Starting the Fairchild

Pretty cool, Tom. I'll be looking forward to hearing about her climb off the turf.
 
Looks/sounds great Tom. Won't be long now before it takes to the air.

How was the oil pressure? Could not see from the video, did it take a while to start reading, or come right up?
 
Warms my heart right up!
 
mikea said:
What a beauty, Tom! And of course, it runs great.
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Damn, I wish the planes I fly would start that easily! Nice to hear her wake from the long winter's nap. Soon, in the air!

Congratulations, Tom!

-Skip
 
Nice! Beautiful airplane. Now we have a voice to go with the words, too.
 
NC Pilot said:
Looks/sounds great Tom. Won't be long now before it takes to the air.

How was the oil pressure? Could not see from the video, did it take a while to start reading, or come right up?
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bottom center gauge is the oil pressure gauge. it shows about 55 at Idle.

I ran the warner twice for about 10 seconds each, and it would not show oil pressure. Then I got smart enough to burp the oil pump, now it shows oil pressure as you crank it. When cold it will peg the gauge, It was set with 15W50 in it, I now run 25W65 and it is too high, and will set it down before we fly.

Did you notice? no smoke at start, and it idles at 350, ( I should turn it down some :)) no problem starting with both mags on, Al at Savage mag did a great job on them, both are 15 degrees lag at start, but advance to 28 degrees when running.

Plus I have one valve clicking, I have got to adjust them once more before we fly.

Lots of stuff yet to do, flight control rigging, build flaps, hook up the external lights, finish the doors and get them hung, and final touches to the interior.

and Paper work (procrastonating) 16 major repairs or modifications to get signed off at FSDO.

maybe by spring.
 
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NC19143 said:
bottom center gauge is the oil pressure gauge. it shows about 55 at Idle.
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Great!! Still cannot see it on the video, but sounds good.

Did you notice? no smoke at start, and it idles at 350, ( I should turn it down some :)) no problem starting with both mags on, Al at Savage mag did a great job on them, both are 15 degrees lag at start, but advance to 28 degrees when running.
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Noticed that it was running pretty clean. Really ticks over at idle..

and Paper work (procrastonating) 16 major repairs or modifications to get signed off at FSDO.

maybe by spring.
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Yeah, it ain't done until the paperwork weighs as much as the airplane...:D
 
NC19143 said:
Did you notice? no smoke at start, and it idles at 350,
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I noticed that, and thought there would have to be at least some smoke on 1st startup. Do you not coat the pistons/rings with oil as you put them together?

I don't know much about rebuilding engines, but I'd think that anything that slides/moves/rotates would be either coated with oil or some other kind of assembly lube.
 
Bill Jennings said:
I noticed that, and thought there would have to be at least some smoke on 1st startup. Do you not coat the pistons/rings with oil as you put them together?

I don't know much about rebuilding engines, but I'd think that anything that slides/moves/rotates would be either coated with oil or some other kind of assembly lube.
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It wasn't the first start.. it was preoiled, cranked, and hand primed the first time and it didn't smoke much then also.
 
NC19143 said:
It wasn't the first start.. it was preoiled, cranked, and hand primed the first time and it didn't smoke much then also.
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OK! She sure does sound nice, I can't wait to see the flying videos!
 
NC19143 said:
to burp the oil pump, now it shows oil pressure as you crank it.
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I heard the 120/140 guys talk about the small continentals losing their prime if they sat unused for a while, and they would just lift the tail during startup to correct.
 
What a beautiful looking and sounding project!! Can't wait to see/hear about your adventures to come. :)
 
That plane's gonna look so cool, on approach over the ridge and softly kissing the grass at Gaston's in June...:yes:
 
SCCutler said:
That plane's gonna look so cool, on approach over the ridge and softly kissing the grass at Gaston's in June...:yes:
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WE are working on that, But it must prove its dependability before we set out on any adventures, we would never want to be at Gastons and not be able to give rides.
 
Ghery said:
Sweet. I'm looking forward to seeing it fly (first hand).
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Me too.

I ++ HOPE ++ that TD is planning some sort of 'coming out' party for his new baby. Just hope its on one of my off weekends. I'll bring the bubbly!!!!
 
DeeG said:
Me too.

I ++ HOPE ++ that TD is planning some sort of 'coming out' party for his new baby. Just hope its on one of my off weekends. I'll bring the bubbly!!!!
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I'm thinking about doing some thing like that, but you might getthe phone call "look out your window,, I'll meet ya at the stewart bros."

then we'll go for a ride. :)
 
Tom,

Very nice, except for one thing: round engines are supposed to belch smoke on startup. I know how to fix it. I'll bring my sandpaper and a crescent wrench to Gaston's.

M
 
...said the guy with the new-looking Cessna 140.
 
foka4 said:
Tom,

Very nice, except for one thing: round engines are supposed to belch smoke on startup. I know how to fix it. I'll bring my sandpaper and a crescent wrench to Gaston's.

M
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Do you know how to tell when a Prat & Whinney Radial is out of oil?











It will quit leaking.
 
NC19143 said:
Do you know how to tell when a Prat & Whinney Radial is out of oil?











It will quit leaking.
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I was at the Pima Air and Space museum a couple weeks ago. There is a Martin Mariner flying boat in one of the new hangars. The airplane probably hasn't moved under it's own power in decades... yet there are drip pans on the ground beneath each engine collecting oil seeping from the engines... B)

Radials are just cool... the Fairchild looks outstanding.
 
Sleek-Jet said:
I was at the Pima Air and Space museum a couple weeks ago. There is a Martin Mariner flying boat in one of the new hangars. The airplane probably hasn't moved under it's own power in decades... yet there are drip pans on the ground beneath each engine collecting oil seeping from the engines... B)

Radials are just cool... the Fairchild looks outstanding.
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Thanks, I updated the page last night, to include the video and the progress on the flaps.

If I lived in Tuson I'd be over there all the time. My favorite old Seaplane is the Martin Marlin P-5M I actually have time in them, I helped ferry the Sec Nav's aircraft From Anticosta Md. to Sangley Point PI, That was the first time I was out of sight of land.
 
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