Gull 2000

[blaswichk]

Hey Gull Drivers, I would like to find and chat with other 2000 owners. I'm surrounded by Titan drivers, and one of them is my hangarmate. There is one other guy based here that crunched one, and is building it's replacement. I would like to compare engine installations, weights, wing lengths, and speeds. I think that it will be fun to see the range of ways a 2000 can be built. I for one really like the faster speeds that can be gotten to stay up with much more expensive light sports, but its also fun how efficient the airfame is for smaller engines.

Along that thought, I really would like to think about a 150mph Vne upgrade. The stock windows really shake when I go balls out. So far, 122mph indicated, 112 true with gps averaging. I also have done some drag tricks, as well as wheel pants, and full engine cowling. To make the Gull faster, I'm considering the HKS 80hp turbo, or the Jabiru 2200 85hp naturally asperated. Even a 2-stroke Rotax 618 might be considered. My main question for faster Vne is can my wing be upgraded? I know that Mark does upgrades when being built, and maybe thats the ultimate way to go.

Lastly, I have another landing light project coming up. Last winter I installed a high powered led in an automotive 3" lens projector in the left wing tip. This winter I found a motorcycle HID bulb upgrade for only $19.95, and I'm installing that in another 3" lens type projector for the right side. It's not that we fly hard night flight, just that we like being seen when it's dusky and almost dark.

kb

[kblaswich]

I'm interested in the empty and gross weight of the Gull 2000 4X-OGL. Empty weight is stated as 550lbs and the gross is 785lbs. The standard Gull 2000 states that it is a 550lb gross airplane for +6g load, and about 4.4g for a 700lb gross airplane like mine. Actually about 675lbs as I've lost about 25lbs.Why was 4X-OGL about 90lbs heavier than my 460lb "Blue Streak"? I took out the parachute and added a bigger battery, more fiberglass, thicker windows wheel pants, big spinner, and a heavy glass projector lens homemade led landing light. The plane was 446lbs when I bought it, so I've added about 14lbs of upgrades including my full 8 watt panel mounted com radio Val 2000 (perfect for a Gull 2000). I also hade to add a wing mounted GA type internal loading coil type to handle the 8 watts with the whole wing being the ground plane. Some guys still fly with weak radios and we have a really busy airport here with 6 or 7 planes in the pattern. Also strobes and landing lights on are a must to be seen.
Still why is 4X-OGL so heavy?
I'm in the process of writing my own POH, and that one is terrific so I'm going to modify it for my plane.
Where oh where did the 90lbs come from? Can't be HKS vs 503.

[zadwit]

HI Kess, I installed a garmin G-5 in my panel and also a Garmin Area 660. I run one output wire from the 660 to he G5. Now when the G5 is in HSI mode, it shows the heading to the waypoint. It works great. THe G5 is kinda small and I cna still read it ok but the G3 might be easier.. I go look at one if you havent already and see if the G3 is easier to read since its bigger..... My 2007 Gull 2000, stock, 503, warpdrive, 500x5 tires and black max brakes, nothing else. I weighed it on scales and it weighed 390# Now it had a real heavy coat of poly paint and some bondo on top the wing all that add weight.. I put the smallest battery I could. It had a diamnond plate below where the brake pedals went since they were gone and the master cylinder was on the stick like yours.....


Mark

[blaswichk]

If you put the smallest battery, you must still have the 23lb parachute in the nose, if not, double check your weight and balance. mine wound up with about 16lbs of nosewheel weight, including about 12lbs of lead weights, actually plastic covered fishing weights with a nice hole bolt through. Got them from Cabela’s.

[earthstaraircraft]

Hi Kess
Paint can add a lot of weight. If you don’t know that it builds up as you try for a beutyfll paint job.
Plus he has a parachute , carpet, and who knows what else. Probably weighed it with oil in it.

Happy Flying,
Mark

Sent from our iPhone

[zadwit]

In the 40s and 50s Cessna only put a trim strip on their metal airplanes to (1) save weight (2) save money.


Years later like in the 80s, Cessna charged extra is you wanted an all metal plane because they had to be more careful to not scratch the alclad surface of the aluminum. Took more time to build.
and (2) acid rain was becoming a problem in parts of the country that tarnished the aluminum.
Plus if you ever got near the ocean and got ocean slime spray on the plane it was toast..... That is why some plane have the insides of the wings corroded but not the painted outside... Cessna would corrosion proof the inside of the wing with a spray of zinc chromate for extra $$$.
Don Sheldon who pioneered landing on Mt. McKinley in Alaska used to order his Cessna 180s with no paint and he said he saved 30-40# empty weight and at 14,000 ft landing on a glacier every pound is critical...…


I sure miss my gull, should have never sold it.....maybe I can buy another one....I have found a couple of Thunder gulls but it feels like going backwards after having a Gull 2000....


Mark Smith

[blaswichk]

Your absolutely right. The Gull 2000, when put together right is an awesome little plane. I did a lot of cosmetic smoothing, filling, raising the fiberglass sides, making all of the windows in .096 Lexan with a 1/2” X 2” dense foam bonding strip with 2 layers of new fiber glass going all the way down to the longeron tube. A very solid fuselage that does not flex at high speeds. The wing is still naked, but I keep it polished, particularly for fly-ins. The Titan gang never updated their modification of Mark’s T-Gulls, and don’t seem to care about updating a now older design. The Gull 2000 with the 503 has no problem keeping up with my friends Titan’s with 80hp 912’s. I spank them in climb, level off, pull the power back and wait for them to come flying by then go chase them. they can’t out-run the Gull, all on 52hp. Thank you Mark very much! I bought somebody else’s kit plane, and upgraded it for grins because I can. I took the 16hr repairman's course for my “N” numbered airplane only. Can’t log my buddies planes, only mine. Now that I have a POH format, I’m using it for the base of my own for N3776A. By the way, in our E-LSA class, the “N” numbers only have to be 3” tall, and the “Experimental” should be right at the door opening, also in 3”

[mike_cummings2003]

---In Earthstar_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, <exfaa@...> wrote :

HI Kess, I installed a garmin G-5 in my panel and also a Garmin Area 660. I run one output wire from the 660 to he G5. Now when the G5 is in HSI mode, it shows the heading to the waypoint. It works great. THe G5 is kinda small and I cna still read it ok but the G3 might be easier.. I go look at one if you havent already and see if the G3 is easier to read since its bigger..... My 2007 Gull 2000, stock, 503, warpdrive, 500x5 tires and black max brakes, nothing else. I weighed it on scales and it weighed 390# Now it had a real heavy coat of poly paint and some bondo on top the wing all that add weight.. I put the smallest battery I could. It had a diamnond plate below where the brake pedals went since they were gone and the master cylinder was on the stick like yours.....


Mark


Hi Mark
Mike here, I'm in the process of installing the Garmin G-5 and the Garmin 660 also, I need to know which wires did you wire together so they can talk to each other
Thanks for your help

[zadwit]

I looked at the schematic for the 660 and you run one output wire tothe G-5. I looked the schematics up on line, dont have the manual.. its only one wire......both units have a common 12 volt ground....

[mike_cummings2003]

yeap got it , goes into pin 4 of the G5
Thanks for looking into it

--
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