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Culver General Discussion / Re: Announcements
« on: February 01, 2024, 07:08:33 PM »
Congratulations Bill, that's fantastic!
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Maintenance and Repair / Re: Tail Spar Inspection
« on: September 07, 2020, 01:07:16 PM »
There are two 7/8" thick spars in the horizontal stabilizer, ribs are located as follows: rib 1 centered , rib 2 6” from center, rib 3 11” from center, rib 4 22” from center, rib 5 33” from center, rib 6 44” from center, the leading edge is a 5-ply lamination and then the entire upper and lower surface is covered in 1/16" plywood and fabric. The horizontal stabilizer is very strong and I have not heard of any failures.
During a thorough inspection of an airframe, the horizontal stabilizer can be fairly easily removed as it is bolted to the fuselage. Remove the elevator trim, trim cable cover and the stabilizer fasteners and off it comes.
I would not open the stabilizer up for inspection unless it sounds (glue rattling around inside), or feels (spongy plywood bond at the ribs), suspicious.
During a thorough inspection of an airframe, the horizontal stabilizer can be fairly easily removed as it is bolted to the fuselage. Remove the elevator trim, trim cable cover and the stabilizer fasteners and off it comes.
I would not open the stabilizer up for inspection unless it sounds (glue rattling around inside), or feels (spongy plywood bond at the ribs), suspicious.
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Maintenance and Repair / Re: Tail Spar Inspection
« on: September 06, 2020, 11:39:36 PM »
Hi Paul,
Without some surgery you're not really able to inspect anything on the vertical stabilizer, I have not heard or know of any issues there.
You will want to inspect the longerons in the fuselage where the horizontal stabilizer attaches. These longerons can have broken glue joints from handling or even be broken from over-torquing of the horizontal stabilizer attachment points. Reference Service Memo #12 found here: http://www.culvercadet.com/servicememos/servicememo12.pdf
While the stabilizer is off the airplane you'll want to inspect/feel the 1/16" plywood bond to the ribs with gentle squeezes and light taps with your knuckles. Also rotating/shaking the horizontal stabilizer around while off the airplane listening for loose glue rattling around inside there. If you hear rattling, hopefully it is just the drips of glue that have broken loose from the sides of the ribs. On my airplane I removed the lower plywood skin to inspect and found loose drips of dried glue and two ribs that had broken glue joints to the plywood.
Easily repaired but the process is a little time consuming with cleaning, replacing all the loose gussets and everything. Do it right, when it goes back together it needs to be good for another 80 years!
I hope that helps answer your question!
Joe
Without some surgery you're not really able to inspect anything on the vertical stabilizer, I have not heard or know of any issues there.
You will want to inspect the longerons in the fuselage where the horizontal stabilizer attaches. These longerons can have broken glue joints from handling or even be broken from over-torquing of the horizontal stabilizer attachment points. Reference Service Memo #12 found here: http://www.culvercadet.com/servicememos/servicememo12.pdf
While the stabilizer is off the airplane you'll want to inspect/feel the 1/16" plywood bond to the ribs with gentle squeezes and light taps with your knuckles. Also rotating/shaking the horizontal stabilizer around while off the airplane listening for loose glue rattling around inside there. If you hear rattling, hopefully it is just the drips of glue that have broken loose from the sides of the ribs. On my airplane I removed the lower plywood skin to inspect and found loose drips of dried glue and two ribs that had broken glue joints to the plywood.
Easily repaired but the process is a little time consuming with cleaning, replacing all the loose gussets and everything. Do it right, when it goes back together it needs to be good for another 80 years!
I hope that helps answer your question!
Joe
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Culver General Discussion / Re: Prepurchase Inspection
« on: September 01, 2020, 02:49:44 PM »
Hello Paul,
What part of the country are you, or the Cadet you are interested, in?
Culver specific pre-purchase inspections are tough, only a couple people in the country that I would consider Culver experts and some, if not most, are not A&P IAs! Obviously the mechanic or shop you are looking for will be familiar with antique wood and fabric airplanes.
David Pasquale in PA is a Bellanca expert and doing a great job getting a Cadet back in the air. I have an A&P IA friend that has restored and flown many Cadets that I work with, we are located in Atlanta GA. We would be happy to travel (within reason) to inspect a Culver for you. I don't have much experience with shops or mechanics out west so can't really help you if your in that direction.
Best regards,
Joe
What part of the country are you, or the Cadet you are interested, in?
Culver specific pre-purchase inspections are tough, only a couple people in the country that I would consider Culver experts and some, if not most, are not A&P IAs! Obviously the mechanic or shop you are looking for will be familiar with antique wood and fabric airplanes.
David Pasquale in PA is a Bellanca expert and doing a great job getting a Cadet back in the air. I have an A&P IA friend that has restored and flown many Cadets that I work with, we are located in Atlanta GA. We would be happy to travel (within reason) to inspect a Culver for you. I don't have much experience with shops or mechanics out west so can't really help you if your in that direction.
Best regards,
Joe
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Culver General Discussion / Re: New Culver Cadet Owner
« on: April 15, 2020, 05:32:42 PM »
Sounds like progress!
The ‘tail one/fairing’ isn’t a big deal, everything on a Cadet is pretty easily fabricated.
The ‘tail one/fairing’ isn’t a big deal, everything on a Cadet is pretty easily fabricated.
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Culver General Discussion / Re: New Culver Cadet Owner
« on: April 06, 2020, 03:01:00 PM »
Nice find Louis, looks like you found a diamond in the rough! Appears to be in pretty good shape, keep the updates coming!
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Culver General Discussion / Re: New Culver Cadet Owner
« on: April 05, 2020, 10:26:15 PM »
Hi Louis,
I posted your request to the group on Facebook directing them here, hopefully someone can give you some real life experience on how to safely transport your Cadet!
You can upload pictures with the “Attachments and other options” below the text box area. We would love to see it, keeps us updated!
-Joe
I posted your request to the group on Facebook directing them here, hopefully someone can give you some real life experience on how to safely transport your Cadet!
You can upload pictures with the “Attachments and other options” below the text box area. We would love to see it, keeps us updated!
-Joe
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Culver General Discussion / Re: New Culver Cadet Owner
« on: April 04, 2020, 12:52:12 AM »
Hi Louis,
Welcome to the Culver group!
While the forum has been pretty quiet there is some great support and several flying Cadets out there!
We also have a group on Facebook if you have an account, several active owners posting pictures and videos.
Looking forward to hearing more about your Cadet and please let us know if you need any assistance getting it flying again.
Best regards,
Joe Burley
Welcome to the Culver group!
While the forum has been pretty quiet there is some great support and several flying Cadets out there!
We also have a group on Facebook if you have an account, several active owners posting pictures and videos.
Looking forward to hearing more about your Cadet and please let us know if you need any assistance getting it flying again.
Best regards,
Joe Burley
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Culver General Discussion / Re: New Cuver Dart Owner
« on: September 16, 2019, 09:27:56 AM »
Hi Kevin
Congratulations on the Dart!
Congratulations on the Dart!
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Culver General Discussion / Culver Cadet 2020 80th Reunion!
« on: July 26, 2019, 12:09:39 AM »
Hello Everyone,
We are planning an 80th reunion for the Culver Cadet at Antique Airfield in Blakesburg IA (IA27). The exact date is not yet set but this is coming up quick in 2020!
All Culver’s and close relatives will be encouraged to join us (Culver PQs, V, Dart, Helton Lark, experimental STF, etc)
Please share the word with any Culver owners and enthusiasts you know. Please also pass along this information especially to owners in the West coast as I don’t have many of the current owners out there in my records.
We are looking for all airworthy, or close to airworthy, Cadets so please reach out to your local museums and scrounge around your airports to find those Cadets! The more the merrier, this will be a great event!!!
Please message me with contact information and N# or S/N to be added to the mailing list.
Updates to follow!
Joe Burley
We are planning an 80th reunion for the Culver Cadet at Antique Airfield in Blakesburg IA (IA27). The exact date is not yet set but this is coming up quick in 2020!
All Culver’s and close relatives will be encouraged to join us (Culver PQs, V, Dart, Helton Lark, experimental STF, etc)
Please share the word with any Culver owners and enthusiasts you know. Please also pass along this information especially to owners in the West coast as I don’t have many of the current owners out there in my records.
We are looking for all airworthy, or close to airworthy, Cadets so please reach out to your local museums and scrounge around your airports to find those Cadets! The more the merrier, this will be a great event!!!
Please message me with contact information and N# or S/N to be added to the mailing list.
Updates to follow!
Joe Burley
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Aircraft For Sale / Re: Culver Cadet LCA forsale
« on: November 14, 2018, 08:18:15 PM »
Great! Hope everything goes smoothly!
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Aircraft For Sale / Re: Culver Cadet LCA forsale
« on: November 10, 2018, 08:53:32 PM »
Hello Joe M,
I've shared your ad on the Culver Cadet Owners and Enthusiasts Facebook page. That looks like a fantastic deal for somebody, hopefully you will find a good caretaker!
Best regards,
Joe B
I've shared your ad on the Culver Cadet Owners and Enthusiasts Facebook page. That looks like a fantastic deal for somebody, hopefully you will find a good caretaker!
Best regards,
Joe B
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Culver General Discussion / Re: Oshkosh ´16
« on: July 28, 2018, 11:19:47 PM »
Sounds like a plan, let’s do it!
I’m glad you met Susan there, I haven’t met her but knew she had a Cadet. She is a member of the Culver Cadet Facebook group.
Also, we have the 80th Culver Cadet reunion at Antique Airfield in 2020!
I’m glad you met Susan there, I haven’t met her but knew she had a Cadet. She is a member of the Culver Cadet Facebook group.
Also, we have the 80th Culver Cadet reunion at Antique Airfield in 2020!
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Culver General Discussion / Re: Oshkosh ´16
« on: July 26, 2018, 07:53:34 PM »
Another photo I saw on Facebook, looking good next to the Mite!
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Culver General Discussion / Re: Oshkosh ´16
« on: July 26, 2018, 04:50:56 PM »
Looks great Keith! Way to represent Culver at Oshkosh, I’ll plan on having mine parked there next to yours next year.