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I?m on the way....

Your survival suit

Wie gehts Hermann, Could you maybe talk a bit about that survival suit you're wearing out over the ocean? I was thinking--it must keep the cold water out, but I see its open by your ankles and your wrists. Are you wearing something that's water proof inside?
 
Hermann, great videos. Interesting to watching them.
Hope to fly also next time in South Germany and meet you and the other RV-flyers.
 
Video for Safety class, with International Students

Hermann -

I?ll be showing your Osh arrival to Home arrival video to my Aviation Safety class this morning... Wow, great job! I see one of my still pictures in the departing Osh for Madison breakfast segment. :) Thank you!

The freedom of flight in our RVs!!!
Congratulations on your journey, hope to see you again at Osh 2020!

Carl
..
 
Don, you are right. it is a drysuit and with this one it?s important to have some kind of isolation between it and the body. I wore long underwear, a long sleeved pullover and over all this a fleece overall made by the same company. You can see this at the 4 min mark on the last video.
In fact the ankles are enclosed and you just slide in with your feet, that?s it. Then it should be avoided to walk with it as it could be damaged, I used simple oversized shoes. At the wrinkles there are neoprene seals and they are covered by the suit to protect them. The suit does have many pockets where I had a head cover, gloves, PLB, multitool and other stuff in it.

AzuInr1.jpg


https://www.ursuit.com/en/ursuit-owfs
 
Carl, yes I used one of your pics. I couldn?t open the other bunch you sent so if you don?t mind sending some of them again that would be great. Best by e-mail.
Hope to make it to Oshkosh 2020, but if so with a commercial ticket.

Karsten - any time, you?re welcome.
 
Hermann,

Wow, that's simply amazing. Thanks for sharing. My only regret is that I didn't know you would be close to Boston - I would have rolled out the RV carpet for you.

Brian
 
wow

Hermann, thank you so much.
You made my day, sitting in a hotel and waiting for the pickup, I enjoyed every second of the videos. It?s simply breathtaking what you have experienced.
It would be a lifetime experience for me and I guess it was for you too.
Wondering myself if/when to start building and which aircraft...this is so motivating.

Simon
 
Hi Hermann,

Wow, what a great trip, great video?s and great choice of music.
It is something I have contemplated, but I am not sure I have the balls.
After seeing this, the itch is starting again.
You mentioned you filled the wings with foam, could you elaborate on this. Type of foam, how you got it in there, temporary or permanent installation etc.

Gordon
 
The foam is called Plastazote LD24. It does not absorb water, is bendable and doesn´t break. It can be cut with a sharp knife, but best is a bandsaw, even a dull blade will cut it easily. Max recommended temperature range is 95 deg C or 203 F, so I assumed it´s good enough to park the airplane in the hot sun, at least with my reflective silver color on the plane. It does burn but slowly and is not really easy to get a fire started. Best it does not significantly expand when the pressure at altitude is decreasing.
I put in almost half a cubic meter which weighs 10 kg or 22 lbs. The weight of the foam is offset by the heavier salt water, that means I calculated the displacement as buoyancy - about 1060 lbs. I assumed that the airframe back to the trailing edge, the engine, prop and other equipment has another 300 lbs of buoyancy, so even when I lose one wingtip with 80 lbs of buoyancy while landing the airplane will float. Full tanks are good for another 90 lbs buoyancy, if they are emptied the things will get better.

I ordered 2 inch thick foam panels and cut out wing profiles like a wing rib. Cut them where the spar is, then cut them again lengthwise to be able to slide them in through the lightening holes in the wing ribs. The outermost layer I had to cut twice to get them in. It was partly just a trial fit and cut. Not all wing setions are filled as some are hard to reach.
The foam ist just laying in the wing sections, no glue or other fixation, just filled to get locked. Easy to pull out again.

I add some pictures so you will get the idea.

nf0tDNN.jpg

This is one layer behind the fuel tanks with a cutout for the wiring and aileron pushrod.

CKOOlOX.jpg

And inserted

KhIevRn.jpg
 
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