EAA Chapter 563
The Beacon
April, 2024
This month's chapter meeting will include a visit from the Flight Club at Dunlap High School. For several years, the chapter has been supporting their model rocket and airplane activities.
The VMC Club meets this Sunday at 6:30, and the IMC Club meets the following Sunday at 6:00. Both meetings will be in the hangar.
In the monthly Chapter Video, HQ notes that the Homebuilders Week webinars had over 22,000 attendees, and all the presentations are now available on the member's section of the main EAA website.
Group camping is now open for OSH, and a chapter can request 2 to 6 sites for up to 16 days of camping. If you're interested, let a board member know, or ask Andy Plouse who's already expressed interest in such a reservation.
The audit committee met in March and has filed their report, which can now be found in the Members section of the chapter website.
Rob Meyer wished to drop the bookkeeping chores from his list of jobs at the chapter. Joe Troglio has agreed to become the new treasurer, and the board has approved. Rob has served as treasurer for over 7 years and will continue in his other roles including the investments committee, the Ray Scholarship program, liason to the college scholarship programs, and mentoring the teenagers building the Cruzer (Rob's an A&P mechanic).
Ron Wright's ultralight project has reached the point he could move it to his hangar.
Tim Threw's RV-7A N54LH has been in the hangar for a few weeks, and he describes what's happening with it:
The engine is an EXP O360-A1A, 9:1 CR, Superior/Lycoming clone (new parts), built in 2003 by Aero Sport Power in Canada. I bought the plane with 750 Hobbs hrs from the builder in 2015. He used Phillips X/C 20w-50. I switched to Aeroshell 15w-50 and then to Phillips 20w-50 Victory (both contain the Lycoming LW 16702 anti-scuff additive).
At the time of purchase, oil consumption was 15 hrs/qrt and was changed every 25 hrs, which I continued. I fly 80-100 hrs a year, most of the hours May-Nov. If I am not doing any winter flying, I put Phillips preservation oil in the engine.
At 1200 Hobbs, oil consumption increased to 10 hrs/qrt fairly rapidly, but cylinder compression checks stayed the same - around 75/80. I also started noticing carbon particles in both my oil pump/sump screen and in the spin on filter pleats. At 1250 Hobbs (1050 Tach), #1 cylinder exhaust valve was stuck open, noticed when installing the magneto after IRAN. The valve guide was reamed in place and the other exhaust valves were tested per Lycoming SB 388C. All other valves passed the test. I also borescope once a year—exhaust valves always looked good. I did notice some scuffing on the cylinder walls, but I only took pictures of the valves, so I could not compare the scuffing from previous years. Last fall at 1500 Hobbs, while in the air, #2 exhaust valve stuck. I was close to 3MY and made an uneventful landing. I decided it was time for new cylinders and ordered a set of four Superior cylinders, 8.5:1 CR.
When the cylinders were removed this spring to install the new ones, I noticed a couple things. The piston skirts had embedded metal in them and the skirts were scored. I later learned this is a sign of lifter spalling. When the #4 cylinder was removed, I could see that the #3 and #4 cylinder intake lifters were spalled and the shared cam lobe was worn (in a Lycoming, the only was to see the lifters is to remove cylinders). Upon closer inspection, the other lifters were showing signs of distress. After the case was split, minor case fretting was noticed near the main bearing areas.
Oil analysis was done at least once a year with Blackstone and the reports always came back normal. In the spring '23 sample, Blackstone noticed slightly higher aluminum and iron than from the previous (Dec. '22) sample, but was still within universal averages. They attributed this increase to the salt air exposure when my plane sat on the ramp at PGD (Punta Gorda, FL) for a month that winter.
Poplar Grove quoted 24 weeks to overhaul the engine. I was informed the wait time for a new Lycoming engine is 1.5 years. Because of this, I am working with a local A&P to do the repairs. I took the case to DIVCO for machining and the crankshaft to Aircraft Specialties Services for IRAN. Both shops are in Tulsa OK. I was given a pickup date of May 15. Upon inspection, the AEL-11750 connecting rods had an AD and are being replaced. A new camshaft kit was ordered. Hopefully, I will be flying again in June.
Todd Moore is the organizer again and has opened registration. If you know an adult who's interested in learning to fly, this will be a good introduction. The event is to be held Saturday May 18.
Congratulations! You have been awarded a $900 Air Academy Campership to help you attend the EAA Advanced Air Academy.
So wrote EAA HQ to Ishan Talim in March. Ishan is a pilot in training and works on the Cruzer build project. He will be attending the second Air Academy session at OSH. The chapter will be picking up the remaining balance of his Air Academy fees.
We have three candidates for this year's scholarship. Rob Meyer, who leads the Ray Scholarship program at the chapter, has said his selection committee will begin their work soon and select their candidate by the end of the month.
The teens have been working steadily mounting engine bay accessories. The oil cooler needed to be ordered and should arrive from Wicks next week. Andair shipped an incorrectly assembled fuel selector valve, and we're awaiting their reply. One of the teens has taken on the job of selecting the avionics and the panel layout. The right wing might be closed up as early as the second weekend this month. Lastly, the horizontal stabilizer is being mounted. The chapter has designed a new elevator cable layout, and the new parts are nearly finished.
At this point, the build team is ready to look for a buyer for the completed airplane, and a sales flier is on the chapter web site with more information. The airplane hopefully will be finished next winter, and a buyer now might select the avionics layout and the interior materials, etc. We'd prefer a local buyer, of course, so if you know of someone who's been talking about buying a two seat airplane, please pass the word along. We won't place a national ad for a few months. The Zenith Cruzer can be registered under the current LSA, day VFR rules, or it can be a day/night VFR airplane carrying a higher gross weight.
Long time chapter member Sally Fitch passed away suddenly in late March. At age 90, she was still active and a pleasure to chat with. Her obituary notes the visitation and funeral will be Saturday, May 4 at Westminster Presbyterian. Her husband Dewey is also a chapter member and a resident of Buehler Home.
Welcome to new members Kerry Leilfeld, Craig Shepard, and Andrew Horton. Andrew Horton has previously been a member under his father Doug's account. Craig's son Micah is taking flying lessons and will be a candidate for the Ray Scholarship. Kerry will introduce himself:
I lived on a farm until I was 19 years old in Nebraska. I enlisted into the Navy in 1968 for 4 years. I was stationed at Miramar, California and trained to be a F4 mechanic with VF121. I was transferred to VF92 in 1971, a sea going Squadron. VF92 served on the USS Constellation from October, 1971 till June, 1972 off the coast of Vietnam.
I was discharged in June, 1972 and started classes at the Spartan School of Aeronautics to become an Aviation Maintenance Technician (A&P). After graduation I was hired by Byerly Aviation as a mechanic and then Director of Maintenance for the next 42 years. I received my Maintenance Inspection Authorization in 1978.
I earned my Pilots license in 1990. After retirement from Byerly Aviation I began working part time as a mechanic for Keith Aero at the Pekin Airport for the next 6 years. I was a mechanic for 50 years and was presented the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic award by the Federal Aviation Administration in March, 2022. I still assist owners and mechanics with technical support as needed.
I married my wife Linda, who is also from Nebraska, in 1970. We have three children: Shane, Trevor, and Jared.
The construction on the west side of the field near the end of Chanute Rd is the installation of new natural gas lines.
It appears we have enough volunteers to staff a tour stop for HQ's Ford Trimotor. It will be at Byerly June 13 through 16. Further volunteers for the ushering duties are yet welcome. Communications from HQ could be better, and we are still awaiting the final paperwork from them.
eaa563.org
Mt. Hawley Airport, Peoria, Illinois