Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/101874
T h e S e c o n d T im e A r o un d… Avionics is an area that some homebuilders shy away from, but not Andy Werback. "When I got ready to fly it, I cut right to the bottom line and went up to the Lancair factory. When I picked up the first Legacy at the factory, I took six hours of transition training in their RG. Then when I got ready to go in the RG, I went back up and took another 4 hours of dual, and I'm really glad I did. Even with 300 hours of Legacy FG time, my first flight in the (factory) RG airplane felt incredibly fast, and the landing was close to being sensory overload. Between monitoring the engine gauges and flying the airplane, I really needed to speed up my brain. Even though I expected it, it was still a surprise. "I did all the installation and wiring myself, which includes the NavWorx ADS-B system. As I was getting ready to put it all in, I became concerned about heat rise behind the panel, so I added a couple of cooling fans, including one for the EFIS. I also installed an autopilot that has two-axis coupling since I intend on flying it IFR eventually." "I wanted more speed and performance, and I definitely got it. It climbs like a bandit, and I'm seeing a cruise at 10,000 feet of 210 knots true airspeed at 13 gph. That's really fast! I'm flying short final at 100 knots and touching down right at 75 knots. Which is also fast, but as I get more time in the airplane, that doesn't seem as fast as it first did! "The seats are Oregon Aero cushions that I had upholstered, but I stitched the other panels myself to make them match. I had a friend help me make cardboard backing for the side and back panels that are just velcroed in place. They are quite light, partially because I left them open in the back. There are lots more details I could have added, but unnecessary details are unnecessary weight. So…" When it came to paint, Andy knew that a good paint job is composed of three critical processes: the prepainting surface preparation, the actual spraying of the paint, and the post-painting surface work. He was comfortable with the first portion of the process, but not doing the actual painting and finishing because he knew a good painter is part technician, part magician, and all experience. "I did all the surface prep, starting with 120 to 150 grit and gradually working my way up to 400 grit. I treated the white WLS epoxy high-build primer as if it were a finish coat, getting it as perfect as it could possibly be. That way, when Juan Solario at T&P; Aero Refinishing in Salinas shot the color, it would also be perfect. "We put on the scheme designed by Don Barnes (www.CellarIdeas.com is his business; www.LancairLegacy.com is his builder's log—highly recommended) using SherwinWilliams Acry Glo high-gloss urethane with a clear coat." With safety important to Andy and Sam, they installed a four-point shoulder harness. Time to Go Flying! And then the day came where there were no more parts to install; nothing to be aligned; no tiny nitpicking detail to be finished. The Legacy was ready to fly, and Andy wisely decided he needed a professional to do the initial hops: Even though he had the Legacy FG time, he was still basically a 182, fixed-gear pilot. "Pete Zaccagnino, a longtime test pilot, came in to do the test hops and some of the flight tests to verify the POH numbers. I'm positive I would have been over my head in that environment, and indeed, he did have a slight problem on the second flight, when the gear wouldn't come up. 18 Vol.2 No.1 / January 2013 When Andy's 310-hp Continental IO-550N wasn't coming together quickly enough, Andy assisted the engine builder to fnish the project.