REFLECTIONS
Ed CheneveyI presume most of you watched the Discovery documentary on Rutan's Spaceship One and maybe even the live telecast on the Science Channel of the second X-prize flight. In the news conference afterward, Burt praised the documentary shown the night before as truly representing their efforts over the preceding years. I would expect that there will be additional airings of these three hours around the time of the official X-prize award which is supposedly the first week of November.
The latest issue of Popular Science has an article on Burt's efforts written before the X-prize flights.
Next month we need elections. Think?
Cygnet Chatter
Alvin SagerLooking forward to seeing plans for spacecraft. Not a far stretch anymore...amazing. Outstanding as well as gutsy.
Closer to earth, I have been doing some learning and figuring just how much unbuilding I will have to do to the Hatz project that I acquired. I have resisted getting heavily into the project so that I can finish up a project that I have procrastinating over for too long. Having the parts of the Hatz in view renewed my energy and within a week I should have Ed’s boat on its way to Florida.
I have been pulling out staples whenever I had a chance, and checking details to the plans. So far I found filler strips bringing the rear wing spars up to the fabric line which should not be there, and some aileron hinge supports that have to be moved so as not to touch the fabric. It hurts to take a chisel to a finished wing, but it has to be right. The fuse is in a friend’s garage a few blocks away, so I haven’t figured what I will be changing yet. There is a Hatz association that also has a forum with very knowledgeable contributors. The design has been around long enough for many modifications to have proven themselves. Most popular are increased wing gap to make it easier to get into the front pit, longer landing gear legs to allow a slower touchdown, Frise type ailerons on lower wing only, and many cosmetic variations.
The engine will be interesting for me. Since the last "overhaul" never made it to the logbook, I will want to look inside and measure things up. There are yellow tags for the cylinders dated well after the last entry in the log, but I want to check the crank for the corrosion ad and the oil pump to make sure it has the right gears. I will probably adapt a Toyota starter per Art Bianconi’s plans to save weight and also use an automotive alternator.
The original Hatz used a Continental O-200 with a J-3 type cowl. The engine of choice seems to be the Lycoming O-320, with most having a pressure cowl. I ordered a set of evaluation plans for the Hatz Classic, which incorporates changes that Billy Dawson made on his third Hatz. I will keep you posted.
Happy Flying
