge, VW pedals, etc., etc...

.....Let's try to get the homebuilt non-completion rate under the current 80%. Just think - only one out of every five will ever leave the ground. Golfing or a health spa would be a lot cheaper."

Calvin Bowens (#209), Forest Lake, MN


"An area I feel important is the fact that a Quickie is very hard to see in a traffic pattern, or that they are thought to be farther away than they really are. Everyone knows how big a Cessna 150 is, and mentally adjusts based on this knowledge. A Quickie, being approximately half that size and with a slow rate of climb, could be run over or have another plane pull onto a runway in front of it. I know this sounds a little dramatic, but I've seen it happen. I think strobes are a must on any plane this small."

Gordon LaCombe, Kenosha, WI



You can order a PDF or printed copy of QuickTalk #3 by using the Q-talk Back Issue Order Page.