home built-2

I think the other thread was about full so I stared a new one.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey Joe, are all your tubing joints welded aluminum?

[Joe Hines]

The only welded joints are the front forks (aluminum), and the rear axle supports (steel). The rest of the machine is bolted. I only used AN hardware on the prop and riser joints all others are good grade 8's.

Well, I have finished the prop support. There is a lot of unseen 2 inch aluminum angle holding things secure and some 1 inch tubing for a cross bracing. Also added some more aluminun on the under side. I am going to have someone weld up the exhaust pipes and fabricate a prop hub next. I also need to start with the chute rigging cables. Right now it is tipping the scales at 185 pounds. It will soon be ready for some ground testing.

[GRDuhon]

Ray,

I like your rec room wall of circuitboards really unique,

Ray will you be using any shock mounts for your honda for engine vibration?

Good luck with your plane,
Glenn

I have not started it yet but I don't think it will vibrate any worse than your average lawn tractor which are solid mounted.

[Gary Fisher]

Ray,

Is the seat really going to be reclined slightly as in the photo?

The reason I ask is that some machines have seats at such an angle that they look good on the ground, but aren't comfy in the air when the cart is slightly nose-up and the pilot wants to enjoy the scenery below.

I did not allow myself much room in the first place, so tilting the seat a bit helped with a somewhat comfortable leg placement. It's certainly no H2, more like a VW. I want to thank who ever set up this forum. This has been just about as much fun as building the thing.

Yesterday I sent the dual exhaust parts and the prop shaft out to a local welding shop to get some work done. The muffler they sell for that engine would be right in the way of my belts so I made the pipes from scratch.

[OBKB]

Ray, we can only guess your hard at work trying to finish before spring. No new updates in while.

Here's hoping it handles as well as it looks.

Kevin

Looks like somehow I lost page 2 & 3.
Here is the latest update: I fabricated a spring loaded front wheel brake/fender. Remember the old Sears mini bikes with the rear "scrub" brake...

Just thought I'd show you the PPC was not my first attempt, although this one never made it off the ground. Does the seat look familiar?

Well, I am done buying things. Here is an updated price list.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Wood $46.
Front wheel $23. (already had back wheels)
Prop Bearings $60.
Misc. hardware $65.
Polyurethane $8.
New engine $1254.
New prop $150.
Used chute with 30 hours $530.
Welding shop $25
2 belts $40
---------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL: $2201.
-
-
Off the ground? well... not yet

[Waltm]

Ray,

One other thing that you might want to think about is how you're going to turn off your engine once you land.

I noticed what apparantly is a mag or starter switch by your right side. If you intend to use hand grips for steering (like a PPG) how do you intend on cutting the engine off when your hands will be up over your head steering the chute? If you let one hand go while the engine is still running, you won't have positive control over the chute. In a cross-wind or gusting situation, this might become a big problem.

You might want to wire a kill switch of some sort near your other foot. Then, of course, you've got to figure out some way to make sure that you don't accidentally hit it while in flight - or on takeoff!

I sincerely hope that your project flies (pardon the pun). I hope that you got Marty's help in choosing the right prop. The one in the pictures doesn't look adjustable.

I see a few things that I would change. I think that the ability to steer on the ground is very important - even if Marty thinks differently. :-) Sooner or later, you're going to run into a situation where you'll need to steer under your chute or adjust for winds that won't be just "perfect".

Good luck with it! How much longer before you think that you'll be ready to fly?

Walt...

I did give the kill switch idea a lot of thought. It is now located on the side of that little black box(flight recorder) with the starter switch. I thought of mounting it right to one of the steering handles with a coil cord but I did not want to run the risk of bumping it off and with no battery on-board I could not restart. Same with a foot switch. I figure during landing I will be pulling both lines all the way down which will put me very near the little black box.

I still do not have the chute but even after I get it I want the ground to dry out a bit. I don't want to look like one of those mud bog racers.

On one of the lost pages I was asked for the date of the "Banic Boogie" It is July 16-17-18 in Greenville, PA at the Greenville Airport.
It is mostly geared towards sky divers but PPCs are welcome.
-
Stefan Banic, a Slovak inventor, constructed a prototype of a parachute in 1913 and tested it in Washington D.C. in front of the U.S. Patent Office and military representatives by jumping from a 41-floor building and subsequently from an airplane in 1914. His patented parachute became a standard equipment for U.S. pilots during the World War I. Stefan Banic settled in the community of Greenville, Pennsylvania.