You tube

[Neil Spooner]

Hi Guys,

Just posted a video on You Tube........just type in Tipsy Nipper G-ONCS.

Hope you enjoy.......just waiting for the paperwork to release G-ONCS to flight.

Neil

[Pat Blenkinsopp]

neil,
This is brilliant news. I read the various accounts of your "oops" and can I publically state that I am suitably impressed by the honesty and clarity of your input. It made me think long and hard about what we do in our Nippers and I for one am damn pleased I did the AOPA aeros course.
I dont think I would have kept my cool the way you did, especially when the donk stopped !!!I must admit as a result of reading the report I have bought a parachute and will use it every time I fly as every time I fly I do aeros. My long time friend Dave Southwood (Cheif instrctor on jets at ETPS Bocombe Downe and all round AMAZING pilot )said to me the other day he would not do any form of spinning without one. This is not intendeed as a critiscim or a rant but lateral thinking and elimination any variable that we have control over.

Anyway... glad it is all comming together and you will SOON b back in the air.

Update on ASXI: did engine runs on Sunday, : engine SWEET but Tacho and CHT not working. I think it is sender probs in both cases I have ordered bits to rectify (my groaning Visa !!!). Aprt from that just minor stuff to complete and I think I will do the permit test flight in a max of two weeks time. She looks amazing in her new colour scheme of Light burgandy and light creame. I am very pleased with the out come. Rose even got involved with making me some custom covers which cannot be bad.... wife taking an interest...shock horror Blimey,. I must be doing somthing right.

I will post the photos of the champagne ..champgen champain ...Fizzy boose post successful test flight. (its in the bag...cockey or what !!!)

Thanks again for all your input. It is because of blokes like you that our little Nippers (cartoon aeroplanes) are so popular

kind regards,

PatASXI

[Neil Spooner]

Hi Pat,

Thanks for the kind words.

On the subject of parachutes, I do not have the space either size-wise or weight-wise to carry one, or else believe me there would be one nailed to my back.

I have done much research on spinning both flat and normal erect, and intend to do a talk on the subject when other committments allow. Did you know that the pilot who was going to provide the flat spin footage from an aircraft for Top Gun died in doing so. He was a very experienced aerobatic pilot flying a Pitts S2, he spun in all the way in an inverted flat spin, his body or the aircraft were never recovered as he was over the sea. Art Scholl was his name which appears as the last line in the credits, but does not state why.

I did a load test on the wing to 5.2g. That was in addition to doing a flex/load test fore-and-aft to measure the deflection of the spar for a given load. Both gave satisfactory results, so am completely confident the spar is undamaged. A new leading edge, rear false spar and trailing edge were fitted.

I have an idea for fitting a decompressor to the engine, but have as yet to approach the LAA about it. A decompressor would allow the engine to spin up to do a restart for us VW owners. The mod' would only require the replacement of the rocker covers and the exhaust valve adjuster nuts.

Well done on ASXI, look forward to meeting up again.

Take care and all the best,

Neil

[Pat Blenkinsopp]

Greetings Neil,

Art Scholl was the guy who used to display the Lycomming engined Super Chipmunk. Do you remember Goldberg (US kit manufaturer) used to do a very nice traditional build kit of this aeroplane. He was 1974 US national aerobatic champion. Yes he was the one flying the pitts during Top Gun.

All the best,

Pat

[G-ARBG]

Neil,
Speaking to Derek Piggott on the phone today I raised the question of air starting the Nipper which he recalled doing repeatedly when testing them at Slingsbys'. He said that diving to 110/120mph was sufficient speed to restart the engine, an exercise which he repeated as many as six times in one flight. (usually over the airfield he added). All Nippers in those days were fitted with the Rollason Ardem of 1500cc or 1600cc turning a Horden Richmond propeller Z 3405 4'9ins x 2'3.5ins and which I think, being composite and having a metal leading edge protective strip, was considerably more robust and heavier than those we see today (other than the Hoffman version). I often wonder whether the lightweight propellers we fit today are an advantage or not?

Derek also remembers testing the version of the NIpper to which had been fitted a sliding canopy which when open upset the aircraft's stability. This led to the idea being rejected.

david G-ARBG

[Neil Spooner]

Hi David,

Thanks for that info', I have not tried airstarting mine, I have an 1834cc VW, so with the larger capacity may not turn over. The decompressor would allow the engine to turn over by lifting the exhaust valves, and I think may even start with the ex' valves lifted, especially as mine is fitted with the Leburg system. Diving to achieve an airstart speed is fine if you have the altitude to attempt it!!

Neil