Q-talk 20 - ODDS and ENDS

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Category: Q-Talk Articles

Published: Wednesday, 28 February 1990 06:11

Written by Jim Masal

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OoooOOps! This newsletter is getting far behind schedule due to the fact that I decided to do it AFTER Sun 'N Fun in order to include any late breaking news. Also some personal events are interfering. For the first time in 9 years I may even fail to make the 2-month window I allow for this thing. I hope you'll approve and not notice that I'm rushing to catch up and taking some shortcuts to minimize further delay.

I've had a couple of notes from QBAers correcting me on their middle initials. Last issue, suddenly 300 guys got renamed with an X!!! Really, I know who you are. This sounds goofy, but my computer won't let me enter '90 as a renewal year for anybody (hence my pursuit of a NEW computer)...So...I get to retype the ENTIRE membership list someday. To avoid that for a while, I was able to "mark" all that renewed for '90 with an X middle initial followed by adding '83 as the renewal year. After I print labels, I pick off the ones with the X and 83. It delays the inevitable.

It doesn't take an enormous stretch of my imagination to consider what I do here as falling under the road title of what we consider "THE Media". Nothing like NBC and far, far short of The Washington Post, but because Q-TALK is written and disseminated to a not inconsequential number of decision makers, it is media (small m) nonetheless. It is not refined fare always, it has rough edges, but I don't try to distort truth by the deliberate use of careful wordsmithing. I take pride in this. I take it as a responsibility. This entire preamble is just to explain why I felt as low as dog doodoo when I received a phone call from Sherman Hanke after having printed his obituary in the last Q-TALK. I hate that. I could've done better.

An erroneous account of Hanke's death came to me from a very trusted friend. His brother reported reading it in a newspaper local to Hanke's area. Because I thought it was true, I decided not to call the family to confirm out of a desire not to upset them. I have egg all over my face and I apologize. Hanke took all this lightly (thank you!), but it is still not at all funny to me. As it was to me, it should also be a lesson to you: I am not an infallible guru, Q-TALK may have errors lurking around any corner. Let's be truthful, some of us are bumblers. You don't have to look at too many home-crafted projects to figure that one out. Some bumblers have the desire, ability and enthusiasm to write what they bumble. It may appear here. Worse than this, however, are the FAA licensed A&P mechanics who I have seen do things that make me wonder why they are still licensed. We are all of us fallible.

You read and use the information written here always at your own risk even while the writings we all submit and share sincerely try to reduce the risks we all take in constructing an EXPERIMENTAL aircraft.

Safe flying.

THERE WERE QAC NEWSLETTERS #1 AND #2!!! Hawks, Howell and Hanke knew about it. Thanks you guys! I now have copies of everything from Nos. 1 thru 25 for $1.50 each postpaid. If you're worried about missing a QAC plans change or builder tip here's your chance to put those worries to rest. Q-2 info was introduced starting with issue #9. Many of us never saw 1 & 2 because QAC included much of these in a multi-page info packet booklet which later inquirers received.

I have gotten a good critique on the "Practical Testing..." exercise I wrote for QT #18. As a result, a number of QBAers have contributed other materials that will help when I tackle the in-flight portion. More on this later but be aware that the FAA in concert with the EAA has released an "Amateur-Built Aircraft Flight Testing Handbook", Advisory Circular AC 90-89. I wasn't able to get my hands on one at Sun 'N Fun. They are either too hot off the presses yet or going like hotcakes. I do have a draft copy and it is good. Call your local FAA office for details.

You can order a PDF or printed copy of Q-talk #20 by using the Q-talk Back Issue Order Page.