X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Tue, 04 May 2010 16:23:19 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from smtp-auth-04.mx.pitdc1.expedient.net ([206.210.66.137] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.3.6) with ESMTPS id 4246858 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 04 May 2010 07:25:43 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=206.210.66.137; envelope-from=rpastusek@htii.com Received: from HTBOB001 (static-72-66-86-7.washdc.fios.verizon.net [72.66.86.7]) by smtp-auth-04.mx.pitdc1.expedient.net (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id 0B13EE56A3 for ; Tue, 4 May 2010 07:25:08 -0400 (EDT) From: "Robert Pastusek" X-Original-To: "'Lancair Mailing List'" References: In-Reply-To: Subject: RE: [LML] Re: Cabin Door Window-IV-P X-Original-Date: Tue, 4 May 2010 07:25:05 -0400 X-Original-Message-ID: <000701caeb7c$73977be0$5ac673a0$@com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0008_01CAEB5A.EC85DBE0" X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook 12.0 Thread-Index: AcrrEaWsE1EF/wfsQ5ebFrAagaxiUAAZ1iDQ Content-Language: en-us This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0008_01CAEB5A.EC85DBE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Colyn, On the loud banging/popping, could the engine be pre-igniting? This will definitely cause what you describe, and is definitely not good on it. Do you climb at full rich mixture? If so, pre-ignition is not likely.but possible. If you are leaning in the climb, try pushing in the mixture the next time it happens to see if that corrects it. Also, you can get a pop/bang from "after-fire" in descent with the mixture rich. This is caused by unburned fuel being dumped into the exhaust during descent when the engine is essentially windmilling.not producing much power. The fuel mixture will occasionally ignite in the exhaust stack causing a definite pop/bang. You've got the old window for asking. I don't have it out yet.probably be June as my "real work" is significantly interfering with my fun these days, but I intend to try to get it out in one piece so I can try to see where the break started, and why. According to Ed, the crankshaft failed between the bearing journal and the prop flange.right in the radius. Ed says you can see a crack through at least half the material, then the rest "tore off", bending/distorting the metal in the process. Don't know if this was one of the "bad" Continental cranks that got through the check of a few years ago or not. The NTSB has the engine and is analyzing now. Expect to hear more about this when available. Bob From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Colyn Case Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 6:40 PM To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: [LML] Re: Cabin Door Window-IV-P Bob, thanks for bringing this to our attention. I did have some loud banging noises last time I went through 16000 but I haven't found the culprit yet. I wrote it off as possible popping from some new carbon work inside the plane. On another issue, I would love to purchase your old window as I've been wanting to test my escape hatchet and some other toys to see what really works for getting out of the plane if the door is jammed. On a third issue do you have any recommended actions at this point to avoid having your prop fall off? regards, Colyn On Apr 29, 2010, at 2:10 PM, Robert Pastusek wrote: Lancair builders, Two weeks ago, I discovered what appeared to be about a 1" "crystallization" just visible by looking through the Plexiglas at an angle within the carbon fiber "sandwich" holding the door window in my Lancair IV-P. This is just visible in the attached photos of the upper back corner of my cabin door. It's in the lower center of the "outside" photo; upper center of the "inside" photo, and is directly across the door frame from the upper rear door latch. I asked Bill Harrelson to have a look at it on Saturday, and by that time, the small defect I originally saw had clearly spread to a crack of about 4" running from below the original crystallization area to the upper back curve of the window. The pictures show the resulting crack generated in the interior and exterior paint. Brent Reagan sent detailed pictures and instructions on how to repair this (MANY THANKS BRENT), and I am ready to pull the door and start cutting out the window for replacement. Fortunately I have an extra window available from buying the "fast build door" in 2004 after buying the complete kit, with window, some years earlier; but before I cut into it, I was trying to figure out what's caused this, and seek your advice on how to prevent a reoccurrence. The background: The complete fast build door was installed in 2004 and the aircraft painted in 2006. It first flew in June, 2008 and has just over 500 flying hours to date. I normally fly in the high teens/low flight levels, but tested the airplane to FL250 and have been there a few times since to avoid weather. I normally leave the cabin altitude controller set at 1000', generating the rated 5.5 PSI pressure differential any time the aircraft is above 14,000' or so. I would estimate the airplane has 200-250 hours at 5+ PSI. I first noticed the crystallization while cleaning the windows. There was no crack visible at that time, and the defect was directly across from the upper rear door latch. Note also that the door lift strut attaches to the door frame just above this point. This new strut attach location was incorporated in the factory fast build door that I received. I have been very careful with the door and have not had any problems with it at all. It closes and latches easily without binding, and with very light pressure on the closing handles. The only possibly-related thing that I can think of is that I left the airplane for a minor servicing last month, and the maintenance crew worked it on the ramp on a windy day. It's possible that the door was opened by someone not familiar with it, and allowed to extend upward hard against the lift strut by the wind. I don't know this to be a fact, but it's the only possibility I can think of-and even so, the flaw did not start at the lift strut attachment point. I flew the airplane at 17,000' (full 5.5 PSI differential pressure) for three hours after the maintenance work, and flew it four more times in the local area with the cabin partially pressurized. Lucky?? Another explanation?? Any thoughts/comments appreciated. Also, is there anything I should look for as I cut out the old window? Many thanks in advance, Bob Pastusek -- For archives and unsub http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/lml/List.html ------=_NextPart_000_0008_01CAEB5A.EC85DBE0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Colyn,

 

On the loud banging/popping, could the engine be = pre-igniting? This will definitely cause what you describe, and is definitely not good = on it. Do you climb at full rich mixture? If so, pre-ignition is not = likely…but possible. If you are leaning in the climb, try pushing in the mixture = the next time it happens to see if that corrects it. Also, you can get a pop/bang = from “after-fire” in descent with the mixture rich. This is caused by unburned fuel being = dumped into the exhaust during descent when the engine is essentially = windmilling…not producing much power… The fuel mixture will occasionally ignite in = the exhaust stack causing a definite pop/bang.

 

You’ve got the old window for asking. I don’t = have it out yet…probably be June as my “real work” is significantly interfering with my fun these days, but I intend to try to = get it out in one piece so I can try to see where the break started, and why. =

 

According to Ed, the crankshaft failed between the = bearing journal and the prop flange…right in the radius. Ed says you can = see a crack through at least half the material, then the rest “tore = off”, bending/distorting the metal in the process. Don’t know if this = was one of the “bad” Continental cranks that got through the check = of a few years ago or not. The NTSB has the engine and is analyzing now. Expect = to hear more about this when available.

 

Bob

 

 

From:= Lancair = Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Colyn Case
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 6:40 PM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Re: Cabin Door Window-IV-P

 

Bob, thanks for bringing this to our = attention.

I did have some loud banging noises last time I = went through 16000 but I haven't found the culprit yet.   I wrote it off as = possible popping from some new carbon work inside the plane.

 

On another issue, I would love to purchase your old = window as I've been wanting to test my escape hatchet and some other toys to = see what really works for getting out of the plane if the door is = jammed.

 

On a third issue do you have any recommended = actions at this point to avoid having your prop fall off?

 

regards,

 

Colyn

 

On Apr 29, 2010, at 2:10 PM, Robert Pastusek = wrote:



Lancair builders,

 

Two weeks ago, I discovered what appeared to be about a = 1” “crystallization” just visible by looking through the = Plexiglas at an angle within the carbon fiber “sandwich” holding the door = window in my Lancair IV-P. This is just visible in the attached photos of the = upper back corner of my cabin door. It’s in the lower center of the “outside” photo; upper center of the “inside” = photo, and is directly across the door frame from the upper rear door = latch.

 

I asked Bill Harrelson to have a look at it on Saturday, = and by that time, the  small defect I originally saw had clearly spread to = a crack of about 4” running from below the original crystallization = area to the upper back curve of the window. The pictures show the resulting = crack generated in the interior and exterior paint.

 

Brent Reagan sent detailed pictures and instructions on = how to repair this (MANY THANKS BRENT), and I am ready to pull the door and = start cutting out the window for replacement. Fortunately I have an extra = window available from buying the “fast build door” in 2004 after = buying the complete kit, with window, some years earlier; but before I cut into = it, I was trying to figure out what’s caused this, and seek your advice = on how to prevent a reoccurrence.

 

The background: The complete fast build door was = installed in 2004 and the aircraft painted in 2006. It first flew in June, 2008 and = has just over 500 flying hours to date. I normally fly in the high teens/low = flight levels, but tested the airplane to FL250 and have been there a few times = since to avoid weather. I normally leave the cabin altitude controller set at 1000’, generating the rated 5.5 PSI pressure differential any time = the aircraft is above 14,000’ or so. I would estimate the airplane has 200-250 hours at 5+ PSI.  I first noticed the crystallization while cleaning the windows. There was no crack visible at that time, and the = defect was directly across from the upper rear door latch. Note also that the = door lift strut attaches to the door frame just above this point. This new = strut attach location was incorporated in the factory fast build door that I = received.

 

I have been very careful with the door and have not had = any problems with it at all. It closes and latches easily without binding, = and with very light pressure on the closing handles. The only possibly-related = thing that I can think of is that I left the airplane for a minor servicing = last month, and the maintenance crew worked it on the ramp on a windy day. It’s possible that the door was opened by someone not familiar = with it, and allowed to  extend upward hard against the lift strut by the = wind. I don’t know this to be a fact, but it’s the only possibility = I can think of—and even so, the flaw did not start at the lift strut = attachment point.  I flew the airplane at 17,000’ (full 5.5 PSI = differential pressure) for three hours after the maintenance work, and flew it four = more times in the local area with the cabin partially pressurized. Lucky?? = Another explanation??

 

Any thoughts/comments appreciated. Also, is there = anything I should look for as I cut out the old window?

 

Many thanks in advance,


Bob Pastusek

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