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Q-talk 31 - QUICKIE-TIPS

Dear Jim

Another year has passed and SN 0229 has not flown despite my promise of a year ago. I'm tempted to present a litany of "whys", but as I so often tell my patients, "Life is a series of trade-offs". Not done! (Of course, as Sam Hoskins noted: an experimental is never really done, it just has two lives - before and after it flies.)

At this moment 0229 sits inverted in my workshop with the main wing attached and the tail cut off. Quite a bit of filling and sanding have been done to all surfaces. Work on the cut/reattachment is next. The canard will then be mounted.

I am still planning to fly behind the Onan and "upgrade" later. However, I may have just stumbled onto a low-time Rotax 532. Has anyone that you know of used a LC Rotax on a Q1?

Well, here's my $20.00. Sorry it's late, but I had to write a letter to go with it and that always slows me down! Keep doing the great job you're doing!

Respectfully,

Mark A. Pearson

Ed. Note: Geeeeeeeze is anyone thinking of a small Allison turbine for their Quickie??? Nope Mark, no 532's going in yet, but be my guest!



Jim

Progress report on Quickie #545: zero. I took the heads off my "22.5 hp" Onan to verify its condition: new with factory run time only. Curiously, one spark plug already shows signs of carbon buildup while the other is as clean as though it just came out of the box. I bought this kit from its second, possibly third owner, so its history is questionable, but only fuselage bulkheads have been built and the wheel pants were started. None of the hardware has been touched except the control stick, and I invite anyone who needs dimensional information on original QAC parts to call or write. Even the original phenolic block with the "precision drilled" holes is untouched; are there any aftermarket parts suppliers out there who need patterns?

Instead of building I've been researching some of the weaknesses of the design. Things like Onan cooling problems, ground handling problems and performance degradation in the rain. Right now I need someone to find and photo-document N77Q, or at least answer some nagging questions for me about the canard and particularly the elevator chord. Also I need some info about the cowling on the prototype Quickie, as it was when the Onan was installed. Anyone with good photos of N77Q's cowling and/or canard, especially the underside, please call or write.

Jim, please warn everyone to stop doing nasty things to AN bolts. Cutting threads on AN bolts severely degrades their strength, leading to failures due to vibration under essentially no load conditions. Using bolts that have had threads cut in them on control system parts is inviting disaster. This is NOT AIRWORTHY for ANY application of AN bolts! Also, these bolts are plated. Sanding to reduce diameter will remove this plating and when installed in aluminum parts will result in dissimilar-metals corrosion and premature failure of the bolt and/or aluminum part. If the bolt won't fit, ream the hole. If the hole's too big, drill oversize and use a bigger bolt. If that's not possible, make a new part. There is no redundancy in the control system on these airplanes, and these airplanes, unlike spam cans, will dive to the ground due to a lack of aerodynamic trim in the event of a pitch control failure; witness the PAT-1 crash.

Lastly, that Robin engine being flown in New Zealand is made by Fuji of Japan and puts out 46 hp (I think), comparable to the Rotax 503. It has appeared on some Japanese and Australian airplanes featured in the "What Our Members Are Building" section of Sport Aviation over the years. Ask your Australian members for specifics. That's all for now. Keep up the good work on the newsletter.

David Gall, P. O. Box 2624, Vero Beach, FL 32961-2624

(407) 569-5885


Jim

It's been a long time since I did any work on my Quickie and even longer since I've been flying. Now I've managed to finish two other projects and have another on hold so I can work on the bird again. There is just too much junk for me to work on and this is the reason for the huge delay. I know it is a pretty lame excuse, but anyway I cleaned off the wing jig and put the main wing back in it, even bought some glue to finish it.

I never wrote to you concerning the progress of my airplane so while I have pen in hand I'll give you a brief summary. I purchased a Quickie kit from a guy in San Francisco in June 1989 for $450. The fuselage is complete (I think) and foam cores for the main wing were glued and had shear web installed. I also received a wing jig, epoxy pump, all templates for canard and wing cores, wheels and tires (two sets), tail wheel (2), most of the plans, and a couple of boxes of tubing, fittings shoulder harness, bolts, etc. And I also got a roll of UNI cloth. No engine or prop, but the instruments were included too. I was living in Portland, Oregon at the time and working on my private license. After moving twice and not accomplishing anything except reading and organizing, I finally landed here in Seattle. So now after jettisoning some of the aforementioned junk I've done the most work so far. I have the jig in the basement, it's level and glued to the floor. The main core is set up and ready to skin after repairing the damage inflicted by three moves. I just ordered a gallon of Safe-T-Poxy and am waiting for it patiently. I've also enlisted a couple of friends to help when it arrives. Well that's about all I can think of just now. So thanks for the newsletters, I read them all again and again. They provide me with a captivating excuse to sit on the sofa for an evening and do nothing - much to the consternation of the wife.

Mark Anderson



Another look at how to hang a Rotax.



Dear Jim,

I just recently became acquainted with Spud Spornitz of Dragonfly Builders & Flyers Newsletter. I have had a set of Dragonfly plans since 1982 and have done nothing with them. However I will be finishing up my A&P license at the same time and airport that Spud is at, (not the same school ...).

I have acquired a Quickie fuselage, complete with vertical stabilizer, rudder and tail gear in good shape. I also have the canopy, cowling, upper aft wing, and a set of used plans. The canard is broken and useless. This aircraft was a project that was started back in 1978 and was never completed.

What I want to do with it is complete it using the new design canard and inboard main gear. I do not have an engine for it and I'm open for suggestions for one. I understand the Onan didn't make quite enough thrust.

What I hope to achieve is to have a nice little single-seater canard configuration flyer and later after the experience of working on it, then build the Dragonfly.

I intend to have Spud (and perhaps some other builders) look over what I have to check for soundness of structure, etc.

I need to know if in fact there is a new design for the canard and elevator and what modifications are in use to date for the Quickie.

The fuselage is in a sort of raw state of completion, as is also the wing. And like I said I also have the cowling, canopy and a set of used plans.

I have a subscription to the Dragonfly Builders and Flyers Newsletter and wish to subscribe also to "Q-Talk".

Any information you can pass along to a person with a Quickie in 'my' state of completion will be greatly appreciated. In fact your phone number would be a great aid in communication over this matter as I really have a problem with conversation in the form of a letter.

David Barttrum, 1107 S. Elizabeth, Independence, MO 64056

Ed. Note: According to Sheehan, something like 16 spar kits were ever sold for the Quickie LS(1) wing mod. It turned out to be a good mod, but the spar is no longer available commercially plus you'd be highly unlikely to find one of those 16 up for sale.


Dear Jim

I am still progressing and recently finished the tail and rudder and mounted them with the tailspring. I will start on the wing and canard when the weather warms up again, since we are now approaching winter. You might like to know that 'Jock' McDonald, the owner of the only flying Quickie in the South Island of New Zealand has a Fuji Robin EC44 fitted to his Quickie. I believe this puts out about 50 hp and is similar to the Rotax 503. This model comes with an electric starter as standard, although Jock hand starts his. The Robin is popular with the Microlight people, especially in Britain. I believe there is a version, possibly the EC44-2PM, which has a flatter torque curve than the Rotax, so the narrow torque band is not such a problem. I also believe the Robin has a better fuel consumption than the Rotax 503, about 12 liters/hr at cruise. Jock also has vortex generators successfully fitted as per the University of Ohio report and mounts his engine directly onto the Kevlar mount, similar to the Onan. This was torque loaded by our Civil Aviation Department and found O.K. Has anyone figured out the incidence angles of the wing and canard to the horizontal yet? I read a report on a third scale model of the Quickie and the builder eventually decided on "0" degrees for the wing, +2 degrees for the canard. Also knowing the ground angle of attack would be useful since I am installing a seven-inch pneumatic wheelchair tailwheel as Gordon Laubsch in South Australia did. I saw Gordon's machine last year with the Rotax 503 installed and he flew off his 2500' dirt strip for me in a 15 mph crosswind with no trouble. I was most impressed when the landing appeared to be a non-event! Keep up the good work.

Barry Charlton, Shortcut Road, 2 R.D., Waitati, Otago, New Zealand

Ed Note: The ground angle of attack on a Quickie seems not to be a critical item like it is on the Q2/200's. I wouldn't stay awake nights worrying about it. Besides we have no info on what it should be.


Dear Jim

Well here is my money for another year. I think you've got me hooked on QBA. Don't know where I'll get a fix if you decide to drop it.

N7NH is at the airport. I've finished installing the LS-1 canard and repainting the plane. Now I'm learning about two-stroke engines and altitude changes.

Started slow taxiing again. It's been a couple of years since I've flown the critter so I'm starting all over again. Need to find out how the new canard behaves. It feels like it is a little springier than the ole G.U. canard. Might get thrown higher on a hard landing.

I put the larger tires on the plane, got the wheel pants a tad too small (narrow) and while slow taxiing, had a blowout. Naturally at the far end of the runway, a mile from the hangar. Like all the rest I couldn't find a replacement for the 4.00-5 tires that came with the large tire option. So I bought the 6" wheels and the ribbed tires from C.P.S. They are nearly a perfect match, only 1/8 larger diameter and 3/8" narrower than the originals when inflated.

Now as soon as everything gets checked out and weather permitting, I'll be doing IT again.

Howard Hardy


Jim

Get to work on that airplane! Sorry about the dues. Now you can read all the back issues about the Rotax. I've traded a couple of letters with Chris Barber about the Rotax installation and he seems very knowledgeable. I've picked up a few tips lately that were news to me. The little vent tubes on the carbs on the Rotax should be left like they are. I vented mine overboard and found out it's a no-no. If they're vented to a low-pressure area it will pull a vacuum on the carbs causing a lean condition. I know of one Avid Flyer crash attributed to this. Also, think about extending the exhaust pipe 2 inches. This will knock your top end power a little, but will make the engine pull better in the midrange and less sensitive to slight tuning changes. The Rotax is very finicky on jetting. Anyway, have fun finishing your airplane. And keep the QBA newsletter going one way or another.

Robert Bounds




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