New Member - Jun 2007

John Lawton here. I'm new to the group and the new owner of Ximango #135, 
aka N135XS, purchased in late March of this year from Jim McCann. I'm  located
in SE Tennessee, in the heart of the soaring Mecca that is  the Sequatchie
Valley.

=======================================================

Date:         Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:53:29 EDT
Reply-To:     "Ximango Owners Group (XOG)" <XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       "Ximango Owners Group (XOG)" <XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         John Lawton <Thrmlseekr@AOL.COM>
Subject:      New Member
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Greetings all,
 
John Lawton here. I'm new to the group and the new owner of Ximango #135, 
aka N135XS, purchased in late March of this year from Jim McCann. I'm  located
in SE Tennessee, in the heart of the soaring Mecca that is  the Sequatchie
Valley. I own TN89, a 2200' manicured grass  strip shown as "Matthew's" on the
North side of the Atlanta Sectional,  20 miles or so due north of Chattanooga.
I've been soaring in the  Sequatchie since 1978, first in hang gliders, then
sailplanes. In an odd,  seemingly "meant to be" twist of fate, we purchased TN89
in March of 2002 when  it suddenly and unexpectedly became available. It was
one of those ""right  place, right time sorts of situations. It's a beautiful
strip built by Art  Matthew's, a former Eastern Airlines pilot and one time
alfalfa farmer. A real  piece of pilot paradise!
 
For many years a glider tow club called the "Sequatchie Soaring  Society",
was operated from TN89, first by Mr. Matthew's, then by me, but  the ridiculous
liability exposure and ever rising costs of insurance forced  us to close the
tow operation in November of '05. So, we sold the  primary tow plane, along
with the club and personal gliders and bought a  Ximango.
 
Since taking delivery of N135XS in late March I've logged about 65  hours so
far. My wife Susan is also a pilot. She and I have been  having a ball with
our Ximango! In addition to N135XS, I also built and fly a  Europa XS touring
plane and I still have a 1965 Citabria 7GCA that was once  our backup tow plane.
 
Although I'm an Electrical Engineer by trade, I sold my business and  retired
from my choosen profession in 2001 after whirlwind 16 year carreer as a 
roving wireless telecom engineer. Since I can't seem to sit still, my partner 
Fred Dey and I operate the 'Possum Werks from TN89. We specialize in composite 
repair, refinish and performance tuning, primarily on racing sailplanes, 
(ASW-27's, LS-8's, etc)  but we also do work on experimentals and carbon  composite
hang gliders. We stay so busy that we don't advertise, so you've  probably
never heard of us unless you know somebody who races sailplanes in the 
Southeast USA.
 
At any rate, I look forward to being an active member of the group!
 
Regards,
 
John Lawton
Whitwell, TN (TN89)
N135XS (Ximango)
N245E (Europa XS)
N9529S (7GCA Citabria)
 
 
 
 
 
 



************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 4 Sep 2007 09:04:34 +0800
Reply-To:     "Ximango Owners Group (XOG)" <XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       "Ximango Owners Group (XOG)" <XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Bill Cooper <bnlcoops@WESTNET.COM.AU>
Subject:      New Member
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hi everyone,

I have finally found the Ximango owners group and thought I should introduc=
e myself, Bill Cooper, currently the owner of John Thirwalls AMT 200 VH-GFU=
. I'm 53, run an observatory and used to be a hang gliding pilot and then b=
uilt a renegade spirit biplane, which I have flown for the last 7 years. I =
always had a hankering for gliding again, and I was getting a little bit bo=
red at just flying around the patch in my renegade. It was hard to really g=
et anywhere as its slow and when you land then the search is on for fuel. S=
o I started looking for an aircraft that had a good glide and reasonable cr=
uising performance and endurance that I could fly with my wife side by side=
. It soon became obvious that it would have to be a ximango.

About a month ago we (myself and Kevin Saunders) flew the plane from Sydney=
 to home, Perth, Western Australia. The plane flew beautifully and I will p=
ost the flight details here at a later date.  Since being in Perth I have s=
tarted my motor glider endorsement and its been great to fly for 4 hours bu=
t only have the engine run for 45 minutes.

Unfortunately I have lost the ability to transmit over the radio. The carri=
er goes out, but no modulation on it. I have had the radio tested and it wo=
rks ok, so I am currently digging my way through the wiring to try and find=
 the culprit.

Cheers,


Bill Cooper

--
I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.
It has removed 3527 spam emails to date.
Paying users do not have this message in their emails.
Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 5 Sep 2007 09:14:20 +1000
Reply-To:     "Ximango Owners Group (XOG)" <XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       "Ximango Owners Group (XOG)" <XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         paul harrington <energy@WHITSUNDAY.NET.AU>
Subject:      Re: New Member
In-Reply-To:  <000d01c7ee8f$8f2b1d90$04b148ca@billc>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1250"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi Bill,
         My wife and I are on the opposite coast, Airlie Beach in the
Whitsundays.  We will be flying your way early next year, probably February
or March, will let you know.
I had a similar problem with my radio which was solved by a LAME friend who
simply increased or altered the modulation with an adjustment screw on the
radio. Don't ask me which one, but the operation took a couple of minutes.
Also worth checking the antenna connection in the tail plane. Access through
the port low down in the tail. Corrosion can build up there especially if
the aircraft has lived near the coast for any length of time 
I am often in touch with John who told me that his airplane had gone to the
West. Welcome aboard. Perhaps we can swap email addresses.  Regards, Paul H.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ximango Owners Group (XOG) [mailto:XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM] On
Behalf Of Bill Cooper
Sent: Tuesday, 4 September 2007 11:05 AM
To: XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
Subject: New Member

Hi everyone,

I have finally found the Ximango owners group and thought I should introduce
myself, Bill Cooper, currently the owner of John Thirwalls AMT 200 VH-GFU.
I'm 53, run an observatory and used to be a hang gliding pilot and then
built a renegade spirit biplane, which I have flown for the last 7 years. I
always had a hankering for gliding again, and I was getting a little bit
bored at just flying around the patch in my renegade. It was hard to really
get anywhere as its slow and when you land then the search is on for fuel.
So I started looking for an aircraft that had a good glide and reasonable
cruising performance and endurance that I could fly with my wife side by
side. It soon became obvious that it would have to be a ximango.

About a month ago we (myself and Kevin Saunders) flew the plane from Sydney
to home, Perth, Western Australia. The plane flew beautifully and I will
post the flight details here at a later date.  Since being in Perth I have
started my motor glider endorsement and its been great to fly for 4 hours
but only have the engine run for 45 minutes.

Unfortunately I have lost the ability to transmit over the radio. The
carrier goes out, but no modulation on it. I have had the radio tested and
it works ok, so I am currently digging my way through the wiring to try and
find the culprit.

Cheers,


Bill Cooper

--
I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.
It has removed 3527 spam emails to date.
Paying users do not have this message in their emails.
Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.485 / Virus Database: 269.13.3/986 - Release Date: 3/09/2007
9:31 AM
 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.485 / Virus Database: 269.13.5/989 - Release Date: 4/09/2007
5:54 PM
 
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 4 Sep 2007 21:57:38 -0700
Reply-To:     "Ximango Owners Group (XOG)" <XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       "Ximango Owners Group (XOG)" <XIMANGO@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Rob Morgan <ls-484@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: New Member
In-Reply-To:  <000d01c7ee8f$8f2b1d90$04b148ca@billc>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Hi Bill,
  
  Welcome to the Ximango Owners group, affectionately known as "XOG."
  
  I fly an AMT-200S in southern California, near San Diego.  I too like the idea of being able to cruise at reasonable speed as well as to shut down and do some soaring.  Over the course of the last four days I flew the Ximango about 17 or 18 hours.......about 5 with the engine, the rest in soaring mode.
  
  Your comments about your radio problem were noteworthy.  I have a similar problem.  I'm using a panel mount King radio that came with the Ximango.  I have had the radio pulled out and tested on the bench and have been told the radio works fine.  Installed in the Ximango it receives fine, but doesn't transmit very well at all.  I've been suspicious that the radio might be voltage sensitive, but I don't know that for certain.  I have tried turning off the alternator before transmitting in an attempt to just draw power directly from the battery, and believe I have seen some minor improvment in the ability to transmit, but I've never really solved the problem.  I have monitored the battery voltage with the engine alternator on and normally see about 13 volts, which seems about right.  Unfortunately, when soaring for 2 or 3 hours, I often get the low voltage light to come on the panel, and when I check, the battery it's showing 11.9 or 12 volts with the engine off.  My latest
 battery was installed in February 2006 and the aircraft has never sat more than about a month without being flown. The battery should be up, but shortly after shutting the engine down, I have the low voltage light come on the panel. Other things I've noted, I sometimes get garbled feedback through the headset when I do transmit, sometime I don't.  I also ran an independent ground wire from the negative terminal of the battery and alligator clipped it to the metal case of the radio mount.  Again, no noted improvement.  Transmit range doesn't seem to be more than about 5 miles, beyond that, people cannot make out what I say.  Within that range, some have said the radio sounds fine.  I know I need to solve the problem, as it's really a handicap not being able to talk to others when you need to.  I was dodging thunderstorms last Friday and talking to a controller who was having a difficult time making out what I was saying.   ......not a good thing.  I may have to have a radio
 shop go through the plane to solve the problem.
  
  Rob
  
  PS I'm 53 also.

Bill Cooper <bnlcoops@WESTNET.COM.AU> wrote:
  Hi everyone,

I have finally found the Ximango owners group and thought I should introduce myself, Bill Cooper, currently the owner of John Thirwalls AMT 200 VH-GFU. I'm 53, run an observatory and used to be a hang gliding pilot and then built a renegade spirit biplane, which I have flown for the last 7 years. I always had a hankering for gliding again, and I was getting a little bit bored at just flying around the patch in my renegade. It was hard to really get anywhere as its slow and when you land then the search is on for fuel. So I started looking for an aircraft that had a good glide and reasonable cruising performance and endurance that I could fly with my wife side by side. It soon became obvious that it would have to be a ximango.

About a month ago we (myself and Kevin Saunders) flew the plane from Sydney to home, Perth, Western Australia. The plane flew beautifully and I will post the flight details here at a later date. Since being in Perth I have started my motor glider endorsement and its been great to fly for 4 hours but only have the engine run for 45 minutes.

Unfortunately I have lost the ability to transmit over the radio. The carrier goes out, but no modulation on it. I have had the radio tested and it works ok, so I am currently digging my way through the wiring to try and find the culprit.

Cheers,


Bill Cooper