For @WacoFan

knot4u said:
A couple of friends and I set an unofficial record replacing the 36 plugs on a 3350 in about 30-40 minutes once, four 4360s is ponderous.
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I like you man, really. But 30 or 40 minutes? Unless you got proof imma have to put you into AirAlgerie category for this. Most ridiculous thing I've read on JC today - and that includes some political crap from ATN!
 
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WacoFan said:
I like you man, really. But 30 or 40 minutes? Unless you got proof imma have to put you into AirAlgerie category for this. Most ridiculous thing I've read on JC today - and that includes some political crap from ATN!
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1996 Reno Air Races. Before the Gold Race during the airshow RARA allowed us to test fly the Rare Bear to see if we had solved an engine issue, After the flight we needed to change the plugs so we could inspect them. Four of us, myself included were able get it done in round 30-40 minutes. We worked well as a crew and had done that job many, many times in the recent past. It was all for naught because the engine grenaded big time within the first couple laps. We had a really solid group of people around during that era. Perhaps @Hacker15e could confirm my story as I know he's attended alot of the races.
 
knot4u said:
1996 Reno Air Races. Before the Gold Race during the airshow RARA allowed us to test fly the Rare Bear to see if we had solved an engine issue, After the flight we needed to change the plugs so we could inspect them. Four of us, myself included were able get it done in round 30-40 minutes. We worked well as a crew and had done that job many, many times in the recent past. It was all for naught because the engine grenaded big time within the first couple laps. We had a really solid group of people around during that era. Perhaps @Hacker15e could confirm my story as I know he's attended alot of the races.
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Wow. All I can say. That's a hell of a chore. Nice work.
 
knot4u said:
1996 Reno Air Races. Before the Gold Race during the airshow RARA allowed us to test fly the Rare Bear to see if we had solved an engine issue, After the flight we needed to change the plugs so we could inspect them. Four of us, myself included were able get it done in round 30-40 minutes. We worked well as a crew and had done that job many, many times in the recent past. It was all for naught because the engine grenaded big time within the first couple laps. We had a really solid group of people around during that era. Perhaps @Hacker15e could confirm my story as I know he's attended alot of the races.
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Was John Slack (Lyle's stepson) around helping then? I was there and recall watching the thrash from outside the pit rope, but I seem to remember hearing about it from John once.
 
WacoFan said:
Wow. All I can say. That's a hell of a chore. Nice work.
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There was a ton of other work that was accomplished by other crew members while we did ours and their contribution to turning that airplane in a short enough period of time can't be ignored. The fact that we started that race was a victory, the simple (in hindsight) issue that killed that engine was internal and didn't truly rear its ugly head until an operational change in engine operation was implemented for that race.
 
Hacker15e said:
Was John Slack (Lyle's stepson) around helping then? I was there and recall watching the thrash from outside the pit rope, but I seem to remember hearing about it from John once.
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Yes, John was there, there were alot of differing opinions amongst the experts and much swearing in the trailer happened. I won't post everything here, but I can say I helped build that engine with an old guy named Mel. If there is any humor to be found in that debacle it was the AARF guys approaching the front of the airplane after JP had rolled out and disembarked. The nitrous was still on creating clouds of white "smoke" and very loud noises eminating from the wing root intakes. Seeing them look at each other wondering "What is this?" brightened my spirits in a dark moment. My dad and stepmom had come to the race that year, when we got the airplane back to the pit they approached me and she was crying, the only response I could give was "Well, that's big time air racing.".
 
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Still a lot of bad feelings toward JCP about a number of incidents like that. Mel was a master craftsman, though, and made a lot of magic over the years on the front end of the Bear.

knot4u said:
the only response I could give was "Well, that's big time air racing.".
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In my younger years when I lived up in Seattle, my dad, brother, and I all crewed for various unlimited hydros over the years. The most important phrase I learned very early on in the experience was, "that's boat racing!", for all of the same reasons.

Unfortunately, effort and love expended rarely equates to results on the race course for the majority of the field, so wrench-turners have to get their job satisfaction out of the experience rather than the destination.
 
Hacker15e said:
Still a lot of bad feelings toward JCP about a number of incidents like that. Mel was a master craftsman, though, and made a lot of magic over the years on the front end of the Bear.



In my younger years when I lived up in Seattle, my dad, brother, and I all crewed for various unlimited hydros over the years. The most important phrase I learned very early on in the experience was, "that's boat racing!", for all of the same reasons.

Unfortunately, effort and love expended rarely equates to results on the race course for the majority of the field, so wrench-turners have to get their job satisfaction out of the experience rather than the destination.
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JCP did exactly what he was told to do that day, and it predictably grenaded the engine. Ask Johnny why the MP was higher than normal but torque pressure was down. Hint: part numbers.
Melvin was a guest at my house many times for dinner. That guy started working on airplanes at Glendale Airport. I miss him.
 
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