Building an Apis equivalent

[Eric Greenwell]

Brad wrote:
>> Paint it in polyurethane and you can probably leave tied out about as
>> well, too. Brad can tell us how long it takes to build one.
>
>
> Hi Eric,
>
> Building the Apis was actually a lot of fun, with good instructions,
> and advice from Robert Mudd I was able to complete the build process
> in under 150 hours.

That's impressive! A retired guy should be able to build one a month,
then, working only 40 hours a week, including latte breaks.

The gel-coat (prestec) took considerably longer!

Would using polyurethane speed it up any?

>
> The latest project on my 13m Apis is putting an engine in it.

I assume that will take 150+ hours?

>
> After building 2 Russias and an Apis I'd like to tackle a design of my
> own based on these 2 ships. Any one interested????......:o)

Some suggestions:

*simplify the power system by having the pilot extend it by hand from
beside the tail boom while on the ground, and "retract-only" in the air
(no in air restarts). Not my idea - Greg Cole is considering something
like this for the SparrowHawk to simplicate and add lightness.

*use a steerable tail wheel in the rudder like the LS-9 - that seems so
cool, but can have some drawbacks

*Turbine powered?

*A hybrid motorglider: an electric motor with enough battery capacity to
launch it to 3000', and a small gasoline motor to recharge the batteries
in an hour

For an Apis weight glider with a 6 minute climb to 3000 feet, maybe
you'd need 25 hp of electric power. To recharge in an hour would take a
gasoline motor of about 1/8 this, so that would only be 3 hp, or a small
lawnmower engine.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

[Brad]

Hi Eric,

Eric Greenwell > wrote in message >...
> Brad wrote:
> >> Paint it in polyurethane and you can probably leave tied out about as
> >> well, too. Brad can tell us how long it takes to build one.
> >
> >
> > Hi Eric,
> >
> > Building the Apis was actually a lot of fun, with good instructions,
> > and advice from Robert Mudd I was able to complete the build process
> > in under 150 hours.
>
> That's impressive! A retired guy should be able to build one a month,
> then, working only 40 hours a week, including latte breaks.
>
> The gel-coat (prestec) took considerably longer!
>
> Would using polyurethane speed it up any?

Not sure as I have no experience with htat kind of paint.
Actually.....the Prested was pretty easy to spray and it wet sanded
easily. I think that there is given amount of time it takes to prepare
and paint and wet sand a sailplane and there are no shortcuts....:o(


>
> >
> > The latest project on my 13m Apis is putting an engine in it.
>
> I assume that will take 150+ hours?

The engine bay and doors are in, the mast is out for bid now......150
might be about right.


>
> >
> > After building 2 Russias and an Apis I'd like to tackle a design of my
> > own based on these 2 ships. Any one interested????......:o)
>
> Some suggestions:
>
> *simplify the power system by having the pilot extend it by hand from
> beside the tail boom while on the ground, and "retract-only" in the air
> (no in air restarts). Not my idea - Greg Cole is considering something
> like this for the SparrowHawk to simplicate and add lightness.

Yup.......I remember Greg and I had this conversation a few years ago
and that is sort of what I am doing. Altho I do have an electric jack
screw, I do not have an electric start and I will have the pull start
outside of the ship.
>
> *use a steerable tail wheel in the rudder like the LS-9 - that seems so
> cool, but can have some drawbacks

fixed tailwheel.....remember my ASK-14?


>
> *Turbine powered?

18Hp MZ-100 engine 2 stroke


>
> *A hybrid motorglider: an electric motor with enough battery capacity to
> launch it to 3000', and a small gasoline motor to recharge the batteries
> in an hour

good ideas for the new design!!


>
> For an Apis weight glider with a 6 minute climb to 3000 feet, maybe
> you'd need 25 hp of electric power. To recharge in an hour would take a
> gasoline motor of about 1/8 this, so that would only be 3 hp, or a small
> lawnmower engine.

I really like the idea of electric power, by the time I am ready for a
power plant in the new ship electric power will probably be much more
refined and hopefully the motors and batteries will be less $$$.

Thanks for the interest!

Brad