I’m bringing my newly purchased (closed title 13Sep21) 1975 8KCAB to the Pacific Northwest. Not planned, but 1975 is the year that I became a Private Pilot and first checked-out in the Citabria (7ECA, 7GCBC) and the Decathlon (8KCAB). Isn’t this sort of a homecoming?
8KCAB in the PNW
- Thread starter EJWash
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Bob Turner
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Looks like in really nice condition.
Welcome to the site EJ and what a great looking Decathlon you've got there!! Enjoy it! It's got the fairings on the struts, does it also have streamlined tail brace wires? That would be Bellanca's "speed" kit.
What are your plans? Most flying for fun around your part of the country or is there some formal aerobatics and contests in your future?
Great looking fabric/paint, when was it last done?
What are your plans? Most flying for fun around your part of the country or is there some formal aerobatics and contests in your future?
Great looking fabric/paint, when was it last done?
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Thanks fellas!
Picked the plane up in Texarkana Tuesday afternoon, and just landed outside of Portland, Oregon this afternoon. just under 17-hours flying tach time. Will be moving it up north this weekend. No Speed Kit, but it does have aileron spades, and gap seals.
This is a retirement gift to myself (January, 2022). Light acro, $100 burgers, camping, fly-ins.
Picked the plane up in Texarkana Tuesday afternoon, and just landed outside of Portland, Oregon this afternoon. just under 17-hours flying tach time. Will be moving it up north this weekend. No Speed Kit, but it does have aileron spades, and gap seals.
This is a retirement gift to myself (January, 2022). Light acro, $100 burgers, camping, fly-ins.
Ceconite, 2001. Randolph dopes.
Thanks!
Original panel, with upgrades to avionics. Garmin 300XL GPS, Garmin GTX 320 transponder.
Attachments
Mine is Ceconite and Randolph too. Very easy to fix and work with.
I do have a small spot (.25-cent quarter) on top of my right wing where the dope appears to have chipped away from the fabric. Having just gotten the plane, I haven't delved into if this needs attention or not, or if it's an owner- allowable repair thing or not.
100% owner maintenance, purely cosmetic.
Thank you Ed! Now, all I have to do is read-up/you tube on how to do it!
Recommend you get the Ceconite Process manual from Aircraft Spruce.Thank you Ed! Now, all I have to do is read-up/you tube on how to do it!
Bob Turner
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Put a piece of tape on it for temporary. They sell really good colored duct tape, and there is a new breed of Mylar tape (expensive) that is tough as nails.
Ceconite spot repairs are trivial, but I always glue a piece of pinked edge fabric over the boo-boo, then refinish with clear/silver/white/color. Ed has been successful at removing old finish and matching the edges - I have never been able to do that.
Ceconite spot repairs are trivial, but I always glue a piece of pinked edge fabric over the boo-boo, then refinish with clear/silver/white/color. Ed has been successful at removing old finish and matching the edges - I have never been able to do that.
If fabric is damaged, or silver layer is gone, then concur with Bob. Strip to bare fabric with lacquer thinner about an inch past the damage, glue on a patch with super seam, then apply nitrate/silver/white/color dope. On small repairs you can skip the clear layer and do buildup with silver.
If only the color coat has flaked off and the silver is still there, then scrape off any loose flakes, sand smooth, and spray with silver/white/color.
Either way, tape the area for silver, then remove tape, wet sand raised edges with 400 grit, and blend the white and color by feathering the spray into the surrounding area. Dope is really easy to blend because it melts into the coat below.
For a small repair in an inconspicuous area, you can brush on dope and it will be a perfectly serviceable repair, but it will look like crap.
Most important thing is never apply dope during high humidity. Blushing happens quickly and degrades the integrity of the repair.
Get the process manual and follow it. Ignore all outside advice that contradicts the process manual. Again, dope is VERY EASY to repair as long as you RTFI.