Wild West Aircraft

For general discussion of the Just Aircraft family of aircraft.
Includes: Highlander, Escapade, Summit and SuperSTOL.
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taildrgfun
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Joined: Sat May 17, 2008 12:34 am
Location: Nampa Idaho

Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

I made it home from Oshkosh yesterday in my SuperSTOL. The entire trip was over 3000 miles of flying and my airplane performed just as it should have, with no problems at all. I cruised 90 to 100 mph for the whole trip and got pretty good mileage. My plane carries 34 gallons of fuel and one leg I flew was five hours. I was flying alone all the way out there except the last hundred miles when I met up with my friend Joe "Pops" Dory in Viroqua Wisconsin. From there we went over to the super cub fly-in in New Holstein Wisconsin for 2 days before coming back to Oshkosh on Sunday morning.

It was a real fun group of guys that I got to participate in this demonstration competition with. I didn't get nervous about flying in front of all those thousands of people with their eyes on me, but I did realize that it was a very special event that may be a once in a lifetime thing to do.

Pops and I left Oshkosh Sunday morning the third and flew to Sturgis South Dakota that day flying low and just enjoying the countryside. The farms all across Wisconsin and Minnesota look like they could be a picture on a postcard. As we got further west into South Dakota we were just skimming the ground over the prairie having a ball.

Yesterday we had some of that kind of flying but we also had to fly pretty high to cross the mountains and plus we were dodging weather. In fact Pops didn't make it home, he had to land in a big rainstorm in Utah and spend the night there. Hopefully he will make it home to Austin Nevada today.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
cray13071
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Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by cray13071 »

Just found the Oshkosh 2014 STOL competition posted on youtube.

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWbq47Uq-80

Part 2 - Awards presentation at about 10:00 minute mark - Congrats Steve!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmlAXqhqbqU
Allan
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Location: West Australia

Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by Allan »

Steve,
Any updates on your props you have in the pipe line?

Allan
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

Allen I should know better what I think so far about props in a few days after I try out this new 84-45 Catto that showed up today. It is going to have to do pretty good to beat the latest 82" 2 blade Prince prop that is on my SS now.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
Allan
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Location: West Australia

Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by Allan »

Steve,
Be good to here all the comparisons. This prop thing is clearly going through significant development on the Superstol. I will refrain on asking how the new prince went and wait for you to test what you have!!

Clearly your experience with the airmaster suggests there must be more to the prop selection??

Allan
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

The 84-45 Catto pulled my motor down way too much. So far I like my Prince the best on my SS. I think it takes off just as good as the 82-38 Catto and it goes at least 10 mph faster.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
levyland
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by levyland »

Steve, thanks for the catch up yesterday. I spoke with Lonnie Prince (great guy) and I have asked him to work on a prop for the 100HP. Obviously we are trying to get the best of both worlds. Best climb (like a Catto) and best cruise (Like a Kiev) The Prince is certainly on it's way. From my understanding the SS will cruise at 85 knots with the Kiev prop, but it does not climb like a Catto. The Prince is 10 MPH faster than the Catto. I got ahold of the GP prop guys in Finland, as they are claiming a 15% better performance than the Kiev. I will keep everyone posted. I am keen to hear how the latest Catto performs. Hope all is well Cheers, John
Allan
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Location: West Australia

Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by Allan »

Steve,
What is the prince 82"x? Confirming that it is 10 mph faster than the catto 82x38. So is that faster or slower than the Kiev? So I assume the next step is the catto has to go back for a reshape?
Allan
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SheepdogRD
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by SheepdogRD »

Most of the prop discussion seems to be about the SuperSTOL. For those of us building Highlanders, the Kiev seems to be the most-recommended 3-blade prop for the 912S. What seems to be the best two-blade prop for the 912S?
Richard Holtz
Highlander N570L -- Ms. Tonka -- in gestation

If just enough is really good, then too much ought to be perfect.
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

The 1st prop Prince sent me was an 82-38 and I wasn't impressed. I described the way it acted and sent it back. The 2nd prop he sent me is also an 82-38 but it has a wider blade( and maybe other changes that I don't see) and it is MUCH better. On my 130hp SS I get 56 to 5700 static rpm with excellent take off performance and it will still cruise 90+ mph. I put this prop on my 110hp HLDR and even though it pulled my static rpm down to 5300 my take off performance increased dramatically. With the CS AirMaster/Kiev 76" at the perfect 5800 rpm my IAS reads about 42mph when it will fly. With the Prince even at the lower rpm it was reading 32 when it lifted off. Of course I get better cruise with the constant speed prop but I was still cruising 90+ with the Prince. With a regular Kiev pitched for best take off at 5800 it would cruise about 75. If a regular Kiev was pitced to cruise then the takeoff becomes horribly long.
The new 84-45 Catto was way too much for even my 130hp. I think the 82-43 they sent me must be mis-marked or something because it acts exactly like an 82-38 Catto. Great take off and no cruise speed.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

I haven't posted any pics of my new Highlander on here because I have been very busy, and it's been so long since I put a pic on here that I don't know how to do it.

I got my wife in here to show me how easy it is.

I'm really enjoying this Highlander a lot! I really like the way it flies with the nose down lower than the SS does. I like that with the CS prop on the 110hp Rotax I can easily cruise over 100mph. I like the suspension that I have on it much better than just the stock bungies. I can get it in and out of some pretty gnarly places but if it gets too rough or too short I still want to be flying my SS. Or if I'm in a short field competition then I want to be in the SS. If I'm going hundreds of miles and I don't think I'm going to be landing anywhere real short then I usually take the HLDR.
It sure is a tough choice sometimes deciding which one I want to fly that day, but someone has to do it so it might as well be me!
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Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
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SheepdogRD
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by SheepdogRD »

Thanks for the 2-blade prop data, Steve. The new HLDR looks good. That's a somewhat different cowling -- a modified Jab cowling? Are you using the ring mount? What changes did you make firewall forward?
Richard Holtz
Highlander N570L -- Ms. Tonka -- in gestation

If just enough is really good, then too much ought to be perfect.
taildrgfun
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Location: Nampa Idaho

Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

The cowling is the Jab/914 cowl. I mount the radiator different than the way they do it at the factory for better cooling. It does require the scoop you can see to make it work though.
I used the 914 ring mount because I had one already. You don't see my oil cooler because it is stacked on front of the radiator. Oil cooling is not as good as when it is mounted up front.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
moving2time
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by moving2time »

Steve, Thanks for posting the pics, It is simply awesome that you take the time to discuss and show us what you have been doing. You obviously love what you are doing and we love that you are so willing to share. Thank you so much for that. Love seeing Yee Haw IV on the new ride. Makes it official. :D I really like the way the Rage Gear is faired. Did you add those larger fairing covers or did Rage make the modifcation to the gear. I love the way Yee Haw IV sits there looking ready to take on anything! Joe B
taildrgfun
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Re: Wild West Aircraft

Post by taildrgfun »

Thanks Joe, those covers came on the rage gear but he is going to start making them different. They will be stiff to hold their shape but velcro on so they are much easier to remove and replace.
Steve Henry, Wild West Aircraft
(the Dead Stick Take-off Guy)
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