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3D When is a plane used up?

Spats

Spats

100cc
I have this Pilot Extra 330 that is about 3 years old with probably well over 400 flights on it. In fact it's really made up of about three airplanes. A wing here and a stab there etc. It needs programming mixes about every 10 flights LOL. And of course it's my favorite plane to fly because I know exactly how to predict it and what I can or cannot do with it.

The last few times I broke it out to fly the hinges broke off surfaces, the canopy barley stays attached, the cowl is splitting and the covering just won't shrink anymore.

Soooo I got to thinking after following @stangflyer thread for his Yak that maybe this plane could be revived. It would mean lots of wood repairs, hinge replacement, some restructure enforcing and of course re-covering amongst other things. Probably not worth it compared to the price of a new plane and the fact that I have 3 others of the same model but I think it would be fun to do and hopefully entertaining even maybe educating to follow along.

The picture is from a long time ago and before many replacement parts. Tomorrow I will take it out of the trailer and put it on the bench and start stripping it. I have made a list of a few new goodies for it such as a brand new ZDZ 180 with JA mufflers and new 380MKS servos for the wings.
 

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Terryscustom

Terryscustom

640cc Uber Pimp
Without running smoke, hard to really use them up unless they are pounded into the ground repeatedly. Strip, recover, re-hinge, check the hardware, gooder than new I say:way_to_go:.

Plus, if there were any tenancies the plane had that you want to chance that is a good time to address those. In a few weeks I'll be doing much the same thing with my 3 year old PAU Extra. Although the plane has no damage, no rash, etc. I am stripping it all out, installing new electronics, fuel system, etc. etc. etc. to bring it up to speed and into the HV era instead of the old A123's. Really pondering the switch from GP176 to ZDZ180........just itching, but that particular GP still runs good. We'll see....
 
Phil.Griffin

Phil.Griffin

70cc twin V2
Terryscustom said:
Without running smoke, hard to really use them up unless they are pounded into the ground repeatedly. Strip, recover, re-hinge, check the hardware, gooder than new I say:way_to_go:.

Plus, if there were any tenancies the plane had that you want to chance that is a good time to address those. In a few weeks I'll be doing much the same thing with my 3 year old PAU Extra. Although the plane has no damage, no rash, etc. I am stripping it all out, installing new electronics, fuel system, etc. etc. etc. to bring it up to speed and into the HV era instead of the old A123's. Really pondering the switch from GP176 to ZDZ180........just itching, but that particular GP still runs good. We'll see....
Click to expand...
I wish I had your skills Terry. I have an elderly 91" EF Extra that would be a great prospect for a "strip/rehinge/recover."
 
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