Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 11:18:51 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from [24.25.9.101] (HELO ms-smtp-02-eri0.southeast.rr.com) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.1) with ESMTP id 413354 for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 16 Sep 2004 10:05:17 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=24.25.9.101; envelope-from=hapgoodm94@alum.darden.edu Received: from HP780N (cpe-024-163-071-007.nc.rr.com [24.163.71.7]) by ms-smtp-02-eri0.southeast.rr.com (8.12.10/8.12.7) with SMTP id i8GE4iNs013749 for ; Thu, 16 Sep 2004 10:04:45 -0400 (EDT) From: "Matt Hapgood" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" Subject: long trip and starter woes... X-Original-Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 10:04:50 -0400 X-Original-Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0025_01C49BD4.9B0BF280" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) In-reply-to: X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441 Importance: Normal X-Virus-Scanned: Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0025_01C49BD4.9B0BF280 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit MessageHi folks, Just thought I would report on my most recent and longer Lancair 360 journeys. Maybe add a little less depressing tone to the recent emails... I left my home in Chapel Hill, NC on Sunday for business meetings in Phoenix. I planned an overnight in Tulsa - it happens to be almost exactly half way, and I have a friend who lives there that I haven't seen in 16 years. Uneventful flight out there at 12,000 feet. 203 KTAS and just under 8.5 GPH. Got ready to leave on Monday AM (8:30 AM) and the starter wouldn't turn the engine over. Put the jumpers on it and it still wouldn't start (9:30 AM). Someone called a mechanic, who proclaimed the starter as dead (10:15 AM) . Towed to maintenance hangar, starter removed, new starter installed (after driving a few miles to purchase a new starter) (11:30 AM). Starter still won't turn over - troubleshooting begins with look at relays, progresses to checking grounds and wiring. Bad connection where starter cable runs through firewall (post method) is identified and snugged up. Engine spins easily (12:30 PM). Figure now that cowl is off, why not put the old starter back on since there was no apparent problem with it. Put old starter back on, cowl replaced, pulled out of hangar (1:15 PM). Engine won't turn over. Lots of cursing and swearing. Cowl removed and new starter put BACK on and tested (checked fine) (2:00 PM). Starts like a charm. Refile for flight to Phoenix (3rd time that day) and take off. Shortly after take-off, realize I'm not going very fast... after re-engaging my brain I discover the gear is still down and locked. Called tower to return to airport. Landed and figured out the problem was the hydraulic pressure issue where a line needs to be cracked open. Fixed, refiled and back in the air by 3:00 PM. Anybody need a starter core? I ended up buying my for $100... What an ordeal! Finally made it to Phoenix about 4:00 hours later. Returned from Phoenix yesterday. Longest 1 day of flying in my experience. After finishing my meetings I hopped in the 360 and headed out. Fuel stop in Tulsa and back in the air just as it was getting dark. Over Nashville at 17,000 I picked up some ice, but as it was dark it took me a minute to figure out why I had lost 10 - 15 KIAS. The whole event was VERY quiet. At first I figured it was just precip, but when the plane didn't pick it's speed back up and I had to maintain the pitch up attitude, I figured something wasn't right. Flashlight showed the ice. Descended to 13,000 feet where I shed the ice and proceeded uneventfully home. With the exception of the starter problem it was a joy. Travelled on my schedule and the Lancair ran like a dream. Four day trip (three days in the plane). Total distance 3,396 nautical miles. Total fuel burn 127 gallons Average groundspeed 194 knots Average economy 30.5 statute MPG Odd thing that I notice is the extreme fluctuations in airspeed while in cruise: 5 - 8 KIAS in smooth air with no changes to power. Auto pilot on (with altitude hold), and Fuel flows, MP, RPM, EGT... don't budge, but KIAS moves up and down 5 to 8 knots... Keep flying... Matt ------=_NextPart_000_0025_01C49BD4.9B0BF280 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message
Hi folks,=20
 
Just thought I would report on = my most=20 recent and longer Lancair 360 journeys.  Maybe add a little less = depressing=20 tone to the recent emails...
 
I left my home in Chapel Hill, = NC on=20 Sunday for business meetings in Phoenix.  I planned an overnight in = Tulsa -=20 it happens to be almost exactly half way, and I have a friend who lives = there=20 that I haven't seen in 16 years.  Uneventful flight out there at = 12,000=20 feet.  203 KTAS and just under 8.5=20 GPH.
 
Got ready to leave on Monday = AM (8:30 AM)=20 and the starter wouldn't turn the engine over.  Put the jumpers on = it and=20 it still wouldn't start (9:30 AM).  Someone called a mechanic, who=20 proclaimed the starter as dead (10:15 AM) .  Towed to maintenance = hangar,=20 starter removed, new starter installed (after driving a few miles to = purchase a=20 new starter) (11:30 AM).  Starter still won't turn over - = troubleshooting=20 begins with look at relays, progresses to checking grounds and = wiring.  Bad=20 connection where starter cable runs through firewall (post = method) is=20 identified and snugged up.  Engine spins easily (12:30 PM).  = Figure=20 now that cowl is off, why not put the old starter back on since there = was no=20 apparent problem with it.  Put old starter back on, cowl replaced, = pulled=20 out of hangar (1:15 PM).  Engine won't turn over.  Lots = of=20 cursing and swearing.  Cowl removed and new starter put BACK on and = tested=20 (checked fine) (2:00 PM).  Starts like a charm.  Refile for = flight to=20 Phoenix (3rd time that day) and take off.  Shortly after take-off, = realize=20 I'm not going very fast... after re-engaging my brain I discover the = gear is=20 still down and locked.  Called tower to return to airport.  = Landed and=20 figured out the problem was the hydraulic pressure issue where a line = needs to=20 be cracked open.  Fixed, refiled and back in the air by 3:00=20 PM.
 
Anybody need a starter = core?  I ended=20 up buying my for $100...
 
What an ordeal!  Finally = made it to=20 Phoenix about 4:00 hours later. =
 
Returned from Phoenix = yesterday. =20 Longest 1 day of flying in my experience.  After finishing my=20 meetings I hopped in the 360 and headed out.  Fuel stop in = Tulsa and=20 back in the air just as it was getting dark.  Over Nashville at = 17,000 I=20 picked up some ice, but as it was dark it took me a minute to figure out = why I=20 had lost 10 - 15 KIAS.  The whole event was VERY quiet.  = At first=20 I figured it was just precip, but when the plane didn't pick it's speed = back up=20 and I had to maintain the pitch up attitude, I figured something wasn't=20 right.  Flashlight showed the ice.  Descended to 13,000 feet = where I=20 shed the ice and proceeded uneventfully=20 home.
 
With the exception of the = starter problem=20 it was a joy.  Travelled on my schedule and the Lancair ran like a=20 dream. 
 
Four day trip (three days = in the=20 plane).
Total distance 3,396 nautical=20 miles.
Total fuel burn 127=20 gallons
Average groundspeed 194=20 knots
Average economy 30.5 statute=20 MPG
 
Odd thing that I notice is the = extreme=20 fluctuations in airspeed while in cruise:  5 - 8 KIAS in smooth air = with no=20 changes to power.  Auto pilot on (with altitude hold), and = Fuel flows,=20 MP, RPM, EGT... don't budge, but =
KIAS moves up and down 5 to 8=20 knots...
 
Keep=20 flying...
 
Matt
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