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Firestar

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williamtsullivan(at)att.n
Guest

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:05 am Post subject: Firestar

My wife and I finally took delivery last week of a used Firestar. I am going t need all the advice everyone can feed me, as to how to go about various repairs and prep work until I am satisfied with it's condition. I purchased it from a man out on Long Island, N.Y., and he delivered it to my house in Windsor Locks, Ct. He used fly it until he got a Buccaneer. Just prior to the sale beling completed, the tie down rope broke in a storm, and damaged the wings. A nice set of new wings were acquired, and both sets came with it. During shipment, a couple of holes were put in the new wings. There are also a couple of hanger rash type spots. Except for the holes, the plane would be flyable, but a little on the rough side.

    The plane has a 447 with points (I'm told) and a two blade Warp Drive prop. Streamlined struts and round struts came with it. Engine starts on the third pull, and sounds good.

    For the benefit of lurkers and new  buyers of used Kolbs, Ellery thought it would be a good idea to put everything on the List. 

    I could not find a serial number on the cage tube, or a tag. The LG struts are the smaller diameter type, and the original wings (and the new ones) are the five rib type. Kolb estimated that it is probably early 90's. There is an ID plate on the engine, and it appears to have a "B" gearbox. I was told there is about 200 hours on it. No Hobbs meter. 

    Too cold to work on it, so it is tarped up in the yard with the wings off and covered. Right now I'm going to order what I can see- tires, exhaust springs, and whatever I can easily identify. I am going to see if the former owner knows who the original owner is. No manuals or records came with it. The owner was kind of casual about it. Any comments at all would be a big help. They delivered price was $5,100.

                                                     Thanks

                                                            Bill Sullivan

 [quote][b]

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The BaronVonEvil

Joined: 23 Jun 2006
Posts: 76
Location: Walla Walla, WA.

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:39 am Post subject: Re: Firestar

Hi William,



Congratulations on getting a Firestar. They are great flyers and a whole lot of fun.



With the way you described your plane it sounds like you will have a bit of work to do before it is safe to fly. Did it come with an "N" number and airworthiness certificate ?



If Yes you are set. If No then my first suggestion is to weigh the plane immediately to see if it falls within the limitations of ultralight operation, I.E. 254lbs maximum weight is usually the most critical of the limitations.



If the plane exceeds this weight buy allot (Say 20 lbs. or more) you will need to find out why fast.  If there is some widget on the plane not necessary for flight that can be removed easily to get you under the weight limit you may be okay.



If there is no obvious accessory or part to be removed, and it is way over weight you will have to move quickly if you want  to get it registered as an Experimental Light Sport Aircraft with the FAA. 



The Expiration Date for this process is January 31, 2008!



I would highly recommend that you initiate the registration process as soon as possible to cover your bases. 



Good luck with your Firestar



Carlos G

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williamtsullivan(at)att.n
Guest

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:36 am Post subject: Firestar

My wife reads this, so before I get in trouble- she is only 35 pounds heavier than me. I had to say that so I can live to finish the Kolb.

    Regarding the difference between English regulations and American regulations- we have a slightly different attitude towards government here- check King George III's notes on that. No offence, but we just think like that and it works.

                                               Bill Sullivan, hoping to be still here after the wife reads this.

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Steve Boetto

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 364

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:05 am Post subject: Firestar

William,  Have her read Jet Pilot's post on the insignificance of 15  pounds and see if that helps you out. (-:

  

 Steve

 do not archive

  

  

  

  

  

  In a message dated 1/29/2008 8:37:07 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  williamtsullivan(at)att.net writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  My wife    reads this, so before I get in trouble- she is only 35 pounds heavier than me.    I had to say that so I can live to finish the  Kolb. 	




Start the year off right.  Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year. 

  [quote][b]

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pj.ladd(at)btinternet.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:45 am Post subject: Firestar

check King George III's notes on that.  >>

  

 Hi Bill,

  

 I liked that.

 We do have a different attitude here than in the  US. Long may it continue, for both of us.  To some extent I think it is a  function of the size of the US. There are lots of places in the States where I  am sure you could get away with minor infrigments of regulaions all your life.  We are just too small for that to work. Unfortunately the more people that exist  in a confined space the more regulation it takes to co exist.

 We have just introduced a virtual regulation free  category for a/c weighing less than 115Kg which is rather like your ultralight  rules and it will be interesting to see what that produces. Our `microlight`  category rules are stringently drawn where it matters, MTOW and stall speed  being paramount. The MTOW weight has been raised steadily as things have  progressed and we have moved closer to parity with the rest of Europe. It is  rather like yacht racing .If you want development in a certain directio then you  change the rules .By defining waterline length, the sail area, etc. This  approach has seen many microlights here with top speeds around and above 100 mph  with 2 up with a 11 litre per hour fuel burn,when crjuising.They still retain  the slow speed handling and stall characteristics which keep the planes within  the flying capabilities of the average low hours pilot.The new Dynamic has been  clocked at 120kt at 5500rpm and on properly calibrated runs at 131kt . Pretty  nifty.Mind you it is priced at £67,650 for the 912 version  plus £3000 for  the 912S ready to fly which is a bit salty for my taste.

  

 Bucking the system of course takes place with minor  things but it is not too difficult in the event of a crunch (Which WILL be  investigated) to calculate if you were overweight on take off. If you were. Your  insurance will be invalid on the plane, yourself, any 3rd party involved. So if  you go down in a field and kill somebodies Aberdeen Angus Prize Bull you, or  your widow,  will have a lot o money to find. 

 Cheers

  

 Pat

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williamtsullivan(at)att.n
Guest

Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:54 am Post subject: Firestar

Rick- When my 5" wheel is installed, I had about 1/8" clearance, after grinding some off the lower strut flange, installing the pivot bolt from the bottom up, and grinding the bolt head into a round head screw with a slot. I wonder if mine is really old, and they used a 4" or 4 1/2" wheel originally.

                               Bill

 [quote][b]

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