Passed test, bought plane...

Hello to all and a thank you for the hours of entertainment and education. This site makes having a computer worthwhile, but sure cuts into study time!
An update: Passed my T.C. P.P.L. written on March 30, made a commitment to purchase 03 7GCBC on April 5 and assuming no snags will take delivery mid May. Very excited about the flight from Ont. to Ab. if it all works out. My hangar project has the walls sheeted and the metal roof on. Snow is gone on the home strip to be, it needs work due to those damn pocket gophers but with a little drying time should be workable.
Now the questions!

The strip is a hayfield with about 1500' that is level enough for the purpose. Any thoughts on how wide (minimum) I should groom? If I can drive my quad at 50 mph the length of the strip is it smooth enough for my plane with 8.50 tires? (Suggestions on a better test method welcomed!) What minimum distance from obstacles (trees, a dugout) along the side should be reasonably safe for a newbie?
Has anyone here had experience with Cool-Air Doors (www.manualhangardoors.com)? They do side hinged bi-fold that appeals to me in concept. Has anyone built this type of door themselves?
Thanks much, Rob.

hayfield

Rob,

I have a strip in my hayfield too. Mine is 1800'+ long and when we reseeded the alfalfa last spring we worked and packed the airstrip full length separately to make it smoother. It is seeded to just grass - no alfalfa and the width is 30'. It is also irrigated with a wheel line and we run the irrigation mover up and down the strip. With the strip kept mowed our feet stay fairly dry when we make our moves and we also run a 4-wheeler up and down it to the mover to make the changes. It works out very well. We put about 150 miles on the 4-wheeler last summer just running back and forth on the strip.

RBM said:

Has anyone here had experience with Cool-Air Doors (www.manualhangardoors.com)? They do side hinged bi-fold that appeals to me in concept. Has anyone built this type of door themselves?
Thanks much, Rob.

Click to expand...

Haven't built any, but helped a neighbor install a set that he and his uncle built last year. The hangar is still a work in progress, and the doors aren't insulated or weatherstripped yet, but they seem to work well enough. Easy to operate, but mind the wind. Snow accumulating in front of the doors requires removal (this hangar faces east, the lee side of the prevailing wind here), but, I have the same problem with my bi-fold door which faces the same direction.

These doors are built of rectangular steel tubing, angle iron and flat iron. The sections of the doors pivot on long piano-style hinges built of pipe, steel shaft and flat iron. The doors are covered with delta-rib siding which matches the building (pole construction). They are attached to the posts which form the door opening with lag bolts (lots of lag bolts). The builders figured about $600 in materials for each set of doors. They built two sets, one 12' X 43", and one 12' X 48'.

If I get over that way in the next couple of days, I can take some pics and post them if you're interested. Since it has been raining here for two days, and the mud is knee deep, I won't be seeding (or flying) any time soon, so I need something to do anyway.

Mark

Hey Mark, thanks for picking up on that thread, you're the second person on the planet that I've found with any opinion/experience on that type. It would be great if you could post or pm pics. I actually plan to build a set with an aluminum frame but any insight into what others have done could make it much easier to do it right the first time. My deal is post frame, 10'x39' approx. opening.
I can relate to the rain and mud...it was just starting to dry out here on the weekend, nothing but rain and snow since. If it stopped now it would be days before I could get near the hangar...

Rob

Rob,

I had looked at those and a couple other different style doors when I put my hangar door in. But here in MN where we get lots of snow (used to), all the people I talked to recommended the overhead type do to the snow problem. I went that route and am glad I did, I have had hangars where the door opened to the side and with the ice and snow it can get to be a bugger.

I used Midland door out of Fargo, ND. The built a very nice door for a lot cheaper than Schwies(sp).
Keith

doors

ask Dave Jaranson he built two overhead bi fold doors so far for his hangers and they have been working fine I think Daves at SJ until next wed. so he should see a post .. Pat