Whew! Until yesterday, when I sat down to write this, I had not realized that the last time I blogged about building my Bede BD-4C airplane was way back on September 5 (Roof Ribs) and the only time that I wrote about the wiring was on August 30 (Airplane Wiring Diagrams). I have actually been working […]
Our Shared World in Six Words
It has been more than five years since I last published a six word story. The format appeals to the impatient child within me, the little guy who rolls his eyes and wishes the writer would get to the point already!
Transgender in the Bathroom
This week included a watershed day for me: the first time that I knowingly used the men’s room with a transgender man. I followed a trans man into the bathroom and guess what happened: Nothing special. I used the urinal. He used a stall. I left. He left later (I presume, since I have seen […]
Kinder, Gentler Lending
How many times have Bible-thumpers beaten you over the head with some harsh gotta-do-it commandment? When did you last look at something in our society and think, “That’s downright mean. Isn’t there a nicer way?” Sometimes we can find a kinder, gentler way, by choosing kinder, gentler portions of the Bible. Just as an example, let’s try […]
Roof Ribs
Try saying “roof ribs” three times fast. I’ll wait. Very good! You did better than most people. I am impressed and you have earned the privilege of reading the rest of this blog post on building the roof ribs for my Bede BD-4C airplane. 🙂 The roof of the Bede BD-4C is a large rectangle […]
Airplane Wiring Diagrams
A couple of weeks ago, I started to crimp a FASTON receptacle onto a wire for my Bede BD-4C airplane when I stopped just in time, realizing that I was about to build a wire which could have connected something directly to the fuse… almost forgetting that I needed a switch, too. That made me […]
Chai Tea Recipe
Mmmm mmmm good! I just brewed my first batch of made-from-scratch chai tea. Here is my recipe: 2-3 green cardamom pods 1 inch cinnamon stick 1 piece star anise 3 peppercorns 3 whole cloves 1/4 tsp coriander seeds 1/4 tsp fennel seeds 2-3 thin slices ginger root 3/4 cup water Combine the dry ingredients in […]
Binder Park Zoo
I visited the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, MI this week. Beautiful zoo! More like a stroll in the park, with animals thrown in for a bonus, than a “traditional” zoo. The big bonus for me, though, was getting to feed a giraffe. 😀 I took a few photos (of course). Here is a […]
My Brother Died, a Year Ago Today
A year ago, my brother, Norman Robertson, died. I was so f—ing angry for so f—ing long that… that… that I still don’t have words. Norman should have. Norman shouldn’t have. It was all his fault. Still is. You see that, don’t you? Thankfully, I am finally done with my anger even though my heart pounds as I […]
How to Make an Aluminum Airplane Part
More than anything else, when people hear that I am building an airplane they tell me that they are sure it is too difficult for them. It’s not; I promise. Anyone can build an airplane. Here’s proof.
Physical & Electrical Considerations when Mounting Avionics
When I last wrote about Mounting MGL Avionics Sensors in a BD-4C, I had built shelves in my Bede BD-4C airplane for the magnetometer and AHRS boxes. These shelves were close to finished but not quite right. Neither one could keep the boxes from sliding forward and backward. Worse, the AHRS shelf was too short; […]
Mounting MGL Avionics Sensors in a BD-4C
My latest projects on my Bede BD-4C airplane were mounting a pair of MGL Avionics sensors: the SP-6 Magnetometer (electronic compass) and the SP-7 Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS). These two little boxes, just six ounces apiece, can sense the airplane’s magnetic heading and attitude, all with no moving parts. Quoting from MGL Avionics’ website, […]
Final MGL Autopilot Servo Installation in Bede BD-4C Airplane
Finally! My MGL autopilot servos are permanently installed in my Bede BD-4C airplane. In my last post, Mounting Autopilot Servos in the BD-4C (Really), I included photos of the roll servo, mounted underneath the right rear passenger’s knee. The pitch servo is aft of the baggage compartment and connected to the middle of the push-pull […]
Saving Our Planet Earth, One Lazy Step at a Time
I like to think of myself as an ecologically concerned citizen but, to tell the truth, I’m too lazy to do it “right.” I don’t compost (and I don’t garden). I didn’t recycle until it was convenient. I should probably be more focused on eating locally grown food and fewer high carbon footprint animals. But […]
Kids and Parrots: More Fun than a Barrel of Monkeys
Here is Robin Hood, playing “catch” with our grandsons, Caedmon and Silas.
Shabbat Service with Nefesh Mountain
Who would have thought that you could blend bluegrass music and a Jewish soul to create an incredible Friday night sabbath service? Nefesh Mountain can, and did, at United Hebrew Congregation. Check out the video below.
Mounting Autopilot Servos in the BD-4C (Really)
If you have been following along, you know that I have spent the last couple of weeks tossing ideas around, and getting lots of suggestions, for how to mount autopilot servos in my Bede BD-4C airplane. This is the fourth in my series of blog posts on the subject and, I am happy to say, […]
Autopilot Rudder Servo First Test
I have been a little bit concerned that there might not be quite enough space inside the main landing gear box of my Bede BD-4C airplane for the MGL autopilot servos. Physically, the box is clearly wide enough for the MGL servos; you can see that in the photos in Mounting Autopilot Servos in the BD-4C. […]
Thinking about Mounting Autopilot Servos in the BD-4C
I got lots of helpful responses to Planning BD-4C Autopilot Servo Installation and have decided to attach the autopilot servos in my Bede BD-4C airplane to the horizontal stabilator and to the rudder. Over the years, many people have experimented with autopilots in BD-4s and controlling the rudder seems to work better than controlling the aileron.
Planning a BD-4C Autopilot Servo Installation
I need your help. I am beginning to plan the autopilot for my Bede BD-4C airplane. I selected an MGL Avionics iEFIS for my glass cockpit and, as with many EFIS systems these days, the autopilot software is built-in. I need only add a pair of autopilot servos to have a fully functional 2-axis autopilot […]
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