Monday, March 22, 2010

I’d been down to see Richard Teverson and his lovely example G-LUCL. All the boxes had been ticked.

My plans appeared at the beginning of 2009 and I’d got a new Inspector, paid to get my new workshop cleared and all was set-up for go.

Following Twitter’s take-over of Posterous and the general early warning that things may change over there, I thought I’d host the Luciole blog myself and the moment is apt because the build is about to begin!

A group of us clubbed together to bulk order materials and test the spar pultrusions, so the flow of materials began. More nicely cut, high quality wood from Dudley Pattison.

The quality of workmanship was also apparent in the machined parts, clean and precisely cut.

So, most of the materials have been assembled, the last remaining few bits which were preventing me from starting are on the way, and the weather is warming-up nicely - time to order glue. There will of course, be odds-and-sods to find as work progresses, but things shouldn’t get too delayed. I just need to get the inspections done.

The first UK built Luciole and home of the UK contingent, with a wealth of information: luciole.co.uk

The original French forum: luciolemc30.forumpro.fr/

Yahoo Group: groups.yahoo.com/group/luciole/

ELECTRAVIA (Luciole powered by an electric motor) www.electravia.fr/mc30eEng.php

Other sites where Luciole builds may be seen:
AERODYNE
Luciole #18
Michel Roba

Suppliers I have used:

Timber and Ply: Swindon Aircraft Timber Company
Prefabricated metal fittings: Piron Mechanique de Précision pmp.piron@wanadoo.fr
HDC - Briggs & Stratton Vanguard engine conversion kit and Tail Kit hdc2@free.fr
Briggs & Stratton Vanguard 23Hp Carrs Billington
Arplast Luciole propellor (I had to order over the phone - their e-commerce facility wasn’t being commercial at the time)
HEOL carbon spar pultrusions and undercarriage legs
Jacques Decock - carbon mouldings jacques.decock@yahoo.fr
DIAB Ltd Divinycell
Speciality Fasteners & Components Ltd Simloc or K Nuts