Cal Branton ran the meeting in his usual “stand up” style.  Pete Martin was kind enough to do the photography for the evening.  Brian Crossley kept the notes straight!

An email was copied to all members regarding the un-sticking of the "Cleary Lake" flying field project. If you missed it.

to Joe Niedermayr,

Scott County Cleary Park Flying Field Proposal

I apologize for taking so long to respond.  Until today I haven’t had any new information for you.  My staff is prepared to authorize the permit necessary to move the existing access to the west to align with Meadowlark Lane and in addition, construct a right turn lane into that access.  Since Three River’s Park District is the land owner they will need to request and hold the permit.  We are willing to grant them approval and waive the fee.  Please work with Mark Themig, whom I have copied on this email, to get the permit process started.

Thanks for your patience, Mitch Rasmussen

Chris Mayer brought his freshly completed Top-Flite P47. Robart gear, dummy radial from Scale Specialties (scalespecialties.com), Aerotech cockpit, G62 engine on ignition. Finish was fiberglass over the wood, then Krylon paint, which was roughed up with steel wool.  It had been suggested by Chris’wife Deon that the pilot figure could use some R&R.

Brian Crossley brought the fuselage from a 25 year old Piper J-33 Cub he got from Nevill Graham, a friend who builds lots of cubs. Neville does excellent work – rib stitching, Randolph dope, etc. Brian actually got 2 cubs from Nevill. One was a Balsa USA ¼ scale kit modified to be a Super Cub. The other was the one he brought to the meeting. It was from a Sig ¼ scale kit. The Super Cub had an OS Pegasus 320 4-cylinder boxer that was completely hidden in the cowl.

The J-3 had a OS Gemini 300 twin boxer that was sticking out of the cowl. Since the J-3 was narrower and the engine would show, for better scale appearance, he switched the engines. Now the J-3 has the 4-cyclinder showing (he got a new cowl for it), and the Super cub will have the 2-cylinder engine hidden.

Brian put many flights on each Cub this summer (without cowls). The J-3 came with two wings – standard and clipped. Brian likes the standard wing best. This winter he will finish the cowl and do an interior for it.

Roy Manard brought the fuselage and landing gear from his Airworld SAAB Gripen. The gear is unique in that it is hydraulic instead of pneumatic (fluid in the lines to move the cylinders instead of air-much more power).

He sent them back to the manufacturer for latest updates and to have them set them up “plug and play”, which they did. He has all the fittings/valves/etc set up so that he can just put them into the airframe.

Then only thing he might have to do in lengthen or

shorten some of the lines. He was warned to make sure the system was leak free before installing in the airplane. An oil leak is a lot messier than an air leak!!! It uses lots of Festo fittings.

Cal Branton brought his Vailly Aviation Hurricane. It was built by Chuck Hamilton.  It has flown, but not et by Cal.  The wingspan is 92" and has a G62 for  power.  It weight about 35lbs pounds and painted with latex paint.  It is done in the scheme of Sanford Tuck and is about 10 years old.

Chris O’Connor gave a tutorial on how to set up gas engines.

Key Discussion Points

• KISS system:  don’t add lots of mechanical/electoral components that can go wrong. E.g., one battery for ignition – one battery for radio system.

• Fuel: Major point: No corn in the gas! (i.e., no ethanol). Chris uses 100 octane aviation that he gets at airports.

• (Brian Crossley - Comments): You should never have any ethanol in the gas for any of your small engines: in your models, in your lawnmower, in your snow blower, etc. Most of our small engines will run on regular or premium (ZDZs like the 100 octane). Ethanol is bad for them – it dries up tubing, it wrecks carburetors, etc. There are many gas stations in the area that sell “no ethanol” gasoline. Go to www.pure-gas.org and click on MN. In Minnesota, you can only get premium ethanol free, but it is fine.

• Ignition cut off: The best way is to set up your choke with a servo. Then, if you can’t cut the engine with low throttle/low trim, just put the choke on to kill then engine. You get a “twofer” on this: easy to choke and you get your ignition cut off.

• Starting:  With throttle on high idle, ignition on and choke on, flip it until it fires and dies. Then take choke off. It should start in a few flips.

• Oil:  Use 32:1 petroleum (Lawnboy ashless works well) for break-in. Then switch to a good synthetic at 50:1 for the rest of the life of the engine.