Bob Hadley
Bob Hadley is the R&D manager for a California-based consumer products company. He holds a Sport Pilot certificate and a Light-Sport Repairman certificate with inspection authorization for his Jabiru J250-SP.
Laps and Lapping
Lapping was an important step featured in two recent columns. Last month’s gauge block project and the September 2020 drain adapter both demonstrated basic...
Confessions of a Blockhead
Gauge blocks are the foundation for pretty much everything. At least everything that has to do with precision measuring and manufacturing. I use parallels,...
Light Sport Repairman—Maintenance
Have you ever thought about becoming a licensed airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic, but put the idea out of your head because of the...
A Seal Deal
Radial oil seals, the kind found on rotating parts such as crankshafts, cam shafts and axles, are wear items and occasionally need to be...
Prop-aganda
The other day I heard about a guy at my local airport lamenting the cost of overhauling the prop on his $4 million SOCATA...
Billet or Weldment With Off-Axis Turning?
People tend to design around their particular expertise. A machinist will design based on machining parts out of solid billet, a welder will design...
Ye Olde Slip Roll
This month’s project is a follow-on to the Pietenpol muffler that was the subject of the Home Shop Machinist column in the May 2019...
Lightweight Stepladder
I affectionately refer to my Jabiru light-sport as being a “low high-wing” airplane. This is because, despite it being a high-wing configuration, you have...
The Other P Factor
Late last year I flew from Southern California to Tucson and back in my Jabiru Light Sport. The flight was about 3½ hours each...
Tilting the Mill Head
Most milling machines have the capability to tilt the head to make angled cuts. This comes in handy when the workpiece can’t be conveniently...
In Case You Missed It
The Dawn Patrol
Threatening weather at the annual Gathering of Eagles event in Gardner, Kansas, failed to subdue the antics of The Dawn Patrol, for better or worse.
Spinner Bulkhead Clocking
Spinner woes were the topic of midsummer musings on Van’s Air Force this year....
Light Stuff
Roy Beisswenger takes a look at the maintenance requirements for the lighter side of aviation including ultralights and Light Sport Aircraft.
Wind Tunnel
Airplanes are surprisingly flexible, and changes in their shape can affect aerodynamic characteristics. Barnaby Wainfan explains how the two are coupled.