Lloyd
Posts: 31
Joined: 3/8/2002
From: Milpitas,
CA, USA
Status: offline
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I just read all the posts in this entire thread. And feel compelled to recount my encounter with an Andrews Aeromaster Too. Not all of these fly well.
Set the wayback machine to 1978. Me, flying pattern contests and doing fairly well. These were the old ballistic pattern events. However, I had several sport planes as well and flew the wings off an old Alley Kat and put on exhibitions that other flyers commented were "thrilling" to watch.
Anyway, I got the biplane bug and started investigating which to get. Just about everybody said the Aeromaster was one to have. But, I never got to fly one for one reason or another. Then I got wind of a completed one available to purchase. It had the double swept wings. T'weren't cheap, though. 250 1978 dollars was a LARGE dent in my wallet at that time. This was an era before ARFs and I usually built all my planes and they came out light. This plane LOOKED very nice and appeared to be a good quality assembly. I had seen this guy fly an ugly stick at our field. And, between crashes, it was clear that this plane could easily be beyond his current abilities He, and others, were certain I would thoroughly enjoy this plane. The weight was "only 10 pounds". And, the balistic pattern planes of the era all weighed at least that, what with retracts, pipes, and what not, and often much more. Here is where the "what you don't know can hurt you" phrase applies. No weight specs on the plans. And, a much better saleman than informed purchaser.
Okay, purchase made, radio and engine installation complete, K&B pumped .61 installed (came off my trainer Ugly stick). In retrospect, it was a phenomenally good decision to put a known reliable engine on this plane.
A note about my tail dragger experience at that time. Only one other plane, a profile Messersmit Me 109 (a $15 ARC Kit). This was an extremely docile airplane leaving me to wonder why anyone would have difficulty converting trike to a taildragger. However, on the third flight of the ME, the elevator hinges all separated. T'was a lot fun 'til then.
Oh my, a 10 pound Aeromaster is a frighting handfull on takeoff. And, I soon learned that brown pants were highly recommended attire. If you could get it airborne it was a fairly nice performer, provide you kept the throttle above the halfway position. Figuring out which way the airplane was going to go at the top of a loop was always a challenge. Recovery proceedures were quickly learned that elevator would NOT save the airplane, only airspeed would help in that regard. No, this was definately not a pattern ship. It was a good thing that I had learned with a previous plane to fly a plane with speed all the way to the runway before the throttle could be brought down. And, good lord, stay off the rudder when only the mains were on the ground, or prepare to have everyone run from the runway edge.
Okay, the wings weren't balanced. Added some nails to the light wing side. Now, if the loops were small enough (but not so small as to cause a snap) it would go over the top without random direction changes. Cool. In an effort to limit the agony of take off, more power was an attempted fix. So, a Rossi 60 with a tuned pipe was installed from one of my pattern planes. Takeoff roll now half of what it was, but still a "puckering" experience. And, after each flight I was wondering when the airplane would be fun to fly instead of intense concentration and limited predicabity of it's omnidirectional ground qualities. (yes, I adjusted the wheel tow correctly) After, 25 flights, I hung it up as a VERY attactive ornament, while there was still an entire, intact, airplane to display. All offers to buy it were retracted when I honestly told them of it's flight characteristics. Okay, nevermind.
Okay, so why was this airplane a disappointment. I have to think a major contributor was its portly nature as I checked all incidences and alignments repeatedly, and with help when I thought I was overlooking something. The airframe had been glassed, epoxied, primered, painted, painted, painted, painted, and trimmed. Such paint belongs on a car, NOT an airplane. The tail surfaces were so heavy, 4-5 inches of lead bar solder were added up front to put the CG at plan.
About 5 years ago, I got the biplane bug again and decided it couldn't have been as bad as I remembered. Well, I was wrong, and my reflexes aren't what they were in 78 either. Cartwheeled the plane twice on a takeoff attempts. Repair not difficult. Aparently a lead airplane doesn't damage that easily. Then it did it again upon landing it after the third flight. "What was that?" ...was all I could say in disbelief. It happened so fast, I can't even do a mental replay of what went wrong. But, there's a wing over here and a wing over there and the fuse has the wheels in the air. Okay, surprising little damage, actually. Perhaps there is more glue than balsa in this plane hidden under all that paint. I fixed it again and it now hangs as an ornament and will continue to do so until someone removes all the covering and about 4-5 lbs of very pretty, but deadly finish.
No, I don't hate all Andrews Aeromasters... just this one. I bought plans off ebay to scratch build one a couple years ago Turns out to be the great planes version. But, the time hasn't come yet. I even bought a big round fiberglas cowl to put on it with the big bumps like a Jungmeister. Then, a few months ago I found an original kit at an estate sale for $30. And now, all that pretty paint on Mr. portly is beginning to crack and peel.
Anybody, know how to remove K&B superpoxy (thick), and epoxy glass finish without destroying the airframe balsa? Easily, of course.
Cheers,
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RE: Lou Andrews aeromaster bipe ..Any info ?? - 
