Build thread on the GT-VX2 Explorer.

Major thread drift..... post in Off Topic.
It was in direct response to the immediately preceding post, which has since been deleted.

My thread, my post, my drift.

Your post, an unwelcome intrusion.
 
I swapped the Yamaha for the 912 before I had Kermit flying again. So I do not have a comparison. I sold the engine with the re-drive to Bobby (AirCommand Pilot) and he is doing great with it.
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Is that the Kermit featured on a build thread a few years ago ?? ... it was green with a frog painted on it .

I really liked it , but then everything went silent ..... wondering why change the Yamaha ... I thought they were highly regarded .... thanks.
 
Yes, that is the same one. The original builder sold it to another buyer, and that buyer put it up for sale again and then I bought it. The Yamaha had 145 hp because I believe the original builder was a big person. Too much hp for me for a single. I weigh 160. I had the 912 sitting idle after I swapped it for the 915 on the AR1.

Bobby didn't have enough power for his Air Command, so I sold the Yamaha to him for a better power to weight ratio for him. So all the three machines are adequately powered now.
 
Congratulations anthom, an excellent and elegant solution to sort out three potential problems.

At 160lbs I can see that reducing power, though an unusual solution, was perfectly practical. I have flown high powered single seat fixed wing and appreciate that an excess of power can need careful handling.

I had a conversion to one of the early Pitts with a 200hp engine down at Homestead General just South of Miami. The owner first gave me a handling check in his Stearman then briefed me extensively on the Pitts...but forgot to mention that I was not to use full power for TO.

I found that out as I ran out of rudder to hold her straight on TO. Luckily I have always advanced the power smoothly and steadily and never just slammed the throttle forward too aggressively. It was a moment I still remember. :)
 
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I would have thought 145 naturally aspirated horses would have been ok. Being non turbo power drops off dramatically with DA.
Plenty of times I wished I had 145 turbo horses :).

wolfy
 
I do remember when switching jobs and transitioning from a DC3 to a Lear 24 for the very first time I had enough ‘horses’.

The take-off took my breath away, and the subsequent climb out to cruise alt of FL430 was pegged at 6,000’ft/min.

Looks a little like this.


I later timed it when light and trying as in excess of 8,000’ ft/min. The two CJ-610’s were the civilian versions of the engines that powered the F-5... and the Lear 24 wasn’t a lot heavier.

She wasn’t a gyro, she was however one elegant, beautiful, and memorable aircraft that I had the greatest pleasure in flying as co-pilot then Captain for a couple of years.

As a CFI in earlier years I worked at a school in Opa Locka called Taildaraggers teaching aerobatics in Citabrias, I did however curb the urge to aerobat the 24, but there was a guy who did, another of my early heroes along with Bob Hoover, Clay Lacy.


And I like the music.

Here’s an inside view.


It’s flying 'on the edge’, in a plane capable of that, and a pilot competent to do that, safely!
 
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Leigh:

I tried to start a conversation and did not get a response. When you can would you see if you can see my request?

Thanks,. Bobby
 
Post No 27 Bobby.
Have a look at these. I used the smaller 6 led version on my trike 6 years ago without problems zero fr interference, no separate control boxes.

It is easy to synchronise two or more units. There are three wires, pos - neg and prog. The prog wire makes contact wire the batt+ to select the flash pattern (30). There are colour options but I chose white, I have been told that I was very visible in light.

I will probably be putting these on my giro as a pseudo strobe

Screenshot (8).png

LP26 - AC - Cell2 Ltd

ST26 (Horizontal) - WC - Cell2 Ltd
Screenshot (9).png

and one/two of these little beasties for landing lights

WLE606 Round - WC - Cell2 Ltd

= video of me in flight

phil
 
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A video that was interesting relevant and instructional.

 
Still locked out of traveling to the US from UK but Denis is still 'the man’.

Stu and I had built a tail wheel suspension for our Hornet, mentioned it to Denis and...Voila!

This was the CAD conception...

image001.png

... and lo and behold, on a velvet cushion..came this.



209165540_1487849921561753_6727687552141926984_n.jpg

I hadn’t the heart/cojones to mention that the wheel was a paler blue. 😄

He pulls rabbit after rabbit out of the hat.

Denis is an amazing guy.
 
Well we haven’t quite completed the build/FAA airworthiness.

We still appear to have DAR/FAA delays.

Life...COVID, our Chinese gift to the world has intervened.

The US still has a travel block that has prevented further progress on the Explorer...however the IRS/ State taxation system in Fl is efficiently on the job.

Just received.

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Has just sent letters that feel that we have just bought into the state or purchased an aircraft.

Given us a questionnaire to complete...and given us a 'Notice of intent to conduct a Limited State Audit’.

Pretty good given we contacted them months earlier to inform them of our build and intent when finished to bring the build back to Tampa.

At which time we were told to contact them when it happened.

Warm fuzzy feeling...perhaps not.
 

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Leigh:

Sorry to hear that you still having issues. Have a friend who recently completed an Aviomania and got thru the AW process fairly easily.

Had issues with several State agencies while we based out of Florida. Good luck.

We just started masking again as TX is going to hell quickly with virus spread.

Flying tomorrow with CFI!
 
Yes it appears that our chosen DAR representative has himself had issues with the FAA when he got reclassified as a DAF and apparently unable to issue the airworthiness certificate. Just hoping he’s managed to straighten it out.

Happy flying.
 
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Yes it appears that our chosen DAR representative has himself had issues with the FAA when he got reclassified as a DAF and apparently unable to issue the airworthiness certificate. Just hoping he’s managed to straighten it out.

Happy flying.
What is a DAF?
 
What is a DAF?
My apologies I have misquoted him and missed out the R, his explanation to us for the delay we have been experiencing was in fact:-
'a mix up in data transfer in the FAA portal that made me a DARF instead of a DART. DARFs can not certify EAB or light sport.'
 
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