Last weekend was a busy flying weekend... finally!

Friday I had a meeting up at Paine Field in Everett for a Aviation Day planning.  It was a beautiful day other than the choppy turbulence.  Got a little lost taxiing on the airport with all the 787's and 747's parked all over the place awaiting engines.  Sorry, no pics of that this time, I'll get some at the next meeting.

The flight home was very serene with some great cloud formations over the Cascades and Olympics.

Saturday morning I had a Manager's meeting for the Arlington Fly In.  Another beautiful flight with a few low clouds in the valleys.  But this flight, both ways, was quite smooth.

That afternoon I flew one more time.  This was an aerobatic flight, no pictures, can't have loose items  floating around the cockpit.  This flight was with another pilot from Germany, he flies competition over there and was in Seattle to take delivery of a 737 for the airline he works for.  We had fun as he flew the Eagle, an airplane he's not that familiar with.  We put +6 and -4 on the G-meter in a few flubbed maneuvers.

Talking with him re-enforced how lucky we are to live and fly in the US.  Costs and regulations in Germany are quickly making flying the realm of only those of means.  $12/gallon gas.... flight plan requirements... landing fees... licensing requirements and costs....  We certainly are privileged, but must never give up the fight to keep it that way!

March Madness

No posts for the month of March doesn't mean there wasn't any aviation!  This is the time of year where the annual Condition Inspection is done on the Eagle and the Wolf Pitts.  We had a new A&P on the Eagle this year and he found some good issues that needed to be addressed. I also did my flight review in the Cessna and got my medical done.  

From a cracked fuselage tube at the gear attach point, to loose trim tabs on the tail, there were a number of small jobs that needed to be addressed that caused the annual to take longer than normal.  Or perhaps, with 3000 hours on this fine bird, this is the new normal.

On the first test flight, as I lifted off of the runway, the right slave strut started vibrating pretty severely, didn't feel anything in the stick but visually I could see it moving a couple inches.  Quickly told the tower I'm staying in the pattern.

"Are you declaring an emergency?"

Never had anyone asked me that before.  I looked at the vibrating strut, but as I slowed down at 1000 feet it ceased to move.  "No, not at this time."  After landing, I did an inspection of the strut and attach points and didn't find any missing or broken parts.  Decided to give it another try.  Again at rotation, it started to vibrate.  But this time I quickly reduced power and speed and the vibration ceased around 100 mph.  Brought the plane up to cruise speed and headed out to the practice area.

Did some simulated take offs... no vibration.  Did some aerobatics... no vibration.  What the...?  Anomaly?

Returned to Renton and sent out an email to my partners about the experience.  Rochelle flew the airplane on Easter, I called her after her scheduled flight only to find out that it did vibrate on her again, and this time didn't stop until somewhere on final approach.  Plane was grounded.

This is where the Internet can be your friend... and foe.  A couple quick posts to the Eagle Google Group and on the Biplaneforum.com garnered a lot of free advice.  Most of which was irrelevant and some outright wrong.  But one tidbit of info from a Starduster pilot rang a bell.  Rubber washers!  A quick look at the Eagle revealed that ours were falling apart, age had gotten the better of them.

Detach both slave struts and use the old washer to make two new sets.  Installed and test flown.  No vibration!  Double Eagle is good to go!

This weekend will begin my first full Condition Inspection on the Wolf Pitts, that will probably also take all month long.  The right magneto needs to be inspected, all the hoses replaced, wobble pump overhauled and the engine monitor needs repair and a software upgrade.