Alaska Superstol build

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Includes: Highlander, Escapade, Summit and SuperSTOL.
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moving2time
Veteran Member
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2010 5:42 pm

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by moving2time »

I use a mount I made using a 2x5 aluminum plate & a ram mount using countersunk bolts to the plate. Then I glued a 1/4 inch think piece of wood to the back of the plate and formed it to fit the airfoil of the strut. Then I glued a cut out piece of rubber inner-tube to the back of the wood and hose clamp the plate to the strut with two hose clamps. I protect the strut with a wrap of rubber tubing. The rubber holds it fairly well to the strut without slipping and I can change the mount through counter sunk holes in the wood and rubber. Now I just need a camera that will produce quality video and last more than 40 minutes which is all I get out of the Go Pro.

I have used a hand held I-Phone but that is tough to do while piloting. Even with the window open. My I-Phone video has never looked as good as the two you just posted. Clear and smooth with great detail including picking up the plane that was flying off your starboard side along the river. Very nice job. Joe B
dkshow
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Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 8:19 pm
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by dkshow »

Thanks for the detail Joe,

I've tried some video with my phone when I'm flying alone but it's not nearly as good as having someone else shoot video while I fly the airplane. I would like to find a camera I can mount outside with a nice angle, I've been some places this summer with my airplane that should have really been documented :)
Keith Showalter
More Photos at www.keithshowalter.com
Anchorage, Alaska Superstol N445K
Built in NC with Rob Pedersen, Plane Fun Aircraft
dkshow
Veteran Member
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 8:19 pm
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by dkshow »

I was out playing in the wind the other evening. It's amazing how short you can land with a little assistance. I was consistent at about 20' and had several that were in the 10-12' range. Lots of fun!
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Keith Showalter
More Photos at www.keithshowalter.com
Anchorage, Alaska Superstol N445K
Built in NC with Rob Pedersen, Plane Fun Aircraft
dkshow
Veteran Member
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 8:19 pm
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by dkshow »

Hey guys,

I'm trying to keep track (mostly) of where I've been this summer. My goal is to take more photos and video, seems like it should be easy but I tend to be distracted with where I am and forget. Here is a fairly simple blog page that I'll try to keep up to date as I can.

http://www.keithshowalter.com/superstol/
Keith Showalter
More Photos at www.keithshowalter.com
Anchorage, Alaska Superstol N445K
Built in NC with Rob Pedersen, Plane Fun Aircraft
dkshow
Veteran Member
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 8:19 pm
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by dkshow »

Hey all,

I just posted a trip report on Montague Island for a deer hunt here on my blog.

http://www.keithshowalter.com/superstol/
Keith Showalter
More Photos at www.keithshowalter.com
Anchorage, Alaska Superstol N445K
Built in NC with Rob Pedersen, Plane Fun Aircraft
Clark in AZ
Veteran Member
Posts: 356
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 11:40 am
Location: Cave Creek, AZ

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by Clark in AZ »

Hey Keith,

I just re-read this thread and am blown away by the speed and quality of your build! You incorporated most, if not all, the mods I would like to build into mine... when I get it. ;) Anyway, thanks so much for posting your build as well as your adventures in your new SuperStol. It truly looks awesome! Keep the posts coming!

Clark
Building SuperSTOL Kit 512
Cave Creek, AZ
dkshow
Veteran Member
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 8:19 pm
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by dkshow »

Thanks Clark!

The build process was truly a fantastic time. I'll say it again, Robby Pedersen's knowledge and building experience was crucial to both the speed and quality of the build. I'm very very happy with the airplane, it's so much fun to fly!

I'm pretty excited to see guys like Steve Henry breaking trail on this Yamaha engine as well. Depending on how things go with this first one we're working on, we may have to build up another one for me. So much opportunity and potential with that engine, can't wait to see where it take us.
Keith Showalter
More Photos at www.keithshowalter.com
Anchorage, Alaska Superstol N445K
Built in NC with Rob Pedersen, Plane Fun Aircraft
Clark in AZ
Veteran Member
Posts: 356
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 11:40 am
Location: Cave Creek, AZ

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by Clark in AZ »

Keith, me too. The Yamaha is what I'm planning to go with, but I'm looking at the new 180hp Genesis that is fuel injected and turbo charged.

I sent you an email through your web site message system, just wanted to give you a heads up.

Thanks,
Clark
Building SuperSTOL Kit 512
Cave Creek, AZ
moving2time
Veteran Member
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2010 5:42 pm

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by moving2time »

Mr. Mills from Mohawk Aero mentioned that he knows of only been one conversion of the Genesis Yamaha FI engine to date and it was installed on a gyro. Apparently the electronics are very complicated to convert. The power of that engine is clearly incredible but it may be a while before the conversion becomes reasonable. I have not seen a comment on the hours flown on that conversion or how it has performed. Apparently it was sold once the conversion was stabilized. Heard something very positive for the normally aspirated version of the Yamaha though. Apparently the carburetors are not as finicky to keep tuned like the Rotax. I asked if it was more complicated to keep them tuned since there is more that two carburetors and I was told that they hold very well and were not hard to set initially. Steve will be able to confirm some of this with more detail. Let's face it, no one will put time on an engine like he will. The HP to weight is outstanding. Steve will give it a proper all altitude workout and luckily he doesn't mind reporting his findings. You gotta love Steve's open minded approach. Joe B
av8rps
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Posts: 480
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:01 pm

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by av8rps »

Man Keith, that blog post of your is kick ass! Makes me want to quit my job and move to Alaska with my Highlander. (And then I would finally have a good use for my 29 inch tires :) )

Of course the owners of the company I run and my wife probably wouldn't be quite as enthusiastic about that plan,, so I'll probably have to keep flying here in Wisconsin and just pretending there are mountains behind the clouds.

Thanks for taking the time to share your travels. I'm gonna show my friends your site so they can see all you can do with a 912 powered Super STOL, because most wouldn't believe it without seeing it.

Paul Seehafer
dkshow
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Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 8:19 pm
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by dkshow »

Paul,

Thanks for the kind words! I know when I was dreaming and scheming of how to own a Superstol I couldn't get enough info and pictures of other guys airplanes. I'm certainly very blessed to live in a place like AK, I haven't even started to scratch the surface of places to explore. Seems like this place goes on forever. If you ever get a chance to come up for a visit I'm sure you'd love it.

There probably isn't a perfect airplane but the Superstol so far is my favorite. I amazed every time I fly what it'll actually do. I haven't been posting much since our days have gotten pretty short. I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. I'm hoping to be back in the air regularly by the end of Feb.
Keith Showalter
More Photos at www.keithshowalter.com
Anchorage, Alaska Superstol N445K
Built in NC with Rob Pedersen, Plane Fun Aircraft
av8rps
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Posts: 480
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:01 pm

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by av8rps »

Yeah, I do think I'd enjoy AK. It appears to be an endless adventure. One day maybe? In the meantime I'll keep an eye on your blog as it certainly is inspiring.

It appears you fly with a Super Cub at times. Do you find the Super Stol is compatible with the Super Cub? I'm curious as the SC crowd is pretty loyal to their planes, so all I ever hear from them is how our homebuilts just won't do what they can do with their Cubs. In the environment you are flying in I'd think the difference would be obvious if there is a lot, so I'd love to hear your opinion.

Paul
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Av8r3400
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 6:50 am
Location: North Central Wisconsin
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Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by Av8r3400 »

We are headed west in September '17. Not as far as AK, but out to the big rocks at least. There's a spot open for you as long as you haven't ruined that plane with floats, yet.
Av8r3400
dkshow
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Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 8:19 pm
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by dkshow »

I do fly with some cub guys here and there, yes they do love their cub club. One of them is a 180hp Supercub with 35's and so on. He has to pull back a bit for us to keep up in cruise, however, I've got a much longer fuel burn than he does. It's hardly fair to compare a stock 912 Superstol to a 180 hp cub, 180 hp Carbon Cub or a 200+ hp SQ2 but we still do. It's not as big as those airplanes, doesn't have the horse power to launch a super heavy load like those guys can. Having said that, I can land places they can't, I burn much much less fuel, I just can't accelerate a heavy load as quickly as I could with 180-200 horses. If you compare the Superstol to something a little closer to it like say a Sport Cub or a PA11 with 100 hp, I just don't think there is much comparison at all personally.

There are a few levers to pull. Horsepower, fuel burn, fuel load, gross weight, sq ft capacity, speed, etc... you just need to figure out what is important to you I guess. I'm generally happy going a bit slower, burning less fuel and then having the ability to land in crazy places that other guys can't. I'm not going to lie though, it'd be a ton of fun to have lots and lots of horse power. It'd certainly make getting heavy loads off the ground quickly easier with more ponies. After flying around this summer I figured that my cost of operation is roughly a quarter of the 180 hp cub.

I know not everyone wants the same airplane and that is perfectly fine. I can't fit a whole bull moose in my Superstol and leave the ground in 250 feet but I can make 2 loads. It's all fun stuff. There is a trade off for everything. Maybe some day we'll all have the best of all worlds.

I've found that some cub guys think it's a cool "play" or "toy" airplane, other guys are jealous. One of the 180hp cub guys I fly with is planning a Superstol build, not sure what his time frame is. Personally, I like almost anything that flies. Every plane has a place.
Keith Showalter
More Photos at www.keithshowalter.com
Anchorage, Alaska Superstol N445K
Built in NC with Rob Pedersen, Plane Fun Aircraft
av8rps
Veteran Member
Posts: 480
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:01 pm

Re: Alaska Superstol build

Post by av8rps »

Keith,

Thank you for that great explanation. I've always been curious about the real differences and you did the best job ever of explaining it. I'm like you, I pretty much like anything that flies.

I most recently had an opportunity to trade my Highlander with amphibs for a friends Back Country (Smith) Cub on amphibs with 180 hp. But after really thinking about it, for me I like my Highlander more. I fly amphib floats mostly, and at a seaplane fly in this fall (although I was in my Kitfox 4 amphib, not my Highlander - but they perform similarly) another friend had his homebuilt 180 hp Super Cub and another had his 180 hp Husky there, and over the weekend my little 80 hp Kitfox amphib proved to perform as good or better as either of those other planes. They even admitted that (and fwiw, my Highlander with 100 hp would have done even better - they were happy I didn't bring that). Now I will admit if you take the floats off all these airplanes the bigger engined Super Cub and Husky will look a lot better. But on amphibs our light Rotax powered LSA's prevail. And we do it all on less than half the fuel.

I will continue to admire from a distance all the cool Super Cubs, Maules, Cessna 180-185's, etc, But I'm gonna keep my Highlander. Not only is it more practical, and cost effective in a lot of regards, but it is also more fun.

Paul
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