A little of what I’ve been up to...

[JeepcoMJ]

[JeepcoMJ]

So, a coworker and I bought this 1956 G35 bonanza and are bringing it back to life.  It’s been indoors for the last 19 years, and is ready for some serious work.

 

it took a lot of time to get it mechanically sound enough to ferry from its old base 45 minutes away to our home base at KBUU, and a lot of help, but yesterday was it’s maiden voyage for its first ferry flight since 2007, and before that it hadn’t flown since 1999.

 

it was a great day yesterday!  Now, it’s time to sink some $ in her.  Thankfully, I am the labor, and can be bought with food.

[cruiser54]

wow!! What a project!!!

[JeepcoMJ]

Just wait.  The panel is easy.  It didn’t have one, we did the easiest thing we could to get it home.  It will be all digital with very few analog gauges when we are done.

 

The main thing is to completely rebuild the landing gear and repaint the gear wells.  Update to late model brakes, add copilot brakes, convert from generator to alternator, replace an aileron, and have the interior redone.

 

In doing the new instruments, we are also converting to LED lighting all around, and replacing the ships harness, fuel bladders, and installing new digital fuel probes to run the primary replacement engine monitor that will be replacing the analog gauges.

 

It will be a good project.  And, what better to get certified in than something you’ve poured blood, sweat, and tears into?

[HOrnbrod]

Nice Bonanza.  

[JeepcoMJ]

9 hours ago, HOrnbrod said:

Nice Bonanza.  

Thanks,

 

It's a 1956 G35.  E-225-8 engine, fresh rebuild on pressure carb, with a B215 prop.

 

Big plans.

 

We are returning her to service after 19 years of sitting inside.

 

1300 hrs on engine, technically.  However, it has only 349 hrs on the engine after a complete disassembly and repair as necessary, which included everything but case bolts.  Had they done case bolts, it would have been a certified overhaul.  Engine came out of a gear-up g35.  PO had it rebuilt and swapped when he returned her to service after 7 years of sitting in 1997

 

At that time, he removed the cracked Deshannon tip tanks and installed standard wingtips.  He also had it painted, and had a speed slope 1 piece windshield installed.  In 1999, he brought it in for a panel upgrade, and lost $ and interest after they had already cut out most of the panel structure and removed all instruments.

 

So, there it has sat for the past 19 years, with multiple ferry flights in the meantime (3, we think...two were not recorded on flightaware but are in the books)

 

Plans are:

 

Remove and overhaul landing gear, gear door linkages.  Strip and paint landing gear bays and gear.  Replace gear motor, upgrade brakes and wheels to Cleveland, and overhaul/service gear box.  Then re-rig IAW Beech instructions with new main landing gear cable.

 

Remove ALL ship's wiring.

 

Install Whelen L.E.D. position, strobe, tail marker, and landing lights...along with a nose gear mounted incandescent landing light for cold weather/snow condition landings.

 

Install:

Aspen EFD1000 

Install the awaited Aspen certified backup when it comes out soon

Avidyne IFD540 nav/com

L3 Lynx transponder (ADS-B in/out plus Mode C and S xpdr display)

PMA450B audio panel

Future plans for IFD440 for nav/com2, will use SL-30 in the meantime

EDM 900 certified primary replacement engine monitor with digital fuel sending units

Dual yoke with clock

Co-pilot brakes (mechanism in place, missing master cylinders)

Custom panel

Late model pilot and co-pilot seats

Shoulder harness kit for pilot and co-pilot

Aileron/flap gap seals

Vortex generator kit

Osbourne 20 gallon tip tanks (at a later date)

The removed wiring will be replaced as the project goes on, since much of this equipment removes the need for the original wiring as is.

 

There are 4 of us involved in the plane.  it isn't going to be cheap to do, but spreading the load will help out alot

[HOrnbrod]

Sounds great Pat, and will be a great investment. Always loved the "V" tails. I got the chance to fly/land one a few times many years ago when I worked at the Ft. Eustis (aka known as Ft. Useless) Flying Club in VA for flight time. It seemed kind of squirrelly to me, but I was used to driving the bus-like high wing C-172's and 150's. I was a crappy pilot too.  

[JeepcoMJ]

1 hour ago, HOrnbrod said:

Sounds great Pat, and will be a great investment. Always loved the "V" tails. I got the chance to fly/land one a few times many years ago when I worked at the Ft. Eustis (aka known as Ft. Useless) Flying Club in VA for flight time. It seemed kind of squirrelly to me, but I was used to driving the bus-like high wing C-172's and 150's. I was a crappy pilot too.  

 

They like a light hand at the yoke, that's for sure.  I'm told that the s-tec 3100 autopilot we are installing has a digital yaw damper that will take away the tail slight, but manual flight needs some light pressure on the foot pedals at all times to keep them from wiggling at the tail.

 

We will see.  I'm no pilot.  That's the  point of building my own plane...it will benefit me more than renting one to get licensed in.