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Message-ID: <20051203154017.17298.qmail@web30104.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2005 07:40:17 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Brooks <prvt_pilot@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Intersting flight
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
In-Reply-To: <list-861791@logan.com>
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Ed,
As I said, my encounter was rather minor compared to
some of your stories that I've heard.  Being at 3000
feet in a plane with everything out was plenty for me.
 'm sure that I have several new gray hairs.

Steve

--- Ed Anderson <eanderson@carolina.rr.com> wrote:

> Hi Steve
> 
> Very glad to hear you and aircraft got back on the
> ground safely.  Yes, 
> events like those really do use up seat cushions -
> don't they.  Glad you 
> found the problem - amazing how little things like
> adding tie wraps can 
> cause such an exciting "adventure".
> 
> I too have a "Live Man" switch, actually a circuit
> breaker (normally open) 
> that when I push it in by-passes power around all
> switches to the critical 
> systems (fuel and spark).  I aborted a take-off 
> from a 2200 ft runway 
> (after getting airborne) when the engine began to
> surge.  Only thing I did 
> have time to do (which in hind sight was a waste of
> effort) was too push in 
> the circuit breaker.  Of course, the odds of a
> surging engine being caused 
> by a electrical problem is low - turned out it was
> the fuel map set too low 
> for the higher engine rpms (this was when I was
> using an HALTECH EFI which 
> you had to tune with laptop).
> 
> But, a good idea in my opinion since often use
> switches could possibly fail.
> 
> In any case, sounds like all the thought processes
> regarding what to do were 
> well done  Land long and land hot if you have too -
> far better to go off the 
> far end doing 20 mph than end up short on distance
> or airspeed - my opinion, 
> of course.
> 
> Ed A
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve Brooks" <prvt_pilot@yahoo.com>
> To: "Rotary motors in aircraft"
> <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
> Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 9:28 AM
> Subject: [FlyRotary] Intersting flight
> 
> 
> >I made it down to South Carolina, to among other
> > things, fly the Cozy.  It had been 2 months to the
> day
> > since I had been down, so the remaining 8 hours of
> the
> > 40 test hours have been slow to come off.
> >
> > On Thursday I washed about 30 lbs of dust off of
> the
> > plane (open T hanger) and checked everything out. 
> I
> > did a high speed run down the runway, but didn't
> have
> > time to get in a flight.
> >
> > Yesterday I went to the airport after it warmed up
> a
> > few degrees, and took off.  The engine was running
> > very strong in the cooler air (54 degrees).  I had
> > planned to do about a 30 minute flight ad land,
> just
> > to check everything out, and was was doing turns
> and
> > just cruising around about 6-7 miles from the
> airport
> > at about 2900 MSL (2300 AGL).  While flying
> straight
> > and level, I felt a sudden miss in engine.  When I
> > check the I/P, I also noticed that the digital
> gauges,
> > fuel and oil, had rebooted.  I immediately started
> a
> > turn toward the airport.
> >
> > About 15 seconds later, I lost total electric. 
> The
> > I/P went dead, and so did the engine.  This isn't
> > good, I thought.  Actually, it was more like, OH
> SH**.
> > I took a look at the airport, and I was too far to
> > make it there, so I looked around, and a 4 lane
> > highway, which has light traffic appeared to be my
> > best option.  I had just started turning toward
> that
> > highway, when the electric power came back, and
> the
> > engine picked back up.
> >
> > I immediately started a climb, and headed toward
> the
> > airport again.  I already knew that there was a
> plane
> > in the pattern doing touch and goes (unicom
> field), so
> > I called the airport and advised the other
> aircraft
> > that I had a serious issue, and needed to make a
> > straight in landing.
> >
> > It didn't lose power again, on the trip back to
> the
> > airport, but that 6-7 miles seemed to take
> forever.  I
> > stayed on the high side on altitude, for obvious
> > reasons, and then had to bleed altitude (and
> speed)
> > while on short final.  I came in a little fast,
> and
> > touched down earlier than normal, but still was on
> the
> > ground, and very happy.
> >
> > Since I have two separate electrical systems
> (engine
> > and everything else), I was really stunned that I
> lost
> > both like that.  After thinking about it for I
> while,
> > I figured out that the master switch was the only
> > common link.  I pulled the I/P cover off, and
> found
> > that the ground connector was pulled off of the
> > terminal and just sitting there barely touching
> the
> > contact.
> > The cause of this was the fact that when I did an
> > annual on the plane in May, I had added some
> addition
> > ty-raps to dress up the wiring a little more.  In
> > doing so, I had stretched the ground wire which
> runs
> > to the master switch, which energizes the two
> master
> > relays.
> >
> > It was an easy fix, but now I have to replenish
> the
> > adrenalin supply, and figure out how to get the
> ridge
> > out of the seat cushion.
> >
> > After some ground testing, I made another flight
> > (circling the airport) and everything checked out
> OK.
> >
> >
> > I have an emergency bypass switch that will supply
> > power to the engine systems from either the
> forward or
> > aft battery.  I didn't think to switch it over,
> but I
> > really didn't get to the point of doing any
> trouble
> > shooting, so I'm not sure if I would have thought
> of
> > that option or not.  It was without power for only
> > about 20 seconds, but it seemed much longer.  I
> will
> > definitely remember the emergency power switch,
> should
> > I every have an issue like that again, but I hope
> that
> > never happens.
> >
> > This isn't nearly as harrowing as some of the
> > experiences that Ed or John have had, but it was
> > plenty for me.  I don't want any more glider time.
> >
> > Steve Brooks
> > Cozy MKIV
> > Turbo rotary
> >
> >
> > --
> > Homepage:  http://www.flyrotary.com/
> > Archive and UnSub:  
> http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/
> > 
> 
> 
> --
> Homepage:  http://www.flyrotary.com/
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>