Greg Pedersen's Streak Shadow. Conversations about modifications with other Shadow owners.

19 December 2002
Dear Ajab,
Thanks very much for your long letter and photographs on your trip across the mountains - absolutely spectacular and certainly something that 1 would be very reticent to do, not having as powerful an engine as yours.
The article certainly makes excellent reading and, once again, reinforces the strength and dexterity of our aircraft.
I am going to show your article to Jas and quite a few of the other guys so that they can see the sort of flying that is done in your part of the world and the incredible beauty that you witness.
Even Lindsay was envious! She's only been up to 10 000 ft along our Berg range which is no comparison with your magnificent mountains.
I am glad you got the Microflight magazine. I posted it on 30 October and it would be interesting to know how long it took to get to you. You definitely have the right posture for reading the magazine - next time make sure your feet are up! Makes for TOTAL relaxation.
By the way, I spoke to Kevin Fryer, a club member who is involved with the magazine, regarding your query. He advised that the magazine is not on a website at this stage but he will speak to the editors and see if they can put you on the mailing list for the magazine.
Apparently copies of Microflight are sent to Britain.
If you do wish to contact Kevin his email address is kcvn'^ekciivnucqj.'- •-.•••..-•. •. (It is also on the first page of the magazine.) He would like to hear from you. Kevin has also been involved with helicopters and their maintenance and 1 am sure this would interest Zaka.
It's a pity you haven't been flying too much but the same thing is happening here. Our weather has been atrocious for the past two months, with plenty of rain, thunderstorms and high wind.
At the moment I am doing a major annual inspection so the plane is stripped at the moment.
I am glad that you are looking at the four-blader propeller and I am going to wish you lots of luck. George hasn't spoken to me at all about you so I will ask him next time I see him.
Ajab, I don't know how you balance your propellers, but this is how I have always balanced mine. Firstly I place the propeller between two balance beams which are perfectly level to establish which blades are heavier than the others. What I have found is that most microlight pilots never think of balancing the nuts, bolts and washers which are all different weights.
Normally what I do is take each nut, bolt and washer and weigh them on a very sensitive scale, preferably one that reads in one-hundredth of grams for accuracy. I have often found that the difference in the heaviest and lightest can be as much as two grams of weight, which certainly affects the balance of the propeller. What I do then is put the heaviest bolts on the lightest side of the propeller and work the other bolts around so that the lightest bolt ends up on the heaviest blade. I then start playing with additional washers of various sizes until the balance is absolutely perfect. With numerous experimenting I have found this to be the best way to do a static balance.
Not to put you off, but my 4-blader took me eight hours to balance but the results were worth it.
Even a small piece of paper with the weight of 0,20 grams at the end of the blade would turn the propeller on the balance beam.
In addition, if you were able to have it dynamically balanced once it was on the engine, it would make a huge difference as well.
Thanks for the information on the cushions. I will visit their website.
Dave Cormack actually had a hand in building my plane and is a member of our club so I am in constant contact with him. I will ask him if he can send the design and drawings for the aluminium hubs to you.
I spoke with David Cook this week (the "Russian"). Yes he did explain the whole story to me how he actually got that name from you and Zaka. I think its quite funny. David has asked me, to send you his fond regards. He and his wife want to possibly come out to South Africa in March/April next year and spend time with all of us (Flynn, Len & Dave Cormack and myself.)
Attached is a copy of my article on our trip to the Cape. I don't think it is going to appear in the Microflight magazine as I think they do not regard our aircraft as microlights and maybe their noses have been put a bit out of joint because of the long distance we covered in one day with ease - something a trike could never do.
I am also attaching a few photos to accompany the article 1. The first one is flying over the Knysna Lagoon, Southern Cape, with the Indian Ocean in the background.
2. The next two were at East London Airport where the two Streaks were parked with a South African Airways Boeing in the background.
3. The next one was leaving Plettenberg Bay with the sun just peeping over the Tsitsikamma Mountains - approx. 4000 feet. You can just make out my friend's Bushbaby in the foreground 4. The last photo is one of Jas and myself standing at a viewpoint above Plettenberg Bay.
The cloudbank in the back ground is fog which rolls in unbelievably quickly and engulfs everything for 2 to 3 kilometres inland (as indicated in our story).
Wishing you and your family all the very best over this end of year period. Thanks for your good wishes too. Please send my wishes too to your partner, Zaka.
Regards,
Greg and Lindsay

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From: ajab khan
Sent: 09 December 2002 03:50 PM
Dear Greg,
A belated thanks for being so thoughtful in sending the microlite mag.In a place like I am, its wonderful to receive such reading material. BTW 1 did take your advice on how to enjoy the reading ( see the att foto )!!!!! I did'nt know that SA has so much of microlite activity, especially the trike flying. Perhaps the excellent weather and uncluttered terrain provides the incentive ?
Infact the only guys I had been exchanging e mail were Mike Blythe ,Niren Chotoki & Peter Bosh and they all have very helpful indeed .
I have been keeping away from the star streak lately except a couple of hours flying and that too a pick and drop by my partner from the mountains.The weather is fairly cold already in the mornings and we are expecting snow any time now. I am planning to take a few days off and join my wife and kids for a break & flying (this mail reaches you via a floppy sent to my wife !!)
Regarding the propeller I think most probably I '11 try the precision propeller new 4 bladed CNC hub,1 have a new 3 bladed hub & blades and I need to get one extra blade with it,wish me luck. 1 did send an email to george ,perhaps he is busy or did'nt get it.
I certainly will look forward to your story on your trip to cape,BTW is the mag available online on the MISASA website ? I could get a print from it.
In one of your previous mail you needed more details on the tempur foam cushions that I 'd mentioned. Well I ordered them from www.aircraftspruce.com try searching their online catalogue under ( composite materials p/n 01-09320)
I wonder if you could help in getting some info on the availability of machined alu hubs for the shadow ? David Cook had referred me to Mr Dave Cormack in SA. 1 did speak to him a few months ago, he told me that ,unfortunately the guy who made them for him died recently .But he did mention if i remember correctly that he could send me the design & drawing which could possibly be made here in pakistan .His tel no is 31-7821073.
Lastly
MERRY CHRISTMAS & SEASONS GREETINGS
to you & Lindsay
ajab

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From: ajab khan
Sent: 21 May 2003 01:18 PM
Subject: Re: Your last email
Dear Greg & Lindsay,
Thanks for your mail, You need to be much slower in trying to catch up with my pace!! Let me get back to civilisation and my response shall improve.
Good to hear the news regarding the hubs etc. POur exisiting hubs are the standard nylon ones with the same Hospital trolley tyres (one of Russian's money saving tricks !!!).The brakes are standard cable operated ones. I had to change my landing gear to a carbon fibre one made by Michel Newman(one of davids & our mutual friend) The axle is standard again. Yes off course it would be safe for a parcel if sent by post.1 do get such parcels from UK for the star streak. I would appreciate a quote for the hubs alongwith an acct no bank code etc for the transfer o f necessary funds .
What make of tyres are you using ? I got a few pairs(made in holland ) from Fiona at the SFC in Uk which apparently look much better than the Hospital trolley ones.
Another query, what type of brakes are you using ? I would certainly be interested in Hydraulic disc or drum brakes provided they fit the existing axle & standard landing gear attachment. I operate out of a concrete airfield with long taxiying which is hell on these exisiting (moped style ) brakes .
No I did 'nt hear of Jonathans conversion to star streak, I would like to read more on that especially on his success with the prop. Whats new on The Russian's front ,tell his wife If he could come to our so called WAR zone and be safe ,he'd be certainly better off in SA!!
The War fever and hysteria is still simmering around in the region, especially if one watches the TV .Other than that life apparently seems to go on as normal. As best neighbours We like to snarl at each other every now & then, perhaps our body language!!! The hopes of lasting peace disappear sooner than they appear. I think we both have learnt to live with such excitement and we seem to thrive on it, ha ha ! !
I read out your mail to Zaka and he joins me in sending our best wishes to you both.
Cheers
ajab

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From: "lindsay gray"
To: "Ajab2"
Subject: Your last email
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 01:16:51 +0200

Hi Ajab,

Sorry about the delay as usual. I finally managed to speak to Dave Cormack and it seems that we may be able to source some metal rims, ie. the same type that I am using. Could you please let me know the dimensions of what you are presently using, or, if they are the standard rims that are fitted
to the Streak (nylon/plastic). Dave thinks that, from the conversation he had with David Cook, you probably have the standard Streak rims.
Depending on the width, Dave will probably have to machine them down for you and then we could think of sending over the rims, the correct bearings, tyres and tubes which we could source locally.
Do you think it would be feasible sending over a huge parcel containing the>rims, tyres and tubes without it being vandalised or stolen?
If so, please could you give me as much detail as possible of what you are presently running, including your axil diameter, so that I can pass all this on to Dave Cormack. And also, what sort of brakes are you using? Discs or drums? He may need to know this.
Like you, because of your weather, I too have been pretty slack on this side and have hardly done any flying. Jonathan has just completed his conversion>at the back of his Star Streak (did I mention this to you?) and I must take some pictures for you, as I promised a long time ago. He is also still battling with his arplast propeller and it is not giving him the speed that he really wants.
Jas and I haven't planned any trips this year. If you remember, it was this time last year that we flew down to the Cape. Our weather is very unpredictable at the moment so that idea has been shelved for the time I have heard nothing further from David 'Russian' Cook. No doubt his wife put a spanner in the works with their coming out to South Africa because she was concerned about the crime rate. I must write to him and find out what the story is. Snail mail.
How are things going with you? Has all the attention shifted from Afghanistan and your borders onto Iraq? There are so many varied reports on what is happening in Iraq that one doesn't really know the true facts.
I trust all is well with you, your family and Zaka.
Kind regards,
Greg and Lindsay