William Wynne

Now at FlyCorvair.com March 31, 2007 Part of the first batch of Gold Hubs. Prop Hub #1, affectionately known as "Hub," sits in the corner. If you're one of the 150 or so people who flew in our Pietenpol or 601 prior to 2005, that very Hub pulled you around the sky. Here are three new products available on our Web page: The Gold Hub Oil Top Cover Corvair Baffle Kit Please carefully read the descriptions on the pages linked above. Note that all of these parts are in stock and available for immediate shipment. If you have questions after going over the notes, please e-mail or call us. Above are CNC Oil System Top Covers. I Tig weld the fittings onto the part, and it gets one more pass in the CNC mill to ensure it's flat after welding. This has been a standard part of our conversions for the past several years. Above is one of our Baffle Kits installed on a mock-up motor. This kit is specifically intended to work with our Nosebowl or KR cowling. The Baffle Kit page contains many detailed photos showing the quality of this very carefully crafted kit. These outstanding examples of craftsmanship are manufactured exclusively for us by Jim and Rhonda Weseman. This is another example of how we're meeting increased demand by sourcing components from proven aviation professionals. "Outsourcing" at other experimental companies may mean shopping for junk in Communist police states like China. To us, it means finding good people right here at home. There was a lot of talk this week on the Internet about oil coolers. The photo above shows our Baffle Kit set up for our flight proven Niagara oil cooler installation. For the past two years, we've been flying these brand new, heavy duty coolers on planes in our shop. They can take as much as 50 degrees out of the peak oil temperature. Our work has made this cooler an integrated part of the engine installation, nestling neatly into the baffling and still allowing the use of our CNC Intake Manifold. The Baffle Kit can also be ordered with pieces to fit stock Corvair 12-plate coolers. Please specify which cooler you'll be using when you order the kit. About once a month, someone asks me if we ever have any reduced price items which are seconds. The answer is no. The above photo shows half a dozen Fiberglas Front Spinner Bulkheads cut in half before being thrown in the trash can. These were pretty good, made by an interim supplier before we engaged the shop that produces them now in our molds. I had not shipped any of the interim parts, as we were waiting for their matching CNC crushplates. The crushplates arrived at the same time as a fresh batch of fiberglass bulkheads from our new supplier. Although the interim parts were good, and could literally support my weight standing on them, they simply were not as good as the new ones. There's no one, no matter what their budget, who does not deserve to have the best parts we know how to make. Thus, I ran the interim bulkheads through the bandsaw. Even at $149, the profit margin on this piece is near $0. We produce it because it is a necessary part to complete the installation, and we don't want anyone to forgo using it because of price. Destroying the interim bulkheads means we'll sell several dozen more of these units before we break even. This is a good example of our commitment to put people ahead of profits. Even with the beginning of airshow season rapidly approaching, our research and development is continuous. Above is a Corvair distributor in our 1950s distributor machine. What makes this distributor unique is its digital Crane ignition system opposing the points. Old school KR-2 Corvair pilot Steve Makish brought this to our attention. He's an electrical guru and is currently flying one in his KR-2. We set up this one in a distributor, and it's now test flying in one of our customer aircraft. In the coming weeks, we'll get a few more of these in test aircraft. It has a lot of unique, deisrable characteristics, and is the only ignition I've ever seen that will work opposite a set of points, for the best of both worlds. It's retrofittable to Distributors we've made. We have a number of distributors on back order at present. I've been holding back final assembly and shipment on these pending the flight test results of this system. We'll have an update on this before Sun 'N Fun. Countdown to Sun 'N Fun at FlyCorvair.com March 22, 2007 Sun 'N Fun is less than a month away April 17-23, 2007 at Lakeland Linder Airport in Florida. It's America's second largest air show. I've been to every Sun 'N Fun since 1989, and we've had a commercial presence there for 10 years. As always, this year Corvair fans will have a lot to check out. The centerpiece of this year's display will be Rick Lindstrom's 601 XL N42KP in the Zenith booth. This is a good place to find me. Zenith Aircraft is one of Sun 'N Fun's most senior vendors, and they have a great location at the main intersection. Check out the Corvair presence at Sun 'N Fun 2004, Sun 'N Fun 2005 and Sun 'N Fun 2006. A number of Corvair pilots have called in to say they'll be flying in for the show. Sun 'N Fun maintains a traditional Auto Engine Conversion Parking area on the North end of the Homebuilt Field. You'll have the chance here to meet many of the Corvair builder/pilots you've only seen in photos. The Corvair movement is set apart by the craftsmanship and camaraderie of the builders involved. Air shows are a great opportunity to meet the people who've successfully built and flown their own Corvair engines. As in the past 10 years, I'll be giving forums in the Auto Engine Forum Tent sponsored by Contact! magazine. The Forums Area is south of the Museum near the Main Gate to the automobile parking lot. A map and daily schedules are available at Sun-n-Fun.org. You'll find me giving forums in Tent #10 at: Noon Wednesday, April 18, 2007 10 a.m. Friday, April 20 Noon Saturday, April 21 Noon Sunday, April 22

601/Corvair builder Mark Townsend of Can-Zac aviation is again hosting his annual Web Masters Barbecue in the Sun 'N Fun Campground. Check at the Zenith booth for details and directions. It's a fun event we plan to attend. Gold Hub Update The Gold Hub has flown. We'll be making shipments from the first batch this coming week. The Gold Hub uses the same Ring Gear, Safety Shaft, and Hybrid Studs we've always used. However, it uses NAS (National Aerospace Standard) nuts and slightly longer AN-3 bolts to hold the Ring Gear to it. This hardware and instructions will be included with the Gold Hubs we ship. There's about 10 Gold Hubs available from the first batch that aren't yet spoken for. If you'd like one of these, check our Products Page for a link soon. We have a second batch in the works that will be available before Sun 'N Fun. New Corvair Pilot, Ray Blondin Ray Blondin of Delaware is the ninth pilot to fly a Corvair powered 601. Ray took to the air recently in his primer clad HDS, pictured above. Ray kept a steady pace going in recent months to see his project through to completion. He picked up a number of Installation Components from us, but built his own unique installation. Ray's aircraft utilizes our Motor Mount, specified 66" Warp Drive prop, Prop Hub, and Distributor. He chose to make his own cowling. What saw him through to completion and flying is the magic element of persistence. He tackled the little jobs one at a time until they all were done. Congratulations to Ray, the newest ZenVair pilot. ZenVair Update We've recently received a number of photos from 601 builders nearing the finish line. Check out the progress of Ken Lien of Washington, above, and Charles Leonard of Florida, below. Ken sent us a half dozen photos of his very sharply painted XL. Charles is a Hangar regular who completed his engine with our assistance at the FlyCorvair.com Hangar in 2006. We're in the process of updating the www.ZenVair.com site with photos and news from builders already flying. Watch www.ZenVair.com in the coming weeks for new additions. The Zenith Aircraft Co. factory Web site includes a Builder Directory with state-by-state listings. A large number of 601 builders in the directory list their engine as a "Custom installation" - almost all of these are Corvair builders. I spoke to Sebastien about it, and he said the page was written before the ZenVair movement got rolling, and he's amending it to allow builders to select "Corvair" as they complete their listing. Running Engines: Gardiner Mason, Scott Thatcher Some of the last production engines we started in 2006 in our shop recently went out the door. Georgia Pietenpol builder/Corvair College #10 student Gardiner Mason came down to witness the test run on the dyno of his engine, above. Afterward, he promptly took it home and installed it on his Piet project. Recently, 601 builder Scott Thatcher, whose engine was used for demo assembly during CC#10, returned to witness the break-in run on the dyno, below. He took the Gang out to lunch, and late in the evening headed home with a very smooth running fresh engine. Both these projects have a good shot at flying by the end of the summer. Fly With Gus Test pilot Gus Warren is formally branching out with his own business, FlyWithGus.com. Gus has worked with us in the Corvair movement about 10 years. As a member of the original Hangar Gang, he's made several contributions to the movement. He's best known as our test pilot and primary demo pilot. In the hangar, everybody gravitates toward working within their own field of expertise. In the past few years, Gus has primarily worked on building airframes and flying. He's now chosen to form his own business specializing in helping others with these two elements. You can read all about it on Gus' new Web site, www.FlyWithGus.com. Externally, there won't be many changes. Gus is still operating out of the same X50 FlyCorvair.com hangar, and will still be working with our Corvair movement in a complementary fashion. However, he'll be able to work directly with people who need his airframe and flying services. With the Corvair movement expanding every year, new builders have expressed concern with getting direct support from my crew to assist them with their engine building. With Gus to directly answer popular airframe questions and flight issues, a significant amount of our time is freed up for engine and installation work. Gus' direct contact info is on his Web site. You can find Gus in the Type Tent near the Vintage Barn during Sun 'N Fun. 701 Update The 701 in our hangar is a good example of the complementary working relationship of FlyCorvair.com and FlyWithGus.com. The airplane's being built as an E-LSA for an illustrious aviator at our airport whose career focused mostly on helicopters. The E-LSA category allows the aircraft to be legally completely built for hire. To tackle the job, Kevin and I took care of everything ahead of the firewall, while Gus contracted separately to build the airframe. Because it's all done in one hangar, and we've worked together for years, it's a smooth process. Gus dealing directly with the owner on a myriad of details like paint, interior, registration, etc. allows the rest of the Hangar Gang to stay focused on our main line of work. We'll have more 701 updates following Sun 'N Fun. In the photo above, a jigging engine is bolted to the actual finished mount. The engine for this aircraft is being assembled this week. PegVAIR Progress Gordon Alexander, who's been a Hangar Gang volunteer the past two months, has made great progress on his Pegzair. The airframe's been assembled and rigged, and is currently disassembled while Gordon covers the fuselage in Stits this week. Despite being very busy leading up to Sun 'N Fun, Kevin and I have gotten a few work sessions in to help Gordon ahead of the firewall. A good example of the type of hours we work and how thankful we are for Gordon's service is his Motor Mount. In preparation for Sun 'N Fun, we're working 16 hours a day seven days a week. After a long day of building last Saturday night, Kevin and I began to cut tubing for Gordon's mount. By morning, we have what you see here. Builders everywhere should know that Gordon has played a key role in allowing us to get caught up, and we'd be remiss if we didn't assist him in the completion of his aircraft to show our thanks. We have a number of PegVair builders in the Corvair movement, and we're taking a number of photos of our work with Gordon and keeping notes on the installation to provide to PegVair builders after successfully completing and flying Gordon's plane. We'll have another PegVair update after Sun 'N Fun. 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