Ward Aero Wind Generator

[joea]

Repossess hell, we are grabbing Charles and moving him out West if he moves an inch!

Am just waiting to win the lotto so we can build a big hangar, bigger runway and a section of land out here. Nine months out of the year everyone is welcome, and the summers the snakes and scorpions can guard the place for us!

Joe A

[WWhunter]

Joe,
Is that a serious statement? I have been seriously thinking about trying to acquire some land in AZ......enough to be able to put a small strip on an a shack big enough for the wife and I to spend the winter months. As much as I love my place in MN I am thinking when the wife retires she may not like the winters here as much as she thinks.
WW

[joea]

Its real serious. A friend of mine and I have found some acreage in the Wickenburg area. About an hours drive from Phoenix so close enough if you want to go to the "big city" so to speak its easy, but in the middle of absolute no where so that no one bothers you otherwise. More than enough room to put a 1500 foot strip on it, and if we can get another parcel next door the runway would be easily over 2000 feet, more than enough for an Aeronca.

Then build one or more hangars and enjoy life. It would be a fly-in community and anyone as long as they liked airplanes, would be welcome.

I am hitting 58 within 5 months and trying to hang on to retire at age 62 and would stay out there and restore old taildraggers and so on.

Email me directly for more info, do not want to post that much on the open internet.

Joe

[Classicaero]

Can anybody explain WHY we would not want to cast them like the original blades? It seems that a machined billet blade would be slightly heavier, and a lot more expensive- even with CNC machine work.

It would be maybe a $40 -50 casting with $10 worth of machine work to cast them. If I made them commercially it might be a $70-75 part. We have castings done all the time, and a pattern maker in the family

doug

[joea]

Doug,

Give it a shot and see how it turns out.

Not going to be a real big market for them but there is never the less a market. Well worth a try.

Joe

PS If I were to do it, I would make an exact copy of an existing blade, imperfections and all, and sell them as NOS. Not worth the liability risk in todays world run by lawyers IMHO, but thats me.

[jepropst]

I don't know much about the Ward generator, but I have one that I have thought about adding to my Champ. I've discussed the application with Bill Pancake in the past and will try to relate some of what I learned from Bill. I was surprised to learn that the propeller spins at 6000 to 8000 rpm. At these speeds it is much more than just a conventional propeller. From what I recall, one of the propellers came apart in flight and a piece went through the floor and caused injury to a person in the plane. If I recall the story correctly this is why Ward got out of the wind powered generator business for aircraft. All this is just a warning to be sure that the propeller design and material is suitable for the high speed application.

[Classicaero]

Classic Aero has the weldment mounts, and the manuals for the Ward Aero generator. We are expecting to receive a few original props soon. do not know if he is still in business, but we had a local shop that would overhaul these units for about $95 in Phoenix. We will check 480-650-0883.

[Mark Julicher]

Doug,

The word amongst the Taylorcraft tribe is that the cast props on the Ward frequently have stress cracks as a natural byproduct of the casting process. Every once in a while a blade departs and causes havoc. Maybe armored floor boards should be required?

At any rate, if there were an acceptable machined prop it would be safer. We are using a Ward on a 7AC right now, but I'm thinking about replacing the seat cushion with a manhole cover

[Captgrumps]

John

You are correct. That prop can be like a buzz saw. Most old dusters that used props used wood props--either way they spin fast and can be dangerous without prop guards. You wil note the current wind genrator has a shroud around the prop.

Doug