New Taylorcraft Owner by the end of the Week!

[braol]

Hello! Barring some unforseen disaster, I should be the proud new owner of a '46 BC-12D: A65 (low-time engine w/"Dewalt" Starter) and a complete restoration about 20 years ago (hangar-kept). Needless to say, I'm pretty jazzed about the whole thing. OH, and my wife is TOTALLY onboard (which makes me nervous in a way).

The plane will start at the local airport in a hangar until I get my new building at our farm finished. I have an about 1100' stretch at our place that will be a grass strip next year. This brings me to my question: The only modification I have planned is a Vortex Generator kit to buy me some extra "insurance" when operating out of my grass strip. Being new to Taylorcraft, and only having flown Cubs and Super Cubs, does anyone else have any other suggestions regarding 'needed' updates/mods (given my plan for grass/short-field ops)? Or am I overthinking this? (I know lots of people that are mod-crazy and focus on cosmetics while their engine is falling apart and I am not one of those types. I own Model A Fords and have seen TOO many people with nice paint jobs and new interiors stranded on the side of the road.)

[Hank Jarrett]

Welcome aboard and wish I had some land for a private strip!!! Keep us up on what happens.

Hank

[Bruce Caldwell]

What's the N number?

[Scott]

What's the elevation at your field?
Asumming you're not in the higher elevations somewhere, you don't have steep terain or obstacles to out climb, and your planning to operate the aircraft within its legal limits, 1100' should be plenty.
S

[braol]

We're at about 800' elevation. We have what amounts to an almost N/S alignment of the runway. If we were an airport it would be Runway 16/34. Halfway down the runway (going North) land starts to rise from 796' to 812' over about a 712' distance...about a 2.2% slope. My concern is about the SW prevailing crosswinds and maintaining control authority for as long as possible.

[Scott]

Ultimately crosswind capability is more about technique than mods ( short of clipped wings perhaps!).
See recent post on the crosswind subject.
S

[davidpa28140]

As a new owner myself I'd suggest checking the tailwheel steering springs. It's important that if they are tension springs that they have been "moused" with safety wire to reduce the chances of them coming off on landing. I changed mine out to compression springs after having a wild ride when one of the "unmoused" tension springs departed the aircraft on my very first landing. Also don't run the trim crank to its limits with the horizontal stabilizer in any other position than neutral, it will jam the trim tab... Welcome to the forum, I've found much useful info here.

[braol]

I will post more info/pics later this week. There was a delay in scheduling the pre-purchase inspection, but I close on the deal Tuesday. Other than the purchase itself (or some major repair down the road) I'm in one of the most pricey periods of new aircraft ownership: buying a handheld VHF/adapters/comm box, windshield/prop covers, saving for October's annual, iPad mount, wrapping-up tailwheel certification, etc. Stay tuned for a full write-up on the whole purchase experience!

[braol]

Deal is done and I bring the airplane home Wednesday. See my write-up in general discussion forum and in the registry.

[Entropy]

Congrats! I’m right behind you schedule wise. Located in the Yoop.

[waltermrich]

Congratulations on the purchase of your Taylorcraft, I bought one of those Dewalt starters and have all the info and STC but it looks like lots of confusing instructions, when you have it would you mind taking a couple of photos of the installation and posting them or texting me with the photos ? Im reluctant to put a hole in my cowl but I think the starter is worth it.

[[email protected]]

A starter!!?? Thats exactly what these airplanes need................More weight!!!

[Hank Jarrett]

If you MUST have a starter (other than one who sits in the RH seat) think long and hard about putting in an engine driven alternator.generator. A simple 12 V battery will start the engine and can be charged when you come home. If you have an ENGINE DRIVEN electrical source you MUST put in a Transponder that requires a bunch of other junk and the weight really adds up. If you just have a battery to spin the starter and keep your hand held devices working you are exempt..

Hank

[braol]

Although I still have the complete starter system and associated paperwork, etc...the prior owner removed the starter a few months before I bought the plane. I can photograph where the hole in the cowl is licated and photograph all my parts. The install of the starter also scratched up the cowl in an arc all around just behind the propeller, and a prior owner must have taken a sheetmetal forming hammer to the front to flatten it out and eliminate the rubbing. Do any other members have interference issues between starter ring gear and the cowl? I have a wooden prop...not sure if that makes a difference.

I'm on the fence about reinstalling. Other than accidentally running the firewall fuel tank dry and having no way to restart even after feeding fuel back from the wing tanks...I'm not sure that restarting is a reason for me to reinstall the starter. I suppose hand-propping can get old. Others please chime-in about the 'DeWalt' starter system pro's and con's.

[waltermrich]

Thanks for posting all of that, I have one (in the box) but those who have it that I have talked to really like it, You must admit it is really a saftey issue.