Rebirth of my 1989 FJ1200 in Poplar Grove, Illinois

[Waiex191]

Hi all,
Bike has been dormant for about 16 years, but I'm working on getting it going again.  I'll start a project thread.
Bryan

[TexasDave]

Welcome Bryan. Looking forward to your project thread.

Dave

[Millietant]

Hey Bryan, welcome to the group.

Looking forward to the interesting tales of your "re-commissioning" 

[Waiex191]

Thanks guys!  I'm going to try and post a picture here.  I had started writing up my thread but can't figure out how to do inline pics on this forum.  

[racerrad8]

but can't figure out how to do inline pics on this forum.  

You use a photo host such as https://postimages.org/ or Flickr or several other options.

Just stay away from photobucket.

Randy - RPM

[Waiex191]

Thanks Randy!  I was burned pretty badly by photobucket, like many others.  I'll never go there again.

I also lost a lot of pics on postimage.  That was probably my own fault.  I never created an account, and the pictures expired.

It seems I can post small pics as attachments.  The only issue is when you upload them you don't have the address until you post.  So I did start my thread.  I posted, then edited the pictures to go inline.  It's here.

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=19343.0

[fj1289]

Welcome!

Waiex wouldn't be a reference to one of these would it?

[Waiex191]

Waiex S/N 191 is my "main" project.

[Waiex191]

Here is a short video of my workspace.  My younger kid was sewing up a new skirt for his UH6F Hovercraft.  My older kid was in the middle of replacing wheel bearings and control arms on his (actually my) 1999 Saturn.  The Saturn is the only car I've ever bought new.  You will also see the FJ tucked back in the corner, untouched at this point in the video.
https://youtu.be/vTVEcLWx8yk

[fj1289]

Welcome!

Waiex wouldn't be a reference to one of these would it?

Had to fix my original picture posting


Awesome!  You'll find we have many members working/worked in the aviation industry and many aviation enthusiasts too

[Waiex191]

Very close!  That's a B model.  My kid and I are building a classic A model.  Sort of like an FJ1100/1200 vs one of those newfangled FJR1300s.

I worked for Sikorsky for 23 years, and Collins after.  I worked in our aircraft power generation business for about 7 years, and since last December I'm working in the Space and Defense business.

[fj1289]

Where you at the Sikorsky facility in Connecticut in 2015 or 2016 timeframe?

[Waiex191]

Where you at the Sikorsky facility in Connecticut in 2015 or 2016 timeframe?

Nope.  Security guard summer of '85, coop summers of 86-88, Stratford 89-05, Schweizer from 05 until they closed the facility at the end of 2012.  I did the FBW on the X2.

[Millietant]

I got burned by the way Sikorsky/Schweizer ran the parts supply after I bought my S300 CBi at the start of 2012.

It was on the ground for 4 months in 2015 and 3 months in 2016 waiting for parts (and not major ones at that). Many times I'd wished I'd gone for the cheap option aircraft with a R22, or even waited and gone for the expensive option of a Cabri G2  

My family in the US run an Aerospace supply business in CT and supply various Lockheed Martin businesses and they said they weren't surprised I was having trouble with parts in the U.K. At that time.

The FJ seems to be the opposite of a helicopter....easy to work on yourself, great performance, cheap to buy, cheap to run and just great value for money  

[Waiex191]

What Sikorsky did to Schweizer was horrible.  One of the reasons I changed divisions.  I understand your pain.

I have a little S300 time.  I earned my rating in an F28A.