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Q-talk 9 - LETTERS

Dear Jim,

I got the videotape from Ted Fox and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who needs a little Vitamin E (Enthusiasm). Some of the builder ideas I saw in that tape were EXCELLENT! Perhaps I can do the same for Quickie drivers.

A fellow in England sent me a cover photo from the Cranfield air show that has 3 Q-2's in formation...just when we all thought a Q-2 formation was two Q-2's flying the same direction in the same month!

Norm Howell, George AFB, CA

ED. NOTE: Ted really packs it in. He's now added to his tape the "Heroes" music video by Tom Kimmel featuring the USAF Thunderbirds. If you didn't get it, send back your tape (or a blank) and 3 bucks postage and he'll add it on.


From Ted Fox #2855

I have produced a videotape which shows several Q projects under construction as well as flying. It contains an interview with Bob Malechek on flying (and taming) your Q-2/Q-200, hints and tips such as exhaust mods, tailspring mods, aileron trim, landing lights, etc. from no less than eight Q ships as well as air to air and ground to air of two of the nicest Q-200's going. A special on Canada's Snowbirds is included to fill out the tape. The entire tape runs just short of three hours. Price is $25.00 (includes shipping).

Also, the Q-2, Q-200, TRI-Q FLYING ROSTER is now going on four pages long so it is now impractical to print it in the newsletter. Anyone wishing an up-to-date copy of the flying roster should send me a BUSINESS SIZED STAMPED ENVELOPE. I'll get you out a copy ASAP.

TED FOX, P. 0. BOX 23, MANSFIELD, OH 44901

(419) 756-8142 (Sun., Mon., evenings)


Q BUILDERS AND FLYERS .......................

John Touchet invites everyone to a QBA fly-in drive-in on June 25th. Starting with a 10 a.m. bull session at the Fond-du-Lac Airport, 12:30 lunch at the Gazebo and an afternoon of Q-Talking over his project at his home, two blocks away. Sound like fun? You betcha! Call John at 414-921-8033.

CANCEL - CANCEL- CANCEL - I AM DISAPPOINTED TO SAY THAT TOUCHET WAS UNABLE TO DRUM UP ENOUGH INTEREST IN THE SHINDIG HE PLANNED SO HE GAVE IT UP.


While in Utica, NY last winter, I visited with Ted Kibiuk. He has had lots of fun with his project and he has 3 scrapbooks filled with info even though he is still quite a ways from finishing his Quickie. Ted's hospitality was great! 45 minutes after calling him (with no prior warning!), I was sitting at his supper table. Lots of ideas, comments, and experience changed hands. Thanks again QBA.


Builders Tip: If the battery is installed with any potential for movement and if it doesn't have any padding between it and the fiberglass box it will wear a hole in the soft plastic battery. Inspect after the first 5 or 10 hours of taxiing/flying.

Charlie Lipke - Onalaska, WI


Dear Jim,

I have learned a lot of things while reading QT and was so able to combine Hints and Tips together with the plans for a successful building continuation. I must confess that building a composite aircraft is new land which I have to discover first...Jim and to all the active contributors...thanks for your supporting efforts! GOSH, soon it's OSHKOSH! Time runs!

Rudi Brandenberger, ENGLAND

(Rudi gets the tie tacks, which are still available, made for us.)


Dear Jim,

I've read through all the back issues now. It took 2 weekends and every evening for a week to get through them all. They're a mine of information.

My partner and I are concerned about ground handling and the Revmaster so we have virtually decided to go with a Tri-Q200. This adds a lot of cost since certified engines in the U.K. must be maintained by a licensed engineer, but who wants to spend 2 years on an aircraft they'll spend more time repairing than flying?

Our progress so far has been slow, mainly because our inspector has to come and see/do the test layups before we can do any serious fiberglassing. On our inspector's first visit he found that we had not put sufficient weight on the foam blocks whilst cutting, and consequently two of our wing cores were thinner in the center than at the edges. We will have to do these again. Depressing, yes, but I'd rather have these problems pointed out now, by someone who knows what he'd doing, then find out myself the hard way. Even having read the plans thoroughly, we still did not realize how important weighting down of the cores is and like many other areas of the project I guess, it's a case of "You know how to do it once you've done it."

Keep up the good work, Jim. Without the QBA we'd only have the sale blurb to go on.

Dave Chambliss - Ipswich, ENGLAND

ED. NOTE: Much about sport-plane building involves our tactile senses, our sense of feel. It cannot be sufficiently explained orally or in writing but must be "felt" or experienced. A foam core must not be weighted with a railroad track or just a few notebooks. It must be weighted firmly but moderately only to keep it from shifting around during the cut. Internal stresses of the foam sometimes causes the cut piece to warp when removed but this is corrected in the jigs prior to glassing. Uneven core thickness, and especially a dished-out appearance to the leading edges can be caused by wire lag. If the wire is not very taut or if you try to pull it too rapidly or forcefully through the foam (especially with a too cold wire), the center of the wire drags and lags behind the two ends. Thus the wire ends finish a cut an inch or two earlier than the center and especially if you are cutting around a curve (e.g. an airfoil) you will get a dip in the center.

Many QBAers fail to send early construction tips now as they believe nobody in the world is at that point any more. Dave Chambliss is, guys, so lets give him and others the benefit of ALL our experience without ASS-U-ME-ing no one is just starting to open the cartons of his kit.


Dear Jim,

Quickie N517TC is completed and signed off for flight. I've corrected all the faults I found from 6 hours of taxi tests. Me and Tom Jr. do not have pilot's licenses but I am working on that.

Tom Curtis - Coalmont, TN


Dear Jim,

I emphatically DO NOT recommend runway test flights. These are unnatural situations and NEEDLESSLY STRESSFUL. Working through slow taxi up to higher speeds should provide a good feel for handling and if the plane lifts off then fly IT and set up a proper approach and landing with less sweat and strain.

Robert Herman - Williston, ND

ED. NOTE: Needlessly stressful for you perhaps, but very comforting for me. Of course I have 3,000 hours in sailplanes to turboprop twins (You don't say, but it would be worth knowing your experience) and I'm not afraid of an airplane down low. I don't want to find out something important doesn't work from a great height; in fact, I thank my lucky stars my crash only happened from 10 feet. But Bob brings up a difference of opinion that is much like: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Of course Bob is right that it is unnatural and that a proper, stabilized approach is less stressful. For a low time pilot or one without much recent time, I would agree, but I have explained the pitfalls in an earlier QUICKTALK and with those in mind this pilot will emphatically USE runway flights in his flight testing.


Dear Jim,

I've recently purchased a Cessna 150 as I was REALLY, REALLY wanting to fly instead of building seemingly "forever". I was really pleased with the last report on the Suzuki and Kawasaki modifications. Thanks for the newsletter. This is the "vehicle" that really keeps us Quickie builders motivated and informed.

Bruce Voigts - Council Bluffs, IA


Dear QBA,

I have completed my Q-200 N618RJ and it weighs 667.5 lbs. empty. I believe a considerable amount of the excess weight is due to my being negligent in allowing the BID tapes to exceed, even double in places, the width called out in the plans.

The engine is easy to remove because the cables come through the firewall in a sub-assembly unit and run parallel to another sub-assembly unit bolted to the instrument panel. All electrics including the electric gauge sensors attach through the firewall with a single 16-probe plug. All engine gauges are mounted on the center console. I added a lump to the cowling to allow use of a standard Cessna 150 carb heat box and filter.

I found the panel-mounted compass to be greatly affected by radio, fuel pump and electrical systems. I'm putting a 3" whiskey compass in the space between the pilot and very skinny passenger's head. This has the reciprocal painted on in mirror view so I can read the compass through an instrument panel mounted mirror. I would be happy to supply pictures and more information.

I would appreciate if someone can tell me how to placard the airspeed indicator. I have conflicting information on Vne (Velocity to never exceed).

Dick Shapley

ED. NOTE: By all means, send pictures. You can see that I take special pains (for a mere, non-company-supported newsletter) to process photos for the best detail and clarity that I can find.

ON WEIGHT: "Take care of the grams, and the pounds will take care of themselves." Weight is sneaky. If you don't pay attention to saving it in the little places, you will be surprisingly obese at the finish. If you cut tapes 1/2 inch wider "just for good measure" you will be adding an alarming 25% to your weight. Figure 25% of 600, for example. It is already well known in composites that even the best hand layup by an amateur is too epoxy rich and excess epoxy DOES NOT MAKE IT STRONGER, ONLY HEAVIER. Thanks for the True Confessions and the reminder, Dick.


Dear Jim,

Will Hubin's article on wet canard performance taken from the Voyager book was one of the most informative you have had (You should read the WHOLE book, available from your local library at a very reasonable cost - Ed.) I had the problem to the extent that if I had to do a 180 to get dried off, it would've been too late. I would like you to publish the article in Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 25, No. 5, May 1987 if possible. (Can't. Don't have it. - ED.)

My aircraft appears to fly better with the vortex generators except for lower cruise (How much? - ED.) I am flying with VG's mounted 10 degrees away from direction of travel. This gives me flight through rain at NO trim or stick change.

I fabricated a jig from 3/16-inch plywood to facilitate mounting the generators. It is about 4 foot long and 3 inches wide.



I tape this down the 50% chord line.

I would like to see the "action" of the canard airflow with and without generators. Has anyone witnessed a wind tunnel test?

My engine, a Koenig, is still doing fine on the Quickie. The only problem in 5 years has been a separated starter drive assembly. I stay with Kendall GT-1 oil and 100LL Av gas. I am still investigating a small, light, low amp charging system. Any suggestions from other Koenig Quickie drivers?

Bill Thurman - Hixson, TN

ED. NOTE: How about some up-to-date performance figures, Bill? (Cruise speed at what RPM, climb rate, total time, availability of engine and parts). Also readers take note that VG's are not mounted 10 degrees to the 50% chord line but 10 degrees to the airflow over the canard (which is NOT perpendicular to the 50% chord line).


Dear Jim,

I developed a bad epoxy rash on my hands. The only things that worked for me was 2 pair of gloves. Talcum powder, surgical glove then latex glove on top of that. I had worked with epoxies for 20 years with no problem and expected none. Allergies sometimes appear suddenly so it is not wise to take a chance.

Jim Thomas - Pittsburgh, KS


LANGUAGE NOTE: Gentlemen your front airfoil is not a caRnard, it is a CANard. Lets get with the program, listen and get it right. Very few of us speaking American English nowadays are immigrants, so we should use our language better than immigrants, mofo!



You can order a PDF or printed copy of Q-talk #9 by using the Q-talk Back Issue Order Page.