"Down Under" Rebel
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 5:39 pm
Dear fellow Rebel builders ;
G'day from the land of OZ (Australia)
Firstly ,..let me explain that I have only JUST realised that there was ANOTHER discussion group
regarding Rebel aircraft....this one ! (Murphy-Rebel@dcsol.com)
I am NO computer guru....I use it really only use it for e-mailing friends and fellow Rebel builders...
I don't as a rule, spend hours "surfing" and looking into every nook and cranny of web sites.....
(I don't have a lot of spare time between working long hours on a boat (my job) , working
a small business at home and building the plane).... but I just did , and found HEAPS of
information that I never knew existed !
I WISH I had been aware about the amount of information on tap a l...o...n....g time ago !
............(which is fool me for not exploring some sites fully at an earlier date).
I just scoured the Murphy home page (which has grown immensely since I last took a good look
at it), and found things like Wray Thompson's web site (which is excellent also) and found hundreds
of discussion papers on various Rebel problems, modifications and fixes.
(I have yet to find anything regarding a second skin / tailwrap reinforcement at the tailwheel
mount area though).
I recently wrote an article for the "Flying-Rebels" group outlining a "Main gear strut failure" on
Earl Leamans Rebel (which I had just read in the Rebel Rouser magazine , and my annoyance
that we, (the builders) , have to hear about "this kind of thing via the grapevine".....to which came
a VERY quick reply (which always makes me suspicious) from MAM through Grant McDaniel / Technical Support Department / Murphy Aircraft Manufacturing.
I've not conversed with Grant before.....G'day Grant !.....(I'm sure you'll read this letter as soon
as I post it to the group).....but let me state here and now for all to understand, that I'm a
"I wear my heart on my sleeve" kind of person.
If it needs to be said , I'll say it ! (hopefully I'll "say it" with as much of the facts in hand as I can ascertain before I open my mouth.....but some times that isn't always possible due to a lack of
"up front" information that some of us perceive existing.
I make no bones about the fact that I'm less than 100% happy with MAM's support of our building
project "way down here in the back of beyond" ....as are a number of fellow builders we have
spoken to. (I'd like to say thanks to Bob Patterson at this point for jumping in and being the
excellent help that he is to so many builders). Most staffers at MAM have been very helpful
(G'day Elaine), some have been fairly helpful most of the time and some have been "about
as useful as tits on a bull"...but they still have a LOT to learn if they are going to present to
the public a face that is 100% effective and "as good as it can be".....(assuming here that MAM actually HAS a Public Relations section).
I'm not going to get on a high horse in this column about my own personal disappointments
regarding MAM, but if anyone wants to write to me and discuss them....thats up to you.
My wife and I are still very happy with our choice of aircraft , the Rebel IS an excellent aircraft
and even Richard Van Grunsven (the designer of the RV series aircraft), has stated to our friend
Jon Johanson (remember the ozzie who flew around the world twice in a homebuilt RV4 a few years back), that "outside of an RV, the Rebel is the next best value for money on the market".....
Not bad praise from a guy who's designs have sold reportedly 7000 aircraft kits & plans !
I appreciate where Grant states that many of Alister Yeoman's problems stem from what most
would call unique and severe operating conditions....but we are not uneducated fools incapable
of discerning WHAT modifications are relevant to us in our particular application. All builders
should be made aware of modifications and WHY they were introduced....and be your own judge
as to their relevance in YOUR instance.
Such is the beauty of forums like this one and the internet....there are no secrets these days, so
why not be up front with everything. I'm sure most, if not all, would have greater respect for MAM
if this were the case.
I am STILL trying to find some way of contacting Earl Leaman so I can find out more details
regarding his main gear failure......anyone out there got an e-mail or snailmail (post) address
for Earl ??? or even a phone number !
Can anyone send me a diagram of WHAT and WHERE things let go !?
(And yes, I AM aware that his failure was due to a "hard" landing).
I also found a reply to my letter "Rebel Problems" from Ken Lehman....thanks Ken !
Ken states that MAM mailed him a "floatfix reinforcement" sheet which covered some
of the modifications I mentioned.......I'd like to state here that I, (and probably non of the other
Rebel builders here in Australia), received the same advice letter.
I also didn't receive any advice from MAM that the corner wraps from the door frame to the firewall
needed to be replaced with thicker ones (though in all fairness this modification might have been
standard practice by the time our kit (541R) was sent out !)....anyone out there know ?!?
I REALLY like Ken's idea or a "Checklist" printed and updated for all to see regarding
"fixes" and "updates" for the Rebel, so we can all be aware of possible improvements.
We tend to get very "left out in the rain" down here in Australia.....which may be in part due
to our last Rebel agent .....who has now sold out to a new agent Ted Seymour.
Ted has already chased up and rung every builder in Australia to ask where we were all up to in
construction and how he could possibly help......Now THERE'S a man with some business acumen !
On a different note : A few months ago, I posted a redesigned Flap Handle on the
"Flying Rebels" page....pictures and plan drawings.
I redesigned the handle to be a "pull down to get down" (flaps) TEE BAR arrangement ....
very comfortable and a more "natural" hand position. I don't think it made it to this forum.
Can anyone tell me if I can send picture attachments to "Murphy Rebels" forum for others to
peruse and comment on my modification ?
In closing .....I would like as many builders as possible to read this letter....BUT....I honestly
don't think it is in the true vein of the intention of the "Forum" and as such would like to see it removed from the list in say a month or so...
I don't know who does such things, but I trust someone will be able to oblige.
Thanks for your time
Rick & Wendy Harper
16 Tor rd, Dee Why,
N.S.W. 2099
Australia
rjwh@ozemail.com.au (rjwh@ozemail.com.au)
rjwh56@hotmail.com (rjwh56@hotmail.com)
Ph : 02 9971 7889
Mbl : 0416 041 007
Fax : 02 9938 1480
O'seas Ph : 612 9971 7889
O'seas Fax : 612 9938 1480
G'day from the land of OZ (Australia)
Firstly ,..let me explain that I have only JUST realised that there was ANOTHER discussion group
regarding Rebel aircraft....this one ! (Murphy-Rebel@dcsol.com)
I am NO computer guru....I use it really only use it for e-mailing friends and fellow Rebel builders...
I don't as a rule, spend hours "surfing" and looking into every nook and cranny of web sites.....
(I don't have a lot of spare time between working long hours on a boat (my job) , working
a small business at home and building the plane).... but I just did , and found HEAPS of
information that I never knew existed !
I WISH I had been aware about the amount of information on tap a l...o...n....g time ago !
............(which is fool me for not exploring some sites fully at an earlier date).
I just scoured the Murphy home page (which has grown immensely since I last took a good look
at it), and found things like Wray Thompson's web site (which is excellent also) and found hundreds
of discussion papers on various Rebel problems, modifications and fixes.
(I have yet to find anything regarding a second skin / tailwrap reinforcement at the tailwheel
mount area though).
I recently wrote an article for the "Flying-Rebels" group outlining a "Main gear strut failure" on
Earl Leamans Rebel (which I had just read in the Rebel Rouser magazine , and my annoyance
that we, (the builders) , have to hear about "this kind of thing via the grapevine".....to which came
a VERY quick reply (which always makes me suspicious) from MAM through Grant McDaniel / Technical Support Department / Murphy Aircraft Manufacturing.
I've not conversed with Grant before.....G'day Grant !.....(I'm sure you'll read this letter as soon
as I post it to the group).....but let me state here and now for all to understand, that I'm a
"I wear my heart on my sleeve" kind of person.
If it needs to be said , I'll say it ! (hopefully I'll "say it" with as much of the facts in hand as I can ascertain before I open my mouth.....but some times that isn't always possible due to a lack of
"up front" information that some of us perceive existing.
I make no bones about the fact that I'm less than 100% happy with MAM's support of our building
project "way down here in the back of beyond" ....as are a number of fellow builders we have
spoken to. (I'd like to say thanks to Bob Patterson at this point for jumping in and being the
excellent help that he is to so many builders). Most staffers at MAM have been very helpful
(G'day Elaine), some have been fairly helpful most of the time and some have been "about
as useful as tits on a bull"...but they still have a LOT to learn if they are going to present to
the public a face that is 100% effective and "as good as it can be".....(assuming here that MAM actually HAS a Public Relations section).
I'm not going to get on a high horse in this column about my own personal disappointments
regarding MAM, but if anyone wants to write to me and discuss them....thats up to you.
My wife and I are still very happy with our choice of aircraft , the Rebel IS an excellent aircraft
and even Richard Van Grunsven (the designer of the RV series aircraft), has stated to our friend
Jon Johanson (remember the ozzie who flew around the world twice in a homebuilt RV4 a few years back), that "outside of an RV, the Rebel is the next best value for money on the market".....
Not bad praise from a guy who's designs have sold reportedly 7000 aircraft kits & plans !
I appreciate where Grant states that many of Alister Yeoman's problems stem from what most
would call unique and severe operating conditions....but we are not uneducated fools incapable
of discerning WHAT modifications are relevant to us in our particular application. All builders
should be made aware of modifications and WHY they were introduced....and be your own judge
as to their relevance in YOUR instance.
Such is the beauty of forums like this one and the internet....there are no secrets these days, so
why not be up front with everything. I'm sure most, if not all, would have greater respect for MAM
if this were the case.
I am STILL trying to find some way of contacting Earl Leaman so I can find out more details
regarding his main gear failure......anyone out there got an e-mail or snailmail (post) address
for Earl ??? or even a phone number !
Can anyone send me a diagram of WHAT and WHERE things let go !?
(And yes, I AM aware that his failure was due to a "hard" landing).
I also found a reply to my letter "Rebel Problems" from Ken Lehman....thanks Ken !
Ken states that MAM mailed him a "floatfix reinforcement" sheet which covered some
of the modifications I mentioned.......I'd like to state here that I, (and probably non of the other
Rebel builders here in Australia), received the same advice letter.
I also didn't receive any advice from MAM that the corner wraps from the door frame to the firewall
needed to be replaced with thicker ones (though in all fairness this modification might have been
standard practice by the time our kit (541R) was sent out !)....anyone out there know ?!?
I REALLY like Ken's idea or a "Checklist" printed and updated for all to see regarding
"fixes" and "updates" for the Rebel, so we can all be aware of possible improvements.
We tend to get very "left out in the rain" down here in Australia.....which may be in part due
to our last Rebel agent .....who has now sold out to a new agent Ted Seymour.
Ted has already chased up and rung every builder in Australia to ask where we were all up to in
construction and how he could possibly help......Now THERE'S a man with some business acumen !
On a different note : A few months ago, I posted a redesigned Flap Handle on the
"Flying Rebels" page....pictures and plan drawings.
I redesigned the handle to be a "pull down to get down" (flaps) TEE BAR arrangement ....
very comfortable and a more "natural" hand position. I don't think it made it to this forum.
Can anyone tell me if I can send picture attachments to "Murphy Rebels" forum for others to
peruse and comment on my modification ?
In closing .....I would like as many builders as possible to read this letter....BUT....I honestly
don't think it is in the true vein of the intention of the "Forum" and as such would like to see it removed from the list in say a month or so...
I don't know who does such things, but I trust someone will be able to oblige.
Thanks for your time
Rick & Wendy Harper
16 Tor rd, Dee Why,
N.S.W. 2099
Australia
rjwh@ozemail.com.au (rjwh@ozemail.com.au)
rjwh56@hotmail.com (rjwh56@hotmail.com)
Ph : 02 9971 7889
Mbl : 0416 041 007
Fax : 02 9938 1480
O'seas Ph : 612 9971 7889
O'seas Fax : 612 9938 1480