Tuesday, 05 April 2011
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Challenger 300 Advanced Diagnostics course ? DALLAS TRAINING CENTER (MAY 2-6, 2011)
Five day CL300 Advanced Diagnostics training now being offered at the Dallas Training Center. Please call for course content details. Next scheduled course: May-02 thru May-06, 2011 For additional information, please contact Monica Moreno via email monica.moreno@aero.bombardier.com or by telephone at 469-791-6457 -
Finding Help and Information when Building an Experimental Aircraft
When first starting out on building your very own experimental aircraft, the learning curve is massive and can be overwhelming. But the desire to do something like this is overwhelming as well. You just have to do it. The drive is greater than the fear.The Fedex truck pulls up and drops off your precious cargo, the tailkit of an actual airplane! You carry it out to your virtual hangar (the garage) and start ripping open the boxes, like a kid at Christmas. The parts list is long and you check every part to make sure that everything is there. Now you're ready to start!
You read your instructions and check the drawings and dive in. "Wait a minute, how the heck do I do that?" you ask.
This is where you discover that wonderful tool, the Internet. I started off by checking the manufacturer's website and gathered as much information as possible. Typically you will find recommend tools, FAQs, builders websites and listings of groups that support and give out information on your chosen line of aircraft. These groups are a great informational hub where kindred souls share what they have learned.
Then I did a search on Google for my particular aircraft and found page after page of builders who have posted their work on their own personal website. I created a folder in my favorites section of my internet browser, making descriptive notes in the title of the selection for later reference.
Another great source of information are the Yahoo Groups. I simply did a search on my particular aircraft model, looking for groups with large numbers of members and joined those groups. As I started to receive emails from those groups, I created folders in my email software to store these emails that had good "future" information by category.
Now, you're ready to start. Got a question? Post it on one (or all) of the groups or support websites you have located and sit back and watch the deluge of responses as they roll in. And they will, tons of suggestions and opinions! Worried about bad information? Not a problem. The builders on these groups will correct any bogus information posted as being bad advice or just plain stupid. By the time the postings start to slow down, you will have more than enough information to get going on your project.
You will notice as you're reading these emails that some builders are especially enlightened and skillful in the work. If they have a website, Mark it as a favorite in your "Top Choices" folder on your browser. It has been my experience that these guys enjoy helping people and welcome personal emails with questions.
The last and most important thing to consider it joining a local EAA Chapter (Experimental Aircraft Association). These groups offer a great "face to face" with other aircraft builders and are indeed a shot in the arm to keep you going. Another must is attending AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin if you can. It is the largest gathering of homebuilt aircraft and homebuilders in the world.
The true joy in the human nature is to help others. You will come to know it as well as you become the enlightened and skilled builder yourself.
SmittySource: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmittysRVBlog/~3/djiEw4Bsogo/blog.asp
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Another Experimental Aircraft is Ready to Touch the Sky
Bob Rogers, former President of EAA Chapter 1246 in McKinney, has announced that his Bushby Mustang II (N62BT) has received its Special Airworthiness Certificate as of December 20, 2008!
For years, it was only a slowly growing collection of aluminum parts and pieces, but now, his Mustang II is a real airplane, ready to fly!
After his first visit to Oshkosh in 1990 he discovered that maybe there was a way to realize his dream of owning his on airplane. He would build it himself!
He settled in on the Bushby Mustang II. He noted that it seemed fairly straightforward to build, came in a kit, was not real expensive, and was well tested, having been around for over 20 years. He also thought it was the best-looking kit plane among all the choices available to his pocketbook. An an aluminum, two-place airplane that was moderately priced and relatively fast (180-200 mph).
He chose the Mazda rotary engine as his power plant. Properly prepared, it has a power to weight ratio which is much higher than other automobile piston engines and which approaches that of a turbine engine. Real World Solutions, Inc. of Bell, Florida ("RWS") has developed a compact, lightweight, planetary-geared PSRU to fit several auto engine conversions, including the Mazda rotary engine. By all accounts, this PSRU is virtually bullet-proof. Even with a radiator for cooling, the Mazda rotary engine, PSRU, and all accessories weigh about the same as a Lycoming 180 hp aircraft engine installation.
His Mazda rotary auto-engine conversion does not use a magneto system for ignition. However, it does have a highly reliable stock electronic crank angle sensor, with four high-performance coils, powered by the alternator and backed-up with a standby alternator and the battery. Each rotor is served by dual spark plugs; only one plug per chamber is required to keep the engine running, but firing of both plugs is desirable for optimum burning of fuel in the combustion chamber (just like a certificated aircraft engine). The fuel and ignition controller (manufactured especially for this aircraft conversion application by Real World Solutions, Inc. of Bell, Florida) has two separate units, either one of which will fully operate and control the fuel and ignition system.
Congratulations Bob!
SmittySource: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmittysRVBlog/~3/faYVwCtUHqE/blog.asp
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ManTech awarded $22.6M contract for work in Aberdeen
Northern Virginia defense contractor ManTech International Corp. won a $22.6 million task order for software engineering services tied to the military?s Base Realignment and Closure plan, positioning it to shift or hire hundreds of workers for its Belcamp offices. ManTech (NASDAQ: MANT) is a prime contractor to the Army?s Communications-Electronics Command Softwaare Engineering [...]Source: http://www.military-technologies.net/2011/04/04/mantech-awarded-22-6m-contract-for-work-in-aberdeen/
