Silencer Exhaust painting #10

Took the exhaust/silencer (muffler) off last week end and sprayed it up with VHT black paint
VHT will withstand temps up to 1500 degrees F.
The paint, or similar from Halfords etc. is also available from Car builder solutions web site below. 
One can of  black Exhaust (2004) was £8.50 + PP about £10.50 total and it
arrived the next day.  I found the person on the phone very helpful. All I
did was clean up with emery cloth and spray.  I did the spraying outside on a
calm day.  I then ground ran the engine to do the curing.  Seems to have
worked ok.
http://www.nfauto.co.uk/

Or aluminium sprayed (by RFI screening, they advertise in the BMAA and PFA magazines)

Pre-Flight Check List [RansMail#5]

 Notes that came with V Hallam's RANS S4. Fits a small knee-pad. 
 Pre-flight Checks.
ENGINE: Ign.OFF; Fuel Content. Plug Caps secure; G’box leaks/secure,+ rock & check bearing.
Cooling Fan belt tension & it turns; Exh. cracks, secure, springs. Fuel Water check. Air Filter, Carb, Fuel Pump secure; Fuel Hose joints/chafing. Cowling all secure.
Propeller.
AIRFRAME: Wing & Struts, Keel, Main Bulkhead, pins, bolts, wear, bent; U/C & three Tyres. Bungees OK. Brakes secure. Ailerons & Flaps, ribs & hinges, Teleflex play. Leading & Trailing Spars straight; Tail hinges & cables. Fuel Taps ON. Stick full/free, Pitot O.K.
STARTING: Chock, Fuel quantity, Bulb pumped hard; Full Choke lever fwd; Prim. Close Throttle & 2 pulls, Choke OFF; Ignition ON & Pull; Slowly inc.to 3,000 & warm up CHT180-220C. Idle 2,000. Choke cables OK & full mvt.
PRE TAKE-OFF.Note; Max CHT250C/480F. Rev’s Constant; Full Brakes, Stick back, Full Power, reduce to 5,000; Fuel ON & sufficient; Trim, Flap, Freedom of Controls; Gauges Engine(180/220C = 350/425F) & Guages Flight, set Altimeter. Visual check Eng.& Exh. for excess vibration. Hatches & Harness.

OR.
To start if no injection primer is installed.

                          Check Fan Belt Tension through aperture cut in plastic shroud.

Fully close throttle, choke ON, squeeze fuel feed bulb till firm. Ignition OFF and hand turn propeller 25 times. Then from inside the cabin, call "Clear Prop". Choke OFF, Ignit. ON and pull the cord.

Fuel Tanks, Main & Auxiliary.(RansMail#3)

The main tank is behind the pilot's seat, it holds 18 ltres.

                                                            12 Litre overhead tank

The auxiliary top tanks come in 2 nominal sizes. 12 litre and 16 litres. You can tell which you have depending on the profile at the rear. The 12 litre tank goes to a point while the larger one has about 2 inches of flat vertical at the back. In general, the nosewheel type must have the small top tank while the tailwheel version (being slightly lighter) can have the larger. Whatever the situation, you will be within one or two pounds of max. weight with a long range tank fitted.

The overhead tanks will hold a few litres more if fully filled, but this tends to disappear overboard in flight via the vent pipe.         
                
Said to hold 18 litres safely Vertical edge at the back end and deeper underneath, hanging down about one inch each side of the tube mounting.          18 Litre overhead Tank

Exhaust Springs Security [RansMail#1]

Exhaust springs falling off into the prop is popularly supposed only to affect 447 'pusher' planes, but the springs should be stainless steel lock wire secured individually through the centre and then to each one's lug so at least they cannot fall away.

Silicone "RTV" sealant squeezed out of its tube to form a 'slug' over the length of each spring will prevent it vibrating/chattering which action otherwise would wear the spring eye through or the tab on the exhaust itself can wear badly.

Brakes #1

The brakes on G-MWFW are straightforward drums, simply inspected & conventionally serviced. Check the cam spindle lubrication.

If the lever turns too far before the shoes, which should not be worn down too far, touch the drum, and the cable is clamped correctly, one can insert two equal thickness spacers with turned up ends, over both the shoe to cam faces.

Discs need assembling so they run true to the calliper and of course in line. I've turned up some thin Ali discs to locate & stop the spacer collar from slipping radially off-centre i.e. sideways a fraction, when the three long bolts securing it tighten it onto its seating on the plastic hub.