Creating the "Somaha"

pilotescort

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Joined
May 27, 2008
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464
Location
West Palm Beach, Fla
Aircraft
PPC, FWslsa, Gyro, Trike
Total Flight Time
200+
Conception through birth of a new beast, the "Somaha" starts to take form. Inspired by Ron Awad and having "Racer" in the heart of the matter, I'll be posting the progress of this new machine. I'm modifying my Soma airframe in the recent death of my 503 for a Yamaha 120. From what I started with through what I end up with, it ought to be interesting to say the least. Hopefully the public debut will be at Bensen Days 2010 in Wauchula, Fl.
 

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a new skeleton

a new skeleton

Cutting, drilling, fitting, and rebuilding.....so far so good. Screwed up the first mast, and will change some cheek plates to accomodate "Soma" tubes. Gyro-Jake built an absolutely beautiful frame for my hanger-mate Rick Martin, of which I'll make use of some of his excellant ideas.
 

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Looks great Brooke! I am glad that you have kept the soma triangulation on the airframe, The drop keel and Yamaha engine should make a great platform.
Looks like some Jake influence too, very nice. I can't wait. :)
 
Looks good Brook. Anything I can help you with let me know. Post a close up of your front end or e-mail me a pick. I wanna better look. Thanks for the kind words on Ricks machine.

Jake
 
Thanks Scott, Jake is definitely an influence.....and a darn tootin' good one. Being a weekend warrior I'll be posting pics on Monday. Racer is having problems with his CNC mill, but hopes to have me my engine before the year is out. Could be a very nice X-mas, though I have plenty to do before then.
Jake, my 503 has your name on it, so cut when ready after you polish Rick up.
 
Brooke, I didn't think about it earlier......are you going to use the lower castings from your prerotator on your new set up? If not , I am interested in them.

I'll call you again this week.

Phil
 
Brooke, ya got a good start there and being influenced by Jake is a good thing!

Just one comment that isn't directed just at you and that is while there is an upper file size limit, the small file size pix that you've posted makes it difficult for someone with 'old' eyes to see all the details and features. So, larger pix would be welcome.
 
Brook, post the pictures on Photobucket.com and link those to here and they will be large and in full details
 
Oct17_0002.jpg

This just for Jake.....I believe this a "Butterfly" wheel assembly
Oct17_0003.jpg
forward triagulation
Oct17_0004.jpg
cheek plates
Oct17_0006.jpg

upper vertical eng. support plates
Oct17_0007.jpg

Diagonal engine support
Oct17_0008.jpg

Vert. and Diag. tied together
Oct17_0010.jpg

Triangulated engine mount......and all of this a BIG thanks to Ron for showing me how to post from photobucket.
 
Oct18_0001.jpg

The triagulated "birdcage"
Oct18_0002.jpg

There's about 12 hours of work putting that together.
Oct18_0003.jpg

All in all it was a good weekend.....so far so good.
 
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That's looking pretty good Brooke. Which is going to be finished first, engine or gyro?
 
That's looking pretty good Brooke. Which is going to be finished first, engine or gyro?

With the electrical problems Racer is having with his CNC machine I'll probably do a hang test with four 40lb bags of concrete on the engine mount. I'll probably finish the frame first, but I hope not.

Tim, I found the wheel on E-bay. Also up for grabs by the same seller was a yellow gyro frame.....no engine, rotors, or controls. It didn't last long.

Thanks Mike......how's "Missfit" coming along? Hope to see it flying at BD this year.
Dean, hope the pics are big enough for you. You can thank Ron.
 
Brooke, I keep missing you at Wauchula. I have been down there about every other weekend. I was looking at your frame Sat. before last, when Rick showed up with his little jewel. You didnt have all the braces on at that time. The Moron hangar is gonna have some nice machines chillin there soon.:sad:
 
making progress including a new rotor box

making progress including a new rotor box

Saturday was spent working with hardware, while Sunday had the tablesaw ripping plywood for a new rotorbox. I replaced the "electrical conduit" the original manufacturer used for engine mount longitutal triangulation with 6061, and plugged the ends with nylon. The front seat mount got redesigned based on Kevin's butterfly.
frtseatmount.jpg
The new front seat mount
backseatmt.jpg
The back seat mount
longitutaltriag.jpg
Replaced longitutal triangulation w/ nylon plugged 6061
controlsidegyro.jpg
Starting to look like a gyro again
Rotorbox.jpg
New box may be Texas bound.
 
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Looks good. You should have a lot of fun filled hours in the air with it.

The only thing I don't like is having a hard attach point between the mast and the top of the fuel tank/seat. There have been problems in the past with the back of the seat attach points getting pulled out from the flexing of the mast and seat back.

I think it's better to let the mast flex separately from the seat. Some of our club members just put a hard rubber cushion between the seat and mast to keep the seat from bending back.

This is not a big point and you most likely will never have a problem. But this is an idea to consider for any one else building a gyro.
 
The only thing I don't like is having a hard attach point between the mast and the top of the fuel tank/seat. There have been problems in the past with the back of the seat attach points getting pulled out from the flexing of the mast and seat back.

Thanks Chuck, I appreciate the insight. The previous bracket started to tear apart (evidently from flexing, now that you mention it). The front seat mount needs further modification as it may interfere with the cyclic, and now I'll modify the rear seat mount to accomodate flex.

This is why I'm posting progress. Feedback is invaluable, and I don't claim to be a master at this. My main goal is to create a safe and dependable gyro. Beyond that, the fun is icing on the cake.
 
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