KGZ - The last sitting

[Adam the Akrodude]

Well, it is with some sadness and yet relief (financially) that the dream that had become a nightmare of being a part-owner of VH-KGZ (a Stephens Akro Laser Z built by Guido Zuccoli) is now over for me. She's gone to a new owner, a surgeon from SA. The new owner will fit KGZ with a Whirlwind prop, as I had wanted to, but was stopped by a recalcitrant, egotistical, stubborn, manipulative French a-hole! Ah, what can ya do!
This was such a FUN machine - roll rate around 240 deg/sec, climb rate close to 3000 fpm (typo picked up by Capt Salty! ) and could leave the bitumen in 6 seconds flat. With that big fat chord prop to be bolted onto her, climb rate should even improve I think. Hopefully I'll get to fly another Laser at some stage (one offer on the table, so fingers crossed!), as they are rather addictive.
So here she is, just prior to handover to the new owner - about to have the wing removed for transport.

Who's that fat bastard?



Complicated - NOT! You just need three hands to start it.



A bit dusty, but still beautiful I think for an ol' akro gal that's been around the traps!



The Donk. AEIO-360 Lycoming - 200HP.



Bye Bye!

[Nillus]

Sorry for u mate.

One Q....must be a typo?
"Climb rate 3000'/sec"

That's 90,000fpm. Impressive stuff!

[Adam the Akrodude]

Sorry for u mate.

One Q....must be a typo?
"Climb rate 3000'/sec"

That's 90,000fpm. Impressive stuff!

Yeah that's about right - NOT! In my dreams! Yes - typo of course 3000fpm! For the 90,000fpm option, I'd need one of these babies bolted on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SH5953iQ6w

Anyway, I'm all good about it - strong medication and a few years of therapy will help. At least it can be chiselled onto my tombstone that I was once mad enough to own a share in a aeroplane - tick that one off the list! Now, you aviation pro's are far savvier than I. Ray introduced me to a 737 training captain at his work who owns a Tigermoth as a investment and has it on-line for joyflights - actually makes money with his aeroplane. On hearing this, I threw myself to the floor and chanted "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!".

[hrtpaul]

The J-79. A real jet engine out of a real aircraft

[Adam the Akrodude]

The J-79. A real jet engine out of a real aircraft

For you dude - knew you'd like it!

[Cap'n Wannabe]

And I thought Jab cockpits were basic! Where's the EFIS and GPS??

[Nillus]

Thought it musta been a typo...I had a crack in an EE Lightning sim once & tried 450kts in the weeds with a pullup for a ballistic exit of the atmosphere...it was impressive, but not as impressive as the stats from your Lazer LoL.
Really sad for u though...owning an aeroplane must be like dating a supermodel:

You really love it when you're playing with her, but in your heart you know you can never afford her.

I will not have to experience the heartbreak of either.

[Adam the Akrodude]

And I thought Jab cockpits were basic! Where's the EFIS and GPS??

Yep - also notice no gyro instruments - they tend to fail in aerobatic aeroplanes unless fitted with a lock. Had I been wealthy enough and owned KGZ outright, it would have been nice to fit KGZ a carbon fibre instrument panel c/w EFIS and full engine monitoring instruments. We only had CHT on one rear cylinder head and I would have liked it on all of them. Me being a instrument bloke had all sorts of plans, Issue was that KGZ was under a full CofA so we could not modify it from original fit. It's now moving to Experimental so the new owner can fit a Whirlwind, do anything he likes to it. That was our plan (well, two of us anyway), we just got foiled by one a-hole syndicate member as discussed. We could never build up a propeller and engine fund. When I lobbied to jack up the hourly rate to a proper figure, one ex-member had a major dummy spit and sold up and left - this after he damaging the prop and almost tearing off the rudder!
On the other hand, there was a purity to KGZ as built by Guido. Doing a x-country in such a simple and cramped aeroplane is a challenge. I never flew KGZ any further than Tooradin with one other x-member doing all the ferry flying to comp's. I have flown up to Parkes in a S-2A with another guy using just map, watch and wet compass - just like in WW1! Mate of mine has a great story flying up to Parkes in a Pitts once. He got lost flying up the wrong valley and with failing light put down in a paddock - as you can imagine a pretty scary thing to do. Well, talk about luck - where he landed was a old WW2 satellite field! So, he ended up staying the night at a farm house and the farmer even had a daughter! He swears that no funny business occurred with the farmers daughter though! Next morning once he had regained his bearings, off he blasted out of that paddock in the right direction of Parkes!
See that slab of wood under the instrument panel. That's a big railway sleeper of spruce - the main spar. That wing can safely take +/- 12 G. I only ever pulled +7.5 G and pushed -3G.

[Adam the Akrodude]

Thought it musta been a typo...I had a crack in an EE Lightning sim once & tried 450kts in the weeds with a pullup for a ballistic exit of the atmosphere...it was impressive, but not as impressive as the stats from your Lazer LoL.
Really sad for u though...owning an aeroplane must be like dating a supermodel:

You really love it when you're playing with her, but in your heart you know you can never afford her.

I will not have to experience the heartbreak of either.

Oh the "Frightning", one of my all time fav fast jets! Hey, where did you do that Lightning sim - does it still exist somewhere in private hands? Your analogy comparing my experience in KGZ to dating a Supermodel is perfect. The Laser has performance beyond my current ability and required money beyond my current earning capability - well, it's not the earnings, it's the out-goings! KGZ is of that period too - late 80's/early 90's was her best time!

Here's how my ex-Supermodel girlfriend looked back in the 80's when Guido owned her.



I did have two bad experiences (well, KGZ was not all bad and I had some incredible experiences, so in the end all worth it!). My first venture into a aeroplane syndicate was a complete disaster. It was a Laser project and the guy whom sold me a share was either a con-man or completely deluded. I was stupidly naïve and way too trusting. He was my aerobatic instructor at the time and I had way too much hero worship happening, as he had essentially kept me alive during the Pitts check out process, so how could he rip me off I thought!

Please don't let my bad syndicate experience put you off Salty. Mine was a classic case of fools rush in where the seasoned pro's fear to tread. I see you one day driving something like the below or perhaps a Beech Staggerwing - what do you think?

[Nillus]

Howdy Adam,
The Lightning sim was at Tangmere, UK. Owned by the museum there. When they asked what we did for a living we were pushed into it and then a private tour behind the barriers of the real machine. Felt very privileged indeed.
Love the early Cessna/Boeing/Beech products, but too much $ to keep them breathing.
I've already been offered a part share in a very, very, well run Yak and/or 'Chang syndicate.
I will do neither because I love my Triumph Thunderbird Storm too much, and one extravagant toy is all I can afford.

I'll get my kicks from the HARS Cat/Dak/DC6 when the time comes.