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Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

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cristalclear13

Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 363
Location: Southeast Georgia

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:19 pm Post subject: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Wanted to share my good news.  The Mark II Twinstar I bought at the beginning of September passed the DAR's inspection today.  It was quite the challenge and not the easy task getting her ready, but well worth it!  I have a few squawks to fix and then she'll be ready and legal to fly!  



Now I have to find a CFI who can sign me off in the same make and model (which may be impossible since I only know one other guy here in the US who has a Mark II and he isn't a CFI), then I could fly off the 5 hours of Phase 1 myself as a student pilot.  Or I'll have to find a private pilot to fly off the five hours for me and then find a CFI who will train me in my own Mark II (which also may be difficult considering I don't want to go broke doing it...shipping someone to Waycross GA could get expensive).  Between the DAR and the plane and fixing her up and flying lessons (since I've had to rent a Cessna meanwhile) I've certainly spent more than what I thought I would getting a sport pilot certificate.  I could have had almost two private pilot certificates by now, but then I wouldn't have a plane to fly either.



But hey, this road of getting a sport pilot certificate has been nothing but one challenge after another...sure has made my life exciting (and busy) this year.



Can you believe a spectator showed up during my inspection and then told me he was interested in buying it?  Sure guy...I'll do all the work and then just let you have all the fun.    No way!  But I took it as a major compliment.    



The DAR said she (I call her "Merry Dawn") looked like a clean plane.  I'll attach a picture of me and "Merry Dawn" this weekend.  



Oh happy day!

_________________
Cristal Waters
Kolb Mark II Twinstar Rotax 503 DCSI Sept 2007 - sold Sept 2012
Private Pilot Aug 2008
ELSA Repairman for N193Y April 2008
Rotax 2 stroke maintenance April 2009

olendorf

Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 140
Location: Schenectady, NY USA

Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:06 pm Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

I don't think a student pilot can fly off the 5 hours.  That is my situation and I asked the FAA for a 0 hour fly off since the plane has about 400 hours.  He said that would be no problem. We will see on 11/29.

_________________
Scott Olendorf
Original Firestar, Rotax 447, Powerfin prop
Schenectady, NY
http://sites.google.com/site/kolbfirestar/

rowedenny(at)windstream.n
Guest

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:17 am Post subject: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Cristal,

Congrats, and give us as many pics as possible.



Denny> 

 	  Quote: 	
		   --------

 Cristal

 Mark II Twinstar

 

 

 


	


 	  Quote:

Jim ODay

Joined: 09 Jul 2007
Posts: 61
Location: Fargo North Dakota

Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:26 am Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Cristalclear,



Congratulations!  It is a great deal having the path to legal status even though what comes with it is a book of regulations.  I find the rules only lead to a safer operation.



Get all the training you can, it will help you out in the long run.  The real learning will come after the ink is dry on your SP license, and you will fall back on those nuggets of knowledge gained during your training.



Great work getting you bird ready to fly and good luck getting your SP ticket.



Fly safe,



Jim



do not archive

_________________
Jim O'Day
Fargo, ND
Former Firestar II Builder/Pilot

cristalclear13

Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 363
Location: Southeast Georgia

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:43 pm Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Thanks.  My operating limitations say I could fly off the 5 hours as a student pilot IF (the big if) I was signed off in a Mark II.

I've attached one picture.  I need some nose art.  See my big tundra tires?  What psi would you recommend?  The max psi on the tire says 20.  The DAR said some guys only put like 3psi.  I'm not on a grass field.

Cristal and Merry Dawn Thanksgiving Day 2007.jpg

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_________________
Cristal Waters
Kolb Mark II Twinstar Rotax 503 DCSI Sept 2007 - sold Sept 2012
Private Pilot Aug 2008
ELSA Repairman for N193Y April 2008
Rotax 2 stroke maintenance April 2009

lcottrell

Joined: 29 May 2006
Posts: 1494
Location: Jordan Valley, Or

Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:10 pm Post subject: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

 	  Quote: 	
		   I've attached one picture.  I need some nose art.  See my big tundra 

 tires?  What psi would you recommend?  The max psi on the tire says 20. 

 The DAR said some guys only put like 3psi.  I'm not on a grass field.


	




Cristal,

   I have 800 size tires on my Firestar. I first had 6 lbs air in them and 

ended up spinning the tube in one tearing off the stem. I am now running 10 

to 12 lbs and they do well and are not too bouncy. If you don't do tubes, 

perhaps you can use less air, but I haven't noticed any ill effects on my 

landings from the amount of inflation that I now have.

Larry C



do not archive

_________________
do not archive

slyck(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:02 am Post subject: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

I never use a gauge (on an airplane)  inflate until it feels  

unyielding to the heel of your hand

when pushed hard.  Works ok on these cheap flimsy tires, maybe not so  

good on those

heavy multi-ply (expensive and unnecessary ) real airplane tires.



BB  MkIIIc dormant

d-m-hague(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 6:18 am Post subject: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

At 08:01 AM 11/23/2007, robert bean wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  I never use a gauge (on an airplane)  inflate until it feels

unyielding to the heel of your hand...


	


When I was into offroading we had to run pretty low pressures in oversized 

tires, I think I ran 3 psi offroad and 12 psi on the street.  The typical 

tire gauge is very inaccurate at those low pressures, I made my own with a 

15psi industrial pressure gauge and a tire chuck.  Offroad pressure was as 

low as you could go without the tire coming off the rim, for the street you 

still couldn't use the OEM pressures so you'd see how evenly a chalk mark 

on the tire would wear off.



I go by feel, then use the low pressure gauge to verify they're equal.



                                 -Dana



--

  Balance the budget--declare politicians a game species.

cristalclear13

Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 363
Location: Southeast Georgia

Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:51 pm Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

I don't know if I want to try to go by "feel". I'm a weakling.

_________________
Cristal Waters
Kolb Mark II Twinstar Rotax 503 DCSI Sept 2007 - sold Sept 2012
Private Pilot Aug 2008
ELSA Repairman for N193Y April 2008
Rotax 2 stroke maintenance April 2009

planecrazzzy
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 4:43 am Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Hey Guys,

                In the picture of Crystal's Plane....



Look at the "trim tab"....is that "size" really needed ?



Seems too big , almost like it could cause "Flutter"



it's almost touching the ground , I'll bet it has.



                 Gotta Fly...

                                 Mike & "Jaz" in MN  FSII/ No trim tabs

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cristalclear13

Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 363
Location: Southeast Georgia

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:08 am Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

My trim tab does drag ground if I don't keep my stick pulled back.  I keep a bungee cord on it when I'm not in it.

I don't know if it's my trim tab that is too big.  When I look at the picture of ropermike's Mark II, his trim tab looks to be about the same size.  

However it looks like his tailwheel keeps the back of the plane up higher than mine.  Kmet suggested (thanks Jim) I turn the tailwheel landing gear rod around back there to make it higher, but I'm not sure exactly what part he's talking about (the whole rod or just the attachment at the end).  Let me get a close up picture of my tailwheel assembly and post it here.  I'll try to get it this afternoon.  I'm having to replace the nut back there with a castellated nut (per the DAR) so I have it apart right now anyways.

_________________
Cristal Waters
Kolb Mark II Twinstar Rotax 503 DCSI Sept 2007 - sold Sept 2012
Private Pilot Aug 2008
ELSA Repairman for N193Y April 2008
Rotax 2 stroke maintenance April 2009

planecrazzzy
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:11 am Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Hi Crystal,

                I'm sure he's talking about turning the rod over...



it might be a little "sprung" , you can use that to your advantage by 



giving it a 180....



 You can't always Taxi with the stick "back" ( some do )



Sometimes it's confusing , which way to hold the stick ( Not anymore )



One of the best "sayings" that I heard when I was getting my Tailwheel



endorsement was this....



"Wind Behind" - Blows the stick



"Headwind" -  Pull Back , stick into the wind



 That "saying" helps me "Just do it"  , instead of thinking about it...



 You've got a nice looking plane !

.

.

 Gotta Fly...

Mike & "Jaz" in MN

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rowedenny(at)windstream.n
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:12 pm Post subject: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Cristal,

That is a really nice looking Mk-2.

That was the first Kolb that really grabbed my interest many years ago, I 

have always liked the looks of the Mk-2s.



Denny Rowe

Mk-3 N616DR

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Cristal:



I have discovered over a few years of building, flying, breaking these things (Kolbs), the length of the tail wheel strut can be cut very short.  This takes a lot of slop out of the tailwheel in the form of reducing the amount of free play it has in the stock configuration.  Also, if one happens to have a hard landing on the tail wheel, it keeps the tail wheel mechanism out of the bottom of the rudder.



I like about 4 inches of tail wheel strut exposed between the tail wheel struct socket and the tail wheel.



john h

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

cristalclear13

Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 363
Location: Southeast Georgia

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Thanks for the compliments and suggestions.  I have attached a picture and labeled the parts on the tailwheel rod A, B, and C, since I don't know what they are officially called.

So John, are you saying that you would make section B shorter?

All, How does B come of out of C to either cut it or rotate it?

If I rotate B, will I turn A back around to the way it is now or should it also rotate?

If I leave the tailwheel as it is and just make an elevator stop (or adjust it if it's adjustable) will that be good enough?



I measured my trim tab.  It is 17 1/4 inches by 6 inches.  It is controlled with a spring on top and a cable on the bottom.  My DAR said that a lot of Kolbers have converted that to a cable on top as well...in order to prevent "flutter".



Thanks for your help and suggestions.

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_________________
Cristal Waters
Kolb Mark II Twinstar Rotax 503 DCSI Sept 2007 - sold Sept 2012
Private Pilot Aug 2008
ELSA Repairman for N193Y April 2008
Rotax 2 stroke maintenance April 2009

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:39 pm Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Yes, the tail wheel strut is item B.

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

cristalclear13

Joined: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 363
Location: Southeast Georgia

Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:03 am Post subject: Re: Mark II is an airworthy ELSA

Thanks John.  And thanks to all those who have sent me helpful information and guidance off-list.  I appreciate your time.

_________________
Cristal Waters
Kolb Mark II Twinstar Rotax 503 DCSI Sept 2007 - sold Sept 2012
Private Pilot Aug 2008
ELSA Repairman for N193Y April 2008
Rotax 2 stroke maintenance April 2009

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