ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

I built a Minimax 1500R 20 some years ago up to the covering stage and its been sitting in storage since. I've decided to finnish it as a 1030H with a Hirth F-33 instead of the rotax 447 and make it part 103 compliant. Wish me luck!

Here are the construction pics as built 20 some years ago.

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And so on......

More...

And more...

My proposed color scheme.

A bit like mine  

Yes, a bit like yours. Nicely done, good looking bird.

Removed the rear turtledeck.

Sanded off the remnants of the old turtledeck.

Cut out and trial fit the formers for the 1030H rear turtle deck.

Good luck with the rebuild/conversion. Was it originally built with the "light" tail (hollow leading edge) or what I'll call the "standard" tail (laminated solid leading edge)? The reason I ask is that the light engine might have to really be moved forward to get W&B in range with the "standard" tail. My 277 Rotax 1100R was borderline tail heavy with the "light" tail, and I think the Hirth is lighter than a 277.

Nice to see you're getting back to finishing your long term build!

Lynn

Test fit the stringers.

Finished up the rear turtledeck.

Removed the old 1500R front turtledeck.

Installed one of my wing tanks in the fuselage per the plans as I can't have two five gallon wing tanks and be part 103 legal. Removing one of the fuel tanks and the supporting structure from both wings will shave off about 10 lbs from the total weight.

I originally built the "Standard Tail." I plan on building a new set of tail feathers in the "light Tail" version because as you pointed out the Hirth f-33 is about 20 lbs lighter than The 477 the 1500R was designed for. I also plan to extend the nose 4.5 inches to help with weight and balance. Although I'm not sure if that will really be necessary.

Worst come to worst, you can also just remove the turtle-deck you just built to help lighten it later. I wouldn't bother with brakes either. Anything you can do to lighten it will help.
Also, you can find an old BRS and install that, as it will help you "fudge" just a little and get over the UL limit while remaining legal.
Remember the weight of the BRS and associated components are not included in the "limit" and are calculated seperately.
I don't know of anyone that's going to be carrying around a scale and a radar gun at any rate.  It's mostly about the 5 gal tank.

I'm sitting at 185.2 lbs for the fuselage with landing gear, wings and varnished and covered heavy tail feathers. I already have the brakes installed from the original build but they will be the first thing to go should I end up fat. A BRS is a good suggestion but its not just about staying 103 legal, it's just as much if not more about performance as anything else. If I learned any thing at all from RC Airplanes it's that an over weight under powered airplane does not fly well.

Yup, same thing applies here. As Skip Little used to say. "Throw it in the Air. If it comes back down, it doesn't belong in an airplane."

I've been working on the front turtle deck and canopy. Here is my progress so far;

As She sits right now it's 177 lbs. So The Changes I've made so far have shaved off about 8 lbs. But I still haven't removed the fuel tank supporting structure from the wings yet. I hope to shave off another lb. or 2 with that. Looking good though, 77 lbs left minus 45 lbs for the Hirth F-33 leaves me 32 lbs for varnish, fabric, paint and misselaineous.

Would it make any difference if the thrust line was dropped a 1/2 an inch?

I like the stock 1030 windscreen per plans. It really protects you from the prop wash, which is great in cold wx. But I am a short guy at 5 ft 7. May be taller guys are exposed more to the elements.

Quoted from toliver66 Would it make any difference if the thrust line was dropped a 1/2 an inch?

No.

Skinned the canopy portion of the forward turtle deck and made a pattern for the windshield.

I'm 6'2" and with my helmet on I've been flying my 1030 in 35°f. Without my helmet I only get a little wind across the top of my head.

My kit had a piece of lexan with the shape drawn on it so all I had to do was cut it. When I cut it out I made it a few inches taller than what they had drawn.

Quoted from Keith103 I like the stock 1030 windscreen per plans. It really protects you from the prop wash, which is great in cold wx. But I am a short guy at 5 ft 7. May be taller guys are exposed more to the elements.

Has anyone tried DURAPLEX HIGH-IMPACT ACRYLIC instead of lexan?

Finished up the front turtle deck.

Just a little teaser.

Rear view...