Can I fly it at night?

I'd call the local FSDO.

"Jim Macklin" wrote in news:l%
Tuf.40406$QW2.18045@dukeread08:

See an aircraft mechanic who will ...
install a legal anti-collision light (LED strobe uses the
least power)
fabricate a proper battery box for a battery,
perhaps install a voltmeter,
fabricate an electrical bus, circuit breaker and switch,
perhaps an external power connection for charging,
do the weight and balance and update the paperwork and
aircraft logs.

The airplane may have had an external wind-driven generator
originally, you could restore that with a modern alternator
at the cost of a 1 or 2 mph.




But with a "modern alternator" you now have an engine driven electrical
system, and all of the requirements that go along with it...
(transponder within mode c veil).

I would do the battery thing and/or investigate the wind generator.

--
-- ET :-)

"A common mistake people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete
fools."---- Douglas Adams

("karel" wrote)
[snips]
Excuse me if I am in a bad mood tonight
but this "answer" does not answer any of O/P's questions.
Whether something is worth the trouble is up to him to judge,
your opinion on the matter is irrelevant.

Again, my apologies if this sounds rude, it is not meant so.
Only I would request all and sundry to either bring useable answers,
or keep silence. For myself I don't have the slightest knowledge
on these matters, so I keep my trap shut.


You're excused. (I just got off the phone with my mother, so the same
applies to me)

The OP began a conversation. SPM entered the discussion. The topic hadn't
yet strayed too far afield when you piped up, informing all this is a strict
Q &A forum only.

I disagree.

BTW, IIRC, SPM flys something similar to the OP's '41 Chief.


Montblack
Open mike Wednesday

"karel" wrote

Whether something is worth the trouble is up to him to judge,
your opinion on the matter is irrelevant.

You took the words right out of my mouth. Everything is not black and
white, but he thinks it is.
--
Jim in NC

You can drive the alternator with a propeller just like the
old generator, it just makes power with less drag. I'd use
a self-exciting alternator that would not need to battery,
that would make it fully redundant. A standard automotive
alternator requires a battery to energize the rotor, the
aircraft types used by Beech, have small magnets and will
build a current as soon as they begin rotation and will have
DC output even with the battery turned off.

Not all aircraft manufacturers use such self-exciting
alternators because they cost a little more.



--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"ET" wrote in message
...
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
in news:l%
| Tuf.40406$QW2.18045@dukeread08:
|
| See an aircraft mechanic who will ...
| install a legal anti-collision light (LED strobe uses
the
| least power)
| fabricate a proper battery box for a battery,
| perhaps install a voltmeter,
| fabricate an electrical bus, circuit breaker and switch,
| perhaps an external power connection for charging,
| do the weight and balance and update the paperwork and
| aircraft logs.
|
| The airplane may have had an external wind-driven
generator
| originally, you could restore that with a modern
alternator
| at the cost of a 1 or 2 mph.
|
|
|
|
| But with a "modern alternator" you now have an engine
driven electrical
| system, and all of the requirements that go along with
it...
| (transponder within mode c veil).
|
| I would do the battery thing and/or investigate the wind
generator.
|
| --
| -- ET :-)
|
| "A common mistake people make when trying to design
something
| completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of
complete
| fools."---- Douglas Adams

Crap, your right! When I had the Chief I used the transponder exemption
all the time. We used to fly around the SF Bay area (inside the mode C
veil) since we were exempt. We could also fly around Sac Intl. I once
landed a Champ at Sacramento Intl (class C) using the same transponder
exemption (had to give 1 hr notice though).

-Robert

"Jim Macklin" wrote

You can drive the alternator with a propeller just like the
old generator, it just makes power with less drag.

You do need to use a special propeller, that is designed for converting
thrust into power, instead of power into thrust. The more curved surface
needs to be on the backside of the airstream, unlike a regular prop.

For a generator, you can use a 12 volt motor with magnets in it, and a
voltage regulator added to it.
--
Jim in NC

"bstanton" null.com wrote in message
...

I think the answer is yes, I'd be OK with short flights.
Here's my thinking:

1) I could keep night currency. That way I could just rent
a plane with lights and an electrical system for longer
night flights with less hassle and less expense getting
current. Right now, if I want to rent a plane and return at
night it's a royal pain to get night current before the
flight I want to make, and half the time the planned
night-return flight gets canceled anyway.

2) I could still do the quick flight up and around the
pattern with a friend who wanted to just see what it looked
like at night.

3) I would have a bit more flexibility with return flights.
I've occasionally found more headwind than expected and
worried about making it home before night.

4) It would be nice to make myself a bit more more visible
in the pattern at the end of a flight.

It appears a wind driven generator was probably originally
used for the lights - are they still available?


I believe I've seen one advertised in the not too distant past. They didn't
work very well, historically speaking. They had a tendency to throw blades.

How long is a "short" flight? Have you determined what the power
requirements are for the anticollision, position, and instrument lights for
a flight of that length? Have you done any calculations on the weight?

"ET" wrote in message
...
"Jim Macklin" wrote in news:l%
Tuf.40406$QW2.18045@dukeread08:

See an aircraft mechanic who will ...
install a legal anti-collision light (LED strobe uses the
least power)
fabricate a proper battery box for a battery,
perhaps install a voltmeter,
fabricate an electrical bus, circuit breaker and switch,
perhaps an external power connection for charging,
do the weight and balance and update the paperwork and
aircraft logs.

The airplane may have had an external wind-driven generator
originally, you could restore that with a modern alternator
at the cost of a 1 or 2 mph.




But with a "modern alternator" you now have an engine driven electrical
system, and all of the requirements that go along with it...
(transponder within mode c veil).

Nope, only required if the plane came from the _factory_ with an engine
driven electrical system.

I would do the battery thing and/or investigate the wind generator.

--
-- ET :-)

"A common mistake people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete
fools."---- Douglas Adams

No, "or which has not subsequently been certified with such a system
installed"

91.215(b)
(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(2) of this section, any aircraft
which^M
was not originally certificated with an engine-driven electrical
system or^M
which has not subsequently been certified with such a system
installed,^M
balloon or glider may conduct operations in the airspace within 30
nautical^M
miles of an airport listed in appendix D, section 1 of this part
provided^M
such operations are conducted--^M