In Issue 125, Sam was In Keith Welsh's Q1 on page 4. Did you find him in this issue?
You can order a printed copy of Q-talk #126 by using the Q-talk Back Issue Order Page.
At the Field of Dream Fly-in this fall I noticed Kevin Boddicker had a carb air intake setup that I had not seen before. I requested Kevin to submit these photos and explanation of what is different on his Tri-Q200.
When I got the project, the cowl had been fitted, but not final fit or drilled. I hung the engine on, and made sure there was enough clearance. Then I went about the business of drilling and attaching nut plates to the cowl flange and the lower cowl shell. When I got things all fastened together, the surface behind the rear spinner bulkhead was not parallel to the bulkhead. The top half of the cowl was, but the bottom half was not. Had I done things properly, I would have trimmed the aft part of the cowl, where it meets the firewall, at a diagonal. That would have swung the lower cowl aft and up; aligning the front parallel with the bulkhead. Because I did not do this, there was more room for the carb heat box. So I was able to fit the Cessna carb heat box and not have to mess with the plans box, scat tube, mounting hardware, glass elbow, glass intake funnel, etc.
However, I had to make the lower face of the cowl parallel to the bulkhead. So I cut a widening crack out of the cowl. Narrow at each end, and wider as I went to the middle. Like a smile. Forced it back. Put two bid tapes on the inside and filler on the outside to dress it up.
I then made the glass snorkel that is seen in the photo. I started with a piece of blue foam. Carved it to fit as close as I could guess, attached an old bracket air filter to the foam. The filter was used to make a flange to mount over the front of the box.
I then covered the whole mess with duct tape for release, and applied multiple layers of bid. After I got it done, there were several sessions of cutting and re-glassing to get it to the final shape. It is hard to make things line up with the intake hole in the cowl by holding parts up and guessing. It is much easier to have it in place and mark where the changes need to be made.
I also liked what Kevin did with his spinner. Here is a photo of it and how he made it look so nice.
The spinner pattern is called engine turning. I used a green Scotchbrite on one of their drill mandrels. The abrasive that came on the mandrel was sandpaper. I put double stick tape on the sandpaper, then attached the Scotchbrite to the tape. The pattern is started with only half of the disc cutting. From there you just make the edge of the disc cut through the center of the last swirl. For the next row you need to cut both centers. Practice on scrap aluminum first until you get the hang of it. After all the "engine turning" was done, I had transparent red powder coat applied. Fit the spinner to the bulkhead and made the prop cut outs before applying the powder coat.
You can order a printed copy of Q-talk #126 by using the Q-talk Back Issue Order Page.
When the to-do list dwindles down to the final "Short List", it is time to start the FAA paperwork so you can fly your Q. I am in the throws of this process right now on my plane and will share what I learn as tilings unfold. Just like recipes for making chili, though, there are many ways to do the same thing. I am going to describe my approach based on the research I did.
The FAA offers some publications on this process, but they really only cover the simple "One Builder" scenario. Since there are Q projects out there that are 20+ years old, very few Q's are being finished by the original buyer. I am going to expand on the FAA examples found in their books where appropriate. There are two distinct paperwork phases you must go through before you fly. The first phase relates to ownership while the second relates to airworthiness, culminating with the inspection of the plane. The remainder of this article will discuss the ownership registration process.
The FAA will not let you display an N number on your plane until you have proven you are the owner of the plane. By die way, you can reserve an N number ahead of time for the nominal fee of $10 per year. You can contact the FAA at (405)954-3116 to see if your favorite N number is available or you can visit http://www.landings.com or other similar sites to do your own search. When you submit your number choice to the FAA, be sure to include five possible alternatives in case your top pick is gone.
To register your plane you will need a copy of the following forms:
? Aircraft Bill of Sale
? Aircraft Registration Application
? Affidavit of Ownership for Amateur-Built Aircraft
? S5 money order for the application fee.
We are going to examine each one of these forms and some of their subtleties as we go. The first thing you have to realize is that the Bill of Sale and Aircraft Registration Application forms were not designed with amateur built aircraft in mind so there needs to be some adjustments to make them work. I recommend using a typewriter for all submissions.
Let's start with the steps to complete the BILL OF SALE, form 8050-2. For a plane that has never been registered, this represents the transaction between QAC and you or the previous builder and you.
l.You X out the word AIRCRAFT at the top of the form where it says "AIRCRAFT BILL OF SALE'" and type in the word KIT in the space to the left.
2. You can enter what you paid for the kit next to the dollar sign in the line that begins with "For and in consideration of $". If you do not want to share those details with the FAA, you can type in 1+0VC meaning "one dollar and other valuable considerations." I think that is lawyer-speak for "Mind your own business!"
3. Leave the N number line blank even if you reserved one for the plane. Again this is a kit bill of sale and kits do not have N numbers assigned to them.
4. For Aircraft Manufacturer & Model enter Quickie Aircraft and the type of Quickie you bought i.e. Quickie or Q2 or Q200. etc. '
5. For aircraft serial number. X out the word Aircraft and type Kit below it with the QAC serial number of the kit. Again, this is a kit bill of sale so you need the serial number assigned from the manufacturer of the kit. If you have the documentation, you may also want to include on that line "Less than 49% complete"
6. Enter the date you purchased the kit in the area that begins with "Does this day of'. You may wonder if you should backdate this entry. I did because it is important to show the date that the actual transaction occurred.
7. In the section entitled. PURCHASER, type in your last name, comma, first name and middle initial. Enter your complete address below your name. Ignore the line saying dealer certificate number.
8. There are three columns in the SELLER section of the form. Type the Seller's name in the first column. In the second column, have the previous owner sign their name in ink on BOTH copies of the form, including the carbon copy, because the FAA wants to see all signatures in ink. Type the word Owner in the title column or you can leave that blank. You do NOT need to have this Kit Bill of Sale notarized.
This Kit Bill of Sale is the last document in the paper trail between Quickie Aircraft Corp (QAC) and you. You need to provide documentation showing any sales of the kit after it left QAC and when you bought the kit. My understanding is that the FAA wants a form 8050-2 Kit Bill of Sale for the transaction that represents your purchase of the kit. They should accept copies of documents showing previous transactions. For situations such as "I'm the only builder and I bought the kit from QAC. Since QAC is out of business now, how do I get a signed form?" or "The previous builder died. What can I do?" or "I have die last transaction documented with a form 8050-2 but one of die other previous owners cannot be located. What can I do?" I suggest you contact the FAA for your options. There are those who say you can just claim your plane is "Plans Built" instead of "Kit Built" to get around having to send in a Bill of Sale at all. I will not. however, advise any of you to lie to the FAA.
The next form is the 8050-1 AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION APPLICATION. The perspective of this form is very different from the Bill of Sale. In the Bill of Sale, you are saying "Here are the details of the kit when I bought it." In the registration form, you are showing information about the plane as you are preparing to fly.
1. In the "United Sates Registration Number N" section of the form, type in your reserved "N" number, if you have one. or leave it blank and let the FAA randomly assign a number to your plane.
2. On the "Aircraft manufacturer & model" line, type your last name, because you are considered the manufacturer of this plane, then type a hyphen and the type of Q you built. I entered Richardson - Tri-Q2.
3. The "Aircraft serial no." box is unique because YOU assign a serial number to your plane. This serial number has nothing to do with the QAC kit serial number, however, you can use die same serial number, if you would like. Many people use 001 for the serial number to indicate that this is die first Q they built. It really does not matter which serial number you assign to your plane, you just have to be consistent when completing subsequent forms. If you type 001 here and type 1 or 01 on a later document, you will be rejected because the serial numbers must match exactly.
4. Be sure to X die type of registration you are making, be it individual or other options.
5. Enter your name as the applicant as you did in the Bill of Sale; last name, comma, first name and middle initial. Consistency is important here. too. Be sure to enter your information the same way each time. Enter your phone number and address information in the boxes provided.
6. Within the first signature box at the bottom of the form,
sign your name and then beneadi it, type your name same as written.
7. Type the word Owner in the title box and enter the date signed in the last column.
The instructions for form 8050-1 indicate you can operate the aircraft for 90 days with the last copy of die form, also referred to as the pink copy. Remember, though, this form is designed for non-amateur built aircraft. Check with your FSDO or MIDO to see if it holds true for your area. You may be required to wait until you receive the FAA's acknowledgement of your registration, form 8050-3, before you can proceed to die next paperwork phase.
Form 8050-88, AFFIDAVIT OF OWNERSHIP FOR AN AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE, is veiv straightforward to complete. You must have your signature notarized, though. Do not sign the document until you are before a notary public.
The last item of business is die $5 MONEY ORDER for your application fee. Using a money order should speed the process because they will not have to wait for your personal check to clear.
You can learn more about this registration process by reading the FAA document AC no. 20-27D for some of die specifics that may have been omitted here.
There is one more important aspect to these forms. Should you wait until you have fueled your plane, ready for your test flights before you submit them? Should you send in your registration in even though you have not attached the wing or canard yet? I believe the answer to botii is NO. Remember die FAA mentioned 90 days for the pink copy of the 8050-1? That sets up the expectation that it may take up to 90 days to receive the 8050-3 acknowledgement back from the FAA. It seems that 30-60 days is typical, if there are no problems with the paperwork. Plan that into your schedule.
You can order a printed copy of Q-talk #97 by using the Q-talk Back Issue Order Page.
QBA on the grow!
Thomas Finch Jr. - Middletown DE William Skinner - Meopham Kent UK Bruce Moberley - Valparaiso IN L. Den Culwell - Helena MT Micheal Taylor - Bartlesville OK Kevin Alons - Salix IA Bruce Johnson - Frederick MD John Robertson - Albuquerque NM Valentine Boehn Jr. - Cincinnati OH Paul Selmer - Gettysburg PA Steve Jackson - Rockaway Beach MO Lawrence Soto - Bend OR
You can order a printed copy of Q-talk #113 by using the Q-talk Back Issue Order Page.
When I first looked at the Q bird I was eventually to purchase, it had a Corvair engine installed. The builder told me it was "close to flying". Close to flying is a relative term and with a Q bird, that could mean 500 hrs. to go. I bought it without the engine, but with the custom made cowl since this was the only cowl he had.
This would be my second full size composite airplane project and when checking this airframe out, I found most of the work looked good. The worst thing I found was the firewall position, it was installed exactly opposite of the plans. In other words, the cowl overlapped the fuselage by about 4" and was mounted on tabs bonded to the fuselage. Then of course the overlap would have to be feathered in with filler to blend into the fuselage. The builder had micro filler back about another 6". All of this would not work for what I wanted. I wanted to install a 912 Rotax. The Rotax engine weighs 135 lbs.; is 23" wide, 23"long, and 15" high. The Corvair cowl was cavernous for either the 80 or 100HP Rotax, which are the same size and interchangeable.
Since I like the look of the Q, the cowl needed to remain as stock looking as possible. The problem is, the Q2 cowl is
The solution was to take an 8" aft section or what was useable from the Corvair cowl and match it to a Q2 cowl.
First I needed a useable firewall with a flange to mount the cowl to. After fixing the firewall problem and getting a stock Q2 cowl, I could make a flange just like the plans say, only stronger to support the added length and weight.
I rebuilt a 912 last winter and made a motor mount. I attached this to the firewall along with the .016" thick stainless steel sheet.
I made two vertical cuts on both sides of the spinner area, through the top and bottom cowl. Those cuts remove a tapered strip measuring 2.5" in the front and 1.25" from the aft end of the cowl. I also needed to remove a strip measuring %" wide at 2" above the horizontal flange of the upper cowl quarter sections. The elliptical cut behind the spinner was made for height alignment.
Other issues I didn't address are: The waxy substance on the inside of the original Q cowl; use of model aircraft super glue with kicker for tacking parts together; balsa wood and foam fillers; use of S glass instead of E glass. I'll use 2 NACA scoops for 80% of the cooling, the conventional front cowl inlet openings will be small since the engine heads are liquid cooled. Any questions or comments can be addressed to me via Email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Keep building & build with confidence with the Q network,
Jeff Sell
Beaver Dam, WI
Jeff sent me many more photos of his cowl project and I have placed those at the QBA web site.
You can order a printed copy of Q-talk #126 by using the Q-talk Back Issue Order Page.
