As for your last paragraph, I'm just trying to spare all the builders some
of the grief and downfalls I have seen over the last 9+ years of "playing"
with these aluminum "toys". They say you don't live long enough to make all
the mistakes yourself, so learn from others! I've made LOTS and I'm willing
to admit it!
I don't want to get into the "Chicken or the Egg" thing with MAM, as I have
a pretty good working relationship going with certain individuals at Murphy
and want to keep that two way street open! I don't get any official
"endorsement" from MAM for spending countless hours on this mail list
supporting this aircraft, and inturn freeing up MAM's tech guys to do R&D
etc (Darryl won't even give me a web link to help sell flying Rebels and, as
a fellow business man myself, I fully understand why and don't have a
problem with that!). If I thought there was a better "utility" kit plane to
own, that was available on the open market, I would be gone! There isn't one
out there in my mind and may well never will be, so I'm here for the long
haul (well this week anyway!!!)!
:o)I will offer that I did try to get the factory (THROUGH TECH GUYS THAT ARE
NO LONGER THERE!) to reinforce the Fus-9 to door post junction (where the
"float fix" gusset now goes) in the winter of 1996 after I busted up my
personal Rebel on skis. The firewall "plates" I did in the fall of 1996
while building a new cabin section for Howard after his prop strike buckled
all 4 mount locations, with a 1/2" joggle, on the last windmill of the prop
after the mixture had been pulled. The "float fix" bulletin didn't come out
until August of 1998 after they busted up the Elite and Les busted his Rebel
in front of the world at Oshkosh. This first hand knowledge for MAM produced
the bulletin upon arrival back at the factory that year, as they now knew it
wasn't just an isolated case of mine from poor piloting.
The Rebel is a GREAT little aircraft that with great respect to Darryl has
gone through some growing pains, that weren't his "choice", to get to where
we are now. First it took some pressure to get from Rotax 912 power to
having a mount available for the O-235 Lycoming. Now that the mount for a
Lycoming was available, next of course the "Texan" came out in a few
individuals that wanted 150 H.P. Then of course 160 H.P. out of similar
O-320's and I have heard of a few that are really pushing their luck with
180/200 H.P. O-360's in a base Rebel and they haven't even reinforced the
firewall, done any of the "float fix" bulletins etc and wonder why they keep
loosing rivets!
IMHO the factory hasn't kept a prototype aircraft around long enough, or
treated them as "bad" as some I've had go through the shop, to see a lot of
the areas we are now upgrading get deformed, etc, to offer the SUGGESTIONS I
have as to how to make the Rebel a little "better". Brian Godden is a great
asset at MAM as he was as prolific as me, on the other side of the world,
with these airplanes and had seen some of the things I have suggested that
needed upgrading. That is the reason the tail post update was issued in a
timely manner (2 days!) when suggested by myself, as Brian had seen this
before and it was an easy "sell" to Darryl. At this time I must say to
REMEMBER that the factory has last say in any modifications/upgrades etc
that you may want to do to your Rebel/Elite/SR and if you choose to follow
my suggestions you do so "at your own risk".
Best Regards to all,
Wayne G. O'Shea
www.irishfield.on.ca
----- Original Message -----
From: <Legeorgen@cs.com>
To: <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2002 9:32 PM
Subject: Re: MAM SITE - Spring Gear Reinforce, etc.
UnfortunatelyWayne,
I hear you when you say the spring gear is not your favorite.
1994when I picked up this Rebel the spring gear was already installed (with
onlyinstallation instructions). In the 1994 installation the crush tube is
thedrilled through the bottom of fus 5. And the .063 plates on top (inside
offuselage) where originally sent out only 35 3/4" wide so they where short
tothe outside saddle bolts. Yes! This was in the original spring gear
installation kit. I'm guessing the plates were short of the saddle bolts
takemake it an easier retrofit on existing Rebels, so one would not have to
Kenout the inside floor corner raps.
The CD 2001 manual I purchased last year, when I bought this project from
theHazlet, shows the crush tube drilled through BOTH walls of the fus 5. And
fuselage.063 top plates 43 1/2" wide so as to include the outside saddle bolts.
The latest and greatest from MAM now says only drill the top wall of
the5. And add the reinforcing angles.
So this leaves me with the worst of both worlds. I have spring gear with
platescrush tube drilled through the bottom of fuselage 5. And the top .063
plate(SG 14 and 8, I think) short of the saddle bolts. I have added the 3/16
plates you suggested last year but this only brings the top of the 3/16
uslevel with the .063 plates that are short.
I think I will add the 2x2 angle MAM now suggest on top of the 3/16 plates
and call it good. Let me know if you think this will not be adequate. Like
you said, I would rather replace the fuselage 5 than have to fix the door
post bulkhead, if it ever came to that.
Wayne, I can't tell you enough how much of an asset you are to the rest of
personalbuilders. Bob P too! Also, Mike and the rest of you contributers/builders.
Since I have been on this list I have seen MAM adopt two of Wayne's
**fix's. The tail post and spring gear plates. Maybe more. Was the float and
firewall fix's originally yours too?
Bruce G 357R
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