STARDUSTER INFORMATION

AIRCRAFT
Previous N-Registration: N16RS
Proposed Thai Registration: HS-OWL
Aircraft Manufacturer: Starduster
Aircraft Type: SA-300
Aircraft s/n: SS01
Manufacture Date: 06-12-72
Empty Weight: 1297
Max Weight: 1985
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
Engine Model: IO-360-A1A
Engine s/n: L-9610-51A
Engine HP: 200
Propeller Manufacturer: Sensenich
Propeller Model: 76EM8-064
Propeller s/n: 19028K

RADIOS
VHF Comm Manufacturer: NARCO
VHF Comm Model: 810 TSO
VHF Comm s/n: 15784
Transponder Manufacturer: NARCO
Transponder Model: AT150 TSO
Transponder s/n: 38336
ELT Manufacturer: Ameri-King (from HS-DOG)
ELT Model: AK-451
ELT s/n: 21992

 

 

(pic)
Starduster Assembled at Bang Phra -- 2020

  DOCUMENTS -- HS-OWL


 


HS-OWL -- C of R


HS-OWL -- C of A


HS-OWL -- 5 Year Permit


HS-OWL -- Additional Pilot (5 Year Permit)


HS-OWL -- Insurance Liability


HS-OWL -- FAA VALIDATION


HS-OWL -- MEDICAL

 

 

 

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DISCUSSION - SAFETY
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WITH STARDUSTER
wow....where to start. let's mention the big 3 (imho). #1. weight and balance. it is easy to exceed the aft cg limit, depending on pilot weight, engine size and engine mount length. even if the wt/balance was recently done, I would recommend doing it yourself or have it done under your purview. #2. location of wheel axles in relation to firewall. in the level attitude, early SD2s had the axles in vertical line with the firewall. design change later moved the axles approx 8 inches aft of the firewall. the difference being in ground handling i.e. taking weight off the tailwheel. #3. while it will do some level of acro depending on pilot skills, the designer Lou Stolp always said and wrote that it was designed as a sport biplane, not an aerobatic biplane. if built correctly and rigged properly, it is a very stable and easy flying airplane, in the air or on the ground. you need to hook up with Dave Baxter if you have not already. he can probably tell you specific things about this (your) airplane.

the two main problems with older Stardusters were weight and balance do to the early short motor mounts generally leaving one in the aft end of the C G with minimum fuel and even out of the C G range! And what I call the old style landing gear, raked to far forward making the tail really heavy and if one has gear geometry issues in that both wheels are not going the same direction as the rest of the airplane one can be investigating parts of the airport you have never seen before! Up close! Dave

Roy I like everyone else, have an opinion and my opinion is that having only two ailerons on just the lower wings only compromises the delightful flying qualities of this airplane!

There are advantages and disadvantages. The Starduster Too leaves a lot to be desired even with four ailerons, But the control harmony balance and pressures along with initial roll rate, in my opinion with the four aileron system is superior than with just the Two lower ailerons, and they ( Lower Ailerons Only ) are not all built the same, many are different sizes inboard and outboard length have been increased or both and many have different control arm lengths and bell crank arrangements!. Thus making them less effective.

The advantage with ailerons only on the lower wing, are not having to build all of the hardware and ailerons for the upper wing which makes the airplane lighter easier and quicker to build. Also as others have stated their are more problems with four ailerons and slave strut rigging configuration. I do not see this as a big problem.

All of the airplanes I have flown that have ailerons on the lower wing only, require more stick pressure, force ( Heavier Ailerons ) than the four aileron system. Marks Airplane in the air with spades did fly much like mine in feel and response however when slipping and during the the flair in ground effect prior to touch down it was different and not as effective as the four aileron version. There is just something about having ailerons on the upper wing as well as the lower in ground effect that makes them superior in my opinion especially in a stiff cross wind

I am no aeronautical engineer or test pilot and can only speak from my experience as a laymen having flown both. My airplane has 2430 hrs on it as we speak and I have successfully flown over 25 other Stardusters and have over 2600 hrs in them. Does this make me an expert? By no means, I have learned something from all and have been humbled by several, including my own!

Many of those back in the good old days that decided to go with ailerons on the lower wings only did so because they claimed they were not aerobatic pilots or interested in acro and therefore assumed that just lowers would be adequate for most flying and one might argue the point!

I would have to agree with this statement. However as a practical matter how about cross winds? With the four aileron configuration you have much more cross wind control authority and this airplane can be successfully landed in a substantial cross wind, and why do all of the aerobatic biplanes have four ailerons? If it were not a better or more effective system the Pitts would still have ailerons on just the lower wings!

So before some of you guys take exceptions or hammer me this is again, "only my opinion" and if I was building or buying a Starduster Too I would definitely want four ailerons!

Roy my offer to you would be to come to Portland Oregon and fly my airplane and I am sure that my friend Mark would up in Washington state be happy to fly with you in his airplane and that way you can make a real world comparison. But remember his has spades and is the only one I have ever seen that does. By the way, of the 650 or so Starduster Toos built about two dozen have ailerons on the lower wing only.

Private Message me with your phone number and best time to call as I would love to chat with you about this or any other questions you might have about this airplane. My goal in mouthing off is to help others so that they enjoy there airplane and not get hurt, physically or financially . Dave
 

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