Return-Path: Received: from [199.185.220.220] (HELO priv-edtnes03-hme0.telusplanet.net) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.1.5) with ESMTP id 2628332 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Wed, 08 Oct 2003 04:11:33 -0400 Received: from Endurance ([209.52.209.9]) by priv-edtnes03-hme0.telusplanet.net (InterMail vM.5.01.06.05 201-253-122-130-105-20030824) with SMTP id <20031008081129.USCA2497.priv-edtnes03-hme0.telusplanet.net@Endurance> for ; Wed, 8 Oct 2003 02:11:29 -0600 From: "Haywire" To: "flyrotary" Subject: and when the fan stops turning :-( Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2003 01:11:23 -0700 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_006E_01C38D39.172B93D0" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Importance: Normal This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_006E_01C38D39.172B93D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Yup, it sure gets real quiet real suddenly. Now I know what Ed feels like several times a year :-) Second flight of the day started great with a timed climb to 3000 AGL, then we planned to return to practice circuits ( I still gotta get licensed) Our departure path took us into the vicinity of my home, so we assessed the situation and decided that we would do a quick flyover for the neighbours kids who have been my audience for the last 3 years of construction and had been waiting all afternoon to see us flyover. Up to this point all flights had been high above the airport to ensure a safe easy glide, but this time we were at a marginal glide distance. Everything looked good with the exception that the oil was slightly higher than normal from the climb out and hadn't dropped back down yet. (first clue). So I circle the house a couple of times while the kids are jumping and waving, then just as I level out to head back to the airport.......... silence. Oh s**t! The prop stopped completely, which while surprising was actually a good thing as glide rate didn't seem to bad without it windmilling, but it was definatly marginal to make the airport. I immediately tried cranking the engine which turned over easily but would not start, so I passed control to my buddy who began to consider alternate landing sites, while I made the radio call to tower as I began to go through my engine out procedure. As I began my scan I realized that I had no fuel pressure even though one electric FI pump was on, so I turned on both FI pumps and both boost pumps pressurizing the header tank. Pressure surged momentarily then returned fully and engine started at first revolution. whhooo! Total engine out time ~20-25 seconds. Felt allot longer. Now here's where a data recorder would sure be nice, because as soon as engine restarted I concentrated on fuel pressure, fuel management and radio work as my buddy got us down, quickly. Neither of us panicked but it sure did seem like we were busier than I'd have expected and I can't recall what the other engine readings were. As soon as we landed and taxied up to the hangar we shut down and breathed a sigh of relief that we opted to use 2 crew members for flight testing. When I opened the cowl inspection hatch I was surprised at the amount of heat that was escaping. Then I noticed the oil. Oil everywhere, dripping onto the ground from the full length of the fuse. Less than a litre of oil remained in the engine. We removed the entire cowl and after refilling the oil, started the engine. The oil pressure switch for the Hobbs was spewing a large amount of oil into a mist through the wire terminals. At this point I'm just taking an educated guess, but think as the oil volume was reduced it also had less volume as a heat sink? and wasn't able to cool enough explaining the slightly higher temperatures, but at the same time this higher temp oil was being sprayed about the engine compartment including the nearby FI pumps causing the one in operation to vapour lock or more likely causing a vapour lock in the gascolator which is located right below the #1FI pump which vapour locked. My #2FI does not have a gascolator and while it was not being used at the time, it was also being exposed to those temps and yet it worked (thank God). Tomorrow I will find a replacement oil switch and try it all again. I did recently run a wire from the low oil level switch on the sump to the panel but have not installed an idiot light yet. I'd better move that up my list. I sure can't wait to get an EM2. S. Todd Bartrim Turbo 13B RV-9Endurance C-FSTB http://www3.telus.net/haywire/RV-9/C-FSTB.htm "Whatever you vividly imagine, Ardently desire, Sincerely believe in, Enthusiastically act upon, Must inevitably come to pass". ------=_NextPart_000_006E_01C38D39.172B93D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Yup, = it sure gets=20 real quiet real suddenly. Now I know what Ed feels like several times a = year=20 :-)
    Second flight of the day started great with a timed climb to = 3000 AGL,=20 then we planned to return to practice circuits ( I still gotta get = licensed) Our=20 departure path took us into the vicinity of my home, so we assessed the=20 situation and decided that we would do a quick flyover for the = neighbours kids=20 who have been my audience for the last 3 years of construction and had = been=20 waiting all afternoon to see us flyover. Up to this point all flights = had been=20 high above the airport  to ensure a safe easy glide, but this time = we were=20 at a marginal glide distance. Everything looked good with the exception = that the=20 oil was slightly higher than normal from the climb out and hadn't = dropped back=20 down yet. (first clue). So I circle the house a couple of times = while the=20 kids are jumping and waving, then just as I level out to head back to = the=20 airport.......... silence. Oh s**t! The prop stopped completely, which = while=20 surprising was actually a good thing as glide rate didn't seem to bad = without it=20 windmilling, but it was definatly marginal to make the airport. I = immediately=20 tried cranking the engine which turned over easily but would not start, = so I=20 passed control to my buddy who began to consider alternate landing = sites, while=20 I made the radio call to tower as I began to go through my engine out = procedure.=20 As I began my scan I realized that I had no fuel pressure even though = one=20 electric FI pump was on, so I turned on both FI pumps and both boost=20 pumps pressurizing the header tank. Pressure surged momentarily = then=20 returned fully and engine started at first revolution. whhooo! Total = engine out=20 time ~20-25 seconds. Felt allot longer.
    Now here's where a data recorder would sure be nice, because as = soon as=20 engine restarted I concentrated on fuel pressure, fuel management and = radio work=20 as my buddy got us down, quickly. Neither of us panicked but it sure did = seem=20 like we were busier than I'd have expected and I can't recall what the = other=20 engine readings were. As soon as we landed and taxied up to the = hangar we=20 shut down and breathed a sigh of relief that we opted to use 2 crew = members for=20 flight testing.
    When I opened the cowl inspection hatch I was surprised at the = amount of=20 heat that was escaping. Then I noticed the oil. Oil everywhere, dripping = onto=20 the ground from the full length of the fuse. Less than a litre of oil = remained=20 in the engine. We removed the entire cowl and after refilling the = oil,=20 started the engine. The oil pressure switch for the Hobbs was spewing a = large=20 amount of oil into a mist through the wire terminals. At this point I'm = just=20 taking an educated guess, but think as the oil volume was reduced it = also had=20 less volume as a heat sink? and wasn't able to cool enough explaining = the=20 slightly higher temperatures, but at the same time this higher temp oil = was=20 being sprayed about the engine compartment including the nearby FI pumps = causing=20 the one in operation to vapour lock or more likely causing a vapour lock = in the=20 gascolator which is located right below the #1FI pump which vapour = locked. My=20 #2FI does not have a gascolator and while it was not being used at the = time, it=20 was also being exposed to those temps and yet it worked (thank God).=20
    Tomorrow I will find a replacement oil switch and try it all = again. I did=20 recently run a wire from the low oil level switch on the sump to the = panel but=20 have not installed an idiot light yet. I'd better move that up my=20 list.
 
     I sure can't wait to get an EM2.=20

S. Todd Bartrim
Turbo 13B = RV-9Endurance
C-FSTB
http://www3.telus.net/haywire/RV-9/C-FSTB.htm

=   =20 "Whatever you vividly imagine, Ardently desire, Sincerely believe in,=20 Enthusiastically act upon, Must inevitably come to pass".

 
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