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« Last post by SGFoster on July 14, 2026, 05:49:04 AM »
I realize this reply is over a year after the last reply, but I just wanted to add clarity based on what I recall when speaking with others on this topic and also speaking with Mr. Milholland in person. The following applies to those of us who downloaded the PDF plans. The WEB-## is not the serial number. Otherwise, many of us would have the same serial number. A good candidate for a serial number can be found on the email you received which contains the link to download the plans. On this email, you will see the order number next to the date that it was ordered. It will look like this: [Order #123] (January 1, 1900). Using this example, it would be 123. This order number is unique, so it would be a good candidate for a serial number. I've attached a copy of what I received but altered to match the example above. That being said, under 14 CFR Part 103, ultralight vehicles in the United States are not required to be registered or to bear any markings or serial numbers, so if you choose to use one at all, you are free to choose whatever you wish. Another method is to choose a number that represents the year, month, day, and time (down to the second) that you write it down. For example, I could use 260716075317 (July 16, 2026 at 7:53 and 17 seconds in the morning) as my serial number and it's highly unlikely (to the point of near impossibility) that someone will follow the same convention and pick the same exact point in time. And yes, I'm well aware that I am a nerd. My wife makes sure I know this on a daily basis. 
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« Last post by Brock on July 11, 2026, 07:12:26 AM »
Solution! My neighbor rolled over this relec of a brake yesterday. 48" wide, just as the half sheet of 016" I have. Hope to use it today, after some clean up.
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« Last post by BradW on July 11, 2026, 04:12:54 AM »
EDIT --- ( I just realized that the plywood strip is called for already, with the 1/4" reinforcing strips along the edges between ribs, so you really don't need to put the folds on the aluminum, unless you just want to eliminate the 1/4" strips. Or you could make the folded edge longer (to reach up to the 1/4" strip) and eliminate the plywood, too. This whole area has always been a little iffy to me.)
I would like to suggest that you just skip the folded edge altogether. You are only trying to close the empty space, and the fold complicates that and adds weight, expecially with the extra plywood strip. The 0.016 will likely be stiff enough once you roll it to do the job for the span between the ribs. You could try a short piece to see how stiff it is once you roll it. As long as you don't over-shrink the fabric it will probably be enough to give a good fabric edge. But maybe a little testing is required to see.
Or - if you think the fold is still needed for stiffness, you could also just fold a tab in between the ribs, instead of the whole length (not over the top of the ribs). Cut a space or gap of about a 1/2" to 3/4" wide out of the edge that will be folded, at each rib to clear the rib, and just fold the 13-14" tab over in between each to stiffen the edge. That way you can do one at a time by hand, bending them on a short piece of wood.
To fold a longer piece, you can get two long oak boards to clamp the sheet at several locations, and use a hammer to fold the edge. Takes a little more time, and a little finesse, but once you get the fold started it's easy to tweak it with seamers, or more hammer work. To fold more than 90 degrees, you can bevel the bottom clamp board as needed to get a deeper bend. Cutting this bevel on a table saw is pretty easy, then round the edge with a sander or hand plane. The aluminum will spring back some, but the idea is to get the fold done in a straight line, then you can fit it by hand.
One other idea. Make shorter pieces to fit your brake, and rivet them together at the ends.
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« Last post by Brock on July 10, 2026, 11:59:49 AM »
It has taken me quite a bit of thinking to decide what to do about the aileron cove. Here is what I've decided and a question too.
Really the pictures say more than I'll type. The .016" aluminum when wraped around a 1-5/8" pvc pipe springs out to about the right diameter. The 1mm x 1.5" ply will go on top of the aluminum to make things a bit smoother. I tried putting it under the aluminum but that didn't look very well. Also the bend in the aluminum edge will add structure to the ply on the trailing edge. The 1/4" square will add structure to the leading edge of the ply (held up just for the picture). I read that T88 will bond to properly prepared aluminum, so that is what I have planned.
Now for the question. My HF brake is only 36" long but the aluminum is 48" and I don't want to shorten it. So do any of you folks have any ingenious ways to make the bends in the second picture? I might be able to find and borrow a larger brake, looking into that.
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« Last post by rv7charlie on July 09, 2026, 07:34:14 PM »
Yeah, at one point we had three residents at our airpark and the guy who owns the land at one end, all working for the FSDO. All pretty laid back, but this isn't a public use airport.
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« Last post by BradW on July 09, 2026, 06:22:56 PM »
Yeah, well I don’t want to go there really, but there are other fairly obvious things, “if” the guy is looking for them.
This private airport (grass runway 2400’) where I live is open to the public, has an FBO with gas, had maintenance until the guy just retired, has a restaurant (is a destination), and as such has a *lot* of traffic from all over. The locals come out to go to the restaurant and watch airplanes do low passes. And the FSDO guys are all friends with all the airline pilots who live and play here. So they are around actually - you just never know. But then they don’t bust these guys for doing formation low passes (< 50AGL) in two Texans, pissing off all the neighbors with the noise, and the obvious aerobatic maneuvers as they pull up at the end, less than 200’ from all the people outside at the restaurant - so hey maybe they could care less about an ultralight, right?
But anyhow, as far as weight is concerned - I think a lot of people just don’t want to talk about it, and really don’t want to publicly go on record as to what their actual weights are. It’s “don’t ask - don’t tell”. But just having finished wing weights separate from the airframe, and fuselage weights after everything is welded up, stuff like that, would be a huge help. And engine weights are almost meaningless unless you weigh the entire installation, firewall forward, no prop - and nobody does that as far as I can see. Just build it and fly it is the attitude, I guess. But I would still like to see some info on those things.
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« Last post by rv7charlie on July 09, 2026, 06:20:24 PM »
Build partner is getting moderately close to motor mount construction for the Briggs 23 and the Ace drive is supposed to be here 'any day now'. So I'm contemplating which prop to buy. I know that Leonard flew with the Warp Drive and then the Culver. I know that Culver makes good props, but we'd really prefer a ground adjustable, to allow for future engine mods. Does anyone have experience with ground adjustables other than the Warp Drive? Not opposed to the Warp, but would prefer to look at options before committing.
Thanks!
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« Last post by rv7charlie on July 09, 2026, 05:56:55 PM »
At what airport would one be flying a true UL where the FAA is going to be hanging out? And do they come packing scales? Unless it's obviously overweight, or obviously has too much gas capacity, or has more than one seat, what is there to check other than weight? (Unless the pilot is doing something to attract serious attention, of course.)
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« Last post by BradW on July 09, 2026, 05:32:42 PM »
Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking - it probably depends on who you get. The FSDO’s surely vary across the country. Here it’s mostly airline pilots, so the FSDO is looking the other way for sure considering what these guys do on their days off around here.
But I guess my main concern is, how likely is it, really, to be ramp checked? I wonder how many people on this forum have ever actually had that experience with a Legal Eagle. Then it will depend on the guy you get as to whether he’s gonna be “by the book” or not. I mean, weight isn’t the only concern here. So if they are generally treating it all like the guy mentioned above who doesn’t even seem look at them twice, then maybe there’s less risk?
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« Last post by rv7charlie on July 09, 2026, 02:21:41 PM »
My bet would be that he meant, 'If you only kill yourself and don't damage something expensive on the ground, we're not coming out to check the wreckage.'
Every FSDO is going to be a bit different, but most are understaffed and not motivated to create any work they see as unnecessary. My FSDO is actually pretty good, and easy to work with. My 1st homebuilt (purchased when I was still a student) was a Dragonfly canard a/c. The guy checking it out for me after I brought it home on a trailer managed to break the canard on landing at a fairly busy county airport about 15 miles from the FSDO and the major international airport for our area. Approach control was called so they could notify arrivals to the smaller airport, but as far as I know, the FSDO never investigated anything. We disassembled the a/c within a couple of hours and I trailered it home. Remember, this was an N numbered a/c; not anything resembling an ultralite.
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