Panel Facelift for a Super Six

A little over a year ago I was fortunate enough to purchase Tom Hallendorf's Super Six. Tom did a fabulous job building it, and it was featured in the December 1998 Sport Aviation mag. Boyd B and "Rocketboy" Bob were owners #2 and #3, and did some mods, with Bob painting it and beginning a panel upgrade. I thought I'd post some "then and now" pix, show the mods, and say a few thank-yous.

Here's how the airplane looked (outside and panel), circa 1998 (pix from the mag):





Here's how it looked when I bought it last year (outside and panel):





Bob's panel upgrade incorporated the D100, and had provisions for a TT AP and a backup ASI (the two 2.25" cutouts to each side of the Dynon). The airplane flies like a dream, and I bought it with the intention of continuing the panel upgrade (moving the switches on the right to a more ergonomic position, adding the AP and maybe an MGL ASI/ALT combo, and painting the modular panel overlays). When Dynon announced their AP, I took a dive in another direction, and decided to add a D10A, a Dynon AP and an AP-74, and a Garmin stack below the 396 to replace the old Terra radio and transponder (GMA340, SL-40, GTX327). I added a throttle bracket to move the engine controls off the panel, changed the old Ram Air and Cabin heat knobs from full sized throttle controls to smaller control knobs, changed out the old CBs to pullable breakers, added a Dynon AOA pitot, added a couple CH stick grips, and even added a Vince Frazier tailwheel (a very throrough condition inspection went along with the project, as I clicked over a year of ownership during the upgrade). Future plans are to add a Dynon EMS 120 to the right side to replace the VM-1000, which when networked into the DSAB will give me a PFD/HSI/EMS capability in the left seat, and a PFD/EMS capability in the right seat (for when my boys get older and want to fly from the right or left...and when the budget and my wife's good-will recover from this phase of the project!)

Here is the panel as it turned out:



The mission is day/night VFR and fun X-C machine, so I feel comfortable with an all-Dynon panel and no steam backups (I get enough IFR on the job, and this thang was built for speed and fun...that's why I bought it!). A Monroy traffic watch and DIY annunciator panel round out the panel, and Vern Little's AOA repeater sits on the glareshield, next to the SPOT. Stein's LED strip lights are under the panel, and his map lights are to each side. The panel is powder coated, color is Apple Platinum Gray (a light, flat gray...the color of the original Apple 2SE computer, for what that's worth ). Letters were laser-etched through tape and rattle-can sprayed black to finish. I waffled between this color scheme and B-707 gray with white letters, but decided on the lighter shade, as it seemed to open up the cockpit a lot, and nearly matched the original interior color. It's very easy on the eyes while flying.

I do owe several thank-yous, many to members here (some who didn't even know they helped!)

John Kaiser, a local Reno guy, did the panel overlays and a lion's share of the wiring...probably prevented me from strangling myself with wires many times over. He's got a CNC machine and does a great job with panel cutting (and did plastic practice panels to get it just right).

Walt Murphy (local A&P) and Dan Ross (VAF's guccidude1) mentored me throughout, and even the jokes about my progress were pretty tolerable (Dan is babysitting me through servo installation now!).

Thanks to VAF'ers Bill R (for great advice on Dynons and other stuff), Vern Little (for the AOA gouge and your posts on electrical stuff), Stein for a nice conversation on panels, the cool lights and the switch covers! Unbeknownst to them, Brian (Brantel) and Paul (Ironflight) were big helps too (Brian, I've been following along with you on your ongoing panel development and really like your layouts, and Paul, watching you dig through wires in pix made it a little easier to dive in!) Oh, and Rick G, stole your idea on the glareshield edge pad too (thanks!).

It's been a big undertaking for a non-builder (not yet anyway), but it's been a real education, with plenty of cuts and contortions along the way...so I've developed a real respect for those of you that have built and are building!!

Thanks for all the support, and here's one last pic of "Rocket Six" providing an RV grin!



Cheers,
Bob

First Class job Bob - that airplane (and panel) looks beautiful!

Paul

Stunning, really....

....Bob,
To satisfy our/my curiosity, kindly give us some numbers.

Takeoff distance, Rate of climb and 75% cruise speeds.

Thanks,

Bob,

Looks great! Very nice!

Numbers

pierre smith said:

....Bob,
To satisfy our/my curiosity, kindly give us some numbers.

Takeoff distance, Rate of climb and 75% cruise speeds.

Thanks,

Click to expand...

Thanks Pierre, Paul and Brian!

Pierre, here are some psuedo-unscientific numbers. Some are from before the panel redo, and some are from after. I still need to make some GPS speed runs and some more side-by-side runs with others to check airspeed calibration, but I'd give these speeds +/- 5ish knots. I'll also need to do some real TO dist and initial ROC testing for better numbers...these will be SWAGs (want to put that caveat in there...I want to test more for good data that I can back up, so none of this is intended as braggin'...but Tom built a nice airplane!)

TO distance, even at GW and 6,500' DALT (warm day in RNO) is under 1000'. Tail is up in 2 potatoes, and I'm off before the first taxiway at Stead. On a cool day, its better of course. My first time solo down in the Bay Area (65 degrees at Sea Level, 20 gals of gas) I think it broke ground at 2-300 feet, and I was turning crosswind at 1000' before the end of the runway (at 120 knots). My seller advertised it at over 3,500-4,300 FPM ROC, not sure about the origin of those numbers, but it'll sustain over 2,000 fpm for quite a while, and it'll hit that well above the 87 KIAS Vy. A Vy climb is pretty impressive (visually) and I'll have to play with that some more to see what it'll do.

When we brought it west from Florida, we typically cruised at 9,500 MSL, at 21 squared (55%), and were seeing about 167 KIAS, 185 KTAS (on the Dynon) at 10.5 GPH. I've cruised at 10.5 at 22"/2300 RPM, and saw about 182 KIAS, 200 KTAS (12 GPH), and last week I did a speed run at about 6000 MSL (WOT and 2700 RPM, and about as low as I could go in the area) and saw 200 KIAS, 220 KTAS on the Dynon...at over 20 GPH though! Still need to check those top-end numbers for accuracy, but am doing so cautiously. The original steam ASI had it's redline at 260 MPH, but I've seen all the discussion of VNE and flutter, so I'm careful about being a test-pilot. The skins are thicker, wings are clipped and there are stiffeners throughout, so it's been modified for the increased speed. I don't need to push it too hard to go fast, and the extra HP is a nice margin up here in the hills, so I'm very happy with its performance. Original Empty weight was 1230 lbs, with a max GW of 1900 lbs (aerobatic GW of 1550). I have a reweigh coming up, to see if it's gained any weight over the years. 520 hours TTAF&E, about 70 of those are mine (1 year with 5 months down for the upgrades) so I'm still getting to know the plane...but it is a smile producer! Meant to mention above, it has a Hartzell 80" two-bladed CS prop on the IO-540.

If you guys ever visit RNO, gotta go for a ride!! Hope to have it out and about to some of the gatherings next year, and maybe even some SARL fun (been watching Bob Ax...sure looks like fun...is Race 600 available? )

Cheers,
Bob

Bob, did you ever get in touch with Tom H. and do that photo shoot???

Bob,

Your panel looks just outstanding! Great job, I like the way you used the D10A for your HSI display and I hope you like the way the Dynon autopilot works.

Mike S said:

Bob, did you ever get in touch with Tom H. and do that photo shoot???

Click to expand...

Mike,

Not yet, though I'd really like to meet Tom and Steve Barnes, who has the sister ship. Spoke with Steve a while back, and we'd like to get the planes together, and I'd love to include Tom.

Been hectic with Matty's recovery (going well now, he's back in school, took him for an airplane ride last week, and his trach comes out next week, so all is well).

Will let you know if we put something together...maybe we can even do it at Cameron Park, and get together with you too! (Did you say Tom is a member of your EAA chapter now?) I need to fly down and meet you anyway...hopefully soon!

Cheers,
Bob

N941WR said:

Bob,

Your panel looks just outstanding! Great job, I like the way you used the D10A for your HSI display and I hope you like the way the Dynon autopilot works.

Click to expand...

Thanks Bill, and thanks again for the wisdom shared along the way!! Is it OK if I call or e-mail ya about the AP as I put it together? Your bracket worked like a charm for the AP-74! Now if I can just get the roll servo to fit in the floor among all the wires in that bay, and then wire it up correctly!! (Is it easier than changing a diaper? ) Hmmmm!

Cheers,
Bob

rvmills said:

Thanks Bill! Is it OK if I call or e-mail ya about the AP as I put it together? Your bracket worked like a charm for the AP-74! Now if I can just get the roll servo to fit in the floor among all the wires in that bay, and then wire it up correctly!! Hmmmm!

Cheers,
Bob

Click to expand...

No problem at all, I'll PM my phone number.

Dynon liked the AP74 bracket so much they are making it standard on their kits. What I like is it doesn't require you to drive rivets on a finished panel, which is why I made the thing in the first place. Funny thing, I couldn't talk Dynon into giving me 10% of the AP74/76 sales for coming up with that. Darn it!

rvmills said:

Did you say Tom is a member of your EAA chapter now?

I need to fly down and meet you anyway...hopefully soon!

Cheers,
Bob

Click to expand...

Yes, he is. Next meeting is Wed night at PVF. 1930. How are you with night flying??

Bob, thanks for the kind plug for the V-Speed ADS (Glareshield Angle of Attack Indicator). I'm a big fan of Dynon and I like what you've done with the panel.

Maybe you are the cause of my horsepower envy.... I'm now committed to a new lady, a Harmon Rocket II! I looked all over the world for a partially-built kit, and found one... less than a mile from my home. What are the odds.

I toyed with the idea of building a Super-six, but in the end I thought a tandem would be a better compliment for my RV-9A, and both with filt in one tee hangar.

Nice job, and burn as much avgas as you can before they take it away.

Vern

Awsome

I really love the paint job especially the grey splash on the cowling. Did you do the paint?

Regards,

Evans

vlittle said:

Bob, thanks for the kind plug for the V-Speed ADS (Glareshield Angle of Attack Indicator). I'm a big fan of Dynon and I like what you've done with the panel.

Maybe you are the cause of my horsepower envy.... I'm now committed to a new lady, a Harmon Rocket II! I looked all over the world for a partially-built kit, and found one... less than a mile from my home. What are the odds.

I toyed with the idea of building a Super-six, but in the end I thought a tandem would be a better compliment for my RV-9A, and both with filt in one tee hangar.

Nice job, and burn as much avgas as you can before they take it away.

Vern

Click to expand...

Vern,

The V-Speed ADS is a neat little device. I'm still playing with it to calibrate it, and working to get it into my scan during landing (I may re-mount it vertically), but it's fun to have a pretty sophisticated "AOA Indexer" of sorts (Navy roots). Will do a more in-depth field report when I've wrung it out a bit more.

I'll bet a Rocket will be a perfect compliment to your 9A...one side by side tri-gear for cruisin', and one TW fighter...purty nice stable!!

Cheers,
Bob

Epsound said:

I really love the paint job especially the grey splash on the cowling. Did you do the paint?

Regards,

Evans

Click to expand...

Evans,

The previous owner had it painted at Gray's Aircraft Paint and Refinishing in Ozark, AL. The red is Imron Flag Red, done in a way they call "wet look". Shines up very nicely, and in some areas it intentionally looks like you can see still-wet brush strokes...might sound kind of funny, but it turned out pretty neat.

The flames are done with three different layered prism colors, and they actually change color at different angles as you move around the plane (purple to blue, to green, to gold to black). A bit different, and sounds like it was a lot of work...but from what my seller (a buddy) told me, they did it as kind of a creative project. Not sure how much he paid for the paint...never did ask him that!

I tried to replicate the color-changing scheme with my N-numbers and tail logo, using two layers of color-changing vinyl, cut by Mike at Aesthetic Creations in Arizona. Came pretty close. Here's a couple pics of the flames and logo:











Thanks again, and Cheers!

Bob

Hi Bob...

.....sent you a PM.

Regards,

Bob, Glad to see you got your improvements to the super six. Your plane is 20mph faster than mine, probably more. I've seen slightly higher speeds while flying with Tom H. at 1000' msl, little or no wind on his GPS. It baffels me why the super six is so much faster than mine or for that matter most Harmon Rockets. My plane has a 75% cruise at 8000 of right around 225 mph. Bob we really need to introduce the sisters, and show them to Tom H. Steve Barnes

[email protected]

Bob - WOW what a plane. I have a laser engraver at work and will be doing a new panel soon. Interested in what you did RE etching and painting - could you give more details on the tape, process, etc?

You can contact me offline at [email protected] if you like

Thanks

Emmet

Bob, that really is a nice plane. I had the chance to fly in that plane about 8 (or so) years ago when Boyd owned it. I recall seeing about 3500 ft/min with the two of us aboard and I just remember thinking how stinking fast it seemed in cruise.

I haven't seen a message from Boyd in quite a few years. Is he still around?

Multiple responses below...

Pierre, responded to your PM...hope to hook up!

Steve, 225 mph TAS is pretty dern fast at 75%. Not sure mine is that much faster...would be fun to run 'em side by side! Mike S and I are trying to figure a way to get hooked up with Tom too...maybe we can all meet up (Santa Rosa, Placerville...I'm game, and just talked with Warren "Gasman" off line on this a bit as well). Sounds like a good excuse for a $100 hamburger somewhere! If you three (MIke, Warren and you) can shoot me an e-mail so I can capture all three addresses, I'll put us all in mutual contact for some collaborative planning. [email protected] ("The Sisters"...I like it! )

Emmet, will send you an e-mail (the gist is a local engraver that does lots of plaques and placards for casinos here as a home biz did the lettering. She used a file derived from the CAD (I'll find out what type), then taped over the right spots, and etched. Then I taped and papered over the rest of the panel, leaving only the letters exposed, and shot it with flat black, then removed all the tape). Will get you more details and shoot you an e-mail.

MNellis, I think Boyd is back east...might be in Florida (that's where the buddy I bought it from is, and I think he bought it there from Boyd). Cool that you've flown in it!

Thanks guys, talk at ya soon!

Cheers,
Bob

Woof!

I want one!...

Frank

rvmills said:

Mike S and I are trying to figure a way to get hooked up with Tom too...maybe we can all meet up (Santa Rosa, Placerville...I'm game, and just talked with Warren "Gasman" off line on this a bit as well). Sounds like a good excuse for a $100 hamburger somewhere! If you three (MIke, Warren and you) can shoot me an e-mail so I can capture all three addresses, I'll put us all in mutual contact for some collaborative planning. [email protected] ("The Sisters"...I like it! )


Bob

Click to expand...

I can probably convince Steve to use his 10 as a chase plane, if you want to try doing some aerial photo work. I have a good camera for it.

e-mail address sent.

Mike S said:

I can probably convince Steve to use his 10 as a chase plane, if you want to try doing some aerial photo work. I have a good camera for it.

e-mail address sent.

Click to expand...

Sounds great Mike...I'm in! Sent you, Steve and Warren an e-mail as well. Thanks!!

Cheers,
Bob

Solo, Sea level, half tank of gas, 59 deg day = 3500 fpm
Solo, sea level light fuel load, cold day (30-40 deg F) = over 4000 fpm

WHOOOOSH!

Nice work brother!

Bob

Bob,

Sea level in an RV...have almost forgotten what that's like! Guess I'll have to remember to push the mixture all the way in when I get back there!

Don't forget, you get ALL the credit for the paint, for starting the panel, and for the many, many phone calls while I was upside down under the panel!

Cheers brother!

Bob

SUPER SIX

Hi my partner and I are finishing a super six that was started by John Niss, I would be very intersted in talking with anyone about super six's. My direct e-mail ([email protected]) and cell 918-261-9520 Tulsa OK Thanks
Robert Brokaw

Welcome to VAF

Robert, welcome to the forums-----

I am pretty sure you will get a response from Steve, and Bob.

Good to have you aboard, enjoy the ride

Hi Robert,

Happy to chat anytime! (775) 544-3511 or [email protected]. I purchased mine flying, but have done a fair bit of work on it, and have some of the original builder's records. Steve Barnes built his, and has a great deal of knowledge on both airplanes. If I can help in any way, lemme know.

Any pix of the newest Super Six?

Cheers,
Bob

Welcome to VAF........

....Robert. Having just flown with Bob Mills in his Super -6, I envy you!

Kindly give us some details on your airplane such as skin thickness of the various surfaces and any major mods such as wing span mods and fuselage extension, etc.....and what you did to keep the CG within limits.
Regards,

A little about me

I'm Retired American Airlines Avoinics Mec, And a Home builder in Tulsa. Currently have a 66 GCBC Citibria I compleatley restored, a 310 Q and now the RV super six. The structure is complete fusloge streched 8" with side fusloge panels 42 /1000, the wings are 6" shorter than a standard. The 300hp I/O 540 is currently being overhuled, still looking for a prop. As fo avionics I'm leaning toward the Advanced dual AHRS with the 8,4 screens with aoa. So engine, avionics and interior sounds easy.

bong57 said:

I'm Retired American Airlines Avoinics Mec, And a Home builder in Tulsa. Currently have a 66 GCBC Citibria I compleatley restored, a 310 Q and now the RV super six. The structure is complete fusloge streched 8" with side fusloge panels 42 /1000, the wings are 6" shorter than a standard. The 300hp I/O 540 is currently being overhuled, still looking for a prop. As fo avionics I'm leaning toward the Advanced dual AHRS with the 8,4 screens with aoa. So engine, avionics and interior sounds easy.

Click to expand...

Robert,

I'll give you a holler if I get any TUL overnights on my airline job. Would be fun to hook up and see a Super Six in production! Lookin' forward to hearing more about your bird, and to pix! Hope the build goes well, and Happy New Year!

Cheers,
Bob

Prop me up...

Robert,

I too like the Super Six, but absolutely love my HR2 built the same year as Bob's SS. I would be interested in selling my prop, a 2 blade 79" Hartzell "D" twist Harmon Rocket prop, polished and recently overhauled.
I am leaning towards a BA Hartzell, not approved by Hartzell but tested on Tom Martin's F-1 EVO. Let me know if you're interested...

Smokey
HR2

PS: Nicely done Bob!!!

smokyray said:

Robert,

I too like the Super Six, but absolutely love my HR2 built the same year as Bob's SS. I would be interested in selling my prop, a 2 blade 79" Hartzell "D" twist Harmon Rocket prop, polished and recently overhauled.
I am leaning towards a BA Hartzell, not approved by Hartzell but tested on Tom Martin's F-1 EVO. Let me know if you're interested...

Smokey
HR2

PS: Nicely done Bob!!!

Click to expand...

Smokey,

I'd like to talk props with you as well. I have a Hartzell 80" paddle, with it's twin sitting in my hangar. My plan has been to have a friend with a prop shop check both out and let me know which is better/best shape, then do Kahuna's prop-clocking mod on the better of the two. However, other props seem enticing, and I'd like to pick your brain on what your research shows as the best combination of speed, power and low vibes. Just scratching the surface on this, so I'm a dry sponge!

And thanks for the PS!!

Cheers,
Bob

Up the creek with a...Paddle!

Bob,

Having talked to alot of Rocket drivers about their props, I have concluded all of them are right! My own research however has shown that the two blade Hartzell "Paddle" on the IO-540 is tough to beat in performance on anything, be it Rocket, Super Six or Super Eight. There are two variants, the "D" and "J" twist. The D is optimized for the higher RPM's and the J is better in midrange. The MT is voted very smooth but slow, the Hartzell 3 blade is too heavy. The Aero composites prop isn't out there in numbers and is costly.
Having said all that, I wondered why the 80" RV-10 Blended Airfoil Hartzell 2 Blade wouldn't work well on the Rocket. I talked with John Harmon last year a bit over a Burger at his cafe and he felt the paddle was the "goo". Still wondering, I contacted Hartzell and Les Doud cranked the numbers in his computer comparing my paddle with the BA. His numbers gave me a slight advantage with the BA over the Paddle, on paper. Tom Martin went a step further and mounted one on his F-1 EVO with excellent results over the previously mounted MT. Tom noted the BA was equally as smooth as the MT. If you compare weight statistics, the BA and 3 blade MT are nearly identical. If I buy one, it will be the first direct comparison of the Paddle with the BA.

For me, I like the way it looks too...although 6 grand is alot of aesthetics

Smokey
HR2

[img=http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/7360/fourkd6.th.jpg]
Tom Martin's F-1 EVO with the BA...
[img=http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/897/dsc01412rr3.th.jpg]
My HR2 with "The Paddle"

Whirl Wind Aviation on a Rocket?

Smokeyray: Just curious, anyone you talk to using Whirl Wind Aviation prop on their Rocket?

Hans

smokyray said:

Bob,

My own research however has shown that the two blade Hartzell "Paddle" on the IO-540 is tough to beat in performance on anything, be it Rocket, Super Six or Super Eight.
Smokey
HR2

Click to expand...

Makes me wonder how it would work on a 10???

I have used all the props in question on my rockets, with the exception of whirlwind.
The RV10 BA Hartzell prop is the fastest, no doubt. It is also as smooth as the three blade MT. It does need to have a different "pitch bushing" installed at the factory to account for the higher rocket speeds.
The paddle blade prop is in between the BA hartzell and the MT for speed but it has a much discussed "thump" that can be annoying. Mike Steward did quite a bit of work with his, to reduce this issue, by changing the clocking of the prop. The RV10 prop was developed for the 540 engine and is correctly clocked for the rocket engine.
I gained between 6 and 8 knots when I changed from the MT to the BA hartzell on my EVO. I lost about 4 knots when I changed from the paddle hartzell to the three blade MT on my HRII. However the smoothness of the MT was worth the speed loss in that aircraft.
Rick Gray has a three blade Whirlwind on his new rocket but I have not had the chance to fly beside him yet to compare speeds.
If top speed is your mission than the BA hartzell is your best bet. However for every day cross country flying there is NO difference in speed between the three blade MT and the BA two blade Hartzell. At 55 to 60% power there will be no difference in fuel used or speed. Only at power settings greater than 75% will you see a significant difference in speed between the hartzell and the MT. The MT provides better engine braking in the circuit so it might be a better choice if you do a lot of formation flying. The MT will cost more money but the Hartzell can be repaired in North America. There is no perfect prop but my money goes with the BA Hartzell for my type of flying.