Nearly done - Dominator project

[GyroRon]

Getting close or closer depending on how the next few tasks go.

Today I knocked off work at 3 pm and high tailed it to the airport with my newly painted parts to install. Got out there and saw that the pre rotater pump was still leaking so I took out the screw and found the cause, the O ring was eaten up, so I found a new O ring for it and got it put back together. Installed the radiator and re filled the coolant system. Installed the Tail and rudder cables and anti servo tab. And then got started on the Pod.

Had to mess with the windshield for a hour or two to get it just as I wanted it and bolted it to the pod. Then I lifted the gyro and took off the front gear and slid the pod into position and started bolting things up. Took a while to get all the holes lined up but they did all line up and by dark tonight I was done. Pod installed and done!

Now I have a few things left to do.

1. fill fuel tank, mark tank with each gallon added to have a gas gauge, check for leaks in tank and fuel system.

2. Hang test the gyro with various fuel levels to confirm the controls are centered.

3. double check the steering head nuts and jam nuts for proper tightness

4. take the rotorhead apart to check everything again....

5. check the jetting in the carb to make sure the jets are right for my application - thanks Chuck Irby for the tip

6. re fill the pre rotator system with more fluids

7. install the brake cables when I get them in

8. Start and break in the engine

9. Program the EIS to display the fields I want displayed.

10. Wash and wax and install rotors and check everything out and if all is well she will be ready to fly.


I also need to make a end for my ram mount for the GPS to velcro onto, and I want to get a new patch cord for my helmet so I can use my Icom radio instead of my Yuasu radio. I also may make a mount for the radio but not sure yet.

[GyroRon]

Also got to still install my Yaw string - got the holder already installed just need a piece of yarn.

and need to pump up the tires and the shocks.

Here is the gyro as of tonight not the best looking shots due to the crappy lighting in my hangar.

[GyroRon]

another view

[GyroRon]

And another view

[GyroRon]

Better view

[GyroRon]

Last shot for now....

[StanFoster]

Ron: Looks nice..... You are explaining all the steps that are necessary to successfully follow through on an intensive project as yours. This is very good for newbies...and the oldiies as well.

Do you have any special decals..scrolls..or whatever to put on it? There is the Pilatus Porter turbine powered jump plane that hauls the skydivers once in a while at our airpiort. The plane is white with different sized and colored circles painted all over it. Yellow..red..blue...green...it really is unique and everyone is always commenting on how cool it looks.

Stan

[robertstodaro]

Very nice. Be carefull backing it off of a trailer. It's easy to stick the rudder tab in the dirt and crumple the rudder!!!! You might want to stretch the lower keel to avoid what happened to me.

[ToddP]

Looking very good Ron, all white with the black Trim. You go Angel Baby :) Its looking good, I'm sure you'll have it finished up in no time. Its really eating at you not having a gyro to fly isn't it?

[Chuck Irby]

It looks GREAT, Ron. I really like it. Those jeweled cheek plates are pretty neat also and rather unique. Now, we'll have to meet at Scott's place for a 3 day fly-in real soon.

I agree with Robert about the drop keel. Be careful, and remember what happened at BD's. (I made my last one longer, for that very reason.)

[Brent_Brown]

Ron where is the N number?

[GyroRon]

Thanks guys for the comments. Stan, I wanted to go with a simple and clean look on the paint job. I had thought alot about making a wild looking paint job but then thought, Heck the gyro itself will attract all the attention I can stand so no need to make it look busier by a catchy paint job.... So anyway I have always liked the simple clean look on aircraft and that is what I went with. Now that it is together I do feel the pod needs something on it, a black strip... flames..... something.... So I will be looking at some options there.

Chuck and Robert, this is my second dom and I have been in charge of taking care of a few others. I know how easy it is to ding up the anti servo tab loading or unloading from a trailer. You just got to remember it is out there and be careful. Both my old Dominator and this new one use small extended cheekplates that come off the lower keel and go down and back to hold the tailwheel. On a normal dominator the tailwheel is smaller and is mounted up in the keel and this allows the tail to be much closer to the ground - Good for shorter takeoff runs, bad for making it easier to ding up the tail.

What happened at Bensen Days is me being over confident in my flying skills. I had asked Tom if I could take his machine for a spin and was refering to his mini Harley Davidson Chopper bike. He thought I was asking to fly his gyro. He said go take it up and wear it out or something to that effect, I wasn't going to pass up that chance to fly such a nice gyro! After I ws briefed on the basics of his machine I went out to the runway and took off with it. I flew 3 or four dominators at this past Bensen Days and all of them were 10 times better than I remember my Dominator being. Toms machine was rock solid and smooth and was nimble like a extension of my body. I wasn't content just flying circles around the pattern, I wanted to horse it around a bit and wanted him to see me " wearing it out " as he asked for. Well I was flying right over the runway at high speed in the direction of the wind and after checking for traffic - there was none at the time - I chopped power to idle and put the gyro in a extremely hard and tight 360 degree turn and stopped in a hover for a moment, then as the excess rotor speed bleed off I lowered the nose the built up some " flare " speed and attempted to make a spot landing without adding any power since the time I chopped it a minute ago. Well long story short, I should have flown his gyro a little longer before doing hot dog moves like this, I timed my flare either a tad to early or a tad to late and ended up too nose high when the tail touched and instead of the wheel touching the anti servo tab touched and then a momment later the main gear slammed down and I was very red faced! I took right back off and flew it for another 15 minutes or so and had no more problems. But I did bent his anti servo tab.... Of course latter that week I was out flying his machine again and was just to the west of the airport hot dogging and had the pleasure of a Hirth momment when his engine puked a spark plug. I was too low and too far away to make it to the runway, but was able to easily make the grass cross wind runway and so I put in there with no problem and smooth as butter. I think it was because I had gotten used to his gyro by then. Anyway I owe Tom a tab and a ride in my machine!

[GyroRon]

Todd, I would like to get it done soon but I am not in a hurry just to get it flying. I am not the kind of person that can do a hours worth of work a week and take a year or three to do a project. Once I decide I am going to do something, I just do it and as quick as possible. One of my reasons for not wanting to build before.

Brent, I am going to apply for a Number soon and hope to have the gyro inspected by Tom Milton at Mentone.

[Dingleberry]

Wow that is a cool looking gyrocopter!

[barnstorm2]

Looks great! You are really getting the work done fast and well.

I should have hired you to build mine! ;)

[Screw]

Screw-In

Looks Great Ron. LOL

Screw-Out

[Testiclease]

Looks Plain? No Color. It's so "WHITE!" Needs something............

[MikeBoyette]

Ron,
Your machine looks great. I knew you'd end up with an "Ultrawhite". Congradulations.

[bartc150]

Hey Mike, a little off topic but I was reading a local fishing publication and noticed a team fishing in the redfish cup called Marine Dynamics with the Boyette name. Any relation? Thanks, Bart

[GyroRon]

Thanks Mike. Your right about the ultrawhite part!

[Testiclease]

What's that supposed to mean? I just suggested a little color. I didn't mean for this to become a "White Thang."

If you don't want to paint it, just say so. You don't have to ya know.

Geez

[Chuck Irby]

Well Guy's, it appears that "Bill" is back with a new handle. Weird! LOL!

[GyroRon]

I think I know who that is. Lives near Atlanta

[Chuck Irby]

Wow, Ron, you're up early! If it's not Bill, he's making an ass of himself like Bill did.

[GyroRon]

I had to pee.

[Chuck Irby]

You need to change your picture now, Ron.

[GyroRon]

I will when I get the blades on it and have her all done. I want to do a picture thingy like Tim does where it rotates between three or four pictures.

[Chuck Irby]

I haven't figgured out how to do that. Mike could explain it though. How bout it Mike?

[GyroRon]

Well off to work. Got a LOT of lawns to do today since I played hookie yesterday.

[blackbird]

Well off to work. Got a LOT of lawns to do today since I played hookie yesterday.


And he said he doesn't work hard.....Good looking aircraft....Looks good all put together ....wonder who painted it....LOL

[Chuck Irby]

Wayne, I don't know, but I bet it didn't come from a rattle can. It does look good!

[Testiclease]

Chuck Irby,

Why did you call me an ass? That was rude. I thought that's the way fiberglass came out of the mold. I was just trying to help. Who is Bill? I know a guy that's paints (mobile homes & houses anyways) that may be able to help gyroron. He painted a truck once with spray cans, and it really came out well. He's a little pricey, but well worth it, and he get discounts at Sherman Williams.

I'm new to this forum, so please try to be nice to me. Ya know, there is a better chance of you and I running in to each other at a Walmart, than winning the lottery.

[Chuck Irby]

Well, Ron Smith, if that is your name. You are not following the rules of the forum. Your picture apparently has something to do with your handle; "Testiclease". You insulted Ron's paint job. Now you act as though I have insulted you. We have no idea what is going on with you, and I, personally, don't believe you are for real. If I am in error in my judgement, then follow the rules. Why have you not been up front with us?

PS, CLOSE YOUR PIE HOLE???

[MikeBoyette]

Bart,
No relation sir. I don't even like fishing. I blame my Dad for that to many nights and days with him on his comercial fishing boat as a young kid. I get very sea sick.

[Testiclease]

Hey Chuck,

Gotcha :D

[Testiclease]

The Testiclease Picture is actually a picture of Ron Awad from ROC flying a model airplane.

I figured if he could be "John Smith," I could be "Ron Smith." :D

These of course these are alter egos that follow no rules.

John-

[Chuck Irby]

John, that was great, you AH. LOL a lot! I'm still laughing. Good one!!!! Am I the only one you got with it?

[Chuck Irby]

Screw, I'm still laughing over that one.

[Screw]

Screw-In

I don't know.

Screw-Out

[Chuck Irby]

Slow day at the lot, huh John?

[Screw]

Screw-In

Sorry Chad.

Ron, The Dom looks great! Are you gonna put the Dominatrix Pic back in your avitar?

Screw-Out

[Screw]

Screw-In

Why delete? You reminded me that in my attempt to be humorous, I butchered a thread. Your right, but fortunately Ron started another thread with current progress. Nontheless, I butchered it and I shouldn't have. Sorry.

Just because you may feel you don't have much to contribute, we do like to "Chat" and build friendships. Ask Chuck Irby :D

Don't delete, enjoy and share some humor. Welcome to the Rotary Wing Forum Yo.

Screw-Out

[birdy]

Hmmm...........arriv'n late on this thread,but I don't see anything wrong with the paint job.At least it's got paint.

[robertstodaro]

A little pinstriping and you could have a low-earth-orbitor.

Maybe you have to live near NASA to get this one, I dunno.

[Chuck Irby]

Robert,

That's nice! I assume that it's yours. It appears to be like new.

Wgat engine is that?

Do you ever go to any of the Louisiana fly-ins?

[robertstodaro]

the paint only exists in my computer program, it's an ea-81, I sold the project, I haven't made any La. fly-ins yet.

I wanted to have something to showoff at NASA for the ballunar fest thats held there in August, but now they want 1mill lib insurance.

So all I can do now is have a static display, and who needs static. And I'm not trying to sell anything.

Oops! looks like we're hijacking a thread.

[GyroRon]

bump./....../.....