AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2011 - 57

The children listen through noise-canceling headsets. Chrome everywhere. The tail tiedown, the wing tiedown rings, and the fasteners for the engine cowling are chromed. Why so much chrome? “You know, it’s from Vegas. I want a little bling. I want something to shine a little bit,” Lessnick said. The aircraft is based at North Las Vegas Airport, but during the preparation for this article it was temporarily at Henderson Executive Airport in Henderson, a southern suburb of Las Vegas. There, chains are used to tie down aircraft. Former F–16 pilot Murray Robinson, who led the formation for air-to-air photos in this article, helped to remove them link by link to avoid damaging the chrome plating. Vegas Viper name. Where did the name come from? “I wanted something that would stick in people’s minds. I knew this was going to be a special airplane,” Lessnick said. “I like the alliteration.”

More bling was added by, in part, chroming the tiedown rings. There’s more chrome in the future when the engine is overhauled and chrome will be added to the cylinder covers.

Speed mods. His aircraft picked up several knots thanks to speed modifications for the wheel wells and re-rigging of the airplane after it was painted. Older airplanes that are out of rig lose several knots because of increased drag. The Wheel Spats smooth the airflow and reduce drag caused by retracted but somewhat exposed maingear wheels. Wing root fairings smooth the airflow over the stabilator, and provide the pilot more control authority on landing. Finally, Johnston Aircraft Service wing tips were added to improve aileron authority when flying at lower speeds—OK, actually they look good and that was the primary reason. Soundproofing. “We put in special soundproofing,” Lessnick said. “Not only does it dampen the audible sounds, but the vibrations that come from the airplane. So the fatigue factor has been greatly reduced. I typically fly two-hour missions. But I’ve been flying more long, long crosscountries, literally like from the East Coast to the West Coast. I went to Oshkosh, I’m going to Sun ’n Fun, AOPA Summit. It is just an absolute joy to fly in now.” “The soundproofing [uses] Oxford Aviation’s proprietary materials, the same ones we used to soundproof NOAA’s [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] Hurricane Hunter,” said Jim Horowitz, president of Oxford Aviation “Our Super Soundproofing starts with a skin dampener; lead would be great but it would be too heavy, obviously. We use an impregnated

vinyl cut into an X pattern to stop the oilcanning of the skin. A three-part mix of different and unique frequencyabsorbing glass and foams are sandwiched into Mylar heat-sealed packets. Each and every fuselage side, floor, and roof partition is insulated this way. We actually number them specific to the location so that they can all come out and go back in the way they were designed and built. Last, soundproofing materials are adhered to the side panels and carpeting.” Air conditioning. It easily hits 120 degrees Fahrenheit on the ramp during most Las Vegas summers. Lessnick reconfigured an Arctic Air Cooler used by many small aircraft owners. “You’ll see what look like wooden speaker grills,” Lessnick said. “That’s not what that is. The tubes from the Arctic Air come up through there.” He has an electrical outlet in the cargo compartment where the Arctic Air unit sits, strapped down. A switch in the cockpit allows him to turn it on. “It cools the cabin 30 degrees. It’s wonderful. If I need the extra useful load, I just take out the Arctic Air,” he said. Done…well, not quite So, David, are you finished yet? “I do need to do firewall-forward. My engine is almost at TBO. When I redo the engine I am going to put a factorynew Lycoming O-540, which is what the airplane came with. I’ll put a dual exhaust in it. I’ll have the valve rocker covers chromed. I got inspired when I went to Oshkosh. There’s always something to do.” When Lessnick showed his airplane in competition at EAA AirVenture 2010, he came home with the best-in-class trophy. When the engine work is done he will have a total investment, including the purchase price, of $228,171. Will that complete it? “We’re in the 99-percent ballpark right now. There are a few things I still have to do. I want to put in a [Garmin] 430 with WAAS, so I will have two. And let’s see, there’s one other thing I want to do. It escapes my mind.” “What are the chances that you are going to find something to do after you think it is completed?” he was asked. “Oh, I’d say 100 percent.” E-mail the author at alton.marsh@aopa. org.
AOPA PILOT • 57 • MAY 2011

AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2011