Aircraft Maintenance Technology - 42

SHOP TALK

Summer Distractions, or
Airplane Fun?

By Ron Donner,
Aviation Consultant

JUNE/JULY 2020

The beginning of summer has been busy in the workshop with too many airplane projects. Earlier this year, I purchased a small unfinished airplane project;
a TEAM Airbike. Originally designed as a single seat ultralight, I plan to finish it
as an experimental amateur-built due to the weight restrictions of a Part 103
ultralight. After bringing home the fuselage, tail-feathers, unfinished wings, a
large assortment of 4130 steel tubing, aircraft wood of various shapes and sizes
and numerous fixtures for fabrication of sub-assemblies, my first task was to...
well, I wasn't really sure. How do I start? Where do I begin? Even a small, relatively
simple airplane build needs some sort of plan - right?
The first task was
to inventory parts, fixtures and raw-stock that
now filled my shop and
garage. Next, a detailed
visual inspection of
everything and spending
time studying the plans.
Before I could do this,
I needed a table large
enough to layout large
parts and assemble the
wood wings. And before
I could do this, I needed
to make room in my shop
for a table this size. And,
before I could do this,
Airbike wing spars
I had better study the
and ribs ready
plans enough to underfor inspection.
stand the size of the
wings. I needed a plan and soon was reminded of the
days as an airline maintenance manager when I studied
and implemented (or attempted to implement) project
management ideas into maintenance workflow.
About the time these first steps were done and I
was ready to really start construction, along came the
first distraction. My longtime aviator buddy Dave and
I decided it was time for a major overhaul on the older
model Lycoming O-235 engine in the Skyote biplane.
After long conversations, pouring over engine parts
lists, price lists, a visit to an area piston engine overhaul shop, we decided to change engines and look for
a Continental C85/C90/O200 model, which is a better
size and weight engine for the little biplane. The Skyote

engine project has been
an education so far. As
many of you know, even
small general aviation
engines and engine parts
are costly. More to come
on this project as we get
further into it.
Another friend of
mine recently bought a
pre-WWII Aeronca and
he has been asking questions and bouncing ideas
off me. I look forward to
flying it when it gets here
(and I do my Biennial
Flight Review) and will
likely help with some of
the maintenance. Second
distraction.
My son and I visited the old farmstead of a local person who recently passed. His son showed us around
a couple run-down hangers housing a few old ultralight airplanes. Stacked in the back of one hanger
were numerous model airplanes. Unfinished balsa
wood models, crashed RC models, a few old control
line models and miscellaneous parts and pieces, all
decades old and all in need of some repair. I love the
appearance of uncovered balsa wood models and built
many myself also decades ago. And yes we made a deal
and brought about two dozen old models home with
us. Third distraction.
Did I mention summer means outdoor lawn and garden projects? Forth distraction. All good stuff.

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

Aircraft Maintenance Technology

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aircraft Maintenance Technology