Kit Aircraft Modifications

Hi Everyone,

First off, I would like to hear back from all of those who are following this thread. Drop me a quick e-mail or leave a comment if you are enjoying this topic.

The engine is now being fitted to a spacial test frame that will eventually allow me to run the whole engine/gearbox/propeller system on my trailer. This is going to be very helpful in dialing in the engine and to catch any problems with the system before it is mounted in the plane.

It will also allow us to put a load on the engine during testing to see how the custom ECM set up performs. I should have the basics of the test frame done near the end of the week and I hope to have the whole set-up back to the ECM designer’s shop by the end of October.

Dave

Had a conversation with Rogers/AT&T the other day. They are my local carrier here in Ontario, Canada. Basically, they were happy to have the units run on their system and they have a product that will allow you to run your unit for under $10 per month.

I am going to get one of their SIMs into our Beta units and start using it in our hangar on my partner’s RV-9A.

I am still waiting on my overseas partners to get their ducks aligned and send me some extension antennas and finalize the product specifications. Once this is done I can assemble some final production units that can be sent out for CSA/UL testing. The units will not be released to the public until they have received the certification.

Dave

Hi All,

This project has been plodding along at a pace that frustrates me somewhat. This is partly due to the difficulty in dealing with development partners overseas and the fact that i have a lot of irons in the fire right now.

One of the stumbling blocks with this system is the fact that the customer has to establish a relationship with a cellular carrier for this unit to work. In the beginning we were thinking that we would hold a corporate account with T-Mobile and the customer would simply logon to an account controlled by us to add minutes to their cards. This is a non starter for me simply due to the PITA factor.

I have been in conversation with Rogers/AT&T about setting something up where I supply the SIM card pack with the units as a distributor and the customer then activates the account to get the unit up and running. I should hear back from them within the week.

Once this is set up and I get some more units from overseas we can get them UL/CSA tested and released for sale.

 Dave

Hi Everyone,

 Well, I managed to get the engine through customs and back home without any troubles. I have taken it to a friend’s shop where he has a forklift and could take it off of my trailer. He is also going to be the guy who builds my engine test stand.

Engine test stand you say! You betcha! I am going to be installing a newly developed dual Engine Control Module in my airplane and I am not going to be testing it in the air. We are going to put some hours on this system to ensure that all of the parameters are set correctly. As well, we are going to get the gearbox installed and put some load on the engine.

I am going to do this by designing the engine test stand to be mounted in my trailer such that the prop has sufficient ground clearance to be run with the engine. We will attach the test stand with bolts to the frame of the trailer and then hook the trailer to the van. I will also put in some stakes and tie the trailer down to them to keep it from hopping around.

I have decided to emulate the aircraft forward of the firewall as closely as possible so that the components used in the test stand will be able to be transferred directly to the aircraft. I purchased the steel for the engine mount yesterday and have begun the process of measuring the mount in my plane so that we can approximate it in the test stand.

I’ll give you more as I get it done and in the mean time I will keep on with the posts describing the work I have already completed.

Dave