727 Rebuild: Day 12

[AVIATor-Olav]

Looks good Michael.

I know aeroliquidators had a few 727 glare shields up for grabs at a reasonable price a while back. Might be worth checking if you're interested.
I got mine off e-bay for $1! 


Tor

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I checked them and APHS. Nick never answers my e-mail. I used to think it was because of my mail server but since I switched to gmail, same as his, he still doesn't answer. I must have pissed if off one way or another but can't really think of anything I did or said.

If I need something from him I'll probably have to Paypal one of you guys here the money and have you buy it for me.

E-bay is a zero on glareshields too. No matter, I think I can make this work. Some of the dimensions are the same between the 737NG and the 727 glareshield and I used those while eyeballing and extrapolating the rest.

Instead of re-using my fluorescent fixtures I think I'm going with the super bright white LED strips. They look like the fluorescent tubes color temp but don't take up a socket on the strip, they last forever, and they don't hang down like the fixtures do. I'll still mount my incandescent bulb strips though.

[Jetcos]

You may have joined the "club".  Doesn't answer me either.

I have a B727 Glare shield here if you need anything, let me know I can measure it.

Steve

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Hey thanks!

I am curious as to how deep it is front to back from the fire rack to the windshield post and what that angle is on the back edge next to the windshield.

I spent a lot of money with him in the past. I guess my money is no good anymore.

[AVIATor-Olav]

From the edge of the glare to the window post it's 445mm. The back of the glare sticks about 20mm out from the fire panel, making the distance from the fire panel to the window post (where the glare meets the window post) 425 mm. You probably have to convert that to inches now! lol
I have nothing to measue the angle of the glare with unfortunately, but I built my windows based on 737NG measurements found on the net. The 727 glare shield fit perfectly.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask if there's anything I can do to help.
Tor

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Mine is about 10 cm deeper. Probably because I think my ends are longer as it curves from around the front. The angle still looks correct and it's not too late to cut more off. Better too big to start than too small.

Thanks!

[MLeavy737]

Looks great Mike!!!  I appreciate the new plug and play solutions these days however I always love seeing a project going together the old fashion way with wood and skill!!  You've managed to accomplish more in a few weeks than I have in years

keep it up, Ill be watching this thread!

Mike L

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Thanks Mike. The only thing plug-n-play about this 727 are the radio heads from OC.

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Worked more on the glareshield today. I was really hoping to have paint on it yesterday but I was pretty certain that wasn't going to happen.

Filled it with autobody glaze,  sanded smooth, two coats of filler/primer, and two coats of semi-gloss enamel. Might be dry by Easter. 

Anyway, turned out OK. Next I have to make and install new hardware and lighting. The camera I have seems to distort some images depending upon the angle.

I did end up cutting 10 cm off of the depth. It's pretty close to spec now.

[AVIATor-Olav]

Looks great Mike. Could you tell me what the length of your fwd avionics bay is? And the height where it meets the TQ? I feel mine is too short and to steep for some reason. I'm thinking of redoing it. Going to start construction on my FE station soon anyway so, back to the wood shop!

Tor

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Thanks,

11.5" is the usable 'height' of all of the bays. This was an eyeball build based on the installed equipment that I have some of when I was building it and extrapolated the measurement.

The height where it meets the throttle quadrant is 22.25".

I don't know if any of this is correct, but it's in the ballpark so close you can't really tell when you compare photographs.

[AVIATor-Olav]

Thanks. Mine differs a bit from that. mine looks a bit steep to me so I'll probably construct an other one. I'm going to fit a slightly larger monitor in it as well. Not very accurate for a 727, but very convinient. Did you use INS for navigating at all, or was it all ADF & VOR? I use INS quite a bit, especially for online flying.

Tor

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I'm all VOR/ADF/DME. It's not much fun going direct anywhere in any airplane for me.

If I didn't have to fly the airplane and navigate, I don't see any point in doing it.

Try the RAK9 approach to 24 into Prague. You'll see why it's so much fun. Make you a better pilot too.

Then try it at night in weather to minimums.

[Boeing Skunk Works]

No photos today, but I started assembling the monitors and computers again. I got the MIP and outside forward view to work correctly on the FS server machine. I moved the stereo receiver and two of the four speakers into the sim room and hooked them up.

Tomorrow I'm either cutting wood, or I'm wiring the new card Leo sent me the other day for the throttle and yoke. I ordered some encoders too for the Kollsman window, Altitude Alert setting, and whatever else I can use the third one for.

I'm sort of leaning towards the wiring. I'd like to at least take a few trips around the patch at Munich or Stuttgart before the day is over.

[DarrylH]

Mike,

WOW..just WOW!!

Darryl

[AVIATor-Olav]

Don't get me wrong, I love navigating and flying manually as much as anyone. I wouldn't build a 727 if didn't. That's how I learned to fly in the first place. The INS I use enroute for online flights. Easier to get clearance that way. SIDs, STARs and approaches are manual.

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Yep, same here. Mostly in a 172RG or a Mooney M20C (old dog, manual bungee gear retraction and extension. Sure gives your right arm a workout shooting T&G's.)

I didn't usually have too much of a problem with conventional routing on IVAO or VATSIM for the most part. A lot of controllers were probably sitting there scratching their heads wondering why I didn't just fly direct instead of using airways for the most part.

Have to use a conventional SID and STAR too. That really seems to upset some of them when they had their traffic flow just perfect and I have to go to the VOR or NDB for the IAF or FAF if they weren't giving vectors that day. 

[AVIATor-Olav]

Well I never go direct anyway. Using the INS lets you file and fly the published routes to wherever you need to go in accordance with the latest AIRAC cycle. This does make life easier with regards to clearance and ATC. The waypoints are often overlays of the old airways anyway. The INS must be programmed manually, and you can only plot 9 waypoints at a time. Keeps you busy in the air once you run out of your initial 9 waypoints. I allways doublecheck my course along the way with VORs and ADFs. At the fix where the STAR begins it's all manual navigation. I quite like navigating with the INS. A lot of 727's had them as well.

Tor

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I think a minimum of three if they were installed. I don't remember what the MEL said about them.

[AVIATor-Olav]

727's often had a double intallations. Transatlantic aircraft like the 747's and even the Concorde had tripple installations.

Anyway. I'm looking forward to seeing you sim getting back up. Judging by the craftsmanship of your previous build I'm sure it's going to look killer!

Back to flying, currently enroute from JKFK to KBWI

Cheers
Tor

[jskibo]

Yep, same here. Mostly in a 172RG or a Mooney M20C (old dog, manual bungee gear retraction and extension. Sure gives your right arm a workout shooting T&G's.)

We have an M20F at our flying club with the Johnson Bar gear. Love that plane!  Put 50+ hours in it last year.

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Sort of like flying a Corvette.

[jskibo]

Sort of like flying a Corvette.

  Can't get the Vette to do 120 @ 5.9 GPH (20/20)

Never knew how economical the Mooney could be if flown lower than 24/24 until I did my club checkout in it.

Nice to have 10 hours in the tank too.  Did a 7.1 hour leg from North Vegas to near Salina, KS in Decemeber......didn't drink much that flight...LOL

[jackpilot]

I think a minimum of three if they were installed. I don't remember what the MEL said about them.

Which soft do you use?

[Boeing Skunk Works]

The Dreamfleet 727.

I'm not interested in adding it. I know there is a third party add-on for it.