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James Maher wrote:
Ed,
I'm not so sure about making the "right" decisions.
As it happened I was lucky.
When the engine first suffered from diminished power I was only 2-3 miles from an airport.
Perhaps I should have headed for that airport right away but;
that airport only has a 2500 foot runway
the Delta lands hot with an approach of 110-120MPH
my shortest landing so far with this airplane was about 3000 feet down the runway
I only had one shot at a landing, as there was not enough power for a go-around.
Sounds like you made the right decision to me. There were probably a few driveways around down there that weren't going to do you any good, either. Trying to make a one-shot landing, under stressed conditions, at a woefully marginal airport, in a new airplane...that would be stacking the deck against yourself. You made the right decision.
All that, and the fact that the engine was still producing some power, went into a split second decision to turn from the airport 2 miles to the east, to my home base, 18 miles to the west. That was a very stressful flight back realizing that the engine could quit at any moment.
I may have made a different decision if I had not heard all of the other limp home stories.
I don't know if that is good or bad.
Still assessing this decision.
Jim
Ed Anderson <eanderson@carolina.rr.com> wrote:
Whew! Jim. Talk about a bit of suspense! Clearly you kept your priorities and made the right decisions. Sounds like a serious problem with the auto fuel cocktail and fiberglass.
Ed
----- Original Message ----- From: James Maher To: Rotary motors in aircraft Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 11:15 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Yet another limp home story
N11XD Forth Flight report
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