Corvair College #9
November 11-13, 2005
Above, Dan Weseman of Green Cove Springs, Fla., and I in front of his creation, The Cleanex. This is a plans built
Sonex airframe mated to a very mean 3,100cc Corvair engine which Dan built at Corvair College #8.
Dan got his 54x58 Sensenich prop from us. Dan has extensively tested the aircraft, and at 3,550rpm the combination
will turn a legitimate 180mph. While 3,300cc Jabbaru powered Sonexes can reportedly touch speeds close to this briefly
if revved well beyond their redlines, Dan has run his engine wide open for miles at a time on two-way passes. This
type of rpm will not harm well built Corvair engines. Dan modified one of our Nosebowls as
the basis of his cowling.
Above, Dan arrives at the College. Just before his arrival, a Bonanza performed a gear up landing at our airport.
This presented no problem for Dan. He was able to land and turn the Cleanex off the active runway with a roll of only
a few hundred feet. A tribute to John Monnett's design of the airframe.
Dan flew many passes in the afternoon and wowed Corvair builders with the performance of his Cleanex. The photo above
captures the Cleanex at speed in a low pass.
In the foreground above, the brothers Gingras. Glen and Steve put the finishing touches on their ultra-clean Corvair
destined for their 601 project. They attended Corvair College #8, and both enjoyed a flight in our 601. This year,
they came back and finished up their engine, a standout in a field of very nice engines.
Glen is in the foreground while Steve leans over their engine while installing it on the dyno.
They were very close to running it by the end of the first day. I invited them to return after hours and finish it while
the Hangar Gang prepared for the next day. I made this exception because Glen is a highly skilled helicopter mechanic
and has worked in our shop before with very little supervision and modest assistance. We wheeled the engine out and
fired it up at 2 a.m. We put it away after a 10 minute checkout run. When the College resumed at 8 a.m., builders
arriving were treated to the one-hour break in run of this engine on the ramp.
After the brothers Gingras came 601 builder Dick Proos of Tennesee. Dick started his engine at
Corvair College #8. The engine was finished during the year and brought out for a test run at
the College. Dick is at the controls in the pink shirt. The engine ran very well.
Dick's engine was followed on the dyno by Gary Collins of Ohio. Gary started his engine at
Corvair College #7. It is destined to power his nearly complete Carlson Sparrow II. In the photo above, Kevin
gives a hand setting the Starter to Ring Gear clearance. Shortly
thereafter, the engine was smoothly running outside.
The photo above was taken after the test run, when Gary's engine was packed away in the van for the trip home.
From left, Greg Baker of Batavia, Ohio, myself, Gary Collins and Russ Mintkenbaugh of West Chester, Ohio. These guys
carpooled down together. Greg is building a 601, and Russ has a Wagabond project. Russ brought photos of the
magnificent woodwork he's putting into his wings.
Kevin puts some installation details into the engine of Bob Unternaehrer of Missouri, at left. Harlan Nelson of Minnesota,
center, carpooled down with Bob. They teamed up to assemble and test run Bob's engine start to finish. The engine had
some momentary teething troubles after running a few minutes. Kevin and I listened and diagnosed it as a loose valve
adjustment on one rocker. Despite being late into a very long workday, we pulled the valve covers on the hot engine,
corrected the adjustment on two rockers, sealed it up, and it ran very well. After its break-in run, Bob and Harlan
packed it up for the trip home.
Here I congratulate Bob on his test run. The College is a very busy place, and it takes a lot of effort to get an
engine completely assembled and run in a short weekend.
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