I finally flew my Gull. I took it to the airport and found a young welder who helped me put the wing on. It was
80 and sunny, a little warm for an Alaskan guy but I kept at it. This Gull has a 20 ft wing, 503 DCDI and a 64" 3 blade IVO ultralight prop, set 15 degree pitch. It was windy, 20 mph winds quartering from the left side of the run way. The acceleration was stunning...IT drifted to the right just like my Ridge RUnner but I know it is me because I am not used to pushing ..as left rudder due to prop rotating the opposite of most planes.The climb out was amazing as ...I flew it for about 1 hour getting used to it. The flight controls are all evenly balance, each takes about the same amount of pressure to get a response, very nice.It flys like a little fighter compared to all the "span can" planes Ive flown in the past
The only issue I had was when I landed the nose wanted to go left or right very quickly...I might be me again over controlling it since the steering is connected directly. I pulled back on the stick
get the nose off the ground.until I slowed down.
The particular plane was in a small accident a few years ago and the nose wheel assy. was torn off so it make me wonder if maybe the caster is off?????
All in all a great flight and a fabulous little airplane. In flight 6000 RPM=100 mph, 5500=80 and 5000=70
THis 503 is original engine and has 434 hrs but runs like a top, still I think I will have it overhauled
My other Gull have a 24 ft wing and I was going to sell it but I'm keeping it now and I have an HKS to install so that is my next project.....
Mark in Davenport!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yipeeeeeeeeeeeee
I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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earthstaraircraft
Re: I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Mark
Would you send me a picture from the side view of the nose wheel.
Check the straitness of the cross tube that supports the top of the noes wheel.
The nose wheel storing is brisk so that you can turn around in tight spaces.
If you lighten up on the pressure on the rudder pedals it is easer to control. It doesn't take long to get used to it, than you will like the quick steering.
Happy Flying
Mark
Sent from my iPhone
Would you send me a picture from the side view of the nose wheel.
Check the straitness of the cross tube that supports the top of the noes wheel.
The nose wheel storing is brisk so that you can turn around in tight spaces.
If you lighten up on the pressure on the rudder pedals it is easer to control. It doesn't take long to get used to it, than you will like the quick steering.
Happy Flying
Mark
Sent from my iPhone
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zadwit
Re: I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Will do.
Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S® 5, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S® 5, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
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cossitt.alan
Re: I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well done!!!!! Congratulations. Sounds like some fast taxies to check the
steering would be useful.
steering would be useful.
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"James Bassage jbassage@gmail.com [Earthstar_Aircraft]"
Re: I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Mark
Mike Busch warns owners against overhauling engines just because their TBO is up.
If it runs so well, why overhaul?
Mike Busch warns owners against overhauling engines just because their TBO is up.
If it runs so well, why overhaul?
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zadwit
Re: I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It really does runs smooth, idles well, makes lots of power, more than I need, maybe your right leave well enough alone.
Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10
Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10
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mark_drz
Re: I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Personally I hold the nose wheel off until it wants to drop on its own.
Mark Drzymkowski
Mark Drzymkowski
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mark_drz
Re: I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark,
Fantastic! Great to have a new member of the family. Truly a great airplane!!!
Mark Drzymkowski
Fantastic! Great to have a new member of the family. Truly a great airplane!!!
Mark Drzymkowski
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zadwit
Re: I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The more I ponder all this I think it is me. Most of my 2300 hrs is in tail wheel planes and you have to keep your feet moving or you will end up in the ditch. Once I lifted the nose, the plane tracked straight. It steers just fine other wise kinda like a go kart with wings!!!
I don’t know the history of this but best I could tell a guy in Wisconsin built it and took it to Oskhosk in 2008.
It was yellow then. I think in 2010 roughly it was sold to a guy in Arkansas and he had it 3 yrs. I think that is when the k=nose gear got torn off. He wrote in the record that he MIG welded it all back together and painted it with poly eurethane paint. He also says he took the engine apart but found no appreciable wear so reassembled it with new rings and seals no other parts. It does run nice but at 434 hrs I just don’t feel comfortable flying cross county in it.
I have an engine with 12 hrs since factory new that I had dismantled in Canada by a distributor just to inspect. He said it all looked new so put it back together with new seals. This is the engine I think I will install in a few days.
I also have a warp drive 3 blade prop, new with taper blades I want to try. I don’t have to get top speed out of this plane, it is just fun to fly at 75 or 80 mph.
The air has been rough these past few days so I might try in the evening, the locals say it is better.
When I was flying the other day it was 25 gusting and a 45 cross wind from the left so I landed 55-60 and let the nose on the ground so I think that aggravated things…the more I think about it all. Its a great plane I just need to learn to fly it is all. THis is the first time I have flown PIC in 10 yrs!
Just goes to show you never forget how just loose some of the edge is all. LIke I would not take a cub into a 250ft strip right now....Id need like 500ft probably!!
Mark in davenport
I don’t know the history of this but best I could tell a guy in Wisconsin built it and took it to Oskhosk in 2008.
It was yellow then. I think in 2010 roughly it was sold to a guy in Arkansas and he had it 3 yrs. I think that is when the k=nose gear got torn off. He wrote in the record that he MIG welded it all back together and painted it with poly eurethane paint. He also says he took the engine apart but found no appreciable wear so reassembled it with new rings and seals no other parts. It does run nice but at 434 hrs I just don’t feel comfortable flying cross county in it.
I have an engine with 12 hrs since factory new that I had dismantled in Canada by a distributor just to inspect. He said it all looked new so put it back together with new seals. This is the engine I think I will install in a few days.
I also have a warp drive 3 blade prop, new with taper blades I want to try. I don’t have to get top speed out of this plane, it is just fun to fly at 75 or 80 mph.
The air has been rough these past few days so I might try in the evening, the locals say it is better.
When I was flying the other day it was 25 gusting and a 45 cross wind from the left so I landed 55-60 and let the nose on the ground so I think that aggravated things…the more I think about it all. Its a great plane I just need to learn to fly it is all. THis is the first time I have flown PIC in 10 yrs!
Just goes to show you never forget how just loose some of the edge is all. LIke I would not take a cub into a 250ft strip right now....Id need like 500ft probably!!
Mark in davenport
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bob_brasher
Re: I finally flew my Gull 2000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Everyone,
This is my first official post as a Thundergull J24 owner! I recently came upon a barn find via an older issue of Ultralight Flying Magazine where an old timer had never completed his kit build. The fuse is 80 built and the wing has the ribs are attached to the D cell. I have to do some corrosion on trike cage but the tube and the flight controls are installed. I came into ownership last January but due to limited space I have not been in position to start work on the TG till now. A lot of work before this baby flies but I am very excited to have possession of a TG with the two place wing. 6 years ago I have had an intro flight from the TG NJ East Coast vendor who works with Mark and have always held TG in high regard. Also my wingman, Harry Fishers is a longtime TG pilot and we have many hours together flying from Central Jersey. Harry and I last flight was from 3NJ1 SW to Salem NJ crossing the Delaware BAY and South to Cambridge Maryland for fuel and over the Chesapeake Bay to Tangier Island for lunch and then and over to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to South to Accomack Virginia. Then we headed back North back up the coast of Virginia to Lewes Delaware and then over blue water 10 miles of the Delaware Bay to Cape May NJ and then back home to 3NJ1 adjacent to Maguire AFB.
I would like to offer some guidance regarding the 503 if I may as I have over a 1,000 hours on Rotax. Of course my advice is worth strictly what your paying for it! My first thought on should you or should you not send the 503 out for tear down and inspection is that you as pilot in command of the new ship it is incumbent on you to set the bench mark on the useful life of your 503. Many older instructors I have talked to recommend that you should at the least change out the seals on the Rotax every 6 years. Their recommendation on a new engine for useful service life is at the first 350 hours you need to tear down and check the run out on the crank and condition of the bearings. Then my expert ( www.trikite.com http://www.tri-kite.com ) recommends tear down at every additional 150 hours for the life of the engine. I have a problem myself with that recommendation but so far about 700 hours was about all I got out a Rotax before a rod bearing let loose on me while I was at 1,500 AGL so I think I am going to follow his advice on the inspection on the 150 hr mark after the first 350 hrs.
I can offer sound advice on how to keep the carbon out of the the rings of your Rotax with either Seafoam or what I use from Yamaha, Engine Medic. The Yamaha product has been around for over 20 years in the form called " Ring Free". Its an additive of 1 or 2 oz. of the additive per 10 gallons of fuel. I can absolutely attest to its effectiveness of its use as I have been using it for 10 years and several tear downs and inspections which proved it effectiveness in removing carbon. My Rotax mechanic with over 30 years of Roxax mechanical experience and flight time on Rotax promptly bought a case of it the first time he tore down a Rotax for inspection for me. That has to tell you something.
I sincerely hope you will consider my advice on protecting your TG investment and find a great Rotax mechanic to inspect your 503. It is an investment that can bring you many hours of useful life of your 503.
Bob Brasher
GT400
This is my first official post as a Thundergull J24 owner! I recently came upon a barn find via an older issue of Ultralight Flying Magazine where an old timer had never completed his kit build. The fuse is 80 built and the wing has the ribs are attached to the D cell. I have to do some corrosion on trike cage but the tube and the flight controls are installed. I came into ownership last January but due to limited space I have not been in position to start work on the TG till now. A lot of work before this baby flies but I am very excited to have possession of a TG with the two place wing. 6 years ago I have had an intro flight from the TG NJ East Coast vendor who works with Mark and have always held TG in high regard. Also my wingman, Harry Fishers is a longtime TG pilot and we have many hours together flying from Central Jersey. Harry and I last flight was from 3NJ1 SW to Salem NJ crossing the Delaware BAY and South to Cambridge Maryland for fuel and over the Chesapeake Bay to Tangier Island for lunch and then and over to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to South to Accomack Virginia. Then we headed back North back up the coast of Virginia to Lewes Delaware and then over blue water 10 miles of the Delaware Bay to Cape May NJ and then back home to 3NJ1 adjacent to Maguire AFB.
I would like to offer some guidance regarding the 503 if I may as I have over a 1,000 hours on Rotax. Of course my advice is worth strictly what your paying for it! My first thought on should you or should you not send the 503 out for tear down and inspection is that you as pilot in command of the new ship it is incumbent on you to set the bench mark on the useful life of your 503. Many older instructors I have talked to recommend that you should at the least change out the seals on the Rotax every 6 years. Their recommendation on a new engine for useful service life is at the first 350 hours you need to tear down and check the run out on the crank and condition of the bearings. Then my expert ( www.trikite.com http://www.tri-kite.com ) recommends tear down at every additional 150 hours for the life of the engine. I have a problem myself with that recommendation but so far about 700 hours was about all I got out a Rotax before a rod bearing let loose on me while I was at 1,500 AGL so I think I am going to follow his advice on the inspection on the 150 hr mark after the first 350 hrs.
I can offer sound advice on how to keep the carbon out of the the rings of your Rotax with either Seafoam or what I use from Yamaha, Engine Medic. The Yamaha product has been around for over 20 years in the form called " Ring Free". Its an additive of 1 or 2 oz. of the additive per 10 gallons of fuel. I can absolutely attest to its effectiveness of its use as I have been using it for 10 years and several tear downs and inspections which proved it effectiveness in removing carbon. My Rotax mechanic with over 30 years of Roxax mechanical experience and flight time on Rotax promptly bought a case of it the first time he tore down a Rotax for inspection for me. That has to tell you something.
I sincerely hope you will consider my advice on protecting your TG investment and find a great Rotax mechanic to inspect your 503. It is an investment that can bring you many hours of useful life of your 503.
Bob Brasher
GT400