Moving Day

[Bruce]

After a number of logistics headaches exacerbated by the Christmas - new Year Period, Avian Adventurer ZK-CKE will start 2009 at an Airport! This morning we moved the wings and Fuselage from the workshop at Tamahere (where it had lived for the last 41/2 years of the 7 year build) to Central Aero Engineering at Hamilton airport for its final preparations for flight. One of my SAA mates works with the Porter construction Group, and had arranged the ideal transporter for the job - all the big stuff in one load - taking less than an hour to complete the Move. many thanks Porter Haulage - Top guys!
The Adventurer resides for the next few weeks in the original historic Waikato Aero Club Hangar, currently sharing space with 3 wonderful biplanes! (Pitts, Acro Sport and McNair Mynah!)









Now, I'm sure that most of you will want to know when I expect to have it flying... I'm going to say now that it will fly "when its ready" which is a grossly variable timeframe. The last few weeks I have had a number of snags (which are not unexpected) which has pushed the timeframe outside of original estimates (again...) The engine controller is currently back with the manufacturer in Florida getting checked as the engine has refused to run to this point Although the airframe will be back together in the next few days, we still have fuel calibration, engine runs, compass swing and radio checks to sign off before the CAA Inspection. Most of this will rely on getting the engine running! As can be expected the delays are somewhat frustrating, so if you ask when it will fly, expect a somewhat short response!
The actual first flight will be kept very quiet and low - key anyway, but once it happens, the news will be posted here very early in the piece!.....

[Dave Homewood]

Ah bugger, I missed the move. I was hoping to give you a hand.

It's good to see the Avian in its new home though and also to see it entering the final phase of the build.

[Bruce]

dang... thats right I was going to let you know... Sorry about that Chief

[Dave Homewood]

Oh well, there's always next time ;D

[corsair67]

Bruce, you must be very excited to have finally gotten to this stage, and I wish you all the very best for the Adventurer's first flight.

I hope that there are no more hitches and everything else runs to schedule from now on too.

[yak2]

Great achievement Bruce. Enjoy the moment and fly it when you are ready, and without the pressure/distraction of too many spectators .

[Gavin Conroy]

Yip, good on your Bruce, look forward to seeing some pics of it in the air when you get that far.

[slackie]

Hopefully it won't be sharing the hangar with the Pitts for too long...I'm getting "G withdrawal"! It will only be made worse by the critiquing day tomorrow (Sunday 4th) wx permitting should see quite a good turnout.

[slackie]

Yay! Ours is finally out of the above hangar...and looking (and flying) sharp!

[Bruce]

Wish the same could be said for CKE, The enine controller is back to the USA for repair again. I made a wiring error which appears to have blown it up.... Bugger...
Good to hear MAD is out, certainly Colin and the guys were doing a really nice job of the fabric work.

[slackie]

Have you thought about a pair of magnetos?

[philip]

Thats a shame Bruce, I know you must be climbing the walls being so close to getting it airborne

I stuck a screwdriver where I shouldn't a few months back and fried my Rotax Flydata. Luckily Colin Alexander had me going again in no time.

[Bruce]

Mar 3, 2009 11:04:17 GMT 12 slackie said:

Have you thought about a pair of magnetos?

was getting tempting! thing is, I could mis - wire these just as well! it would also require a significant mod to the engine to create a mag drive. there isnt anything inherantly wrong with the controller, its just with lots of multipin plugs, its very easy to get them wired wrong....