John Austin
  • Male
  • Crossville, TN
  • United States
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John Austin's Discussions

DEL Fitting Seals

Started this discussion. Last reply by Randy Ferri Sep 14. 1 Reply

My 750 STOL/3300 Jabiru's AN-8 oil cooler lines have stainless steel female fittings and my oil cooler's fittings are male aluminum.  I've seen advice to not mix steel and aluminum fittings and…Continue

Tags: leak, seal, fitting, DEL

Banana Slot Covers Revisited ... and a Confession!

Started Sep 10 0 Replies

Plagued by dirt dauber wasps in my hangar, years ago I made banana slot covers as those pesky little…Continue

Tags: streamer, slot, banana, cover

Unique Mount for Fire Extinguisher

Started this discussion. Last reply by John Austin Sep 4. 3 Replies

I have always carried a 1.4 lb Halotron (inert gas, no chemical residue) fire extinguisher in my STOL 750.  I mounted it behind the passenger's seat, but never liked that location, fearing access…Continue

Tags: mount, extinguisher, fire

750 STOL Slats-off + Fairings

Started Aug 23 0 Replies

I have hundreds of hours of flying my 750 STOL with slats-on and slats-off with StolSpeed VG's.  For the last couple of years, I've had the slats back on and 21" tires and have been enjoying more…Continue

Tags: fairings, airspeed, VG's, slats

John Austin's Events

 

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John Austin posted a discussion

DEL Fitting Seals

My 750 STOL/3300 Jabiru's AN-8 oil cooler lines have stainless steel female fittings and my oil cooler's fittings are male aluminum.  I've seen advice to not mix steel and aluminum fittings and others have the opinion it's not a problem.  Recently, after installing a new oil cooler with my new Gen 4 engine, one of the connections had a very slight leak.  Both the oil line fittings and the cooler fittings were being re-used from the previous installation.I stumbled across these…See More
Sep 13
1 Comment
John Austin posted a discussion

Banana Slot Covers Revisited ... and a Confession!

Plagued by dirt dauber wasps in my hangar, years ago I made banana slot covers as those pesky little critters loved to build mud nests just inside and above the slots.  I made a "famous last words" statement at the end of my post: "The sponges do provide some resistance to flaperon motion, but not so great that if they were forgotten and left in place for a flight, I don't think it would lock the…See More
Sep 10
0 Comments
John Austin posted a discussion

Unique Mount for Fire Extinguisher

I have always carried a 1.4 lb Halotron (inert gas, no chemical residue) fire extinguisher in my STOL 750.  I mounted it behind the passenger's seat, but never liked that location, fearing access might be blocked if something in the baggage area shifted forward, etc.I recently experimented all around the forward cockpit but couldn't find a satisfactory location for ease of access and avoiding being kicked.  A common, ideal location is against the seat support below the pilot's knees, but with…See More
Aug 28
3 Comments
John Austin posted a discussion

750 STOL Slats-off + Fairings

I have hundreds of hours of flying my 750 STOL with slats-on and slats-off with StolSpeed VG's.  For the last couple of years, I've had the slats back on and 21" tires and have been enjoying more STOL flying! When asked about performance with slats-off, I have typically said that you get about a 6-8 kt. cruise speed improvement, landing and take-off distances are slightly but not markedly extended (however approach and departure angles are less steep), and the plane will truly stall, albeit…See More
Aug 23
0 Comments
John Austin posted a discussion

"Ultimate" Matco Wheel Leak Prevention?

When mounting tires on the split-rim Matco wheels, it seems sometimes we get lucky and the first try seals air-tight and then at other times, at least one of the wheels always has a chronic leak!  Most install the wheel per Matco's directions with a generously-lubed (Vaseline or silicone paste) o-ring.  Some give up and install a tube, which adds more weight and $$$.A couple of years ago, I installed 21" Aero Classic tires on my STOL 750's 6" main wheels and used the o-rings with no problems. …See More
Aug 22
2 Comments
A discussion started by John Austin was featured

Early Experience with Jabiru 3300 Gen 4 and Shout-Out to Arion Aircraft

I upgraded my STOL 750 to a Jab 3300 Gen 4 earlier this year.  I found this engine very easy to cool (both cylinders and oil) which was quite a different experience from the Gen 2 it replaced - the Gen 2 required tweaks and mods to both cylinder and oil cooling but in fairness, when you stuff an air-cooled, 6 cylinder engine in a high-drag/low speed airframe, it can be challenging!  I was able to use the Gen 4 ram air ducts as supplied with absolutely no mods/trimming of the diverter vanes…See More
Aug 12
5 Comments
John Austin posted a discussion

Jabiru Gen 4 3300/Mikuni-clone PD42J carb/AeroInjector TBI Carb

I had posted earlier (and have now deleted) that I was getting erratic EGT's (but stable and normal CHT's) running my AeroInjector TBI carb on my new Gen 4.  I had retained the AeroInjector from my Gen 2 and removed the PD42J as it made the engine swap much simpler since I did not have to replace all the control cables, etc.  Nick at Arion, the Jabiru dealer, said this was OK and wouldn't void my warranty.I tried different configurations of mounting the AeroInjector to the Gen 4 and never could…See More
May 31
3 Comments
John Austin posted a discussion

750 STOL Fuselage/Gear/Struts Fairing

For a while now, fairing kits for the 750 STOL have been available from Zenith, Mark Pensenstadler (kitplaneenthusiast.com) , and North American Aerospace Holdings (the manufacturer). I initially purchased from Zenith the upper fairings for the struts and jury struts - they all fit quite nicely except the forward strut fairing needed a revision and Mark Seaver at NAA quickly came up with a new version (similar to the Cruzer's) which fit great. I should point out that although a couple of knots…See More
May 2
27 Comments
John Austin posted a discussion

Retract EGT Probe?

I've got a few hours on my new Gen 4 and my #4 cylinder EGT is consistently high relative to the other 5 cylinders.  Ironically, the #4 cylinder is also one of my coolest cylinders, running about 250-275F.  (I've checked to be sure #4 is not lean-of-peak, which would cause it to run cool.  I've also checked for induction leaks and swapped probes to verify the probe is not faulty.  I borescoped the cylinder and the valves look normal and the plugs' colors are identical to adjacent cylinders.)At…See More
Apr 25
5 Comments
John Austin posted a discussion

Sensenich 2EOU5 Carbon Fiber Prop/Jabiru 3300/STOL 750

I was running a "late Gen 2" Jabiru 3300 with a Sensenich carbon fiber ground adjustable prop and had a prop strike sometime back.  The prop was deemed not repairable (and has been discontinued) by Sensenich and was recommended to get the 2EOU5 carbon fiber, ground adjustable prop (which is designed for the 3300 and also UL Power engines).  Don Rowell, the general manager at Sensenich, said I should expect climb performance equal to my old prop and better top end speed with this new prop.  He…See More
Apr 17
2 Comments
John Austin posted a discussion

Is Oil Sump Cooling Necessary Gen 4?

Most experience reports for the Jab 3300 Gen 4 indicate no problems with CHT's/cooling.  I had a Gen 2 3300 built in the transition to Gen 3 with some, but not all of the Gen 3 improvements.  On my 750 STOL, I went from a 7-row to a 10-row oil cooler and still ran marginally high oil temperatures.  (I'm in East Tennessee, so it's a temperate climate with no extreme summer heat, etc.) I then ducted bleed air off the left ram-air duct and enclosed the fins over the front of the oil sump and ran…See More
Feb 18
7 Comments
John Austin posted a photo
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UFO's Invade My Hangar!

Well, not really! Just returned from Homecoming '23 and my significant other, Julia, is decorating the hangar with Japanese lanterns for her son's wedding reception on Saturday. We're having a catered reception with a bar and a band, so it should be…
Sep 18, 2023
3 Comments
John Austin posted a note

Homecoming '23 Saturday Night Bonfire and Ice Trough

In their Homecoming preview video, Sebastien and Roger mentioned having an ice trough of microbrews from around the country along with the bonfire on Saturday night!  Got a 6 pack of "Lost Years" from Yazoo Brewery in collaboration with Calfkiller…
Sep 12, 2023
John Austin posted a discussion

Jabiru Engine Seminar

A note from Linda Moran at Arion Aircraft:From: Linda Moran To: Linda Moran <Linda@flylightning.net> Subject: Engine Seminar We will be having our next Engine Seminar on October 20th & 21st.. There is a limit of 15 attendees. Please be certain that you are attending before signing up.You can go to our website at: www.flylightning.net and download the registration form. Please mail the form along…See More
Aug 15, 2023
1 Comment
Tony Renshaw left a comment for John Austin
"Hey John, Tony here with a thank you response to your photos of your seats. I really appreciate them, and they are inspiring. Would you have any templates of the covers that go over the flight controls, I’d happily buy them from you? Lastly,…"
Jun 28, 2023
Bill Alexander left a comment for John Austin
"John, Yes thank you for your research and development of many mods to your 750. I have copied your design for the four point harness. I ordered the tubing and plate from Aircraft Spruce. Then read your write up, cut to length at 23 degrees, welded…"
May 24, 2023

Profile Information

Aircraft Model
STOL CH 750
Project Status
Flying
Building From
Kit
Engine installed (or plan to install)
Jabiru
Building Experience
Have already built an airplane
Flying Experience
Private Pilot
Building and Flying Info / Your Profession / Other Background Info
Retired physician, 3200+ hr private pilot, instrument rated, built Monerai (Monnet) glider years ago.
Home Airport (ie. KMYJ)
TN66

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John Austin's Blog

Throttle Reversing Bell Crank

Posted on November 26, 2019 at 9:30pm 4 Comments

Some time back, I replaced the Bing carb on my STOL 750/Jabiru 3300 with a Sonex/AeroConversion "AeroInjector" throttle body carb.  The AeroInjector's throttle body slide operates in reverse to most other carburetors in that the throttle cable pushes in to close the slide and reduce the rpm's to idle and the cable pulls the slide open for full throttle.  Typically, most builders use an AeroConversion throttle quadrant to reverse the cable direction.  By attaching the throttle cable below the…

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NavWorx ADS600-EXP Global AMOC (Alternative Means of Compliance) Disable UAT

Posted on December 26, 2017 at 3:00pm 0 Comments

Today, I received a letter from the FAA approving my application for an AMOC (alternative means of compliance) for the AD affecting the NavWorx ADS600-EXP:

A little background:  The ADS600-EXP is subject to an AD that…

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STOL 750 - 500 hrs!

Posted on November 29, 2017 at 10:00pm 5 Comments

I accumulated this over 5 years and 4 months.  Annuals have been non-events for the airframe - finally had to install new brake pads during my recent annual and that's about it for parts over 5 years!  At about 100 hrs I did replace the 800 series tires with 600 series, but that was just personal preference.  They look like they'll be good for one more…

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uAvionix skyBeacon ADSB-OUT Installation and Review

Posted on October 25, 2017 at 10:30pm 25 Comments

uAvionix has recently introduced the "skyBeacon," a FAA-approved (meets 2020 mandate requirements), wing-tip mounted ADSB-OUT transmitter with an internal WAAS GPS that features a simple, 2-wire installation using existing nav light wiring and no additional antenna installation or cabling - and it only weighs 90 grams!.  uAvionix sent me a pre-production…

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Comment Wall (39 comments)

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Join Zenith Aircraft Builders and Flyers

At 2:22pm on September 11, 2023, Joe Hopwood said…

Hi John,

I just realized that I have not been receiving any notifications other than when a new member signs up. I went to the email page, and I have everything selected to receive. Any idea what could be happening? Guess it is possible my email server is blocking but don't know why it would let the new member notice come through. Any ideas?

Also, I noticed that a Mr. Michael Mccarthy has been trying to contact me. It was date June 2021. Guess I have been too busy to even notice missing emails.

At 2:56am on June 28, 2023, Tony Renshaw said…
Hey John, Tony here with a thank you response to your photos of your seats. I really appreciate them, and they are inspiring. Would you have any templates of the covers that go over the flight controls, I’d happily buy them from you? Lastly, you mentioned extending the seats towards the stick, do you mean narrowing the slit gap between your legs for the stick, making it tighter laterally, or longer as in closer to the rudder pedals for better thigh support? Thanks again for the input.
At 3:59pm on May 24, 2023, Bill Alexander said…

John,

Yes thank you for your research and development of many mods to your 750. I have copied your design for the four point harness. I ordered the tubing and plate from Aircraft Spruce. Then read your write up, cut to length at 23 degrees, welded up, and guess what? A perfect fit. M y question is do you still have the information on the belts you ordered from Crow? The lengths ? Or order number for them to reference too. Yep still going , I did install the Edge bore kit on my 912 and with 50 hr on it it seems to be doing really well. I should find time and make a trip up to TN for a visit.

Regards Bill Alexander.

At 1:43pm on May 4, 2023, Michael A Housewert said…
John Austin ... John .... Then approximately how from the wing tip before transitioning from 30 to 60 mm spacing for the VG's?
At 10:58am on October 12, 2022, LARRY TRAMEL said…

Thanks, John for showing me your plane I got a lot of info from our visit. You have a beautiful home and landing strip in on of Tennessee most beautiful valleys. Hope you got your water leak fixed and sorry if I held you up. Thanks again

At 6:35am on June 18, 2021, Joe Hopwood said…

Hi John, 

A Michael Mccarthy put a comment on my wall that he has tried to contact me before and I did not reply, but he has not contacted.  Don't know for sure whether he attempted and it just did not get to me.  I tried to reply but his is set to private.  I do not want to send email to the one in his comment as that would expose my email.  Is he a valid member?

At 10:26am on May 2, 2021, Chris M. Brammer, Jr. said…

Sorry John.  Did not mean to offend anyone, or post an add to sell my plane.  Was merely replying to a question on my selection of a 0-320 engine.  Don’t see how to delete, so maybe you can do that for me.   Chris

At 6:15pm on December 5, 2020, Dennis Hutchinson said…

John, 

I just changed my internet service from AT&T to Xfinity, which as a result, my e-mail address is changing. How do I change my e-mail address for my log-in? When I go to my profile options, I follow the link for “change” under the e-mail settings, at it just dumps me back to the previous page. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Dennis Hutchinson 

At 3:19pm on July 2, 2020, Mel Asberry said…

Hey John,  Thanks for the heads-up n the DAR question. I normally don't visit the 750 forums.  I'm happy to "act" as a DAR consultant whenever I can help.

Maybe there could be an "Inspector Consultant" forum.

At 10:26am on August 29, 2019, Jeffery R Millburg said…

John , their is inspection panels for the rear tail where u need them call me   1-217-473-3269 Jeff millburg ch750

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