I think Monty got his idea for classifying me as Cave Man Ed
from an article that appeared in Flying Magazine a few (more than a few )
years ago, where the author revisited and revised some of his early misgivings
about the Rotary engine’s suitability as an aircraft power plant.
However, in keeping things light – if I am going to be known
as a Cave Man - how about making it
“ Alley Oop” 
Notice how the “A” in his name sort of
resembles a rotory {:>)
An extract of the article quoted here for
those of you who haven’t been on the list long enough. The author had this to
say in his final paragraph:
“…., the job of making the
rotary into a practical aviation engine has now fallen into the hands of a
bunch of homebuilders.
I hope that the combined
efforts and ingenuity of these amateurs will settle, once and for all, the
question of the rotary’s suitability for airplanes. I suspect that they will
find in its favor. In the meantime they remain the noblest and most daring of
homebuilders, hairy-chested heroes
for whom the evidence that their latest idea was not a good one may well come
in the form of an engine failure just after takeoff. They continue undaunted,
and their numbers increase. The world owes them a debt of gratitude…..”
Not that I agree with his viewpoint – if I think my engine
is going to fail just after takeoff (or any other time during flight), - I DON”T
TAKE OFF!! Geeezzz.
If anyone want the complete Magazine article (too large to
post to the list), send me an e email, the attached word doc has the same words
just no picture of the author.
Ed
From: Rotary motors in
aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On
Behalf Of MONTY ROBERTS
Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 2:35
PM
To: Rotary motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Off Field
Landing
Just watched the interview. Great job again. Sorry to hear
about your friend. I lost a very good friend and my first flight instructor
many years ago. He was murdered at an ATM for $20. I would have much preferred
he died in an airplane. I know that doesn't help much but it's all I've got.
I hope you are not going to quit flying. You have shown
multiple times that you are a very capable stick. If you love it keep doing it.
I'm sure everybody will understand if you decide to hang it up for a
while though.
I think some other people need call signs too.
Ed Anderson......call sign "cave man"
as he is one of the original "hairy chested
heroes" from which we have all evolved.
Tracy Crook.....call sign "Otter"
Come on folks lets think of some more. (call signs should be
reserved for those actually flying a rotary powered airplane and related to
something they have done good bad or ugly, and should be regarded as an honor)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, March 14,
2010 9:55 AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re:
[SoCAL-RVlist] Re: Off Field Landing
Ok, sounds like I have some fessing up to do...
I took my mom up for a flight on her birthday and we went to overfly
the area we are going to be doing a memorial pass today. I was
entering a user waypoint in my hand held GPS and my hand must have accidentally
hit the 'cold start' switch. That switch doubles the injector duration
and is used for starting in extremely cold temperatures. But it was too
much fuel for the engine to keep me aloft (just an occasional sputter). I
was only at about 1100 AGL at the time so my emergency procedures only got as
far as: turn toward airport, switch fuel tank, aux fuel pump, verify
fuel pressure, primary switches turned on... shit, time to find a place to land
this thing... call mayday, choose best spot, fly under traffic signal and
onto road.
Mom was cool and collected the whole time. We were very lucky to find
a gap in traffic, the cars were waiting for the light I flew
under. Also really glad to have a plane as nimble as an RV. I
don't think I could have done it in a Bonanza. (course a Bonanza doesn't have a
'cold start switch' either)
It was not until after all the commotion on my drive back to OKB
that I finally had a few minutes to think about what could have been the
cause... then I really felt stupid. If only my emergency procedures
went one more step and I would have tried tweaking the mixture I could have
saved myself a lot of embarrassment.. But when it is time to fly/land the
plane, that is what you have to do.
Sure enough, upon return to the plane I discovered the cold start
switch flipped. I checked out everything else, ran fine. Later in
the afternoon I flew it home to OKB from Palomar. I am so very grateful
that extreme embarrassment is all I suffer. Thanks for all the support
from the GA community.
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