Glasair Aircraft Owners AssociationGlasair Aircraft Owners Association - Online Community for owners, builders and pilots of Glasair, GlaStar, Sportsman, Merlin, and OMF Symphony airplanes.
Trevor,
Thanks for sharing the photos of your Sportsman on floats with your dad. My dad introduced me to flying in his Luscombe when I was very young and It put the (young eagle) desire in me to have my own plane someday. I purchased a set of fl;oats for my Sportsman a few months ago and hope to get them installed this spring.
Ted
For those with VDO-style pressure senders, they can be easily grounded by a process similar to what Howard has done. Rather than soldering the wire to the sender body, Strip approximately 1″ of insulation from a ground wire. install a stainless gear clamp around the body of the transducer and slide the stripped portion of the ground wire under the gear clamp. Tighten the gear clamp to a reasonable torque – don’t go totally wild on it as we don’t want to crush the body of the transducer.
Using this technique ensures good ground attachment while also providing easy field servicing of the transducer.
Great write-up! Some comments from a guy who uses a lot of vinyl, but haven’t wrapped a plane… you can have more success on spinners and wheelpants by pre-stretching the vinyl, using a little heat. You then wrap pretty much as normal, but as you post-heat, it will try to shrink back to it’s original shape, thus conforming better to compound curves. There are videos on youtube etc. of guys doing auto mirrors etc. I’d say if you can do half a spinner or wheelpant, you’re approaching master status!
Also, if you are concerned about a butt joint, you can apply a 1″ wide strip of clear laminate over the seam, or apply some of the seam seal (basically clear lacquer) liquid… comes in a felt pen form, or little tin and brush. Pretty much invisible from 6′ away.
Happy wrappin’!
Thanks Perry I would say that most of my issues involve wrapping a compound shape on a very light weight component that is not bolted down. Send me a link to a wrap person who is wrapping a mirror with it in their lap please so I can learn that! 😉
I’ve gotten the bottom cowl (hard) and the gear legs (easy) done but I’m in the middle of radio updates and a condition inspection. Wrap On!
I agree with Arlo: 2017 was the best Smiley Creek ever! May the weather gods continue to shell out blue skies and light winds for our 2018 fly-in. The Suttons will be back for sure. For everyone who has NOT been to Smiley Creek, put it on your list of priorities and make it happen. Mark Briggs? Omar Filipovic? Ian Leonard? Start planning now! Hope to see you there.
fantastic ‘how-to’ for us neophytes….thanks Mark for an impeccably drafted treatise on cable management!
This should be a ‘document’ in the library, so I can find it for next year’s annual!
I think those ‘locally sourced’ plywood templates give me an idea for a new gustlock!…..thanks for the bonus!
…now, aren’t you supposed to be getting some transition training about now??? 😉
Aileron rigging took two of us four days to get right. It took about three days before we convinced ourselves there was no way we could possibly get them rigged properly using the CAC-built crossover cable interconnects. Once we decided the factory had done it wrong we had license to actually do it right. The end result is a pair of ailerons that are rigged almost exactly to the nomical factory specified deflection angles. Very satisfying.
As for transition training, well, I think I need to have a word with the weather man in hopes of getting some even mildly-cooperative weather since the last six weeks have been pretty rotten around here.
Don’t want to wrap but I do want to put four color stripe from nose to tail on my Glastar. Do you think this is possible to learn to do with one piece of vinyl, and no experience?
Great post!
Met Howard at his plane at Oshkosh he was very nice guy talk to who is eager to tell me all about his plane and give me good tips on mine. unforgettable adventure . I knew it was a champion when I saw his plane. This article should have pictured his tail art . Outstanding.
Thanks for the article! I’m interested in doing the same with my Sportsman…currently running the 390 engine with the same 74” blended airfoil prop you used to have…now that its been a while, what are your thoughts about the trailblazer? Is it fragile? You mentioned being happily surprised by its cruise performance getting 135 KTAS on 1GPH less than before, what is your fuel flow now? My Sportsman is a tail dragger…I typically get about 130 KTAS on 8.5 GPH, 135 @ 9.0, and 140 @ 10.5…
I installed a set of Squadron Pro’s on my Sportsman a couple months ago. The lights are WAY brighter than my original 55W Hella’s…one drawback though is the RF noise they generate. The left light totally jammed my VOR antenna…each time I turned them on, the VOR went off-scale…returned to proper indications each time I turned them off. The fix was to install five (yes, 5) RF suppressors (donut shaped magnets) over the LED light power wires near the light itself.
New to the Glastar world. In November, brought to Central Texas, Lou Bello’s 2006 Glastar with a TMX O-360 and AC constant speed prop. Didn’t get to fly much during Dec, Jan, Feb, but starting to get in the air regularly. Want to use this wonderful machine to go places, and have been experimenting with various power settings at various altitudes. Wondering what power settings folks are using at 4,000′ to 8000 ‘ cruise altitudes. I’ve used 24/24, 23/23, and 22/22 and haven’t found a “sweet spot” yet for best speed with best fuel burn. Any body got any words to help.
I’m in the camp that believes in leaving the throttle as wide open as possible for most undisturbed airflow through the intake. So after takeoff I usually pull back to 25″ and leave it there. I’ll pull the prop back to 23 or 24 and moderate fuel flow with mixture as best I can. That said, I always plan for legs well within fuel range so I’m rarely flying for best economy. I fly for go-fast.
Mine has this mod on both ailerons (i am not the builder) and they are still very heavy.
The document linked above is for a single longer 24″ version rather than the one pictured; which seems to be shorter version like the ones on my plane which are about 6 inches on each side. imho
I flew cross country which gave a lot variations. I sum it up as: 150 to 200 rpm below manifold pressure does well at most any MP setting. Usually 200 below. This is “over square”. I can feel the engine in its sweet spot. Less vibration, engine sounds better. If I set rpm too far below MP, I can feel the engine strain. If cruising at 5000′ I might be around 24 IN and 2200 rpm for good fuel and speed. For 8000′ 25 IN and 2300 rpm. At altitude, you will be at full throttle and manifold pressure will be way lower than what you are used to. Just firewall it (not quite, don’t activate the accelerator pump). If just flying around the potato field for time in the air, then 22-23 IN and 150 rpm below. Almost never cruise square. It is like not using overdrive. A good thing to look at is a Lycoming performance curve chart. It will show the manifold pressure for 75% power (and 65%) at any altitude, and a range of rpm’s. For take off, retract flaps, reduce MP to 25, rpm 2500 for a minute or 2000 FT AGL then throttle back for normal climb square or under square, 24IN and 24-2500 rpm.
My fuel tanks are not cross feeding. Fuel only feeds from the left tank. I just bought the plane. I blew out the vent line for the right tank and thought that would solve the problem. It didn’t. I have the builder’s manual but am having a hard time finding an overall view of the fuel system. Is there an overall cutaway view showing systems. My RV-6 plans started with one.
I found the ailerons to be heavy and installed the factory servo kit. The control balance is much better now. I would of course like to use both tanks and would like to install aux tanks. Any suggestions?
Also building a glasair llsrg serial # 2087 with the larger horizontal stab. Wondering how it wound up flying , what engine and prop did you use ? I’m using a C1C6 io 360, would stretching firewall forward 2 or 3 in. help weight and balance? I also added a bay of fuel like the plans in the glasair lll.
Cheers Donald Mueller
I am working on getting my Glasair 1 RG (kit 537-R) back in the air and have a frayed brake line (dual brake installation). It isn’t very impressive as is and I am thinking to replace the entire assemble with something a little more robust.
Has anyone come up with a brake installation that seems less frail and works well with the brakes on a Glasair 1?
Since doing this a couple of years ago, did you get the high CHTs sorted out? Did you see any decrease in fuel flow? Are yo happy with the conversion since?
Cleavland brakes makes upgraded version that has a thicker disk. Keeps same wheels. Much less prone to fading. Maco brakes do not work well with the Glasairs. I tried them and could not keep the disks from warping. Causes violent pulsing when braking.
Last Sunday (3/17/19) we were treated to a visit by Jeff Franklin & Therese Bohusch (both are pilots and co-owners) in a rather special aircraft: a Glasair Sportsman GS-2 with 195 HP Aero Sport IO-375 engine. Before they landed, while they practiced cross-wind landings we were attracted to the throaty sound of the engine but no one could identify what it was although we all knew what it wasn’t. We learned that this plane was built taking advantage of the factory two week to taxi program, shipped to Switzerland then ferried back to the states when Jeff & Therese bought it. They kindly offered a ride to everyone who wanted to take a ride – very generous! It is a most impressive aircraft, the acceleration pushes you back in the seat, the dual EFIS will convince anyone who sees it and although not an instructor, Jeff explained everything in a clear and concise manner that would make any student comfortable. Thanks for topping off a nice day at the airport, please come back! Later, on the The Glasair Aircraft Owners Association Website, we found this very interesting article about the ferry flight.
I’ve been using Odyssey batteries for some years, and have found them to function quite well. Also, they’re obtainable locally, usually at many battery stores. I’m contemplating the EarthX, due to weight saving… but does it need to be trickle charged? I’ve always left a trickle charger (Odyssey brand) running on mine.
I confess that I don’t fly as often as I should. This makes for a meaningful testimonial to the effect that the Earth-X lithium-iron battery holds a charge very well and does not seem to need a trickle charge. Even in cold Alaska. The only time I ever had to jump it was when I left my Avionics bus in Clearance Delivery position, which draws from the battery side of the Master solenoid. Radios drained the battery. No problem after jumping the plane with my lithium battery jump starter battery that I keep in my truck and now take with me when flying out somewhere remote.
[…] not become an orphan. For example, Glasair Aviation is alive and well, but it is no longer making Glasair kits, having recently sold the Glasair line to a new, unrelated company. This is something a […]
Hello, I am a new Glasair IIs owner with angle valve 200 hp engine (N63DK) with oil cooling questions:
1: does anyone recommend a larger oil cooler? if so, which one?
2: Is there a better oil to use to reduce heat or oil breakdown?
I’m currently in the process of building my Glasair 2 RG and am very interested in an engine modification like yours… What was your “out the door” price on the supercharger, engine mods, cowling work and paint?
Interesting NASA paper; but it speaks to Cessna style nose gear which is more like a bicycle not the Glasair style castering nose gear which is like a shopping cart.
[…] On September 19, 2019 N816J “slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings” under the capable and steady hand of fellow Sportsman builder Dennis Vanatta. […]
Search archives for aileron reflex (Oct 2012) for lots more discussion on this subject. After Ted S. (the aeroplane surgeon) tweaked my Sportsman to fly straight and level with mostly neutral trims, I reflexed per Chris W. (the orthoplanic surgeon) and picked up 5 kts. Both surgeries successful -full, quick recovery with no pain or drugs.
Looking for an experienced Glasair 2 RG builder that is in the central TX area for assistance. Happy to pay for your time and hotels. My timeline for completing this airplane is getting short and I really need to get this thing flying soon.
How about some help? My Glassair II RG landing gear will not come down in flight. After many times putting the switch up and down it will come down finally. Sometimes it will come down better with full throttle applied. Sometimes it will not make a difference. When gear won’t work there is no change in voltage or hydraulic pressure with the switch down or up until it decides to work.
On the ground on jacks it always works fine, no problem. How do you figure?
My Glastar has the elevator pulling the nose up in level flight. The front edge is depressed about 1-2 in. I am having issues getting anywhere near the published performance figures for cruise. Can the horizontal stabilizer be adjusted to get the elevator into a trail position?
Hmmm… it seems Richard likes his Sportsman maybe just a little bit. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve heard a single dissenting opinion when it comes to the Sportsman!
A nicely-written piece, Richard. If anybody was on the fence about building a Sportsman, reading your story should fix their indecision!
If your protective plastic (white in this case) has been left on for >20 years and is now very brittle having to be picked off bit by bit .. has anyone found a good way to loosen it up?
I tried an EarthX battery because the Odyssey PC680 just wasn’t strong enough to turn the Superior XP-400 when the engine was cold. I had some problems with the battery right out of warranty and didn’t feel like EarthX was very supportive of their product. I also think I was pretty foolish to have installed the EarthX battery in the first place because of the battery’s self protection feature. If you run the battery down to about 10.5 volts it will shut off to protect itself. My aircraft is mostly electrical so I installed dual B&C alternators. Even so, if I fail both alternators, I’m down to battery power. I have a back up battery for each of my Dynons but no other back up battery. I have dual Lightspeed 3 ignitions which will fire just fine down to about 5 volts which wouldn’t have been served well by a battery that cut out at 10.5 volts. Maybe no big deal if you run magnetos or some self powered ignition. To get the cranking power out of an Odyssey battery, I went with a PC 950. Great cranking power and huge reserve power. The point of all of this is to evaluate your own electrical requirements and decide if you are going to be OK with a battery that saves itself instead of saving you.
Ref; Don Yoakley’s nose wheel shimmy incident,
I had a similar event recently, but on landing on a grass strip, when the nose wheel touched down a violent shimmy collapsed the nose gear, followed by both mains as various events were happening!
The long and short of it that talking to Ian Baker at Mitagong ( AUST) who is the engineering manager for Advanced Aero Components Told me that the nose gear failure is designed such that the drag link fails downward! mine did the same and saved the prop. strike! He also said the insert in the shimmy clamp should be changed three monthly! It is age related!
Richard- A great story and reminds me of how much I am missing my Sportsman that is back in my hangar in the Cleveland area while I am sequestered in Colorado. Thanks for sharing!
Scott Alperin
N117SA
Thanks.
I was asking for the part number to have one available when I will rotate the tires next. The one I want to replace the next time is the outer one next to the wheel nut. During annual inspection I found a local corrosion which eventually will lead to a noisy bearing. Should it get too noisy Ill do this whenever before the next annual.
Somehow water must have made it past the felt seal.
All other bearings are fine.
angelo
Yes good to have a spare, just keep it in its original packaging until you install it. The high carbon steel rusts easily. And if your old one isn’t making audible noise and the cup race is clean (not like the photo above) you can probably keep using it.
A
Hi,
I do really appreciate this info since I have a Glasair II FT. I really don’t want any oil to drip down on the friction pad. Something to really keep an eye on and the importance to keep the engine compartment dry of course. But it can easily happen during a change of oil or when you add some oil to the engine.
I’m interested in putting different engines on the Glastar and you have done it with the 540. By chance do you know how much the firewall forward weighs? Also, what does the equipment and battery setup look like behind bulkhead A? Any information would be helpful…
In order to comply with Service Bulletin 48 Part 2 is it necessary to cut additional access holes in the wings to access the Upper Inboard Aileron Guide Pulleys?
Also, Is it possible to remove the bolt for the aileron guide pulley in the cove skin without damaging the bracket?
Sorry my last comment incorrectly named the pulley blocks I am concerned with.
I should have indicated that the Outboard Aileron pair of pulleys appears to inaccessible without an additional access panel in the lower skin.
Service Bulletin 48 part 2 identifies the ‘two aileron pulleys just inboard of the ailerons’ ; continuing with cove skin panel access drawings for the inboard pair of aileron pulleys, but no drawing of an access panel for the outboard pair.
The access panel for the flap pair in the cove skin is elsewhere of course.
Can you please provide some advice concerning access to the outer pair?
Hi !
The Glasair II flying around the world , (previous owner Hans Guttman,) is nowadays in Sweden, owner Gustav Cassel, Reg SE-XUK , in my hangar together with my GIII, SE-XVD it surely looks nice….
Regards Ralph Loefberg
The engine has worked out really well. I have 628 hours on it now. No major issues just a few minor ones that have since been corrected. Not sure if you know but there is now a turbo engine that I am waiting on to be tested in an RV6. I think it is going to be a game changer. If it performs like dyno tested it should out perform an IO390 and still be lighter.
on my glasair 1992 180 HP , i have wing tip tanks and found out that gas smell where not a problem when i plug the external vents in tip tanks . do you have a problem which this tip tank ?
no problem which tip tank just a smell of gas , i have a 1/2 inch left gear is lower than the right on a ft glasair 11, is it possible to shim up the left gear ?
I will be attending the GAOA fly in at Smiley Creek. I will be driving as I am still working and cannot take a chance of being weathered in somewhere between Idaho and Oklahoma. I am looking forward to the day when that will no longer be a factor. I am wondering if any CFI GlaStar owners will be attending who would be willing to give me a few hours of dual instruction during that time. My GlaStar will be a tri-gear with the new Titan XIO-340, so whoever has an airplane closest to that configuration would be most valuable. However, I will take anything close. My current airplane is a Zenith CH-640. This is a 4 place, 180 HP, low wing aircraft. I am really excited to get to go for a ride as I have not flown in a GlaStar before. Please PM me if anyone is interested. BTW, I will bring my logbook and enough Benjamins to make it worthwhile.
Thank You
The guy that my Ai is working on is a member of your group. Brian Naun. Is there a list of AD’s for a Glassair 3. All we find is a 567 page report. Thank You.
The first ten pages of this document are an index of all advisory publications – go through them to see which ones are applicable to your particular model. Airworthiness Directives (ADs) are not published for Experimental/Amateur-built aircraft – only service bulletins and service letters.
I may not be able to make it, waiting for a crucial part from glasair and they say no parts for 4 weeks!! I reserved a YURT at the smiley creek lodge, i am going to have to cancel if anyone wants it let me know and we can change the reservation otherwise i am go9ing to cancel and if i can come to the fly in i will camp.
One lonely Glastar showed up to representing Glasair. It won Best of Glastar/Sportsman award. Best looking of all. It is painted (Isotope green) Best colored choice award. One of the Best looking planes at the whole show. Why didn’t more Glastars show up from the local area? To share the awards.
Can worn scissor bushings cause the nose gear to shimmy?
I was also told that shims need to be installed to tighten the nose wheel bearings.
I’m not so sure about this!
Any advise?
Is there some definitive procedure published for various landing gear malfunctions? There are several scenarios I have in mind:
—Hydraulic pump failure
—Loss of all electrical power
—Loss of hydraulic fluid
Or is it one procedure in the handbook that fits all situations?
Dan, My wife and I plan to attend this event on Wednesdayat 6 PM. I would like to meet other Glasair owners as I have a Super II-S FT kit that I needs to find a home A long story, but I would like to have someone contact me regarding on how to post on this website. If you or Omar could contact me for details, that would be very much appreciated. Gene
I was the guy flying the Glasair IIRG in the photo sitting in-the farmer’s field. I had purchased a new lightweight Whirlwind propeller and decided that I needed to move the engine fwd six inches to correct the CG issue that resulted. This created a cascade of changes in the engine compartment which resulted in the air plane being grounded for over a year while all the changes were made to accommodate the new prop.
Anyway a long story short here’s what occurred.
Because this was the second maintenance test flight, and the first one had gone so well, that my biggest concern was to get airborne as quickly as possible to continue breaking in the engine. I had installed a brand new lithium battery for my main battery and a small aux battery, solely, to be used for my new electronic ignition.
That day I put a battery charger on the battery then I went into my new EFIS displays to reset some engine warning limits and review my engine operating parameters. I worked on the readouts for about thirty minutes. It was a cold January morning so I decided to pre heat the engine and asked my maintenance tech if he couldn’t rig up an engine heater. In about five mins he had heat going into the engine compartment while I was waiting for the engine to warm up. Little did I know is that he un plugged the power to the battery. (Error #1)
Finished the EFIS work, checked the oil and fuel levels pulled it out of the hangar. Started up and noticed that the battery only read 13.7 v. I have a 12v system, Hmm this seemed low and kelp a mental note thinking my voltage regulator or alternator needs to be checked when I get back but that I could live with it. Took off climbed to 4,000msl and circled Arlington airport to stay within gliding range in case the engine quit.
All engine parameters were normal except my engine oil temp was too high but within limits.
Then 15 mins after takeoff I heard a pop and the engine quit and everything went dead! Nothing worked except my standby static instruments and the EFIS displays which had their own backup batteries. Radios were out to. I instantly got angry! What the heck? Retrimmed the plane and ran the engine out check list in about 10 secs
I wasn’t concerned with making the runway, I was at 4000 ft msl and pretty much perfectly positioned two mile E of the airfield for a right hand turn to final for a landing on RW34. Plenty of altitude to easily glide to the airfield!
In addition I knew that if I switched to my aux battery the engine would begin running again. I was also rerunning the other checklist but nothing improved my situation.
So I thought well I’ve practiced this maneuver before I took the airplane apart so I’ll just descend down to the runway and land, and if I need to start the engine it’s always available.
By the way when I landed in the farmers field I had a nice touch down and rolled out for about five hundred feet. It was at the very end of the roll out when the left main wheel encountered a muddy spot and it came to s stop. This mud instantly pulled the nose to the left but the aircraft’s momentum kept it going in a straight line for about four feet which put a large side load on the right main gear. The right side brace stud broke. That was the only damage.
So as I descended I lined up with the runway, already at my best glide speed with my spinner right at the mid pt of the runway. Than I noticed my spinner moving towards the far end of the runway. Added some flaps and the spinner moved back to the mid pt of the runway.
Then being a perfectionist, I thought I should be able to put this thing down within the 1st thousand ft!
So I went to the second flap detent and the spinner pointed at a spot about a thousand ft from the APPCH end. I’ve got this now I thought!
As I descended further the spinner now began to obscure the first third of the runway and move towards the mid pt again. I decided to live with this condition.
I reviewed the emergency landing gear extension procedure and reminded myself that once it’s extended it won’t retract without electricity.
So I would not extend the gear until I had the runway made.
Passing thru a thousand feet everything looked good but I started to feel the pangs of concern about not having the gear extended. I reminded my self that the gear wasn’t going to be extended until 200’ agl or lower.
Descended on down to 300’ agl and took the flaps back up to 10° and was concerned about the road that crossed short of the approach end of RW34 had some logging trucks going by.
Got down to 200’ agl and began to realize that I could still clear the tops of the trucks and my spinner was obscuring the first half of the runway. Also I knew that the gear would take about 7 to 10 seconds to extend and also pump it down to where it had pressure holding it in position. But flying the plane and pumping the handle it might make it a bit longer. I had no gear lights.
So about 120 to 50 feet I positioned the gear switch down, the emergency extend valve down and lowered the gear. Instantly the nose pitched down and was aimed at the approach lights area. I raised the flaps to extend the glide. This didn’t help
Now I either went around or turned left 45° to land in the farmer’s field.
I was so low that I felt that it was too late to start the engine because if it didn’t start I was still going to land in the farmers field. And I especially didn’t want to land short of the runway and hit a truck or car. So I turned left, did a quick off field landing checklist and I was down.
So why did I land short when I had practiced this same procedure many times before?
Normally I didn’t think this post would really be worthy of a mention to the Glasair owners because most of them don’t change their airplane as I did.
You can prepare as much as possible for any eventuality while flying but this is one consideration that I didn’t believe I needed to prepare for if I had to do an engine out landing. In fact I couldn’t figure out why I landed short as much as I did. It took me three or four days to figure it out and then when I did the math I realized that this is one situation that I had not prepared for.
In a Glasair II if you measure the distance your eyes are positioned above the top of the cowling it’s not very much. What, ten or twelve inches? If you then increase the length of the cowling by six inches, remember I moved my engine forward over 6 inches to make up for the lack of propeller weight, it gives you the optical impression that you are going to land longer down the runway than you actually are. In my case around 800’ farther down the runway! The easy way to prove this for yourself is to take your airplane, and look at the end of your spinner as your on approach at about 500’ agl. This is your usual sight picture the one your used to. Now imagine your spinner is 7 inches longer. Where is your new touchdown point now? Yup it’s farther down the runway.
So the other issues are why did the engine quit? That’s pretty simple. I have no magnetos, I use two electronic ignitions that worked flawlessly as long as they are being supplied with electricity. Then in the event that they are not receiving power I should switch to the auxiliary battery. What I found out about my system was that unlike a lead acid battery the battery management system on my lithium batteries will protect my battery at all cost. Even if it means shutting down power from my main battery.
Remember when I said that I was adjusting my EFIS display and had asked
my tech to turn on the engine heat? Well while sitting in the airplane he Dutifully unplugged the power to the battery and plugged in the heater with the same cord. Oops! (Error#2) So now I am running the EFIS displays on battery power for the next 45 minutes. This is my fault for not checking and making available a separate cord for electrical power to the battery.
Finally, it would of been a nice touch if I hadn’t had the alternator switch turned off! (Error 3) Normally when I get in the airplane I double check that the master switch is on and the alternator switches are on at the same time because they’re right together. This way I can check the hydraulic pressure and the lights. But for some reason that day I didn’t do it or because my feet are so big I could’ve hit it off with the toe of my shoe while climbing in. So that’s why the engine quit after only 15 minutes of running. This was very confusing to me because I still thought I should have had plenty of battery power enough to last for at least another hour. Which caused me to incorrectly diagnose what the problem was with my electric system.
What about the 13.7volts? Unlike a lead acid battery a lithium battery when it is brand new usually indicates about 13.7 V of output. So when I saw it before I took off, I believe that it was working OK and that there was some other problem with my alternator. Now however, anytime the engine is running and I display less than 14.2 v Then there is a problem and that I should shut down and investigate. I will not fly the plane unless I see 14.2v displayed before takeoff. I’ve also added a battery indicating system where I can read the volts available and the percentage of charge. This is part of my checklist items before I takeoff.
Also I have revamped my checklist. There’s no less than three places where I check the position of my alternator switch before takeoff.
And if you’re wondering yes I flew the airplane yesterday and I have flown that airplane over 300 hours since that incident.
So in over 45 years of flying a variety of airplanes from jet’s to gliders and over 25,000 flight hours this is the only time I’ve ever hurt an airplane. This incident cost about $1000 to repair. And I paid for it out of my own pocket so that everybody’s insurance rates wouldn’t go up.
I would like to show up for this event. Do I need to notify anyone or pay a fee?
Brent Gammon 650 773 4846 gammon25@yahoo,com
I own a Sportsman (2019 TWTT) but will be flying my Kitfox 4 because I will also attend the
Kitfox Fly-in at Homedale the same weekend. Clearly Idaho must be airplane heaven.
Tom – I replied directly to you via email but will also add a reply here so this question doesn’t go unanswered in our website history…
I and several others have installed the Baja Designs Squadron Pro lights in the wingtips. Several others have opted for different versions of the same or similar light, namely adding a combination lens to help spread the beam closer to the aircraft and going with the smaller brothers in this product family, the S1 and S2 lights.
I haven’t yet heard of anybody having a premature failure of the lights themselves, nor have I heard of anybody unhappy with the light output. I personally use them in wig-wag mode any time the engine is running and in solid “on” mode for night operations at our wildlife-infested local runways. So far, so good!
I removed my new odessey 680 3-1/2 years ago due to slow cranking & installed a EarthX ExT 900. My battery is located behind the rear bulkhead cover so I have a little extra distance to get power to the starter to crank my Lyc 0360. The 10 lb weight reduction with the EarthX plus much better cranking power is awesome. It has worked flawless !
Hello folks! I own a Glastar D-EORG (built 2010) and have the same problem. Since Pillar point is no longer available, I am looking for a replacement for the LFL-12-Kit sensors. Does anyone know where to get spare parts and can help me? Many many thanks.
Wolfgang
PS: I live in Austria!
From west coast, thinking to fly GA1RG in to KMSN Saturday for Dinner at Essen Haus. Any Ideas where to stay for the night? Thinking car pool back to airport for very early am departure to KOSH Sunday? Want to avoid traffic jam. stevenwplyler@gmail.com
Loved your article and couldn’t agree more. I’m on my 2nd ‘bought not built’ GlaStar and I can tell you the help, support, and just good conversation to be had here on this forum, in the hangars of GlaStar owners, and at Smiley Creek has been wonderful. I’m looking at kits now to maybe take it to the next level. Thanks for the insight!
Trying to install my wheels on my Glastar. Discovered wheels are too wide to fit on axle. They are set up for 600 x 6 tire. Bought kit second hand this what came with it, but don’t think they are standard issue. Anybody give me some input on what go with this kit. Thanks
Again great article. Lots of data but bottom line extra VG’s don’t do much just like John Lake been saying for years, but now I think we have a definitive answer. Thank you Jeff. I did Ted’s flap extension. I think they work to lower full flap stall, but we need someone like u to really show the data.
PS met you and your dad at Smiley Creek and breakfast at Big Creek. Your dad has lots of stores, hope to see you both at Smiley. Happy New Year
Thanks for taking the time to write this. a good reminder for all of us that you never know what awaits around the corner. Im going to look for a satellite phone now! Thanks again.
Hmm…vernier type throttle. Ever had a problem with no movement until the center knob is pushed? Nice to have it adjustable, but wonder if, in a panic, would be possible to forget to push the knob.
See, I have two throttles available, one vernier, one normal with the friction screw, and installing now.
I just bought a 1986 Glasair 1RG. I have a somewhat rough grass strip. (Not real bad) on my farm where I have a hanger. Is it safe to land this kind of plane there?
Nice!!
Br Ralph SE-XVD Sweden
Ed,
Huge congratulations on your first flight! Absolutely beautiful airplane!
Reggie
Trevor,
Thanks for sharing the photos of your Sportsman on floats with your dad. My dad introduced me to flying in his Luscombe when I was very young and It put the (young eagle) desire in me to have my own plane someday. I purchased a set of fl;oats for my Sportsman a few months ago and hope to get them installed this spring.
Ted
For those with VDO-style pressure senders, they can be easily grounded by a process similar to what Howard has done. Rather than soldering the wire to the sender body, Strip approximately 1″ of insulation from a ground wire. install a stainless gear clamp around the body of the transducer and slide the stripped portion of the ground wire under the gear clamp. Tighten the gear clamp to a reasonable torque – don’t go totally wild on it as we don’t want to crush the body of the transducer.
Using this technique ensures good ground attachment while also providing easy field servicing of the transducer.
Yes but be careful: VDO pressure senders are subject to not working or giving impossible values. I always have one spare with me.
Great write-up! Some comments from a guy who uses a lot of vinyl, but haven’t wrapped a plane… you can have more success on spinners and wheelpants by pre-stretching the vinyl, using a little heat. You then wrap pretty much as normal, but as you post-heat, it will try to shrink back to it’s original shape, thus conforming better to compound curves. There are videos on youtube etc. of guys doing auto mirrors etc. I’d say if you can do half a spinner or wheelpant, you’re approaching master status!
Also, if you are concerned about a butt joint, you can apply a 1″ wide strip of clear laminate over the seam, or apply some of the seam seal (basically clear lacquer) liquid… comes in a felt pen form, or little tin and brush. Pretty much invisible from 6′ away.
Happy wrappin’!
Thanks Perry I would say that most of my issues involve wrapping a compound shape on a very light weight component that is not bolted down. Send me a link to a wrap person who is wrapping a mirror with it in their lap please so I can learn that! 😉
I’ve gotten the bottom cowl (hard) and the gear legs (easy) done but I’m in the middle of radio updates and a condition inspection. Wrap On!
I agree with Arlo: 2017 was the best Smiley Creek ever! May the weather gods continue to shell out blue skies and light winds for our 2018 fly-in. The Suttons will be back for sure. For everyone who has NOT been to Smiley Creek, put it on your list of priorities and make it happen. Mark Briggs? Omar Filipovic? Ian Leonard? Start planning now! Hope to see you there.
fantastic ‘how-to’ for us neophytes….thanks Mark for an impeccably drafted treatise on cable management!
This should be a ‘document’ in the library, so I can find it for next year’s annual!
I think those ‘locally sourced’ plywood templates give me an idea for a new gustlock!…..thanks for the bonus!
…now, aren’t you supposed to be getting some transition training about now??? 😉
Thanks for the kind words, Perry.
Aileron rigging took two of us four days to get right. It took about three days before we convinced ourselves there was no way we could possibly get them rigged properly using the CAC-built crossover cable interconnects. Once we decided the factory had done it wrong we had license to actually do it right. The end result is a pair of ailerons that are rigged almost exactly to the nomical factory specified deflection angles. Very satisfying.
As for transition training, well, I think I need to have a word with the weather man in hopes of getting some even mildly-cooperative weather since the last six weeks have been pretty rotten around here.
Don’t want to wrap but I do want to put four color stripe from nose to tail on my Glastar. Do you think this is possible to learn to do with one piece of vinyl, and no experience?
Great post!
Met Howard at his plane at Oshkosh he was very nice guy talk to who is eager to tell me all about his plane and give me good tips on mine. unforgettable adventure . I knew it was a champion when I saw his plane. This article should have pictured his tail art . Outstanding.
Are servo tabs installed on both ailerons or will one do the job?
Just one.
Thanks for the article! I’m interested in doing the same with my Sportsman…currently running the 390 engine with the same 74” blended airfoil prop you used to have…now that its been a while, what are your thoughts about the trailblazer? Is it fragile? You mentioned being happily surprised by its cruise performance getting 135 KTAS on 1GPH less than before, what is your fuel flow now? My Sportsman is a tail dragger…I typically get about 130 KTAS on 8.5 GPH, 135 @ 9.0, and 140 @ 10.5…
I installed a set of Squadron Pro’s on my Sportsman a couple months ago. The lights are WAY brighter than my original 55W Hella’s…one drawback though is the RF noise they generate. The left light totally jammed my VOR antenna…each time I turned them on, the VOR went off-scale…returned to proper indications each time I turned them off. The fix was to install five (yes, 5) RF suppressors (donut shaped magnets) over the LED light power wires near the light itself.
New to the Glastar world. In November, brought to Central Texas, Lou Bello’s 2006 Glastar with a TMX O-360 and AC constant speed prop. Didn’t get to fly much during Dec, Jan, Feb, but starting to get in the air regularly. Want to use this wonderful machine to go places, and have been experimenting with various power settings at various altitudes. Wondering what power settings folks are using at 4,000′ to 8000 ‘ cruise altitudes. I’ve used 24/24, 23/23, and 22/22 and haven’t found a “sweet spot” yet for best speed with best fuel burn. Any body got any words to help.
I’m in the camp that believes in leaving the throttle as wide open as possible for most undisturbed airflow through the intake. So after takeoff I usually pull back to 25″ and leave it there. I’ll pull the prop back to 23 or 24 and moderate fuel flow with mixture as best I can. That said, I always plan for legs well within fuel range so I’m rarely flying for best economy. I fly for go-fast.
Mine has this mod on both ailerons (i am not the builder) and they are still very heavy.
The document linked above is for a single longer 24″ version rather than the one pictured; which seems to be shorter version like the ones on my plane which are about 6 inches on each side. imho
I flew cross country which gave a lot variations. I sum it up as: 150 to 200 rpm below manifold pressure does well at most any MP setting. Usually 200 below. This is “over square”. I can feel the engine in its sweet spot. Less vibration, engine sounds better. If I set rpm too far below MP, I can feel the engine strain. If cruising at 5000′ I might be around 24 IN and 2200 rpm for good fuel and speed. For 8000′ 25 IN and 2300 rpm. At altitude, you will be at full throttle and manifold pressure will be way lower than what you are used to. Just firewall it (not quite, don’t activate the accelerator pump). If just flying around the potato field for time in the air, then 22-23 IN and 150 rpm below. Almost never cruise square. It is like not using overdrive. A good thing to look at is a Lycoming performance curve chart. It will show the manifold pressure for 75% power (and 65%) at any altitude, and a range of rpm’s. For take off, retract flaps, reduce MP to 25, rpm 2500 for a minute or 2000 FT AGL then throttle back for normal climb square or under square, 24IN and 24-2500 rpm.
A beauty! Have more fun flyin”!
Having a problem removing the struts while on the aircraft to replace the seals. Help
This just paid for my new membership fee . . . time and money.
Thanks!
My fuel tanks are not cross feeding. Fuel only feeds from the left tank. I just bought the plane. I blew out the vent line for the right tank and thought that would solve the problem. It didn’t. I have the builder’s manual but am having a hard time finding an overall view of the fuel system. Is there an overall cutaway view showing systems. My RV-6 plans started with one.
I found the ailerons to be heavy and installed the factory servo kit. The control balance is much better now. I would of course like to use both tanks and would like to install aux tanks. Any suggestions?
Also building a glasair llsrg serial # 2087 with the larger horizontal stab. Wondering how it wound up flying , what engine and prop did you use ? I’m using a C1C6 io 360, would stretching firewall forward 2 or 3 in. help weight and balance? I also added a bay of fuel like the plans in the glasair lll.
Cheers Donald Mueller
Hi.
I am working on getting my Glasair 1 RG (kit 537-R) back in the air and have a frayed brake line (dual brake installation). It isn’t very impressive as is and I am thinking to replace the entire assemble with something a little more robust.
Has anyone come up with a brake installation that seems less frail and works well with the brakes on a Glasair 1?
Thanks,
Sam Harris (new owner) 813-957-6156
Since doing this a couple of years ago, did you get the high CHTs sorted out? Did you see any decrease in fuel flow? Are yo happy with the conversion since?
CW
Well.. it’s been eleven years. Seems to be enough time to get that sleek looking pitot tube flying. I’d love an update on this!
Carlos is no longer with us. Has flown west.
Cleavland brakes makes upgraded version that has a thicker disk. Keeps same wheels. Much less prone to fading. Maco brakes do not work well with the Glasairs. I tried them and could not keep the disks from warping. Causes violent pulsing when braking.
Are you still flying with this engine? Could you give your opinion about it?
Last Sunday (3/17/19) we were treated to a visit by Jeff Franklin & Therese Bohusch (both are pilots and co-owners) in a rather special aircraft: a Glasair Sportsman GS-2 with 195 HP Aero Sport IO-375 engine. Before they landed, while they practiced cross-wind landings we were attracted to the throaty sound of the engine but no one could identify what it was although we all knew what it wasn’t. We learned that this plane was built taking advantage of the factory two week to taxi program, shipped to Switzerland then ferried back to the states when Jeff & Therese bought it. They kindly offered a ride to everyone who wanted to take a ride – very generous! It is a most impressive aircraft, the acceleration pushes you back in the seat, the dual EFIS will convince anyone who sees it and although not an instructor, Jeff explained everything in a clear and concise manner that would make any student comfortable. Thanks for topping off a nice day at the airport, please come back! Later, on the The Glasair Aircraft Owners Association Website, we found this very interesting article about the ferry flight.
[…] Click here to read about a Sportsman being ferried halfway across the world back to the US […]
Aaaaand if anyone is interested in purchasing a new fork, see this thread: https://forum.glasair-owners.com/t/glastar-larger-nose-wheel-fork/15009
I just purchased one and am excited to get a more grass-worthy trike.
I’ve been using Odyssey batteries for some years, and have found them to function quite well. Also, they’re obtainable locally, usually at many battery stores. I’m contemplating the EarthX, due to weight saving… but does it need to be trickle charged? I’ve always left a trickle charger (Odyssey brand) running on mine.
I confess that I don’t fly as often as I should. This makes for a meaningful testimonial to the effect that the Earth-X lithium-iron battery holds a charge very well and does not seem to need a trickle charge. Even in cold Alaska. The only time I ever had to jump it was when I left my Avionics bus in Clearance Delivery position, which draws from the battery side of the Master solenoid. Radios drained the battery. No problem after jumping the plane with my lithium battery jump starter battery that I keep in my truck and now take with me when flying out somewhere remote.
Brad Cruz
[…] not become an orphan. For example, Glasair Aviation is alive and well, but it is no longer making Glasair kits, having recently sold the Glasair line to a new, unrelated company. This is something a […]
Where do we find the 3rd door option instruction download?
Instructions are in the Document Library:
https://glasair-owners.com/library/download-info/glastar-baggage-door-retrofit-instructions-rv2-t-setzer/
Thank you Omar
Hello, I am a new Glasair IIs owner with angle valve 200 hp engine (N63DK) with oil cooling questions:
1: does anyone recommend a larger oil cooler? if so, which one?
2: Is there a better oil to use to reduce heat or oil breakdown?
Thank you
Torsten
I’m currently in the process of building my Glasair 2 RG and am very interested in an engine modification like yours… What was your “out the door” price on the supercharger, engine mods, cowling work and paint?
[…] Download Image More @ glasair-owners.com […]
[…] Download Image More @ glasair-owners.com […]
How many Glasair 111 kits were produced?
Hello, Can anyone provide me with a source where I may purchase resin and bi-directional cloth for my Glasair II project. Thank you.
Interesting NASA paper; but it speaks to Cessna style nose gear which is more like a bicycle not the Glasair style castering nose gear which is like a shopping cart.
[…] Download Image More @ glasair-owners.com […]
[…] On September 19, 2019 N816J “slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings” under the capable and steady hand of fellow Sportsman builder Dennis Vanatta. […]
Search archives for aileron reflex (Oct 2012) for lots more discussion on this subject. After Ted S. (the aeroplane surgeon) tweaked my Sportsman to fly straight and level with mostly neutral trims, I reflexed per Chris W. (the orthoplanic surgeon) and picked up 5 kts. Both surgeries successful -full, quick recovery with no pain or drugs.
Scott,
could you doublecheck your lead “aileron reflex (oct 2012)” – I cannoty find it,
Thanks
angelo
Looking for an experienced Glasair 2 RG builder that is in the central TX area for assistance. Happy to pay for your time and hotels. My timeline for completing this airplane is getting short and I really need to get this thing flying soon.
Any ideas?
This makes a lot of sense to me for all aspects of wheel, tire, axle, and brake servicing saving time and trouble consistently.
Has anyone made a few of these and offered them for sale?
Brad
How about some help? My Glassair II RG landing gear will not come down in flight. After many times putting the switch up and down it will come down finally. Sometimes it will come down better with full throttle applied. Sometimes it will not make a difference. When gear won’t work there is no change in voltage or hydraulic pressure with the switch down or up until it decides to work.
On the ground on jacks it always works fine, no problem. How do you figure?
Yeah, this guy doesn’t really know what he’s doing…
Great summary looking at a 2000 GS-1 Glastar looking for all the info I can before buying. Thanks
My Glastar has the elevator pulling the nose up in level flight. The front edge is depressed about 1-2 in. I am having issues getting anywhere near the published performance figures for cruise. Can the horizontal stabilizer be adjusted to get the elevator into a trail position?
Yes, see Zach’s answer in the forum.
Hmmm… it seems Richard likes his Sportsman maybe just a little bit. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve heard a single dissenting opinion when it comes to the Sportsman!
A nicely-written piece, Richard. If anybody was on the fence about building a Sportsman, reading your story should fix their indecision!
Richard, Always fun to read your posts, but this article revisited was really fun! What an adventure to Alaska!
If your protective plastic (white in this case) has been left on for >20 years and is now very brittle having to be picked off bit by bit .. has anyone found a good way to loosen it up?
Ed was an incredible man with an extraordinary sense of humor and skill. Those who knew Ed would agree.
I tried an EarthX battery because the Odyssey PC680 just wasn’t strong enough to turn the Superior XP-400 when the engine was cold. I had some problems with the battery right out of warranty and didn’t feel like EarthX was very supportive of their product. I also think I was pretty foolish to have installed the EarthX battery in the first place because of the battery’s self protection feature. If you run the battery down to about 10.5 volts it will shut off to protect itself. My aircraft is mostly electrical so I installed dual B&C alternators. Even so, if I fail both alternators, I’m down to battery power. I have a back up battery for each of my Dynons but no other back up battery. I have dual Lightspeed 3 ignitions which will fire just fine down to about 5 volts which wouldn’t have been served well by a battery that cut out at 10.5 volts. Maybe no big deal if you run magnetos or some self powered ignition. To get the cranking power out of an Odyssey battery, I went with a PC 950. Great cranking power and huge reserve power. The point of all of this is to evaluate your own electrical requirements and decide if you are going to be OK with a battery that saves itself instead of saving you.
Ref; Don Yoakley’s nose wheel shimmy incident,
I had a similar event recently, but on landing on a grass strip, when the nose wheel touched down a violent shimmy collapsed the nose gear, followed by both mains as various events were happening!
The long and short of it that talking to Ian Baker at Mitagong ( AUST) who is the engineering manager for Advanced Aero Components Told me that the nose gear failure is designed such that the drag link fails downward! mine did the same and saved the prop. strike! He also said the insert in the shimmy clamp should be changed three monthly! It is age related!
Three monthly seems very short
Has anyone flown an airplane without the fences and then with the fences installed? A flight report would be great if anyone has done it.
All great information and well detailed. Thank you!
Richard- A great story and reminds me of how much I am missing my Sportsman that is back in my hangar in the Cleveland area while I am sequestered in Colorado. Thanks for sharing!
Scott Alperin
N117SA
Thanks.
I was asking for the part number to have one available when I will rotate the tires next. The one I want to replace the next time is the outer one next to the wheel nut. During annual inspection I found a local corrosion which eventually will lead to a noisy bearing. Should it get too noisy Ill do this whenever before the next annual.
Somehow water must have made it past the felt seal.
All other bearings are fine.
angelo
Any chance of getting the pictures back on this article?
Yes good to have a spare, just keep it in its original packaging until you install it. The high carbon steel rusts easily. And if your old one isn’t making audible noise and the cup race is clean (not like the photo above) you can probably keep using it.
A
Yes – fixed.
Hi,
I do really appreciate this info since I have a Glasair II FT. I really don’t want any oil to drip down on the friction pad. Something to really keep an eye on and the importance to keep the engine compartment dry of course. But it can easily happen during a change of oil or when you add some oil to the engine.
I’m interested in putting different engines on the Glastar and you have done it with the 540. By chance do you know how much the firewall forward weighs? Also, what does the equipment and battery setup look like behind bulkhead A? Any information would be helpful…
I understand Glasair still sells propellers for the Glasair 1 with the Lycoming I0-360 180 HP.
Is this correct?
Check with Glasair Aviation directly for pricing and options: support@glasairaviation.com.
Thanks Tim! We sure miss you and your wealth of knowledge. I hope everything is going well upstairs and you’re enjoying your Glastar there too!
Anyone has suppliers for parts. I need to replace the landing gear on the OMF.
In order to comply with Service Bulletin 48 Part 2 is it necessary to cut additional access holes in the wings to access the Upper Inboard Aileron Guide Pulleys?
Also, Is it possible to remove the bolt for the aileron guide pulley in the cove skin without damaging the bracket?
Sorry my last comment incorrectly named the pulley blocks I am concerned with.
I should have indicated that the Outboard Aileron pair of pulleys appears to inaccessible without an additional access panel in the lower skin.
Service Bulletin 48 part 2 identifies the ‘two aileron pulleys just inboard of the ailerons’ ; continuing with cove skin panel access drawings for the inboard pair of aileron pulleys, but no drawing of an access panel for the outboard pair.
The access panel for the flap pair in the cove skin is elsewhere of course.
Can you please provide some advice concerning access to the outer pair?
Gotta say, that looks really nice! Good work!
Thanks. To update: I have changed the light color to white and really like it better than the red. Dim white is feels better on the eyes than red.
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Awesome write up and very encouraged to try it out——-when I buy a plane
g
[…] Download Image More @ glasair-owners.com […]
Hi !
The Glasair II flying around the world , (previous owner Hans Guttman,) is nowadays in Sweden, owner Gustav Cassel, Reg SE-XUK , in my hangar together with my GIII, SE-XVD it surely looks nice….
Regards Ralph Loefberg
Other than size and weight, is there any reason to not use something like this?
Simple, No electronics, easy to replace
https://www.zoro.com/static/cms/product/full/Z_J1qzfo5oy.JPG
Tracy, how is this install working out?
The engine has worked out really well. I have 628 hours on it now. No major issues just a few minor ones that have since been corrected. Not sure if you know but there is now a turbo engine that I am waiting on to be tested in an RV6. I think it is going to be a game changer. If it performs like dyno tested it should out perform an IO390 and still be lighter.
I guess I should be more clear. It is still the UL520 with different parts not just the same engine with a turbo stuck on it.
on my glasair 1992 180 HP , i have wing tip tanks and found out that gas smell where not a problem when i plug the external vents in tip tanks . do you have a problem which this tip tank ?
no problem which tip tank just a smell of gas , i have a 1/2 inch left gear is lower than the right on a ft glasair 11, is it possible to shim up the left gear ?
tip tanks i think are ok ,but the left gear in lower than the right so the fuel will vent out on the left tank
[…] 12. Buying and Selling a Pre-Owned Airplane – Glasair Aircraft … […]
Has anyone in a Glasair Super II S FT done an actual engine out glide ratio rate? if so I’d be interested tin their results.
[…] completed, and work finally organized to leave me some spare time. I’ve gotten back to the GlaStar […]
I will be attending the GAOA fly in at Smiley Creek. I will be driving as I am still working and cannot take a chance of being weathered in somewhere between Idaho and Oklahoma. I am looking forward to the day when that will no longer be a factor. I am wondering if any CFI GlaStar owners will be attending who would be willing to give me a few hours of dual instruction during that time. My GlaStar will be a tri-gear with the new Titan XIO-340, so whoever has an airplane closest to that configuration would be most valuable. However, I will take anything close. My current airplane is a Zenith CH-640. This is a 4 place, 180 HP, low wing aircraft. I am really excited to get to go for a ride as I have not flown in a GlaStar before. Please PM me if anyone is interested. BTW, I will bring my logbook and enough Benjamins to make it worthwhile.
Thank You
The guy that my Ai is working on is a member of your group. Brian Naun. Is there a list of AD’s for a Glassair 3. All we find is a 567 page report. Thank You.
The first ten pages of this document are an index of all advisory publications – go through them to see which ones are applicable to your particular model. Airworthiness Directives (ADs) are not published for Experimental/Amateur-built aircraft – only service bulletins and service letters.
Hello do you guys have the most updated version of maintenance ma ual? Rev 3 Feb 17th 2003?
Thanks
Yes. Even though the cover page issue date is 2000, the pages inside that were updated are dated 17.02.03.
I may not be able to make it, waiting for a crucial part from glasair and they say no parts for 4 weeks!! I reserved a YURT at the smiley creek lodge, i am going to have to cancel if anyone wants it let me know and we can change the reservation otherwise i am go9ing to cancel and if i can come to the fly in i will camp.
One lonely Glastar showed up to representing Glasair. It won Best of Glastar/Sportsman award. Best looking of all. It is painted (Isotope green) Best colored choice award. One of the Best looking planes at the whole show. Why didn’t more Glastars show up from the local area? To share the awards.
The forecast called for very hot weather. Congratulations on the awards!
Can worn scissor bushings cause the nose gear to shimmy?
I was also told that shims need to be installed to tighten the nose wheel bearings.
I’m not so sure about this!
Any advise?
Hi Mike,
Do you know of a Glastar CFI in the San Francisco Bay area?
Thanks,
Mike Kent
michaeljkentinc@gmail.com
I am in need of a lens cover for the left extended wing tip for my Glasair III Part # 673-0377-003
New or used
Tom Hempstead email: hempstead1944@yahoo.com Phone: 800-574-4447
Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Tom, check with AdvancedAero: https://advanced-aero.com/
missid Dave’s lecture due to impossible Italian time (4.00 a.m)
We’ll have a recording of it shortly.
seen and enjoyed, including his very well understandable english
Is there some definitive procedure published for various landing gear malfunctions? There are several scenarios I have in mind:
—Hydraulic pump failure
—Loss of all electrical power
—Loss of hydraulic fluid
Or is it one procedure in the handbook that fits all situations?
This would be for a Glasair II RG
Dan, My wife and I plan to attend this event on Wednesdayat 6 PM. I would like to meet other Glasair owners as I have a Super II-S FT kit that I needs to find a home A long story, but I would like to have someone contact me regarding on how to post on this website. If you or Omar could contact me for details, that would be very much appreciated. Gene
hi i need two bushing #371-2424-002 , does glasair have them , where do i order them
Hello Charles
I was the guy flying the Glasair IIRG in the photo sitting in-the farmer’s field. I had purchased a new lightweight Whirlwind propeller and decided that I needed to move the engine fwd six inches to correct the CG issue that resulted. This created a cascade of changes in the engine compartment which resulted in the air plane being grounded for over a year while all the changes were made to accommodate the new prop.
Anyway a long story short here’s what occurred.
Because this was the second maintenance test flight, and the first one had gone so well, that my biggest concern was to get airborne as quickly as possible to continue breaking in the engine. I had installed a brand new lithium battery for my main battery and a small aux battery, solely, to be used for my new electronic ignition.
That day I put a battery charger on the battery then I went into my new EFIS displays to reset some engine warning limits and review my engine operating parameters. I worked on the readouts for about thirty minutes. It was a cold January morning so I decided to pre heat the engine and asked my maintenance tech if he couldn’t rig up an engine heater. In about five mins he had heat going into the engine compartment while I was waiting for the engine to warm up. Little did I know is that he un plugged the power to the battery. (Error #1)
Finished the EFIS work, checked the oil and fuel levels pulled it out of the hangar. Started up and noticed that the battery only read 13.7 v. I have a 12v system, Hmm this seemed low and kelp a mental note thinking my voltage regulator or alternator needs to be checked when I get back but that I could live with it. Took off climbed to 4,000msl and circled Arlington airport to stay within gliding range in case the engine quit.
All engine parameters were normal except my engine oil temp was too high but within limits.
Then 15 mins after takeoff I heard a pop and the engine quit and everything went dead! Nothing worked except my standby static instruments and the EFIS displays which had their own backup batteries. Radios were out to. I instantly got angry! What the heck? Retrimmed the plane and ran the engine out check list in about 10 secs
I wasn’t concerned with making the runway, I was at 4000 ft msl and pretty much perfectly positioned two mile E of the airfield for a right hand turn to final for a landing on RW34. Plenty of altitude to easily glide to the airfield!
In addition I knew that if I switched to my aux battery the engine would begin running again. I was also rerunning the other checklist but nothing improved my situation.
So I thought well I’ve practiced this maneuver before I took the airplane apart so I’ll just descend down to the runway and land, and if I need to start the engine it’s always available.
By the way when I landed in the farmers field I had a nice touch down and rolled out for about five hundred feet. It was at the very end of the roll out when the left main wheel encountered a muddy spot and it came to s stop. This mud instantly pulled the nose to the left but the aircraft’s momentum kept it going in a straight line for about four feet which put a large side load on the right main gear. The right side brace stud broke. That was the only damage.
So as I descended I lined up with the runway, already at my best glide speed with my spinner right at the mid pt of the runway. Than I noticed my spinner moving towards the far end of the runway. Added some flaps and the spinner moved back to the mid pt of the runway.
Then being a perfectionist, I thought I should be able to put this thing down within the 1st thousand ft!
So I went to the second flap detent and the spinner pointed at a spot about a thousand ft from the APPCH end. I’ve got this now I thought!
As I descended further the spinner now began to obscure the first third of the runway and move towards the mid pt again. I decided to live with this condition.
I reviewed the emergency landing gear extension procedure and reminded myself that once it’s extended it won’t retract without electricity.
So I would not extend the gear until I had the runway made.
Passing thru a thousand feet everything looked good but I started to feel the pangs of concern about not having the gear extended. I reminded my self that the gear wasn’t going to be extended until 200’ agl or lower.
Descended on down to 300’ agl and took the flaps back up to 10° and was concerned about the road that crossed short of the approach end of RW34 had some logging trucks going by.
Got down to 200’ agl and began to realize that I could still clear the tops of the trucks and my spinner was obscuring the first half of the runway. Also I knew that the gear would take about 7 to 10 seconds to extend and also pump it down to where it had pressure holding it in position. But flying the plane and pumping the handle it might make it a bit longer. I had no gear lights.
So about 120 to 50 feet I positioned the gear switch down, the emergency extend valve down and lowered the gear. Instantly the nose pitched down and was aimed at the approach lights area. I raised the flaps to extend the glide. This didn’t help
Now I either went around or turned left 45° to land in the farmer’s field.
I was so low that I felt that it was too late to start the engine because if it didn’t start I was still going to land in the farmers field. And I especially didn’t want to land short of the runway and hit a truck or car. So I turned left, did a quick off field landing checklist and I was down.
So why did I land short when I had practiced this same procedure many times before?
Normally I didn’t think this post would really be worthy of a mention to the Glasair owners because most of them don’t change their airplane as I did.
You can prepare as much as possible for any eventuality while flying but this is one consideration that I didn’t believe I needed to prepare for if I had to do an engine out landing. In fact I couldn’t figure out why I landed short as much as I did. It took me three or four days to figure it out and then when I did the math I realized that this is one situation that I had not prepared for.
In a Glasair II if you measure the distance your eyes are positioned above the top of the cowling it’s not very much. What, ten or twelve inches? If you then increase the length of the cowling by six inches, remember I moved my engine forward over 6 inches to make up for the lack of propeller weight, it gives you the optical impression that you are going to land longer down the runway than you actually are. In my case around 800’ farther down the runway! The easy way to prove this for yourself is to take your airplane, and look at the end of your spinner as your on approach at about 500’ agl. This is your usual sight picture the one your used to. Now imagine your spinner is 7 inches longer. Where is your new touchdown point now? Yup it’s farther down the runway.
So the other issues are why did the engine quit? That’s pretty simple. I have no magnetos, I use two electronic ignitions that worked flawlessly as long as they are being supplied with electricity. Then in the event that they are not receiving power I should switch to the auxiliary battery. What I found out about my system was that unlike a lead acid battery the battery management system on my lithium batteries will protect my battery at all cost. Even if it means shutting down power from my main battery.
Remember when I said that I was adjusting my EFIS display and had asked
my tech to turn on the engine heat? Well while sitting in the airplane he Dutifully unplugged the power to the battery and plugged in the heater with the same cord. Oops! (Error#2) So now I am running the EFIS displays on battery power for the next 45 minutes. This is my fault for not checking and making available a separate cord for electrical power to the battery.
Finally, it would of been a nice touch if I hadn’t had the alternator switch turned off! (Error 3) Normally when I get in the airplane I double check that the master switch is on and the alternator switches are on at the same time because they’re right together. This way I can check the hydraulic pressure and the lights. But for some reason that day I didn’t do it or because my feet are so big I could’ve hit it off with the toe of my shoe while climbing in. So that’s why the engine quit after only 15 minutes of running. This was very confusing to me because I still thought I should have had plenty of battery power enough to last for at least another hour. Which caused me to incorrectly diagnose what the problem was with my electric system.
What about the 13.7volts? Unlike a lead acid battery a lithium battery when it is brand new usually indicates about 13.7 V of output. So when I saw it before I took off, I believe that it was working OK and that there was some other problem with my alternator. Now however, anytime the engine is running and I display less than 14.2 v Then there is a problem and that I should shut down and investigate. I will not fly the plane unless I see 14.2v displayed before takeoff. I’ve also added a battery indicating system where I can read the volts available and the percentage of charge. This is part of my checklist items before I takeoff.
Also I have revamped my checklist. There’s no less than three places where I check the position of my alternator switch before takeoff.
And if you’re wondering yes I flew the airplane yesterday and I have flown that airplane over 300 hours since that incident.
So in over 45 years of flying a variety of airplanes from jet’s to gliders and over 25,000 flight hours this is the only time I’ve ever hurt an airplane. This incident cost about $1000 to repair. And I paid for it out of my own pocket so that everybody’s insurance rates wouldn’t go up.
I hope this can help somebody in the future.
I would like to show up for this event. Do I need to notify anyone or pay a fee?
Brent Gammon 650 773 4846 gammon25@yahoo,com
I own a Sportsman (2019 TWTT) but will be flying my Kitfox 4 because I will also attend the
Kitfox Fly-in at Homedale the same weekend. Clearly Idaho must be airplane heaven.
Gary, see this topic in the forum for details:
https://forum.glasair-owners.com/t/smiley-creek-2022/43796/109
Hi Dan,
I will be attending with my wife, Jan. I recently acquired a II S FT and would like to meet other owners and builders.
Thanks,
Charles McFarland
First time going to Arlington, are there any “special” Glasair events or owner meetings??
Yes, see the events above and also the forum topic: https://forum.glasair-owners.com/t/kosh-2022/45734
Mark,
I remember reading this article but I could not find any follow up. Did you install these lights and do you have any photos of the finished look.
Tom – I replied directly to you via email but will also add a reply here so this question doesn’t go unanswered in our website history…
I and several others have installed the Baja Designs Squadron Pro lights in the wingtips. Several others have opted for different versions of the same or similar light, namely adding a combination lens to help spread the beam closer to the aircraft and going with the smaller brothers in this product family, the S1 and S2 lights.
I haven’t yet heard of anybody having a premature failure of the lights themselves, nor have I heard of anybody unhappy with the light output. I personally use them in wig-wag mode any time the engine is running and in solid “on” mode for night operations at our wildlife-infested local runways. So far, so good!
Anyone have a .dxf of the sportsman? I see the .pdf 3 view, but I’d really like to have a CAD file like there is for the Glastar.
Paul
I removed my new odessey 680 3-1/2 years ago due to slow cranking & installed a EarthX ExT 900. My battery is located behind the rear bulkhead cover so I have a little extra distance to get power to the starter to crank my Lyc 0360. The 10 lb weight reduction with the EarthX plus much better cranking power is awesome. It has worked flawless !
I’m after information regarding the type of hydraulic pressure switch supplied in the Glasair 11 kits ?
Pressure setting, normally open or closed? Etc
Hello folks! I own a Glastar D-EORG (built 2010) and have the same problem. Since Pillar point is no longer available, I am looking for a replacement for the LFL-12-Kit sensors. Does anyone know where to get spare parts and can help me? Many many thanks.
Wolfgang
PS: I live in Austria!
Last year was my first time, what a gorgeous venue. Plan on being there this summer. Let’s hope the snow melts!
From west coast, thinking to fly GA1RG in to KMSN Saturday for Dinner at Essen Haus. Any Ideas where to stay for the night? Thinking car pool back to airport for very early am departure to KOSH Sunday? Want to avoid traffic jam. stevenwplyler@gmail.com
Steve, see this topic in the forum:
https://forum.glasair-owners.com/t/2023-osh-mass-fly-in/49706
Dan has a hotel discount set up.
Loved your article and couldn’t agree more. I’m on my 2nd ‘bought not built’ GlaStar and I can tell you the help, support, and just good conversation to be had here on this forum, in the hangars of GlaStar owners, and at Smiley Creek has been wonderful. I’m looking at kits now to maybe take it to the next level. Thanks for the insight!
Can’t get this file to download. Any thoughts?
Entered my email and password. John Crawford
A current GAOA membership is required to download files. Please start here: https://glasair-owners.com/product/gaoa-membership/
Trying to install my wheels on my Glastar. Discovered wheels are too wide to fit on axle. They are set up for 600 x 6 tire. Bought kit second hand this what came with it, but don’t think they are standard issue. Anybody give me some input on what go with this kit. Thanks
Great article Jeff! Thanks for all your work on this project.
Again great article. Lots of data but bottom line extra VG’s don’t do much just like John Lake been saying for years, but now I think we have a definitive answer. Thank you Jeff. I did Ted’s flap extension. I think they work to lower full flap stall, but we need someone like u to really show the data.
PS met you and your dad at Smiley Creek and breakfast at Big Creek. Your dad has lots of stores, hope to see you both at Smiley. Happy New Year
posted a response…
Thanks guys, appreciate the support!
On Ted’s close outs, I have some ideas…sent Ted a PM…
Dad is a story-teller for sure! He should be at Smiley 2024 with me again…
Where can a get a set of these jack pads for a GlaStar trike gear? Or where can I get the dwg?
Thanks for taking the time to write this. a good reminder for all of us that you never know what awaits around the corner. Im going to look for a satellite phone now! Thanks again.
Les
What Caulk do you use on that wing joint?
will this fit with a glastar too or just the sportsman?
Sir, this is a great article. May I ask you a few questions?
Hmm…vernier type throttle. Ever had a problem with no movement until the center knob is pushed? Nice to have it adjustable, but wonder if, in a panic, would be possible to forget to push the knob.
See, I have two throttles available, one vernier, one normal with the friction screw, and installing now.
Thanks for this write-up Andy! It will very helpful for my journey north this summer!
Good job great adventure
Thanks Chris and Kyle. I hope you go there.
Where do I buy the foot step peg for my tricycle Glastar
Ray, Don Muhlhinkel doesn’t produce them now, but some of our members organized a production run. See here:
https://forum.glasair-owners.com/t/wtb-glastar-retractable-steps/54558
https://forum.glasair-owners.com/t/wtb-glastar-retractable-step/52414
They also pop up in the classified ads occasionally: https://forum.glasair-owners.com/c/classified-ads/34
If you want to save a little more weight, Porsche 944 scissor jacks were made from aluminum, an can be found on eBay for under $100 (2025 dollars).
I just bought an 1986 1 RG. I have a somewhat rough grass strip at my farm where I have a hanger. Is it safe to land there?
I just bought a 1986 Glasair 1RG. I have a somewhat rough grass strip. (Not real bad) on my farm where I have a hanger. Is it safe to land this kind of plane there?