ELIOT WILLOUGBY - SEPTEMBER 15, 2001

A few weeks ago, Chapter 110 lost a long time member and to many of us a long time personal friend. We don't know which airplanes Eliot loved most , the B-25 bombers he flew as an Air Force Captain, the Sonerai I that he built and set up for Formula V air racing, or the Nieuport 17 replica that he was building at the last. We do know that he was an encyclopedia of knowledge about WW I aircraft of all nations and a real aficionado of WW I history, complete with German Jagdstaffeln uniform ! Eliot was always active in Chapter activities and served as a Chapter officer in various capacities until his chronic illness caused him to limit his participation. Eliot was always quick to lend a tool or a hand , just talk airplanes, or convey the latest joke. He is greatly missed.

Our Chapter has sent a contribution to the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society in his memory.

Our sympathy and condolences to Eliot's wife, Elizabeth, and the the rest of his family.

PROGRESS IN FLYING MACHINES

We don't have any new projects to list this time but can report some progress on a couple of existing projects. Gary Graham is well into his Titan Tornado and we had a chance to look at his project a couple of weeks ago. He already had it on the gear with controls installed and was preparing to install the tail boom. It appears to be an excellent kit with quality components but, as with most kits or set of plans, there are ambiguities in the drawings and construction manual that sometimes need discussion with the kit supplier. Gary has been getting good support from the Titan dealer, who supplied his kit, in ironing out any problems. It would appear that the success of any of the aircraft kit manufacturers is pretty much in direct proportion to the amount of support that the Company gives to its customers and it is an important thing to check before making a big investment. For example, RV-6 builder, Jim Woodward, tells us that Van's Aircraft has a dedicated telephone line, open for several hours a day, during a specified time period, when one of Van's engineers or Van himself will answer builder's questions. Jim is making nice progress on his project and at the last we saw was sealing up his wing tanks, the last step in completing the wings. Jim wasn't able to make our last meeting and take part in our "Builder's Panel" but he did send his partially completed tanks showing the application of the "Pro-Seal" fuel tank sealant. Also our thanks to the others who took part and/or supplied material for our program, Tom Hubbuch ( Sonerai II LTS ), C. K. Doc Dixon (Glasair),Don Jeffries, (Super Rebel) and Berry Bannon, (TEAM Hi-Max and Kit Fox Outback). Don and Joy Jeffries reported that they have the tailfeathers for the Super Rebel about complete and extended an invitation to come by Hangar 45 at Bowman Field "just about any time" to watch them work !! Don't know if Chris Davis has flown his Moto Guzzi powered 67% Jenny yet, but at last report, he had had his bird signed off by the FAA and was doing some taxi tests at Scottsburg.

Email info and photos about your project to projects@eaa110.org

TECH NOTE

To those of us who have "tinkered" with airplanes for a long time, some things seem so obvious that sometimes we just take it for granted that these things are "obvious" to other people who may have taken on the task of building an airplane. For example, the proper selection and installation of aircraft hardware (or even the knowledge that aircraft hardware is a different breed), safety wiring, control cable hookups, installation of instruments, and a thousand other details that may be almost second nature to an experienced builder can be an unknown quantity to a first time builder and lead to costly, or worse, unsafe, mistakes in construction. Some plans and construction manuals give a pretty good introduction to standard aircraft construction practices. Others leave a builder pretty much on his own to seek out information. Where do you get that information ? Here are a few books that we think should be the nucleus of a builder's library whether your'e building an ultra-light or the latest plastic whiz bang. All of the four books by the late Tony Bingelis: THE SPORTPLANE BUILDER, SPORTPLANE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES, FIREWALL FORWARD, and BINGELIS ON ENGINES. These books not only give a rundown on standard, safe, aircraft construction methods but are full of ideas on how to solve those tricky little problems we all run into. All books are full of nice sketches. STANDARD AIRCRAFT HANDBOOK FOR MECHANICS AND TECHNICIANS by Leavell and Bungay. The aircraft data book that I have is an older one but is an invaluable source of information on AN ( MS now ? ) hardware, aluminum, steel, rivets, fabric and just about anything else that goes into an airplane. Lots of tables. AIRCRAFT DETAIL DESIGN MANUAL by Stanley Dzik. Full of nice examples of what good aircraft design drawings should look like, tables of specifications for AN hardware with detail dimensions, lots of other tables and good stuff. All of the above publications are listed in the AIRCRAFT SPRUCE AND SPECIALTY COMPANY CATALOG, another publication that no homebuilder should be without, and it's free !

Last Updated March 3, 2002

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