In his own words - BWB and the OMABP

"RobertR237" wrote in message Wow, in the total scheme of things, how
many planes are hit by lightning? If you are that leary of flying and
lightning, I would suggest you stay on the ground.

Turning a propeller near the freezing level is a sure way to get struck. I
took 3 hits in one year (that I know of). For two of them, I wasn't even in
the clouds. I was deviating around CBs. One hit knocked both generators
off-line. They re-set fine, so it only cost $5000 for a gearbox teardown and
inspection. One hit to another crew put a dime sized hole in one prop blade.
They weren't in the clouds and didn't know they had been struck until the
post-flight walk-around. That cost $27k because you can't replace just one
blade.

The aerodynamics of some of the fast glass planes give me a raging hard-on.
However, I can't bring myself to build one because of the lightning issue.
Talking to the kit manufacturers at Sun-n-Fun hasn't brought satisfaction to
my angst (basically, the salesmen don't know squat about the issue).

I wonder how the helicopter manufacturers protect their composite blades
from being damaged by lightning? (Painful image developing)

D.

There are a whole lot of glass planes out there flying every day, both
production and experimental. The reported strikes have been very few. I
suspect that the odds of getting killed driving to the airport are far greater
than being killed because of a lightning strike in a glass plane.


Bob Reed
www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site)
KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress....

"Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice,
pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!"
(M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman)

"RobertR237" wrote in message There are a whole lot of glass planes out
there flying every day, both
production and experimental. The reported strikes have been very few. I
suspect that the odds of getting killed driving to the airport are far
greater
than being killed because of a lightning strike in a glass plane.

True- but I haven't been able to find out any meaningful data about how the
electrical charges are kept from causing structural damage. None of the
salesmen I queried has a clue. Some of the certified models have a full
instrument panel but aren't certified for IFR flight, ostensibly because of
this issue. Until I do find some meaningful data, I have to go on the theory
that I will again be struck by lightning. I don't want to end up like those
glider pilots in the UK, especially since they had chutes and I don't).

D.

At least, I KNOW every damned rivet and I KNEW that it
wouldn't fall apart at altitude. Do you have the same
confidence that the composite "glue" will do the same??

How cold is it at altitude? What happens when you get a
lightening strike on that fuselage? With the resistance of
the composite fuselage you'll get a tremendous voltage drop
across it when the lightening strikes. And Power equals
voltage drop times current. How do you think you'll like
dissipating a megawatthour of energy in that small area??

I'll stick to metal airplanes... Lightening hits them and
simply flows through with little or no voltage drop...

John


I was in a good mood until I read this. Now I'm suicidal!

All bull**** aside John, you bring up some great concerns as usual. I
have no idea how it will behave under those conditions. I might just
"POP" into another dimension or something. I may hurdle to my death.
All I can say is "What the ****...over!" I've probably lived too long
already...almost like a cat with 9 lives...I've been sooo close, sooo
many times!

I want to tell you all something. If I buy the farm in a Lancair
Legacy that I built, then I want all of you to rejoice at my life and
know that I lived it to the fullest as I came to a screaming halt into
the Earth at Mach 0.7 due to a structural failure. I want you to
post this post if I punch in doing what I love to do...going fast,
taking chances, flying and living life.

I don't have a death wish. But, on the other hand, I have no
intention of hiding my head under my bed when there are 300 mph
airplanes to be built and flown...and finally after 50 years of being
a poor Black Jewish Christian Hebrew ******* child from Boulder City,
I personally have the means to produce such a machine for my own
personal (and Boom Boom's) use.

Best Wishes to all,

BWB

P.S. I will make sure that I put compete EFIS in it so I can roll it
continuously without tumbling any gyroscopes. I just pulled a gyro
today that I trashed from looping the machine I fly.

No more! Not with the Legacy. It will be all EFIS.

On Wed, 07 Jul 2004 01:52:19 GMT,
(Badwater Bill) wrote:




At least, I KNOW every damned rivet and I KNEW that it
wouldn't fall apart at altitude. Do you have the same
confidence that the composite "glue" will do the same??

How cold is it at altitude? What happens when you get a
lightening strike on that fuselage? With the resistance of
the composite fuselage you'll get a tremendous voltage drop
across it when the lightening strikes. And Power equals
voltage drop times current. How do you think you'll like
dissipating a megawatthour of energy in that small area??

I'll stick to metal airplanes... Lightening hits them and
simply flows through with little or no voltage drop...

John


I was in a good mood until I read this. Now I'm suicidal!

All bull**** aside John, you bring up some great concerns as usual. I
have no idea how it will behave under those conditions. I might just
"POP" into another dimension or something. I may hurdle to my death.
All I can say is "What the ****...over!" I've probably lived too long
already...almost like a cat with 9 lives...I've been sooo close, sooo
many times!

I want to tell you all something. If I buy the farm in a Lancair
Legacy that I built, then I want all of you to rejoice at my life and
know that I lived it to the fullest as I came to a screaming halt into
the Earth at Mach 0.7 due to a structural failure. I want you to
post this post if I punch in doing what I love to do...going fast,
taking chances, flying and living life.

I don't have a death wish. But, on the other hand, I have no
intention of hiding my head under my bed when there are 300 mph
airplanes to be built and flown...and finally after 50 years of being
a poor Black Jewish Christian Hebrew ******* child from Boulder City,
I personally have the means to produce such a machine for my own
personal (and Boom Boom's) use.

Best Wishes to all,

BWB

P.S. I will make sure that I put compete EFIS in it so I can roll it
continuously without tumbling any gyroscopes. I just pulled a gyro
today that I trashed from looping the machine I fly.

No more! Not with the Legacy. It will be all EFIS.


Now that I've gotten you to worry a little bit about the
consequences of flying a plastic airplane...

I read somewhere, and, no, I don't remember where... that
you can add a conductive "something" to the aircraft so it
can conduct current without blowing up. You might think
about that...

Or, at least, remember that when you see lightening bolts,
it's time to head home to Mama...

On another subject... they're pouring the foundation for our
new house on Thursday... I'll be there with a bottle of
Champagne to celebrate it.

john

Or, at least, remember that when you see lightening bolts,
it's time to head home to Mama...



A good idea no matter what kind of small plane you are flying!


Bob Reed
www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site)
KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress....

"Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice,
pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!"
(M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman)

John Ammeter wrote in message . ..

I read somewhere, and, no, I don't remember where... that
you can add a conductive "something" to the aircraft so it
can conduct current without blowing up. You might think
about that...


I'd expect carbon fiber composites to be electrically conductive.

--

FF

On Wed, 07 Jul 2004 00:07:41 +0000, Badwater Bill wrote:

On 6 Jul 2004 12:22:48 -0700, (bryan chaisone) wrote:

As I have apologized to you in my response to your private email to me, I
apologize to you here publicly. What I said was said in the heat of
passion, I humbly apologize.

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

Don't you love it Bryan! I mean the HEAT of PASSION! Hell most of the
old ****s here couldn't get their heart rate up of a naked woman walked by
them. At least you are alive my man!

And to top it all off, he had the guts to admit he was getting passionate
about you, BWB. Not many guys would dare to admit that. At least not
here where many folks know what you look like

--
Kevin Horton RV-8 (finishing kit)
Ottawa, Canada
http://go.phpwebhosting.com/~khorton/rv8/
e-mail: khorton02(_at_)rogers(_dot_)com

(Badwater Bill) wrote in message

Don't you love it Bryan! I mean the HEAT of PASSION! Hell most of
the old ****s here couldn't get their heart rate up of a naked woman
walked by them. At least you are alive my man!

Let's not get the wrong idea about the PASSION part. ;^)

You said, I'm getting old and feeble minded.

Sorry again about that.

Hell, I even have long periods nowadays when I don't think of sex. That's
really getting old. Yesterday I had 12 minutes when I didn't think about
sex at all.

Wow twelve minutes! I'd seek profession help if I went that long
without a thought of that.

When I get that Lancair Legacy done in a couple years, you are my
first invitation to come out and take a ride at 300 mph!

That's a deal. Next time I'm in Vegas I'd like to come by and help
you with it for a minute or two. If that's alright.

Just bought my O-550 today. Whaa-Hoooo That baby is gonna go with
the super charger on it at flight level 250!

Wow, my trike only has has 22hp (claimed), a world of difference from
yours. Well, one of these days... Anyways, it's got a Zenoah G25 and
a laminated wood prop that I bought both new from Tenn-Prop. I also
op'd for an electric starter. You're welcome to fly it when I'm done
with it. Heck, you can be the first test pilot on it. Better you
than me, LOL. I know you'll put it through its paces. If it survives
you, I know I'll be safe in it. BTW I have a chest chute that it on
the hangglider harness. I heard that regular skydiving chutes need to
be repacked every 90 days (or is it within 90 days prior to use). Is
that true for emergency chutes as well? I've had this thing for about
seven years now, still have not been opened (Thank God).

I just hope I don't die of old age before I finish it and fly it. But,
considering that the thing is a "Lick and Stick" it ought to go fast. I
mean after two weeks at the factory using their jigs, you bring home a glued together fuselage and the wings are closed. So, you just lick it and stick it and the body is almost there. No 20,000 rivets. Eat your heart out
Amp Meter and you other RV builders! Ha!

You just might get yours of the ground before my trike. I'm such a
procrastinator.

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

You just might get yours of the ground before my trike. I'm such a
procrastinator.

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

Well get off your butt and get to work. Of course you will have to
neglect your wife, your two daughter, you job and your drinking (if
you drink). This, plus your excessive expenditures for tools and a
shop will drive you in to Bankruptcy and you will become an outcast by
all of your relatives. You, will however, have lots of friends. Once
you have a shop and tools, you'll have no peace of mind, no free time,
no moments to be a MONK. You will see, grasshopper, how it goes.

Just forget it up front and buy a Cessna so you don't end up leading a
tortured life like the rest of us who really do build airplanes. It's
not worth it Bryan. Save your soul before it's too late.

See my pictures of the new lifting body I installed yesterday in my
shop on the Alt.binaries files somewhere when I post it. See the new
thread below. Then you'll see a truly tortured individual.

BWB