Hello all!
I have been a lurker for quite a while, and finally was forced to join the forum by a recent purchase of a T-18!
I recently picked up the flying project that I now proudly call my own. For those of you who have seen her, I am talking about N33TB.
The bird needs a lot of help. She has been neglected and beat up for many years. The panel is bad, the back of the panel is even worse.
Things I have already had to do:
> Remove an LC filter circuit attached to a DC jack that was shorted out and getting so hot it was burning knees.
> Remove a Loran unit and repurpose it as a bookend, which is basically all they are useful for now.
> Flip the electric trim switch over so that it makes sense. (Don't try to tell me that pushing the trim switch up should raise the nose......)
Things that need to be done
>ENTIRE back of the panel rewired. It is not just ugly, but purely unsafe. Things are grounded where they shouldn't be, wires wrapped around screws instead of ring terminals, etc....
>Fix the broken vacuum system or rip it out. The AI, DG and suction gauge are all crazy. I was told that the vacuum pump was replaced, and I have this sneaking suspicion that it was replaced with a pump that rotates the wrong direction. That or the regulator is bad or needs adjusted (they dont usually fail) or all the instruments are bad. This last one is not likely the cause, but could be the effect of one of the other problems burning out the bearings. I am half tempted to just rip them all out and throw a Dynon D10A in there and be done. I might save some weight too.
>New aileron hinge pins with holes drilled in the pin for the safety wire or cotter pin to go through. The pins are not currently held by anything but magic and luck.
>Modify the cowl to allow the oil to be checked without being a 15 minute ordeal.
>Make the carb heat actually heat the carb.
>Modify the seats and bottom of the panel to make my knees fit.
>Install limit switches on the trim system so the motor doesn't drive against the stops
>The other 5000 things that need to be done.
In the initial test flights, I have two impressions:
1) Hot damn, this is a rocket ship. I love this airplane.
2) Holy crap, this is a b***** to land.
The first one is expected, but this second one threw me. I was expecting much nicer landings, especially considering the very friendly taxi characteristics. She is a pussy cat on the taxiway, but a bit of a tiger on landing rollout. I brought a CFI along who has gobs of tailwheel time, and his comment was that "she lands like a flying saucer." I tend to think we are both missing something. Every time we land she wants to go flying again. Wheel landings with a bit of forward stick to pin her down are okay, but she is super squirrly until we can get the tailwheel down. 3 point landings no matter how soft, seem to result in at least one skip followed by some tailwheel clamor as she settles in.
We have been landing full flap (this bird IS limited to 30), so tomorrow I am going to go experiment with some different landing configurations. Also, this is an o-360, so the extra weight out front might not be helping. There also could be something wrong with the rigging or gear. I really don't think she should be QUITE this much of a handful.
Anyway, for now I am in love. 170mph at 9gph all the way home, and that was into a headwind with a climb prop at 2400rpm and 20" mp. With the aileron spades on this plane the stick is one of the lightest I have ever flown. The maneuverability is fantastic.
I know at this point with this plane it will be flying for 1 hour and working on her for 4. I'm fine with that. I hope to someday restore her to my own perfectionist standards.
For now, greetings to all, and thank you for all the amazing info you all provided when I was looking at buying into the community. I didn't even have to ask and all my questions were answered.
Cheers,
-Ian Ahner
N33TB 180hp T-18
