Bought a Fairchild 24

[tacoope]

Saturday was a nice day. I got to the VWoC hangar and John was taking one of my fellow restoration crew guys for a flip in the Lysander. Then Blake came along and forced me to go flying with him in the Cornell. The sacrifices that one has to make as a volunteer

Needless to say it made for a great day. Would have been even better with a flip in the Lizzie too (even if I couldn't fly it), but the left brake bladder packed it in again.

Terry

[Dave Hadfield]

I hear bladder troubles are common when you get over 70...

I'm glad you got up, Terry. Thanks for your stalwart help with the Gathering, and other events, last summer. And for the ferry service with your Comanche.

Did you enjoy the Cornell? You must have been near GTOW, and that airplane's no STOL machine, but at least the OATs are low.

Dave

[tacoope]

Yes we were pretty well loaded, that happens when I get in a plane, but we didn't have a full fuel load either.

You're right the Cornell isn't a screaming performer, but it's pretty quick on the controls. I found the stall pretty interesting, it's got a real serious shake to it. I stalled it once and broke the stall almost immediately. Blake figured that I needed a more complete experience of it so he held a stall for a bit and I thought I was going to have the panel shaken into my lap.

I got a bit of the warbird landing feeling because in the back seat you can't see anything forward when landing. I turned final and there the runway was, gone.

All that said it is a fun little plane. I hope I get another chance for some time in it along the way.

Terry

[Dave Hadfield]

Not much Fairchild-ing now. Sloppy weather and I'm busy with a 777 course at the airline. But I did squeeze one final Fall flight in.

Stopped for lunch in Edenvale (where I always try to park in good company),



Then took a bit of a Tour up over Georgian Bay where we love to go sailing. In fact this view, of Beckwith Island,



is exactly where we had a family summer cruise in 2010 -- same tack.



And then later took up Bruce P in the Fleet Canuck, who got a license in one back in the early 60s and hadn't flown one since.

[Dave Hadfield]

Attended the Gala Dinner at Vintage Wings, which was our end-of-season wrap up. We had a fine dinner under the nose of the Spitfire and P-40, all 300 of us, then dancing in front of the Swordfish. Great evening, with not too many speeches.

On our way, when we arrived at the Ottawa terminal, we saw an old friend, the DH 83 Fox Moth. It's on loan to the Ottawa Airport for display. I sure hope I end up flying it again next year. It's such a unique airplane.



But most of the day I spent in the innards of the Merlin, documenting its bit and pieces for use in a Ground School I'll be presenting next spring (I only have 400 slides in the PPT so far, and it's obviously not enough).





Very valuable prize awarded to whomever can identify this doohicky...

[Dave Hadfield]

For the last 2 weeks, I've been trying to learn how to speak Boeing, and to forget speaking Airbus. Not so easy...



A lot of time spent in front of the paper trainer. But we must be making some progress -- we passed our "validation" in the fixed-based simulator yesterday, and go into the full-motion sim sometime next week.

Fortunately I have good Intel.



Dave

[Pogo]

Ha ha, excellent wrap-up!

For my money, this is one of the best threads on WIX!

[The Inspector]

You'll like the 'trip', it's a sweet airplane.

[Dave Hadfield]

It's been a very busy Course, but we got through the Simulator.



I took almost no pictures -- why is it that we rarely take photos when at work, even if what we do is interesting? Anyway, the visual was quite good in our CAE Sim in Toronto. We even got to do a few rolls during the Unusual Attitude nodule -- it's no P-40, but it comes around pretty well.



And my partner Kevin D was a very experienced guy, and even though he was learning to speak Boeing for the first time, he was sharp (lucky me). (poor-quality cellphone image)



And then I got on the Line for my first Line-Indoctrination flight. We operated Toronto-Shanghai. It's an interesting flight -- the first heading is 022M!?!-- and we ended up just west of the Pole, at 86.5N. Then down over Siberia for hours -- big place!

Very powerful airplane -- we took off at MTOW, every seat full, yet we were able to still use some reduced thrust, and even though the V2 was the highest I've ever seen, at 182 kts, it's engines (GE90-115s, the most powerful commercial engines in the world) accelerate the plane briskly.

Nearly all at night of course, this time of year.

Last edited by Dave Hadfield on Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Dave Hadfield]

Shanghai is just a big industrial city and holds no particular interest for me -- just as well since we service it with daily flights and thus it's a short layover. Mostly we slept.

I love the Pilots Rest Facility on the 777. It's up above the passenger compartment, and there are 2 comfortable seats, plus 2 private bunks. Being away from the passengers and flight attendants makes it far more restful than any other arrangement I've tried. No banging of luggage comparment doors, no light changes, no meal service noise.... we operate the long-hauls with a Captain, an FO, another FO and a Relief Pilot, thus on these 15-hour flights everyone gets 2 significant breaks with prone rest. When I landed at Shanghai after all that elapsed time, I didn't feel too bad at all.

The airplane lands easier than the 330, or at least it seems to -- I don't want to jinx myself -- and the brakes stay cool -- a pleasant novelty.

Anyway, on the way back we picked a N. Pacific track to ride a jetstream. Have a look at the ND...



675 kts! A jetstream of over 190 kts! Take it from me, that's unusual. And the ride wasn't too bad either.

Al M., my Line Idoc instructor, somewhere over the Aleutians...

[Dave Hadfield]

But now back to more serious affairs -- fixing the Fairchild 24W!

The #2 cylinder compression is low. When we put the air to it I could hear it whistling oout the exhaust pipe, so the problem is likely the valve. The cylinder has to come off.

First, as a bit of recreational therapy while on course, I built a tool caddy. Much better than the barbeque-tray-dolly I've been using up to now.



And here's the "before picture"...



As of today I've got the baffles all removed (intricate, interlocked, awkward things) and the exhaust pipes loosened. (And I was very glad none of the studs shifted -- the nuts came off instead, like they're supposed to.) Next week Stan the AME will arrive with cylinder wrenches and we'll pull the jug.



Dave

[Canso42]

Dave, I think you should keep using the BBQ caddy. BBQ sauce and carb cleaner will open your head up for sure!

[Dave Hadfield]

Hey, brilliant idea!!! I'll get some extra-nitro-hot-BBQ-TexMex-jalapeno sauce, and drop it down the exhaust valve stem. It's bound to clear the carbon out!

Sure works that way on my own innards.

Dave

[AvroAvian]

Oh dear! Haven't checked this thread for a while....


You are pointing to the intercooler pump impeller on a two stage, two speed supercharged RR Merlin....

Good to see you doing the B777 course. It's an awesome aeroplane, very reliable and user friendly. I look after -300ER's for another airline....

....and love the tool caddy!

[Dave Hadfield]

That is indeed the Merlin's intercooler pump! Congratulations, and your valuable prize is the envy and esteem and intense admiration of everyone on this forum! (Plus a ride in my Fairchild if you ever get up this way and also promise to help me wipe the oil off after.)

Well, I did indeed pass the 777 Course -- they gave up on riding around with me. And as soon as Crew Sched calls... I'll sign one out on my own!

Dave