SN 26 - ready to sail to the US!

[No longer active on TMGA]

SN26 is scheduled to ship from Bremerhaven on Dec 31, then arrive in Miami Jan 12. Jim will take it from there to Melbourne for the instruments, registration, and test flying. Jim hasn't made any commitments, but I'm guessing I can take delivery by mid-February.

Here's the final panel layout.

The Skyview will have the usual engine sensors plus fuel flow transducer, ADSB weather, auto pilot, Dynon radio, and Dynon intercom. For soaring, I'm using a ClearNav flight computer with a ClearNav vario. I've left blank space to either side of the ClearNav in case I decide a tablet based flight computer is a better choice (an iPad mini just fits).

The 45 cubic foot oxygen cylinder will be mounted on the rear of the package shelf, where the gauge and valve are available to the pilot, and the EDS two person controller somewhere nearby. I don't expect to do much night flying, but I'm getting the position/strobe lights and the new LED landing light so I'll have the option. Don't expect to do much towing, either, but got the towhook, too.

I'm still not decided on the graphics. After 35+ years of flying gliders, I expect gliders to be plain white, but I might change my mind! My wife likes them, so maybe she'll make the decision.

[No longer active on TMGA]

I've started a blog to cover the preparations for picking up my Phoenix at the dealer's place in Melbourne, FL, then flying it home to Richland, WA. My wife, Jan, will accompany me, and she's hoping it's an adventure, but not too exciting.

http://phoenixarrives.blogspot.com/

Edited January 19, 2014 by Eric Greenwell

[discus239]

Will be great to follow your experiences, my ship might arrive fall of 2014, sn? my trip home (110nm from melbourne) won't be quite as interesting

[No longer active on TMGA]

Will be great to follow your experiences, my ship might arrive fall of 2014, sn? my trip home (110nm from melbourne) won't be quite as interesting

Jim Lee will probably make a visit to your home airport part of the flight training you receive

If you get it soon enough, perhaps you could take the plane home, put in some baggage, and head north to follow the colors as they go south in the Fall. That's something we've always wanted to do, and I'm hoping we'll manage that in the next year or two.

[1MoClimb]

Eric, have you thought about stopping in Reno during the SSA Convention? The timing might coincide with your x-country home. I asked Jim Lee if he will be exhibiting/participating at the show but have not heard back from him.

Herb

[No longer active on TMGA]

Eric, have you thought about stopping in Reno during the SSA Convention? The timing might coincide with your x-country home.

That might be hard to manage, given the weather uncertainties in mid-February, and the people we'd like to visit. Plan A - it's ready early February, so we can be sure to get home before the convention, then use our motorhome for the Reno trip; Plan B - it's ready by the end of the convention, so we fly commercial to Reno, do the convention, then continue to Florida.

A work in progress.

[Dave]

Hi Eric,

I can see you are excited; as am I about the prospective delivery of #30 for me sometime this summer. I'm a 14 year glider pilot with cross country and wave experience but virtually no prior power experience. In June I sold my beloved Ventus-B16.6 and began several power lessons in a Diamond, another LSA, and some time in Scheibe-Falke for my self launch log entry. Since then, I've been studying independently and pestering my better qualified power pilot friends for advice. My plan is to get training with Jim and fly the Phoenix from MLB together with an experienced friend back to Philadelphia. My wife too did not enjoy pure soaring and was nervous to be "alone" in the front seat of a Grob 103 with no engine. Yet, she felt comfortable in the Phoenix, and we look forward to touring after I get some more time in type. My son lives in Seattle. Perhaps I'll see you in the great state of Washington at some point. Best of luck on your adventure.

Dave Glosser

[No longer active on TMGA]

Hi Eric,

I can see you are excited; as am I about the prospective delivery of #30 for me sometime this summer.

Yep, it's becoming real, and I have to get insurance for it, get all the stuff ready I need to take to Florida to put in it, like spare sunglasses, regular glasses, inReach, cords and DC charger for the iPad, hand-held transciever, flashlight, tie-downs - all that stuff that's accumulated over the years and stays in my ASH 26 E, so I don't even think about it. My wife is trying to figure out what clothing to take, with a warm Florida, but like still 30's in some places on the way back, especially in the morning.

Besides my self, Ed Walker in Seattle has a Phoenix, as does John Sieberts, so when you come to Washington, we can have a mini-flyin somewhere, perhaps Arlington, where Ed keeps his glider.

[Dave]

Sounds good. I'll be interested to here about your insurance choice.

[chasers03]

I have had very good Insurance service for 4 years from John Sweeney Aviation Insurance Resources, LLC PH 877-247-7769 jsweeney@air-pros.com www.air-pros.com Cost me $1795 for 65000 coverage on my old Lambada which hasn't been easy to get coverage for. I am envious of your trip and hope to meet you in Cottonwood.

[Thermalseeker]

I've used LL Johns for years for my Ximango and Europa. They handle a lot of gliders and motorgliders. USAIG is the underwriter. I tried to get a quote from AOPA's Insurance Services recently for my Ximango because my insurance renewal is coming up in March. I like to shop around every few years. They claimed in their advertisement 1-2 business days for a quote. After waiting over two weeks I finally dropped them an email to inquire about my request for a quote. Several days later I got an email response claiming I would have a quote by end of business that day. Several days after that I contacted them again via email to inquire about the requested quote. Several days after that I got a response from a woman in Kansas that said she was unable to find an underwriter for my Ximango and that she had mailed me a letter to inform me about what was happening. That was over 3 weeks ago and I still have yet to get the letter she claims she sent. BTW, the Ximango is Type Certified in 28 countries, I have over 600 hours in type, 1500+ in gliders, and 34 years of accident free, claim free flying. Previously, I have had no problem getting insurance for my Ximango through Avemco, AIG, and USAIG. Don't waste your time with the AOPA's insurance services. The AOPA Insurance Services claim that they will "insure anything" is a joke.