On Thu, 4 Jan 2007 13:49:13 -0500 "Tracy Crook" <lors01@msn.com <mailto:lors01@msn.com>> writes:

     
        Paul has done a lot to perpetuate the idea that my cooling
        system is "marginal at best".  I still can't figure out where
        he gets this from.  You do not fly an aircraft for 12 years
        and 1600+ hours in Florida, fly it to the desert southwest
        over 10,000+ foot mountains and win air races with a
        "marginal" cooling system.  Much has been made of the 'spray
        bar' cooling system I used when racing. I don't know the details about your cooling system, so can't say if it's marginal or not. A marginal cooling system is one that can be affected by outside factors. It's a relatively new concept we learned from the Japanese. If you find yourself throttling back on hot day, or watching your climb rate for fear of overheating, then you have marginal system. The irony is that you can fly for years with a marginal system and still live to tell about it. It's also ironic that you can manage a marginal system and get by. So it's real easy to discount the concept.
 
But when you look at crashes, sure enough, you will find that suddenly the odds caught up to the pilot. Distracted by the marginal system, he didn't notice.... That forced landing last year was excellent example. Statistically, we want robust systems that handle uncontrollable outside factors. This provides a measurable drop in risk. This is a new concept. It has profound effect. But you can live your whole life and never appreciate the significance.
 
My comment on spraybar was wrong. It can be an asset, particularly for initial testing. It's highly effective method and can bring extra safety margin.

-al wick
Cozy IV powered by Turbo Subaru 3.0R with variable valve lift and cam timing.
Artificial intelligence in cockpit, N9032U 240+ hours from Portland, Oregon
Prop construct, Subaru install, Risk assessment, Glass panel design info:
http://www.maddyhome.com/canardpages/pages/alwick/index.html