I'm completely bummed about it all at the moment. After the Second turbo seized up I just wanted to give up. I'm still going on auto pilot but sheesh.
Right as we speak I am in the middle of the Annual inspection and service that seems to be dragging on as I just haven't had time to get to it lately. Whilst this is going on I am fitting an external SP-7 artificial horizon module and also carrying out the addition of a cooling system to the turbo. I hope to be flying again by the end of April at the latest, as Easter and some planned holidays in April for a Formation endorsement will take up my time also.
I think the biggest bane in my aircraft are the engine mounts. I fitted a complete new set again and some 2 x hours and possibly 2 or 3 flights and the top mount looks like this again
I am positive the lower mount will chew out again and be rubbing on the accessory plate all too soon. In case you were wondering whether I had not done them up tight enough, I had them tight, trust me. I have tried them mildly tight, overly tight, bulging out tight, just right tight and even had hose clamps around them too to try and get some longevity out of them to some degree. Nothing seems to work. I have even joked to the point of asking Sonex tech to fly over and sort the issue for me if I pay for the ticket. No reply to that question and frankly I didn't actually expect one either to be honest. It would be nice though as this is getting beyond a joke.
On a bright side the plane flies really well still. I have just finally achieved my Aerobatics endorsement and have now flown my first Aero's in my own plane. It was a long moment coming as I had always intended one day to be able to do them in the Sonex and here we are. Loops, rolls, barrel rolls and stall turns are all that I have done so far. I was going to try out some spins but alas my engine mounts foil me again. Unfortunately I don't have any pics or vids but sooner rather than later I'll buy a cheap HD cam and get some vids and so on for you tube. I am really happy in the way the plane performed in all the maneuvers. It had plenty of power for loops and so on and just flies the path you ask it. Stall turns in the plane I did my test in were a real mission whereas in the Sonex it seems almost like the Super Decathlon and they seem to do them almost by themselves.
Please note, YES I had the Sonex hat on for all flights :)
I did do one away mission this year. It was a 2 x hour return flight to an Old Aero club member's station in the Mid west of Western Australia. Was good to get away from the field for a change and was really hoping at this stage all the issues were behind me. Errr no by the way. Just in case you were wondering.
Got my self a Sonex shirt now too,,,, I didn't really like the other one I had with the upside down plane. Was just too hard to focus on. I like the new one :)
I did get to take my mate for a fly too along the way. Something else I had been meaning to do. We were a bit squishy,,, neither of us ever really miss the second helping :)
I still have a long list of people keen to fly with me but it's a bit hard to tell them it's broken again. like WTF they keep saying.
So just finishing off, here are a few pics from the last 10 x hours and my engine mounts.
The October engine mount replacement pics.
The November Files of engine mounts
The December attempt at stainless steel zip ties.
They didn't last long and were changed out on the 14th January. Actually they wern't that bad really this time but the secondary bush was so squished it seemed not to absorb much any more.
The today pic just for reference. It's still fine but after 2 x hours but I have to add washers and re tighten them again. They were so tight before too and now look at the gap.
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