NEWSLETTERS
VG-21
SQUADRON
VARGA • SHINN • MORRISEY
• OWNER
NEWSLETTER NO.52 - SEPTEMBER 28, 2005
Once again, I
apologize for the delay in getting this in the mail to you. Lee takes the
blame. He’s been very busy helping Varga owners at the Varga Service Center,
working on a Varga for the local airframe FBO, and helping entertain a number
of houseguests, plus a trip to the Midwest visiting family. He also promised to
cut back on his involvement in ferrying aircraft and doing pre-buy inspections.
He’s still doing it so I’m not holding my breath.
Parts for Sale - As you recall, the membership was advised
of the e-Bay for sale item that was listing a stockpile of parts. There was a
great deal of discussion of whether the club should purchase this lot of parts
and after a great deal of conversation and investigation, it did not seem to be
a viable transaction. At one point, it looked as if the repair facility here at
Lampson that has been doing Varga wing repairs was going to make the purchase
of a limited number of these parts but the cost of picking up, transporting,
and storage discouraged him from pursuing the purchase. We certainly don’t want
these parts to go to the scrap yard. If someone has a solution to this, let’s
hear it!
We had a request for fuel line hoses and as the ones on our Varga were getting
up in age, we obtained two aircraft sets of hoses. The person who requested the
hoses, in the meantime, found another source for his hoses, so we have a set
available, for my cost plus shipping.
Aircraft for Sale
$44,000. 1976 Varga 2150A, TT 1,000, audio panel/marker beacons, KX155, Garmin
326A transponder/Mode C, vernier mixture, aux power plug, new altimeter and
tires, good paint and interior, RCAF paint scheme. Contact - Hal Gosling, 562- 596-2421 or hal.gosling@boeing.com.
$33,000. 1979 Varga 2150A, TT 1612, Collins VHF251, V[R-351, TDR-950 e/w/encoder,
intercom, EGT, canopy cover, maintenance and parts manuals. No damage history.
Contact Ron Stapleton ronstapleton@bellsouth.net.
$57,700. Stuart Hampton has reduced price. See last newsletter for info.
Morrisev/Shinn/Identifier — We
would like to thank Buddy Wyatt for all his efforts in investigating how to
change MOR2 back to VG-21. For all the reasons listed forthe delay in
this newsletter, I have not been able to dig in our archives to send him the
needed information. If any of you have anything that refers to VG-21 being the
FAA’s identifier code. He needs magazine articles, personal knowledge,
documents, statements, etc. etc.
After prolonged efforts, Buddy Wyatt learned that the following is what it takes to get the identifier code changed back
to VG-21:
The type designator change (MOR2 to VG-21) can take place if justification can
prove there is indeed a valid reason.
A letter has to be written outlining the justification to include all
statements,, documents, past history, when it was changed from VG21, why it was
changed, paperwork when it was changed, what was it before VG21, why was it
changed, how was it change.
This justification “CANNOT’ be because we are a bunch of “good ole boys/girls”
and really want the type changed because we think it would be cool and like it
better than MOR2, which it is now.
This letter will be sent to FAA Headquarters in Washington, DC and if we
satisfy the justification it will be sent to a specialist to draw up the
Document Change Procedure, which, I understand, is a document FAA sends to all
the people they have do their publications and notify them of the type change
so the publisher can make the change at the next scheduled printing of the
particular manual.
The document will also be sent to Lockheed/Sperry/Raytheon so changes can be
made in all the computer software used by all the approach controls and center
and towers with D-brite and/or STARS systems. This has to be done so when the
controller inputs our aircraft type into the computer it locks on to the flight
characteristics specific to OUR aircraft; ie. rate of climb, descent, airspeed,
etc. etc. so the computer can track us and if it sees something that is out of
the parameters of what’s in the computer in the default setting for our
aircraft, it will alert the controller of a possible problem. The publisher and
computer software technicians would then send the FAA a bill for all this and
the FAA would pay it. The FAA told Buddy they did not have a
firm price of how much this would cost but estimated it to be where between $5K
and $20K depending on a lot of variables. Again, we would not be liable for
this cost.
Now for the BIGGY --- this process could take as long as 2
years to complete AFTER they receive the paperwork from us.
The FAA rep did seem optimistic. It would be interesting to know why they made
the change but suspect it was done in memory of Bill Morrisey. Our comment is,
we have seen a number of Vargas with VG-21 prominently displayed on the
aircraft, and not one with MOR2.
Please folks, do what you can to help us and
Buddy to get this changed back to VG 21
Buddy’s address is:
Buddy Wyatt
Air Traffic Manager
Serco Management Services, Inc.
965 Airpark Drive
Bullhead City, AZ 86429
Member Contribution
A special thanks to Bob McArdle for sending us the following write-up!
‘After reading many accident reports involving Varga aircraft and talking to owners
like Gene Lake, Ralph Haven and others concerning fuel siphoning, I decided to
change my vent system. Upon investigation I found that my aircraft had been
involved in two fuel shortage accidents early in its life (neither documented
in the logs). After reading over Ralph Havens 337 in one of the newsletter I
thought this should be an easy mod. Little did I know that it would be a bigger
job that anticipated. I removed the inspection covers from the right wing and
checked out where the old vent system lines went. Looked easy enough. After
ordering some tubing from Spruce, I removed the wing tip, disconnected the old
vent from the tank, removed all the old vent from the right side and installed
the new vent tubing with three brackets attaching the tubing to the wing ribs.
The end was bent down through the wing a couple of inches and scarfed forward
to pick up ram air. The strobe assembly and wing tip were replaced. I had to
cut one 4” hole to remove one piece of old vent. (This was not necessary on
left wing as flat was removed on left wing and the old vent could be gotten to
easily.) So much for the right wing. A piece of cake. Onward to the left wing.
This is where things became more difficult. Upon removing the inspection covers
from the left wing, I discovered that the vent tube coming out of the tank was
secured by a blob of JB weld. Naturally, upon touching it, it came apart in my
hand. Now I had the job of removing the left tank. Following the directions in
the maintenance manual, I removed the left wing, placed it on a couple of
padded saw horses and began the job of removing the tank. The manual says drill
out 70 rivets and remove eight bolts. The AN rivets went OK but the cherry
rivets had to be chiseled off. I then removed the rib, unfastened the tank
straps and proceeded to remove the tank. However, one first has to remove the
tank filler. It should unscrew easily. Wrong. I tried every method I could
think of to remove that filler neck, finally resorting to hammer and chisel,
thinking I would have to buy a new filler neck and cap. Took the tank to my
local fab shop and they removed the old weld and welded a new piece of tubing
to the tank. L When I removed the fuel hoses and screens they were almost
completely blocked with yellow sloshing compound. The inside of the tank had it
floating around as well. I sloshed the tank with two gallons of acetone a
couple of times to remove all the old junk, sealed all the seams and rivets on
the outside with pro-seal and filled it with gas.
Nothing leaked, SO I reversed the process and put it all back together. I
was able to save the old filler and cap. One thing I did find was the right
wing was much newer than the left (no documentation in logs). After then hours
the system is working perfectly and I wish to thank Lee for his many c-mails,
info and pictures. Also Gene Lake and Ralph for bringing this mod to my
attention. Had I not removed the tank, I would not have discovered all the junk
in the tank screens and probably would have an engine stoppage at some time.
PS: Both my IA and I worked on the project.”
Maintenance Item
We felt that with Bob McArdle’s write-up on fuel tank vent system mod, a
maintenance item with this newsletter would be too much “nuts and bolts”. So,
attached with this newsletter is a customized annual inspection worksheet for
VG-21 owners. We have a local maintenance shop using this document and they
like it. We have found that the “average” annual takes 14 man-hours to
accomplish what is on the worksheet. Our thanks to Shirley DaMotta as she is the VG-21 member who produced this document for
us.
Contact Information — If you need
us, here’s our contact information:
Lee & Pat Beery
3450 Shoreline View Way
Kelseyville, CA 95451
Ph: 707-279-0259
lpbeery@mchsi.com
Happy Flying
Lee & Pat