JdFinley.com

Fulltime RV Living Adventures

Pressure Recovery Wheel Skirts-Pants-Fairings

It was time to install the super-duper, aerodynamically efficient, pressure recovery wheel pants on the RV-4. So many terms – pants, skirts, fairings… It seems everyone refers to the things that cover the wheels/tires/brakes on a fixed gear aircraft slightly differently. They all make sense to me so I’ll just intermix them. You may remember… [Read More]

Lightspeed Sierra Headset

Some of my flying mates have been complaining – LOUDLY – that something was wrong with my aircraft communication. The electronic bits… not my mouth/English/verbiage bits… I’ve been using a Quiet Technologies Halo in-ear headset for a number of years and really like it. There is no clamping pressure on one’s head, it is very light,… [Read More]

Another Backcountry Flying-Camping Trip

youtu.be/gKCm24Ly_b0

Three airplanes and five folks (including me) headed to the Idaho backcountry on June 22. This is a bit later than normal for us due to job constraints. This actually worked well for me as it provided a bit of time to get the Grand Rapids EIS engine monitor installed. We weren’t sure what to… [Read More]

Engine Information System (EIS) Installation

As you’ve probably seen from the photos I’ve posted, the ‘ole RV-4 (still nameless) has a very dated instrument panel. The necessities are there, of course, but little else. I previously mentioned (here) the planning for a new panel. However; all of the years activities have put a damper on that work. With the warm… [Read More]

With Big Tires comes Big Responsibility

With a trip to the Idaho back country looming (like this one in 2014, this one in 2013, or this one in 2012), I decided I had better get busy installing larger tires on the RV-4. The Van’s RV-4 uses 5″ Cleveland wheels and brakes. Typically, a 500-5 tire is installed and that’s what I had…. [Read More]

Negrito Work Party – Building Fence

Last weekend was the infamous New Mexico Pilots Association back-country work party at the Negrito airstrip. This is the site of much pain and suffering. I hope a memorial is setup one day. A few years ago, it was rocks (here). We spent the weekend digging up big rocks from the parking areas and moving… [Read More]

The Airstrip is an Airstrip!

Houston, an airplane has landed!! Yes indeed! A very brave friend of mine came out for a visit and was the first person to land on the new – nameless – airstrip. I think that officially makes it an airstrip??  Right??? Here is some photo proof. Note that his airplane has large Alaskan Bushwheels and… [Read More]

Airstrip Progress

I mentioned building an airstrip a few weeks ago (here). It’s time for an update. Remember I said I would not be working with a shovel and rake? Here is my “tool” – it is a Case skiploader. It is WAY better than a shovel! I may occasionally refer to it is as ‘the tractor.’… [Read More]

High Back-Country Breakfast and Flight Testing

Most aviators operate their aircraft at airports/airstrips that are at relatively low altitude. This is good because there air is dense down low. The denser the air the more power the engine is able to make and the more lift the wings are able to produce. The higher you go, the thinner the air becomes… [Read More]

A P-Mag for me!

Aircraft engines of the type that I fly typically have dual magneto ignition. Each magneto powers itself (does not require battery/alternator power) and fires its own set of spark plugs. So, you have two spark plugs per cylinder. This is good for redundancy but also necessary to get all the fuel burnt as the magnetos… [Read More]