X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from fed1rmmtao105.cox.net ([68.230.241.41] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.3.4) with ESMTP id 4164134 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:49:32 -0500 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=68.230.241.41; envelope-from=rv-4mike@cox.net Received: from fed1rmimpo02.cox.net ([70.169.32.72]) by fed1rmmtao105.cox.net (InterMail vM.8.00.01.00 201-2244-105-20090324) with ESMTP id <20100313024855.SXNH12229.fed1rmmtao105.cox.net@fed1rmimpo02.cox.net> for ; Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:48:55 -0500 Received: from willsPC ([68.105.86.80]) by fed1rmimpo02.cox.net with bizsmtp id sSol1d0051k005Q04Sow2n; Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:48:56 -0500 X-VR-Score: -40.00 X-Authority-Analysis: v=1.1 cv=KqzZVGv1/pIBe+XbL3gCBfL8vaFXECOST7Bs1vfp5Gs= c=1 sm=1 a=XruvlouZCDbGUgEaRUiNZQ==:17 a=U9Pli9SWSvg69dwRVOMA:9 a=bq5w2tobw6CrzkH7MKUA:7 a=9UtX7gzpX8LZYNnlRqjuGN0r13kA:4 a=wPNLvfGTeEIA:10 a=d5cWcTsvUEk2iUXz_-MA:9 a=mksiiTQoT-TXfJ9y4YEA:7 a=WXQUFPFTFj_s6hmv6pel3xXzwvwA:4 a=XruvlouZCDbGUgEaRUiNZQ==:117 X-CM-Score: 0.00 Message-ID: <5966C61C4ACB435F82D38EB68DD7571C@willsPC> From: "Mike Wills" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" Subject: fuel supply problem? Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:48:42 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_003E_01CAC214.A351C520" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal Importance: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Windows Live Mail 14.0.8089.726 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V14.0.8089.726 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003E_01CAC214.A351C520 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Was out boring holes in the sky today trying to accumulate hours - = finally a day off with no rain. About 2 hours into the flight, running = on the left tank, and making a gentle left turn (maybe 20 - 30 degrees = of bank), and the engine lost power. About 2 seconds later the engine = monitor alarmed that the fuel pressure was below limits. By the time the = alarm sounded I had already switched tanks and power was coming back up. = My airplane is set up with 1 pump for each tank, so switching tanks = actually means switching pumps too. Needless to say I returned home immediately on the right tank and the = airplane ran OK all the way back. Once on the ground I did a full power = runup switching tanks repeatedly and everything was fine. I'm not = certain how much fuel is in the left tank, I'm guessing about 5 gallons. = I'll find out tomorrow when I top off the tanks.=20 The only thing I can guess is maybe the fuel in the tank drained away = from the pickup in the turn? The turn was coordinated so in theory the = pickup should have remained submerged. I might have to re-think the fuel = system. Mike Wills ------=_NextPart_000_003E_01CAC214.A351C520 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Was out boring holes in the sky today trying = to=20 accumulate hours - finally a day off with no rain. About 2 hours into = the=20 flight, running on the left tank, and making a gentle left turn (maybe = 20 - 30=20 degrees of bank), and the engine lost power. About 2 seconds later the = engine=20 monitor alarmed that the fuel pressure was below limits. By the time the = alarm=20 sounded I had already switched tanks and power was coming back up. My = airplane=20 is set up with 1 pump for each tank, so switching tanks actually means = switching=20 pumps too.
 
Needless to say I returned home immediately on = the right=20 tank and the airplane ran OK all the way back. Once on the ground I did = a full=20 power runup switching tanks repeatedly and everything was fine. I'm not = certain=20 how much fuel is in the left tank, I'm guessing about 5 = gallons. I'll find=20 out tomorrow when I top off the tanks.
 
The only thing I can guess is maybe the fuel = in the tank=20 drained away from the pickup in the turn? The turn was coordinated so in = theory=20 the pickup should have remained submerged. I might have to re-think the = fuel=20 system.
 
Mike Wills
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