by J. Rion Bourgeois
Breakfast Report
We served 175 at the March1, 2025 breakfast. Costco eggs cost $4.25 a dozen, limit of 6 doz, and eggs cost $10.00 per dozen at U.S. Chef store. We are not currently planning an egg surcharge. Note that chapter members who wear their name tag to the breakfast get a $1 discount.
Monthly Chapter Meeting Report
The program for the regular second Thursday of the month chapter meeting on Thursday, March 13, 2025 was a visit to Paul Grimstad’s and Marcus Neff’s RV-14A project at their shop at Precision Countertops, in Tualatin. The heated aircraft shop was erected within the Precision facility. It was lined by maple plywood sheets. One wall was decorated by a symmetric display of all of the aircraft’s control surfaces. Another had a six by twelve foot poster of an RV-14A cutaway image, along with a large FlyBoy Ale Pilot’s Peach pin up poster.
An estimated 50 to 60 attended. Benton Holzwarth brought pizza. Chapter member Cole Chandler, who is our long time regular Pancake Cook No. 1 on the breakfast 9:00 a.m. shift, has also been assisting Paul and Marcus on the build. I was surprised when he raised his hand as a first time chapter meeting attendee. After dozens of breakfast work shifts, this was his first chapter meeting!
The aircraft is 90% complete, and will soon be moving to a hangar at Lenhardt’s. Paul and Marcus are intent on completing it in time for this year’s Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The aircraft is powered by a fuel injected Lycoming Thunderbolt IO-390 which has been balanced, ported and polished. It is rated at 215 h.p. It has the new Hartzell Raptor 3-blade prop, and a polished aluminum spinner. They have installed extended range wing tanks. They have the originals in storage if anyone needs a pair. They also installed sealed wheel bearings and Dresser retread tires.
Evoke has designed a fancy black and umber paint scheme, and had provided a partial wrap to display on the fuselage. The matching black and orange leather interior is by Classic Aero in Albany.
Many of the builders of side-by-side RVs have installed some sort of sunshade in the large inverted-bowl canopy. I have seen stick-ons, retractable fabric, and paint. Paul and Marcus have installed a unique and handsome one of flat black 0.060 5052 aluminum sheet with 1/8” holes on 3/16” centers staggered. It is 60% open and quite flexible to bend and roll, but difficult to conform to a dome or multi-curved shape. They have done a marvelous job of maintaining the elliptical style of the canopy. They still have most of the sheet if someone is interested in using it in their project.
The panel was built by Rob Hickman and his Advanced Flight Systems crew. Rob was present to demonstrate the panel. It includes two large AF-6600 EFIS screens, an Avidyne IFD540 GPS Navigator, a PS Engineering PMA450EX-Remote Audio Panel, a Garmin G5 Backup EFIS for redundancy, a Dynon Remote COM Radio, a Dynon Autopilot, and an Aithre Oxygen System.
Jim Rattler of Aithre Aviation came down from Port Orchard, Washington to describe the oxygen system. Jim and his family ran out of oxygen at 17-18K density altitude on the way home from AirVenture 2016 in his newly built RV-10. Not being able to monitor the status of his oxygen supply to protect his family, and finding them in danger without a single warning inspired the founding of Aithre. The system is awesome and leaves nothing to be desired. You can check it out at aithreaviation.com.
Paul also had his custom rudder pedals for the RV series on display. They make it easier to shift back and forth from rudder and brake pressure to only rudder pressure or only brake pressure.
Paul and Marcus intend to hire a test pilot for the initial flight. Dick Van Grunsven quipped that “a test pilot is any unemployed pilot more than 1000 miles from home.” There followed a discussion of actual test pilots available locally. Greg Hughes discussed the test phase and flight phase of EAB aircraft, the flight plan program and other resources available from EAA to satisfy the FAA’s new task based Phase 1 policy, which obviates the onerous old hours flown policy. Jim Frisbie referenced the EAA’s Flight Test Manual and Test Card Book which guide you step by step through the new FAA task based program.
All in all, this RV-14A is a beautiful example of the type, and I am looking forward to seeing it reviewed in Sport Aviation and/or Kitplanes.