Pushed the start button for the first time in 8 months

Steve

Steve

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Feb 23, 2005
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Tralfamadore
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Fly Right
As some of you know, my plane has been grounded since March for an engine overhaul and a wing tank skin replacement. Suffice it to say both took longer than promised.

I took advantage of the downtime as best I could by refurbishing the plane from the firewall forward. It may not sound like a lot but when you're basically a one man show the acts run pretty long to get in all the bit parts.

I've posted a few pictures taken during the project in an album on PoA. If you go to my profile you should be able to find a link to it. The images were selected fairly at random for posting, but I think you'll get an appreciation of the scope of work involved. I was fortunate to have a couple of experienced mechanics to refer to for some limited technical advice.

Almost 8 months to the day (actually a couple of days over) I last cranked the engine the starter engaged again. I did the post-overhaul break-in ground run late on Friday (10/16/09), too late to follow up with the initial post-overhaul flight test which now probably won't happen until the middle of next week due to other commitments. As far as the first engine run went, the only thing I noted that needed adjustment was the throttle linkage that stopped at 900 RPM at idle position instead of the expected 800 RPM. A few turns on a throttle linkage rod end fork fixes that.

Sorry, Pete, but the album image count limit was 60... ;)
 
Congrats Steve. That must be a great feeling.
 
Wow! I had no idea it was down for so long! Dang, that must have been hard on ya. I'm glad to hear you're back in the air again. :)
 
Awesome! I'm looking forward to see that marvel of Romanian engineering back in the air.

BTW you're not just limited to one album, Steve :D
 
Steve:

That album is excellent. I love seeing how "strong like bull" that magnificent beastie is built. I also covet the stainless exhaust, which looks most very slick.

Most of all, I can't wait to see and hear the plane in flight.

Congrats!
 
Interesting photo's. It's fun to see how things are put together. But then, I'm a geek...

For those of us who don't know - what kind of airplane is it?
 
So the engine really didn't fall off when you started it! :D

Here is a souvenir picture of my favorite part of your airplane which sadly doesn't exist any more. :frown3:
 

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  • IAR instrument panel.jpg
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Fantastic Steve the IAR will fly again!

hey about that throttle - I didn't understand why the idle setting required adjustment of the linkage.....was there just not enough throw in the system, or ?

Ask TD but I think the idle is set at the throttle body (if injected) or the carb using the idle stop screw in both cases.

Take vid of the first flight for us!
 
You're correct, Dave. The throttle linkage is a set of push rods and a torque tube with threaded rod ends on the push rods where they connect to the torque tube. The right hand throttle lever (there's two, remember) was contacting the console in the idle position before the servo idle position stop was reached. It was real close as I could bring the rpm down to 800 if I put the right throttle lever in a bind against the console. I just need to move the "center of travel" of the right throttle forward a little to get full travel without binding. I wanted to be sure I got full power for take-off and was a little too conservative in making sure I got full travel in the power advance direction. Since the left side throttle could be reached from outside the plane while I was adjusting the linkage I didn't double check the right throttle clearance in the idle position. My bad.

Clear as mud, right?

I'm adding a couple of detail images of the push rods to the album that show the rod ends. Hope that helps.

Let'sgoflying! said:
Fantastic Steve the IAR will fly again!

hey about that throttle - I didn't understand why the idle setting required adjustment of the linkage.....was there just not enough throw in the system, or ?

Ask TD but I think the idle is set at the throttle body (if injected) or the carb using the idle stop screw in both cases.

Take vid of the first flight for us!
Click to expand...
 
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Dan Coy, the creator of the iar823.com website, is one of the individuals that worked to import these planes. He was most helpful when we were contemplating buying ours even though we didn't buy one of the 3 he had for sale at the time. An upright guy.

George Coy, no relation, was a principal in the endeavor. I just recently bought his inventory of aircraft spares that came with the airframes. Many crates of piece parts await being catalogued. Dan is working with me to get the inventory listed for other owners to see on his website. I just have to do it.


Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
...

I assume there must be a bit of a story behind it arriving over here in the U.S.

Found this link also: http://www.iar823.com/Welcome.html
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That is an old picture!

Half the equipment shown in that image don't exist any more...:frown2:

I half expected it to...(fall off, that is) but it now runs so smooth I almost miss the old shaking!

Everskyward said:
So the engine really didn't fall off when you started it! :D

Here is a souvenir picture of my favorite part of your airplane which sadly doesn't exist any more. :frown3:
Click to expand...
 
The FBO started complaining I was having a "chilling effect" on conversation when I showed up....imagine that!:rolleyes:

Diana said:
Wow! I had no idea it was down for so long! Dang, that must have been hard on ya. I'm glad to hear you're back in the air again. :)
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Thank you!

We'll have to coordinate a mutually convenient location to hook up.

Any ideas on going to KIER for their soiree in November?

http://caneaviation.com/

SCCutler said:
Steve:

That album is excellent. I love seeing how "strong like bull" that magnificent beastie is built. I also covet the stainless exhaust, which looks most very slick.

Most of all, I can't wait to see and hear the plane in flight.

Congrats!
Click to expand...
 
Steve said:
Thank you!

We'll have to coordinate a mutually convenient location to hook up.

Any ideas on going to KIER for their soiree in November?

http://caneaviation.com/
Click to expand...

All kinds of ideas; but methinks family obligations will likely preclude it.

Still gonna try, tho.
 
Steve that was a great photo essay. Very informative for us guys that don't know a whole bunch about the A&P type stuff. Glad you close to being back on your Wings. Matter of Fact we'd love to see it at Wings:D.
 
Lookin' good Steve-O!

Did you have to fab the baffles or is there a generic kit you can get for that engine and them trim for the cowl fit?

That is one heckuva beefy engine mount!

Can't wait to FINALLY get a ride in the green machine.
 
I had the baffles fab'd by a guy here who used the old ones for patterns. He had just started his own airframe repair business. I was one of his first local paying customers for his new business. Ironically, after he made them I bought all the remaining OEM baffles along with the remaining spare parts for plane from the guy that imported them for not much more than I paid to have the baffles duplicated. Had I known the OEM parts were going to become available I could have saved a bundle, but the local guy needed some work until he got a steady clientele established. He's also the guy that made the wing tank skins using the old skins for templates. That was something I agonized over because it was something that would ground the plane indefinitely if he screwed up, but the new skins worked out okay. Eliminating the leaks didn't go as smoothly as he promised, as he assured me it would be a non-issue going into it. It was.

I think you'll find the room in the plane is quite to your liking... :)


CJones said:
Lookin' good Steve-O!

Did you have to fab the baffles or is there a generic kit you can get for that engine and them trim for the cowl fit?

That is one heckuva beefy engine mount!

Can't wait to FINALLY get a ride in the green machine.
Click to expand...
 
If weather and funding permits I'll be there! :thumbsup:

AdamZ said:
Steve that was a great photo essay. Very informative for us guys that don't know a whole bunch about the A&P type stuff. Glad you close to being back on your Wings. Matter of Fact we'd love to see it at Wings:D.
Click to expand...
 
Glad you got it back together, Steve, can't wait to see it!
 
As they say in Hollywood,

"It's in the can."

I have to take the time set up the desktop to digitize the Hi8mm so I can post it.

First flight was last Saturday. 3 hrs of figure 8's over the airport. Engine operation was nominal. Need to tweak the oil pressure up a little, but all the temps were as good or better than the old engine. Installed an upgraded "experimental" oil cooler with the same form factor as the OEM model, but with a denser fin pattern that appears to have made a noticeable improvement in oil temperature. It was a cool day, though, so I have check it again next summer when the temps are higher than 55F at altitude.

Waiting on VFR days to put some more time on it. Wednesday looks promising. Having to fly with fuel on the right side only right now while we chase down the weeps in the re-skinned inboard tank on the left side. Despite promises to the contrary, the local mechanic is having a hard time sealing it after numerous attempts. I've already contacted an outfit that specializes in aircraft tank repair and will have them inspect the plane whether or not the seal repair job is successful. I may have them completely redo the tanks depending on what they find and what they quote the "real fix" as my confidence in the current workmanship is quite low.




Let'sgoflying! said:
Did I miss the first flight? Video? Stills?
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Steve said:
As they say in Hollywood,

"It's in the can."

I have to take the time set up the desktop to digitize the Hi8mm so I can post it.

First flight was last Saturday. 3 hrs of figure 8's over the airport. Engine operation was nominal. Need to tweak the oil pressure up a little, but all the temps were as good or better than the old engine. Installed an upgraded "experimental" oil cooler with the same form factor as the OEM model, but with a denser fin pattern that appears to have made a noticeable improvement in oil temperature. It was a cool day, though, so I have check it again next summer when the temps are higher than 55F at altitude.

Waiting on VFR days to put some more time on it. Wednesday looks promising. Having to fly with fuel on the right side only right now while we chase down the weeps in the re-skinned inboard tank on the left side. Despite promises to the contrary, the local mechanic is having a hard time sealing it after numerous attempts. I've already contacted an outfit that specializes in aircraft tank repair and will have them inspect the plane whether or not the seal repair job is successful. I may have them completely redo the tanks depending on what they find and what they quote the "real fix" as my confidence in the current workmanship is quite low.
Click to expand...
Congrats -- can't imagine how good it felt to get it back into the sky.
 
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