Click Here To Leave The Archives And Go To The Home Page Of The new eaa chapter 724, Merritt Island, Web Site

Click Here To Leave The Archives And

Go To The Home Page Of The NEW EAA Chapter 724, Merritt Island, Web Site

www.eaa724.org
N

ewsletter

November 1998

Volume 18, Number 11

Chapter 724, Experimental Aircraft Association, Merritt Island, Florida

Mailing Address: P. O. Box 320923, Cocoa Beach, FL 32901

Internet Web Site: http://www.CHECK.com/EAA724

Officers Technical Counselors

President: John Murphy 783-1515 John Murphy 783-1515

Vice President: Ted Yon 783-7966 Ted Yon 783-7966

Secretary/Treasurer: John Soukup 783-7128 Young Eagle Coordinator

Newsletter Editor: Fred Mahan: 452-5797 Tony Yacono 459-0080

The next meeting will be on the second Wednesday, November 11, 1998, 7:30 P.M.

Big Merritt Island Air Service Hangar, South Side of Runway

Second Floor, Southwest Corner Meeting Room

EAA Chapter 724

P. O. Box 320923

Cocoa Beach, FL 32931



Calendar of Upcoming Events
Nov 6-7 Blue Angles Homecoming Air Show, Pensacola NAS, 352-368-2552.

Nov 6-8 Wings 'n Things, Lakeland, 941-644-0741.

Nov 7 Zephyrhills Winterfest Air Show, Zephyrhills Airport, 813-973-7976.

Nov 13-15 FSAACA Fly-In, Cannon Creek Airport, Lake City.

Nov 14 Winter Haven Pilots Association Annual Fall Fly-In, Winter Haven, 941-293-7672.

Nov 14-15 North Florida Charity Airshow (Thunderbirds), Lake City, 904-935-0185.

Nov 14-15 Florida Flying Gators Annual Fall Fly-In, Gators Airpark, 352-394-7674.

Nov 21 Grasshopper Flight from Miami, Merritt Island Airport, 305-674-0495.

Nov 21 Florida Enjoy The Day, LaBelle, Sundance Airport, 941-674-1522.

Dec 8-19 ICAT Training Camps (3), Dunnellon airport, 352-489-6760.

Dec 12 Toys for Tots Pancake Breakfast, Merritt Island Airport, 453-2222.

Dec 12 FSAACA Fly-In, Melrose Landing, 904-475-3359.
Regularly Scheduled Florida EAA Fly-Ins
Every Saturday, Cannon Creek Airpark, Lake City, Fly-In Breakfast, 904-752-1957.

Every Second Saturday, Charlotte County Airport, Punta Gorda, EAA Chapter 565 Pancake Breakfast/Young Eagles, 941-575-6360.

Every Second Saturday, Tampa, EAA Chapter 175 Fly-In Breakfast/Young Eagles, 813-654-2921.

Every Second Saturday, Homestead, Fly-In and "Chikee Chat" Seminar, 305-247-7886.

Every Third Saturday, Kissimmee Airport, EAA Chapter 74 Pancake Breakfast, 407-678-5873.

Every Third Saturday, Valkaria Airport, Pancake Breakfast/Young Eagles, 407-724-8671.

Every Fourth Saturday, Orlando, EAA Chapter 74 Pancake Breakfast & Young Eagles, 407-841-7981.

Every Fourth Saturday, Crestview, EAA Chapter 108 Pancake Breakfast, 904-862-2673.

Every First Sunday, Ft. Myers Airport, Chapter 66 Pancake Breakfast, 941-945-7000.

Every Second Sunday, Naples Airport, EAA Chapter 1067 Fly-In Breakfast, 941-261-5701.

Every Third Sunday, Kissimmee Municipal Airport, west side of the field, 9 am on.

Every Third Sunday, Sebring Airport, EAA Chapter 803 Pancake Breakfast, 941-465-6996.

Every Fourth Sunday, Bob Lee Airport, De Land, EAA Chapter 635 Fly-In Picnic, 904-734-1032.

Every Last Sunday, Quincy, FL, EAA Chapter 445 Pancake Breakfast, 904-421-4335.

__________________________________________

October Meeting
The October chapter meeting was held on the 14^th of the month, per schedule. The chapter had six visitors, David Cormack, Marlene Dusz, John Forzetting, Dick McLaughlin, Michael Marotta, and Gino Marrix. Some have subsequently become members -- welcome!
Your newsletter editor neglected to mention in last month's issue that the time was at hand for election of chapter officers. Steve Pangborn fixed the problem at the meeting by asking if anyone else wanted to be an officer. Emboldened by the resulting silence, he nominated the existing officers, who were re-appointed by acclamation. Incidentally, Steve recently took his Luscombe 8A to an antique fly-in in Thomasville, GA. He said the temperature went down to 49, which made for nippy tent sleeping!
Prez Johnny Murphy recently took his Glasair III from Merritt Island to Miami. He reports it took him 45 minutes, and he used 10.3 gallons of fuel.
Larry Olsen gave a presentation on a design he is working on and hopes to build. A report on his presentation follows.
Someone did a report on the recent incident at Merritt Island Airport where an Air shark got sideways on landing and suffered a collapsed main gear. The craft is being worked on to repair the damage, which was minor.

__________________________________________

Larry Olsen's Proof Of Concept Model Presentation
Larry Olson showed us how he develops concepts when designing an aircraft. He has been using several computer programs for aircraft design. The programs provide numerical results that he uses to build scale models, which he has constructed in 1/10 to 1/12 scale. Working with the models helps him think through the design trade-offs.
The wooden models are easy to machine, paint, and label. Once Larry turns out a solid model of the fuselage, wings, and epennage, he cuts it open

and works on the cabin, engine, and other details.

The "proof of concept" (POC) does not need to be perfect to do the job. Larry's first POC was built to 1/12 scale, but it sported a 1/10 scale engine. A little big, to be sure, the engine still allowed him to see the parameters. He certainly knew that he had enough room for the actual engine. His second POC had landing gear that was out of scale. However, this too, served a need by allowing him to

focus on the effects of tucking fat tires into thin wings. The models also let him think about fuel storage, baggage, and passengers.

These POC models also helped him think about the problems involved with a long drivetrain. Larry wants the engine in the middle, over the low wings.

As a result, he has a shaft running the half the length of the plane, like some of Molt Taylor's designs. Larry's second POC began as a piston-powered, propeller design. However, he was that the airframe was also suitable for a turbine engine.

Thank you, Larry, for an interesting presentation. We hope you keep us posted on your project.

__________________________________________

Plane Fun Day

By Bobbi Lasher

This year's Plane Fun Day was very successful. For starters, we had perfect weather. Merritt Island Air Service gave 172 sightseeing plane rides. Fifteen vendors and organizations had displays in the big MIAS hanger. On display were three helicopters, the C47 from Valiant Air Command, 1 hot air balloon, and approximately 30 planes of all sizes and. The Civil Air patrol cooked and served over 225 meals. Thanks to all EAAers who brought their planes out. See you next year!
__________________________________________
Toys For Tots Pancake Breakfast
Don't forget the Toys For Tots pancake breakfast, scheduled for 8-11 am, December 12^th, at Merritt island Airport. The Brevard Aviation Association and Merritt Island Air Service will host the event in the big MIAS hanger. The price of breakfast will be a new, unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots program. The US Marine Corps Reserve makes the toys available, at no charge, to needy parents whose children might otherwise get nothing from Santa. Please come!

__________________________________________

Gasoline Refueling Hazard

Joe Scoles, B-C Contact!

The latest horror story concerns the pilot of a C-172 who performed an act of environmental friendliness during his preflight check by draining about a liter of fuel from each tank into a metal can. The fuel appeared clean and free from water so he decided to put it back into the aircraft tank, using a plastic funnel with a chamois wired to the funnel in an attempt to dissipate static. While pouring the fuel he noticed flames around the filler neck. He managed to put them out using the entire contents of one fire extinguisher and most of a second, and he suffered third degree burns to one hand.
Although the aircraft was inside a hanger with fans overhead, the air was cold and dry, so probably the draining and general sloshing around of the fuel in the can caused a charge to build up in the fuel, the chamois, the plastic funnel and possibly on this person. These were ideal conditions to create a spark that set off the fuel vapor in the funnel and around the filler neck.
The shell Oil Company has stated that polyethylene plastic containers and funnels should not be used for refueling aircraft. Plastics have insulating properties which can accumulate static charges. High density polyethylene containers made from pure material are okay, but you must take extra precautions and there are certain standards to adhere to. If you aren't sure about the plastic refueling equipment you are using, then use metal cans and funnels. These are safer if used properly.
There seems to be an element of luck in transferring gasoline that breeds complacency. I would hazard a guess there are many pilot-rigged fuel systems out there just waiting for the right conditions to go "Bang!"

__________________________________________

Classified Ads
For Sale -- Continental 0-200A. 3083 TT, Zero time since major overhaul done by A/P. Crank Magaflux & Runout OK 0.010 under, New rings, bearings, valves, valve keepers. Pickled with 3 gal storage oil

and dehydrator plugs Includes mags, carb (MA-

3SPA), pull starter, alternator and vacuum pump core. Have all logs and overhaul manual. Can e-mail/send photos. Ed Sikora, 407-861-3338 or [e-mail]

Aircraft Instrument Repair -- Experienced, retired part-time instrument repair. Can fix most problems inexpensively. John Soukup, 783-7128 or Saturday mornings at Merritt Island Airport.
For Sale -- KR-2S project, 60% complete, on wheels, lost medical. Rod Fisher, 407-723-7143.