VG-21 SQUADRON

NEWSLETTER

ISSUE # 26

NEWS: I bought Doug Donaldson's remaining inventory of Varga parts. I have listed some of the parts in the planes and parts section. If you need something that's not listed, call or write and I'll tell you if I've got it. Some of the parts need repair before use and I will have them repaired or sell them "as is" on a "first come, first serve", exchange only basis. I wasn't planning to get into the parts business, but I thought it was a good way to keep the parts in one place until some of you could get them back into the air where they're needed.

Jack Adams and his wife Joan came by while on a short stay here in Phoenix. He took the canopy cover and an inertia reel from Doug's inventory.

The VG-21 Fly-In I hosted on Saturday, April 13, 1996 didn't get much much response. Dave Wells few his airplane down from Deer Valley airport north of Phoenix and partner Bart Piccasso and his wife Pat helped with the food and drink that we served to any body who came by.

Mickey Dishman bought Floyd Blankenbaker's wrecked Varga 2150A, N8348J and is looking for landing gear parts. I'm waiting to hear what he needs that I may have but I know he needs an upper landing gear strut that I don't have. If you can help him out with some parts, let me know and I will tell him.

OSHKOSH: Thursday, August 1 through Wednesday August 7, 1996. Bob Stambovsky from Lancaster, California called again and says he'll be leaving for Oshkosh on or about July 15 with a stop in Dayton, Ohio along the way.. Jack Adams is also flying to Oshkosh from Wilbraham, Massachusetts and is still looking for someone to fly along with. He said he'll probably be leaving about 3 or 4 days before the airshow starts to give him plenty of time to get there. Anybody else want to go along? Jack suggested that I try to get some spaces reserved for Varga "type" airplanes. I called the EAA to see if they would do that, but they only park pre-1961 aircraft in the "type (classic)" area.

THIS INVENTORY INCLUDES MUCH OF VARGA 2150A, N4VK, SN VAC 187-82, MFD MAY 24, 1982.

1         1     AFT FUSELAGE,                                 N4VK DAMAGED, REPAIRABLE                                     $600 + REPAIR COST

2         1     RH WING,                                           N4VK DAMAGED SKINS/RIBS, PARTS ONLY                  PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

3         1     LH WING,                                            N4VK DAMAGED SKINS/RIBS, PARTS ONLY                  PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

4         1     FUSELAGE TRUSS,                            N4VK DAMAGED, PARTS ONLY                                     PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

5         1     FUSELAGE TRUSS                             EXPERIMENTAL, NO PAPER WORK                               $600

6         1     STUB WING,                                       N4VK DAMAGED SKINS/SPARS/RIBS,                           PARTS ONLY PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

7         1     HORIZONTAL STAB.,                          N4VK DAMAGED,                                                           REPAIRABLE $120 + REPAIR COST

8         1     ELEVATOR,                                        N4VK DAMAGED SKINS,                                                PARTS ONLY PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

9         1     VERTICAL STAB.,                               N4VK DAMAGED,                                                           REPAIRABLE $120 + REPAIR COST

10       1     RUDDER,                                            N4VK GOOD,                                                                 $120

11       1     RUDDER                                             DAMAGED SKINS,                                                         REPAIRABLE $100 + REPAIR COST

12       1     RH AILERON,                                      N4VK DAMAGED SKINS,                                                PARTS ONLY PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

13       1     RH AILERON,                                      VARGA REJECT DAMAGED SKINS, NO BAL. WTS.        PARTS ONLY PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

14       1     RH AILERON,                                      N4VK DAMAGED SKINS                                                 PARTS ONLY PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

15       1     LH AILERON,                                      VARGA REJECT DAMAGED SKINS, NO BAL. WTS.         PARTS ONLY PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

16       1     RH FLAP,                                           N4VK DAMAGED SKINS                                                  PARTS ONLY PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

17       1     RH FLAP,                                           VARGA REJECT DAMAGED SKINS                                 PARTS ONLY PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

18       1     LH FLAP,                                            N4VK DAMAGED SKINS                                                 PARTS ONLY PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

19       1     LH FLAP,                                            VARGA REJECT DAMAGED                                           PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

20       1     LH MAIN GEAR                                   USED, SOME CORROSION                                            $600

21       1     LH MAIN GEAR ASSY                         DAMAGED, PARTS ONLY                                               PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

22       1     LH MAIN GEAR                                   DAMAGED, REPAIRABLE                                               $120 + REPAIR COST

23       1     NOSE GEAR                                       INCOMPLETE REPAIR                                                    $120 + REPAIR COST

24       1     NOSE GEAR                                       USED, SOME CORROSION                                            $600

25       1     STEERING YOKE                                CASTING DAMAGED, REPAIRABLE                               $30 + REPAIR COST

26       1     STEERING TEE                                   GOOD                                                                            $50

27       1     STEERING TEE COLLAR ASSY           GOOD                                                                            $20

28       3     SEAL CLAMP                                      GOOD                                                                           $5 EA.=$15

29       1     STEERING STOP                                GOOD                                                                             $25

30       1     ENGINE MOUNT, 2150A                       INCOMPLETE REPAIR, NO PAPER WORK                     $120 + REPAIR COST

31       6     TORQUE LINKS                                   USED, UNKNOWN                                                         $25 EA.

32       1     REAR STICK ASSY                             USED, UNKNOWN                                                          $25

33       1     FRONT STICK ASSY                            USED, UNKNOWN                                                         $25

34       1     BAGGAGE BAG                                  USED                                                                             $15

35       1     REAR SEAT ASSY                              REPAIRABLE                                                                 $25 + REPAIR COST

36       1     LH AFT PEDAL ASSY                         USED, UNKNOWN                                                           $15

37       1     RH AFT PEDAL ASSY                         USED, UNKNOWN                                                           $15

38       1     LH FWD PEDAL ASSY                        USED, UNKNOWN                                                          $15

39       1     RH FWD PEDAL ASSY                       USED, UNKNOWN                                                           $15

40       1     FIBERGLASS TAIL CONE                    USED, UNKNOWN                                                          $15

41       2     MASTER CYLINDER                           USED, UNKNOWN                                                           $20 EA.

42     SET  INTERIOR SIDE PANELS                     DAMAGED, USE FOR TEMPLATES ONLY                        $15

43       1     OIL COOLER HOUSING                       GOOD                                                                             $15

44       1     BATTERY BOX                                   USED, UNKNOWN                                                           $25

45       1     GASCOLATOR                                   USED                                                                               $50

46       1     CABIN HEAT BOX                               DAMAGED, REPAIRABLE                                                $15 + REPAIR COST

47       1     STROBE POWER SUPPLY                 USED, UNKNOWN                                                           $15

48       4     OUTBOARD WING SPARS                 NEW, UNKNOWN, NO PAPER WORK                              $15 EA.

49       2     WING LEADING EDGE MATERIAL      NEW, UNKNOWN, NO PAPER WORK                               $15 EA.

50       4     WING SPLICE PLATES                      USED, UNKNOWN                                                             $10 EA.

51       1     INERTIA REEL                                   USED, UNKNOWN                                                             $50 (SOLD)

52       1     TORQUE TUBE ASSY                        REPAIRED, UNKNOWN                                                     $15

53       3     PARTS MANUALS                             USED, OK                                                                         $10 EA.

54       3     MAINTENANCE MANUALS                 USED, OK                                                                         $10 EA.

55       1     OPERATORS MANUAL                      USED, OK                                                                         $10

56       1     EXHAUST SYSTEM                           BADLY DAMAGED, PARTS ONLY                                      PARTS PRICES ON REQUEST

57       1     CANOPY COVER                              UNKNOWN                                                                       $60 (SOLD)

"EXPERIMENTAL" MEANS THAT TRUSS WAS MADE WITH MODIFICATIONS THAT ARE NOT FAA CERTIFIABLE EXCEPT AT GREAT EXPENSE.

"PARTS ONLY" MEANS THAT THE ASSEMBLY MAY CONTAIN USABLE PARTS BUT IS PROBABLY NOT REBUILDABLE.

"NO PAPER WORK" MEANS THAT THE PARTS ARE NOT TAGGED AND/OR THERE ARE NO MATERIAL OR PROCESS CERTIFICATIONS.

"UNKNOWN" CONDITION MEANS, PARTS WERE NOT DIMENSIONALLY INSPECTED AND THERE IS NO PAPER WORK.

"VARGA REJECT" MEANS THAT THESE WERE PARTS WITH DEFECTS THAT MADE THEM UNUSABLE BY VARGA AIRCRAFT.

A Varga owner called recently to ask if I knew where to get a windshield. Her airplane was down for annual inspection and she needed it right away to get her plane back in the air. Aircraft Windshield Co. had none in stock and was so busy that they couldn't provide one for at least six weeks. I couldn't help her either but may be one of you can tell me if you know another source. In any event, the lesson here might be that if you think you're going to need any canopy glass at your next inspection, plan to order it way ahead of the time you need it.

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TRADE-A-PLANE, SECOND MAY ISSUE, 1996:

Shinn 2150A, LOW TIME, well equipped, 8 in and out. $32,500. 417, 926-4221 anytime.tf

1977 VARGO 2150A, 925 TTAE, ext/int 8, oil analysis history. KX170B, KT76A, GPS, encoder, strobes, auto fuel STC,

pre-heater, non finer, cruise 120mph, climb 1500fpm. $36,500 or best. 315, 343-4600 eves.jn2

1977 VARGA 2150A, 2688TT, 765 SMOH, 154 STOH (Cermichrome), New Terra radios and transponder. Hangered and shows it. NDH. U.S. Warbird paint. $38,500. 205, 979-0051. my2

1978 2150, 2250TT, 380 SMOH, MK12D, AT50A, painted like Navy T34, owned by doctor. Call Chad @ 210, 997-8250. $37,500.my2

SHINN 2150A, 1860TT, 500 SMOH, excellent condition, 5/96 annual, $29,900. 540, 884-2675 after 6pm EST.jn1

1982 VARGA 2180, 180 HP, 306 tt, KX165, Nav/Com, KN-64 DME, KT-76 xponder w/enc, NSD 360 HSI, Intercom, dual push to talks, rear seat controls incl. brakes. Spectacular performance from this like new aircraft. $57,900. 860, 672-4379 eves; 860, 485-2611 days.my3

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The purchase of Doug Donaldson's parts has given me lot's of extra work to do. Many of the parts are damaged and unrepairable but I can use them for measurements so that I can make drawings. I have begun discussions with the FAA about current procedures for getting a Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) to make and/or repair some of the critical parts, although I don't know yet if I can afford to do that. I can understand his reluctance, but it's too bad that Loren Perry is unwilling or unable to sell Varga Parts for reasonable prices.The parts are really not very difficult or expensive to make, but it's a real pain to go through all the paper work and hassle if you only make one or two parts at a time. Let me use the main landing gear upper strut as an example of the cost and problems with making Varga parts.

The upper struts are identified as 11000-101 and 11000-102 and contain only 10 parts each. The material costs listed are probably the maximum retail cost you would pay to get the smallest necessary piece from a place like Aircraft Spruce. Let's assume that all of the manufacturing and processing is done by local vendors and, for the sake of argument, that we will make one part at a time and that it takes one hour of labor at $50 an hour to make each part.

QTY             P/N                NAME                                             MAT'L COST             LABOR COST

1 each     11000-1               Tube                                                 $20                         $50 (cut to length)

1 each     11000-2               Plate, Lower Attachment Flange          $5                           $50 (layout, cut, punch, form)

1 each     11000-3               Plate, Upper Attachment Flange          $5                           $50 (layout, cut, punch, form)

1 each     11000-4               Plate, Bearing and Seal Attachment     $1                           $50 (blank, I.D./O.D.)

2 each     11000-8               Plate, Torque Link Attachment             $2                          $100 (layout, form, cut, drill

2 each     11000-10             Angle, Spar Attachment                      $2                           $100 (cut, form, drill)

1 each     11000-12             Plate, Brake Line Support                   $1                           $50 (layout, cut, drill)

1 each     11000-14             Plate, Strut Cap                                $15                          $50 (cut, drill, tap)

                                                                                    TOTAL    $51         +              $500 = $551 to make all the parts

Assembly of each strut would include the following operations and estimated costs:

            OPERATION                                                     COST

1. Assemble and fixture parts for weld.                             $50

2. Weld and stress relieve.                                              $50

3. Hone tube inside diameter.                                          $50

3. Weld in strut cap and stress relieve.                             $50

4. Magnaflux inspect.                                                      $50

5. Drill and counterbore strut cap.                                    $50

6. Cadmium plate.                                                           $50

7. Drill and ream torque link boss.                                    $50

                                                                         TOTAL $400 + $551 for parts = $951 for each assembly

Due to the fact that the upper struts are left and right hand parts, the attach flanges must be bent two different ways and two different weld fixture set-ups are required. This set up and fixturing might add a few hours to the assembly cost. A cost of $50 an hour would include the profit for each vendor (the going rate in the Phoenix area for these services is about $40 to $50 an hour) so, except for expenses to transport the parts from vendor to vendor (you may be able to find a vendor that can do several of the operations at his facility), it shouldn't cost much more than $1000 to make a strut. If parts were made in even small production quantities, the struts could be made a whole lot cheaper. For example, if it takes an hour to set up the machine to bend a sheet metal flange and it only takes a few seconds to bend the part, it makes a lot of sense to bend 10 (or 100) parts at little extra expense. There are also vendors who have laser cutters that can cut out the sheet metal flange parts in production quantities for $5 to $10 each. Loren Perry has many of the parts on hand and has the tooling to make and assemble the parts. If he chose to make and assemble these struts in quantity, his costs would be significantly less than for anyone else. Loren's biggest problem (and perhaps mine, if I choose to make parts) is the cost of keeping these parts on hand. If he makes a production run of 10 struts at a cost of $500 each, he has invested $5000 in parts. If he adds $500 to the cost for profit but only sells one strut a year, even with a 100% mark-up he must wait 5 years before he gets his money back. I have an additional problem if I decide to make PMA parts. If I were to spend a few thousand dollars to make and inventory Varga parts, and Loren Perry decided to go into production, the fact that he could make and sell them for much less would make it difficult for me. In addition, a Type Certificate or Parts Manufacturer Approval holder must create and maintain drawings and specifications, and quality control and fabrication inspection systems that can add a lot of extra time and money to the manufacturing process.

On the other hand, an owner can, if he has enough design information from the manufacturer or from broken parts, fabricate and repair parts for his airplane without a significant paper work burden as long as he complies with the requirements of FAR part 43. This means that if you can find an FAA approved Repair Station or machine/sheet metal shop or combination thereof, and can get an Authorized Inspector to sign off the repair, you can probably fix the parts yourself. A larger problem for the owner may be getting the insurance company to pay for it if the problem is the result of an accident. This was Floyd Blankenbaker's problem. It was cheaper for the insurance company to scrap the airplane than it was to rebuild it with "approved replacement parts" and the guy quoting on the rebuild didn't have the resources to repair the broken parts for less.