Completions

Builders share their successes.

September 15, 2007

Alan W. Arnold and O.B. Aylors
Just Aircraft Highlander

Here is our Highlander, N1010Z. My father-in-law, O.B. Ayor, and I picked up the kit in South Carolina in September of 2005 and started working on it in October. We worked five- and six-day weeks, 5 hours or so a day until the inspection on July 5, 2006, performed by DAR Brian Ingraham. The first flight was on July 7, 2006, and the 40 hours were flown off by July 21. A heavy left wing, easily corrected, was the only problem. EAA Chapter 712 came over several times and provided such input that there was only one minor squawk found during the DAR inspection. Special thanks go to my loving wife, Patricia, for giving me the time and support for us to work full time on this very enjoyable bush plane.

Highlands, Texas
[email protected]

Jim and Heather Butchers Europa XS

Jim took our Europa XS on its first flight in October 2005. Since then we have completed all of the flight testing with no problems. It has a Rotax 914, Airmaster propeller, EFIS and built-in oxygen. We are currently building the Europa glider wings for it. We built the kit together, completing all the tasks, including paint and electrical, ourselves and found it to be a very satisfying experience. At the suggestion of our Flight Advisor, John Amundson, we earned our Glider ratings to get current and experience a similar landing gear configuration. Our Technical Counselor, Bob Aardema, and the members of EAA Chapter 221 encouraged us through the five-year project.

Kalamazoo, Michigan
[email protected]

Dan Schmidts Aventura II

I thought perhaps your readers would like to know about the Aventura II featured on the cover of the July 2006 issue of your magazine. N511DS was built with the dealer assistance program of Recreational Mobility in Melbourne, Florida, and is now kept at the Merritt Island Airport in Florida. Construction began in April 2005, and completion was in August 2005 followed by the first flight in early September. During the construction period I worked on it from 32 to 40 hours a week. It is stock except for personalizing touches such as the color scheme, carpeted cockpit and glareshield, walnut wood-grain instrument panel and walnut lathe-turned knobs on all the cockpit control levers. I also designed the landing gear position indicating circuit and built easily adjustable actuating arms for the gear position indicator switches. The instrument panel features an ICOM A200 transceiver, Garmin GT 327 transponder, and Garmin GPSMAP 296. The artificial horizon, engine monitor, fuel level indicator and VSI are Aveo digital instruments. The airspeed indicator, altimeter and tachometer are analog. Thanks to Jim Ratte of Recreation Mobility and Bob Boswell of Aero Adventure for their help in making my dream of building and flying my own airplane become a reality. And, of course, my wife, Ellen, gets a big hug and kiss for putting up with my obsession. Water flying is challenging and great fun. If you’ve never tried it, go expand your flying horizon.

321/452-7665

Submissions to “Completions” should include a typed, double-spaced description (a few paragraphs only-250 words maximum) of the project and the finished aircraft. Also include a good color photograph (prints or 35mm slides are acceptable) of the aircraft that we may keep. Please include a daytime phone number where we can contact you if necessary. Also indicate whether we may publish your address in case other builders would like to contact you. Send submissions to: Completions, c/o KITPLANES Magazine, 203 Argonne Ave., Suite B105, Long Beach, CA 90803. Digital submissions are also acceptable. Send text and photos to [email protected] with a subject line of “Completions.” Photos must be high-resolution-300 dpi at a 3 x 5 print size is the minimum requirement.

Completions

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