Xenon

[Induna]

Thanks Jacques

Hows it going down Kazak?

Greg, it is cooking in Kazakh!! It is extremely hot and the humidity is horribly uncomfortable!

I cannot wait to be back in the country in two weeks, as I want to fly the little red machine.. She is just a lot of fun!!

J

[Vertical Tango]

I do not have a detailed photo in my lib. This one is not great either but it will give you an idea of at least the horizontal part. Then it slants towards the rear at 30 deg right down to the existing fiberglass floor. Obviously it does not have a square cut to be able to snug the round belly.

VT have you put an aluminum floor pan in I really like the heel plates.

I'll take some pics this week-end as it is better than my explanations.

[greg vos]

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[Vertical Tango]

Greg, all these figures are to satisfy the paper pushers who pretend overlooking at your well being, because it has been decided that you are not capable of looking after yourself. I remember in the recent past, the powers tried to impose an AP to change even a spark plug because even if you built your own machine, you cannot have the knowledge to do such complicated task.
My approach is quite simple. It is my backside that I am looking after. I often look for advice when I don't know. The final decision is mine. If I feel that my teeter bolt is still good at 1000 hours and the bushes have no play, I'll still fly with those. And no one can prove if I changed anything or not, so what is the point ? In all cases, if I have an accident and I followed all the rules, big brother won't take anyway any responsibility.
So factory recommendations are only recommendations and should be adjusted for each specific aircraft. Logic must prevail specially if advice comes from God Celliers.
I have done my own check list, quite extensive I must say, and it applies only to my machine. My AP thinks along the same lines and logic. We go thoroughly through it every year and it works like a charm.

[gyropilot]

I do not have a detailed photo in my lib. This one is not great either but it will give you an idea of at least the horizontal part. Then it slants towards the rear at 30 deg right down to the existing fiberglass floor. Obviously it does not have a square cut to be able to snug the round belly.

like the pedals - bought or machined?

[Vertical Tango]

like the pedals - bought or machined?

Machined. They rotate on the control shaft to follow the position of the shoe sole and return centered under light spring tension.

[gyropilot]

like the pedals - bought or machined?

Machined. They rotate on the control shaft to follow the position of the shoe sole and return centered under light spring tension.

nice - CNC machined or hand?

[greg vos]

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[greg vos]

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[FO Gyro]

Thanks for the updates. Sorry to hear about the cracks.

[Vertical Tango]

Hi Greg,

Understand your concern about the mast. I believe you are not the first one to have a damaged mast bracket, and in your case it is the mast itself. Could you please send a pic from a bit further back of the same hole to understand where it is in the machine. You speak about removal of covers to inspect it. I don't understand where you have a cover here as I can see all my mast bolts.
The prerotation cycle I believe is also a problem when some pilots have the phobia of racing and timing how long it takes to rev the rotors to roll start. That mast will twist if the friction is not controlled correctly and the attachments are the first things that go. My attachment is different than the factory one as I have put nylon blocks to bring the cabin closer to the mast instead of having the bolt at the extreme end of the bracket.
Thanks for putting us aware of any weakness you find.

[greg vos]

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[greg vos]

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[gyropilot]

Yep this machine has less than 200 hours and we see cracked mast attachment points so boys and girls who own and fly Xenon with this old aluminum mast I suggest in the line of flight safety you all go and tear down your machines and have good look, because this cannot be seen in the standard pre flight.

GEESUS and to think we / I've been flying it like that! IMO what we have here is the first hole in the swiss cheese - bad workmanship (un checked / torqued mounting bolt) the crack propagates right through the hole! so what will it take now to rip the mast off? hard landing or hard turn?

[greg vos]

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