RE: BYRON AT-6...Building Tips and Tricks
With the Byron kit, I like their "Custom Straight Mount". This mount is basically an aluminum tube with a flat plate on one end that the engine (a G-62 w/ B&B cup mount) mounts to. You can get them either predrilled for the G62 cup mount, or with an undrilled plate on the end. The tube is attached to the 2 forward bulkheads with radial clamps and phenolic spacers--the drill patterns for the clamps are already stamped into the bulkhead pieces in the kit. You then use the scale in cowl muffler which directs exhaust out the scale location with no ugly holes in the cowl. In the instruction manual, there is a section on setting up the bulkheads for a G-62. You have to move them slightly from the standard position to accomodate the longer engine--it's all detailed in the instruction book. Another option is their Purr Powr muffler mount which mounts in the same way as the straight mount, but the mount doubles as a tuned muffler that exhausts straight down out of the belly through the lower scoop. This is a great setup that sounds cool, but I prefer the scale muffler myself. Iron Bay carries the G-62 Purr Powr setup and I believe they still have them in stock, but they are out of stock on the straight mount as of yesterday. They told me the other day that it would be quite some time before they have more in stock unfortunately.
I'm going to set up my next one with the straight mount and scale muffler. I've got a G-62 w/ CH ignition so I won't have to screw around with a spring starter or hand propping. Another thing to keep in mind is don't worry about weight on this plane. I've seen them from 28-36 lbs and they all flew pretty much the same. That big wing can take a lot of weight and the plane flies great no matter what--just make sure to build it with the 3 flap panels!