51% rule

On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 08:21:58 -0500, "James M. Knox"
wrote:

Roger Halstead wrote in
:

... As I recall the fuselage halves are joined, the fire wall is
in, and the engine mount reinforcements are done. The wing is ready
for the flaps and ailerons and the horizontal stab is about ready to
close. They save you about 1000 hours or so... However considering
the G-III is one of the most labor intensive "kits" out there, you
still have a long ways to go.

Exactly. There are still a LOT of tasks left to occupy your "spare time."
G

I think the "fast build" or "jump start" kits are a great idea for the
overall homebuilder movement. It allows more people to consider building
(without the corresponding filing of divorce papers). It allows the
manufacturer to pre-make some of the larger and critical assemblies that
are less practical for the average builder to do in their garage. And it
quickly gives the builder something, no matter how many hours of work
remain, that at least starts to LOOK like an airplane. [A very important
psychological factor in getting the thing finished.]

sighIt sure nuff is! I keep hoping that my G-III will start
looking like an airplane one of these days. Maybe when I mount the
horizontal stab and elevator?

This week, while my wife is on a bike tour, I'm frantically working on
the horizontal stabilizer (Yes, I know that is the first then they
have you work on, but mine was postponed while I worked on the bigger
stuff.)

I'd like to get it closed before sunday and I *might* make it if I
don't get distracted.

I really don't know how many hours I've put into the G-III so far, but
my builders diary is pretty much up-to-date and accurate. I've just
never bothered to total the hours. It covers 8 large internet pages
and well over 100 printed pages. If I continue at this rate it will
be the size of an encyclopedia by the time I have it finished.

Had I started working on the thing at the current pace back when it
was delivered, I would have been flying it for the past two or three
years. "The project" has been like the remodeling of the kitchen.
Once you start you keep seeing more things that need to be done. The
basement is too small except for the horizontal stab. The garage is
too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. It also has too much
*stuff* in it. So I ended up building a 28 X 40 foot shop

I've been truly working on it for a bit less than a year and a half,
but I haven't reached the point where it would equal the "jump start"
kit, out-of-the-box.

A couple of friends have been after me to let them help, which is fine
by me. One was over the other night and after the "grand tour" and
progress report he has decided he is most likely never going to
attempt to build one. I did explain there are a number of kits out
there that only take a fraction of the time required for the G-III,
but I think the detail to which the kit goes scared him off. (I'm
right at the point of doing the engine mount reinforcements on the
back side of the fire wall and that thing is built like a tank)

He was impressed at the size of that big massive main wing spar. I
hope he never compares the carry through in his Cherokee 180 to
it:-))


And, of course, you are still free to start with a blank sheet of paper and
a pencil if that's what you want.

One of the guys in Chapter 159 built an "almost full size" Stager
Wing. (I think it's 7/8ths) He used a different airfoil and they ran
computer simulations on it at either JPL, or Cal Tech.

His only guide was photos, sketches, and discussions. The thing is a
work of art, but from start to finish was over 30 years.

I'd love to have one of the "Jump Start" kits, but when I figure what
one costs (you really pay for that extra construction), I have the
complete G-III kit with updates , A 300 HP Lycombing K1-A5 to
rebuild, an almost new Hartzell 3 blade prop, and a heated (and air
conditioned) shop, for less than the cost of the "Jump Start" kit.

Roger Halstead (K8RI EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
www.rogerhalstead.com
N833R World's oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)

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James M. Knox
TriSoft ph 512-385-0316
1109-A Shady Lane fax 512-366-4331
Austin, Tx 78721
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