You have to love these things. I had some work at an airpark near Quartzite AZ today. It's only about an hour flight but the last time I went out there, I ended up with smoke in the cockpit. I blew a transponder. This time I went out and did my appraisals and chatted up alot of looky loos. Mark Lanford, there will be a guy getting in touch with you about a streched KR1. I think Brad was his name, the guy at the gathering who was 6'6'' and building a KR1. but anyway back to the story. After looking at all the different airplanes at the airpark, Some very rare, most as projects. I headed home. I pasted Goodyear Airport and was shooting photos of Phx Intl Raceway, when all of the sudden the plane started shaking like a Mutha. I chopped the throtle and things smoothed out abit, but still not right. 180 degrees later and a call to goodyear, and I was headed down. Everytime I added throtle the panel was doing the hula. I stayed at about 1800 rpm and nursed it into Good year. I got to the ramp and the city truck came out to meet me. The guy looked at me and the plane and said "I know you the last time I saw you, there was smoke in the cockpit". I took off the cowl and found the #3 plug on top of the cylinder. I not a smart man but that is not good. I looked that the plug hole and the threads took a vacation. I called my wife to pick me up. A one hour drive one way. in the mean time I called Bob G. no answer and Steve Glover. He is moving all of the stuff out of his hangar due to flooding again. I asked him If a guy coulf tap a plug hole for a Heli-Coil® Screw Thread Inserts without pulling the head. He said yes, if I could keep the pieces out of the cylinder. I used a car and went down the street to Auto Zone. they had a set for a plug. 29.00 dollars later I was back at the port. By time my wife showed up I was done with the tapping and putting the H/C in. I put the plug in and started it up. smooths as a babys butt. I sent her home and I got it closed up and fired it up. I called Ground and said lets give this another try. With a mid field T/O things were looking good. All smooth for the 30 mile trip back to the home airport, and the big hangar.
All is good. On a side note I sold the KR2 tri gear that I was working on. $10,000, not a bad price for this plane, the only problem is that I found out the other day that he paid $10,000 to buy it. All busted. It does pay to be on this net and to do some research. That was a 4 to 5,000 plane in that condition. Lee Van Dyke
