New(ish) Member

[lenormsby]

Hi chaps,

I have been lurking here for about 6 months, in anticipation of actually buying a Commander.

Well, I've gone & done it. I am the proud new owner of D-ELCH, a 114B, serial number 14566 with an upgraded panel carrying a GTN-650, Aspen 1000 Pro, Aera 795, KFC 200 autopilot with altitude hold and an EDM900, oh, and a 25 year old engine!

I've been in a group at Blackbushe (EGLK) flying a Fuji FA-200-180 for about 5 years though I've only got about 350 hours. Blasted thing is always booked, though I don't suppose I'll be able to use that excuse any more though I'm staying in the group.

Looking forward to the learning curve, I've got about 7 hours in it so far and it flies beautifully. It's going to live in Goodwood in the UK (EGHR) in a Hangar, once I get it over from Slovenia where it's stuck while the previous owner sorts out a fault in the electric trim system.

Here's to many adventures in what Lorraine, my better (and very undersdtanding) half calls Elkie

Len Ormsby

 

[nruzic]

Re: New(ish) Member

Welcome aCOGboard Len.
You should be able to pull the circuit breaker for the electric trip and fly it to England with the manual trim wheel and be legal.

PS Our sympathies to all the British Commandrades for the terrible London attack, we sympathize and are sure the British people will handle this with spirited fortitude.

 

[ksandrew]

Re: New(ish) Member

Len,

welcome to the group. With the "D" registration does it have that great big exhaust muffler hanging under the lower cowling??????

Life is a barrel of fun

 

[N4843W]

Re: New(ish) Member

Welcome, Len! Let's all do a fly-out to see Len once he is settled into his new digs!

 

[Jamesdub]

Re: New(ish) Member

Welcome, Len! Let's all do a fly-out to see Len once he is settled into his new digs!

I'm in (with my raft) but how do we get home???

 

[gmores]

Re: New(ish) Member

Welcome Len!

 

[lenormsby]

Re: New(ish) Member

Trim is sorted, the ex owner is very keen to hand the plane over in th best condition he can. After I had agrred to buy it as seen, he noticed the trim was intermittent and replaced the yoke switches and a relay without effect. Turned out to be a blown transistor in the Servo, apparently. Off to collect it next week.

I wasn't bothered about flying back without the electric trim, or indeed the AP. Just taking advantage of the poor weather to get the last thing buttoned up.

Yes, it does have a huge muffler (Silencer in the UK) I'm told it and the noise certificate can get me a discount on landing fees in Germany.

I'll nip out into the garden and prepare a landing strip for when you all pitch up

 

[barrett2]

Re: New(ish) Member

Welcome Len, my '93 114B flew out of the factory 10 planes after yours. You will enjoy it, and your location provides you with many locations to enjoy a $100Euro pub burger, $100euro danish, or $100Euro Bratwurst. Have fun, I am jealous.

 

[RNC]

Re: New(ish) Member

Len, I'm not sure if you've noticed but Honeywell is about to do a big ole money grab at the expense of everyone who has any King avionics.

They are going to stop people from doing field overhauls and force them to get swaps from the factory. Autopilots will be particularly affected, and autopilots in Europe doubly so since you have to pay customs duties.

If I were you I would take a look through the logs and if there are any other servos that could be worked on, do it now. The same would go for checking the head unit out while a field service shop that will do that for a few hundred can do so.

One of your countrymen, Peter Holt that administers the EuroGA forum, is very knowledgable about KFC systems if yours needs any more work.