Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 08:41 AM - 2006 FireFly Flight Stats (Jack B. Hart)
2. 12:15 PM - tires for US (Dana Hague)
3. 12:57 PM - Re: Full enclosure (planecrazzzy)
4. 02:43 PM - Re: Re: Full enclosure (robert bean)
5. 04:57 PM - Re: tires for US (ron wehba)
6. 10:31 PM - Off field landings - Do not archive. (possums)
Message 1
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | 2006 FireFly Flight Stats |
Kolbers,
Raining so I can not fly on the last day of the year. From my flight log, I
compiled the following numbers and significant FireFly mods.
# of Total Average
Year Flights Time Flight
(hrs-min)
2006 59 24:09 0:26
2005 62 25:05 0:24
2004 117 44:38 0:23
2003 101 34:52 0:21
2002+ 82 14:11 0:10
2001 109 31:45 0:17
2000@ 74 29:07 0:24
1999*% 28 14:30 0:31
--------------------------
Totals 632^ 218:17 0:21
+ March 28, 2002 - Removed Rotax 447
@ August 8, 2000 - Added VGs to the wings
% October 28, 1999 - Removed 15 inch chord ailerons
* September 9, 1999 - First flight
^ Rotax 447/79 hours - Victor 1+/139 hours
It makes one very thankful that we live in a country that lets people fly
under 103-7. It still feels almost too good to be true. What a toy!!!
Flew yesterday and among other things checked out a new hog barn operation,
my granddaughter's school, a new addition to a grain elevator, and a new gas
well. Lazed along at 4,900 rpm at 45 mphi so that I would not wind burn my
face and burning a little over 1.6 gph. Life does not get much better than
this.
Wishing everyone fun and safe flying during the New Year.
Jack B. Hart FF004
Winchester, IN
Message 2
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
What size tires does everybody use on their Ultrastars?
My dilemma: The plane came with 6.00x6 aircraft tires on 6" wide
wheels. Problem is, it doesn't fit in the trailer (it's 2" too wide). The
wheels are part of the wheel / hydraulic brake package from Free Bird
Innovations, which looks like a very nice package. According to the
previous owner, he used the same tires that he previously had on 4" wide
wheels. I then ordered a pair of 4" wide wheels from Free Bird. When I
went to put the old tires on the new wheels, they look awfully wide for
those wheels (not to mention in not too great condition), so I figure I
oughta get narrower tires... but what size? The current tires are around
16" diameter; 400X6 tires from Aircraft Spruce are 13" diameter and I hate
to lose prop ground clearance. Or should I just be looking at industrial
tires?
Also the current tires have tubes, but the new wheels have valve stems for
tubeless tires... I always thought you never use tubeless tires on aircraft?
-Dana
--
--
C:\Planets\Earth\ is 99% full. Please delete unnecessary people.
Message 3
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Full enclosure |
At this point , it's "Flyable" , But not done yet ...
Working on the Front / Side pieces now...
Update :
http://wingsforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=4965#4965
.
.
Gotta Fly...
.
.
.
--------
.
.
.
.
.
Do Not Archive
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=84714#84714
Attachments:
http://forums.matronics.com//files/building_full_enclosure_021_270.jpg
Message 4
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: Full enclosure |
Nice work. Keep at it while you are still inspired.
BB do not archive
On 31, Dec 2006, at 3:56 PM, planecrazzzy wrote:
> <planecrazzzy@yahoo.com>
>
> At this point , it's "Flyable" , But not done yet ...
>
> Working on the Front / Side pieces now...
>
> Update :
> http://wingsforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=4965#4965
> .
> .
>
> Gotta Fly...
> .
> .
> .
>
> --------
> .
> .
> .
> .
> .
> Do Not Archive
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=84714#84714
>
>
> Attachments:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com//files/building_full_enclosure_021_270.jpg
>
>
Message 5
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Re: tires for US |
my old one had wheelbarrow tires and rims on it.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dana Hague" <d-m-hague@comcast.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 2:13 PM
Subject: Kolb-List: tires for US
>
> What size tires does everybody use on their Ultrastars?
>
> My dilemma: The plane came with 6.00x6 aircraft tires on 6" wide wheels.
> Problem is, it doesn't fit in the trailer (it's 2" too wide). The wheels
> are part of the wheel / hydraulic brake package from Free Bird
> Innovations, which looks like a very nice package. According to the
> previous owner, he used the same tires that he previously had on 4" wide
> wheels. I then ordered a pair of 4" wide wheels from Free Bird. When I
> went to put the old tires on the new wheels, they look awfully wide for
> those wheels (not to mention in not too great condition), so I figure I
> oughta get narrower tires... but what size? The current tires are around
> 16" diameter; 400X6 tires from Aircraft Spruce are 13" diameter and I hate
> to lose prop ground clearance. Or should I just be looking at industrial
> tires?
>
> Also the current tires have tubes, but the new wheels have valve stems for
> tubeless tires... I always thought you never use tubeless tires on
> aircraft?
>
> -Dana
> --
> --
> C:\Planets\Earth\ is 99% full. Please delete unnecessary people.
>
>
>
Message 6
| INDEX | Back to Main INDEX |
| PREVIOUS | Skip to PREVIOUS Message |
| NEXT | Skip to NEXT Message |
| LIST | Reply to LIST Regarding this Message |
| SENDER | Reply to SENDER Regarding this Message |
|
| Subject: | Off field landings - Do not archive. |
Just to fill in the empty space.
The Unplanned Landing
By Ben Methvin...not me! Not Kolb related : -DELETE
but we all have our own learning experiences.
BTW ..Ben was one of my best students/instructors ...HaHa
right John H ??
I've got better UPL'S - but due to limited space- why don't you
guys post some yours? JUST FOR FUN.
------------------
By Ben Methvin:
I have lots of glorious hours in Ultralights
behind the Rotax family of engines. I have lots
of unplanned landings over the last ten years. I
have been very lucky. After my most recent
landing in a sod field I am compelled to pass on
some observations. Hanging upside down in an
ultralight in a sod field focus the mind
somewhat. My observations and some details of the causes follow:
A Sod Field ' Mini Max 103 ' Engine Seizure
While climbing out from an =93E=94 airport, the
single cylinder 277 Rotax engine abruptly
stopped. I had pulled the throttle back after
reaching the first climb segment. Luck was with
me and below was a beautiful sod field in a
circular style due to the round-track sprinkler
system. An easy dead-stick (I hate that
expression) landing in one of the curved segments
followed. The manager of the sod farm was most
pleasant and said that I had not damaged his crop
and offered any help to get me on my way. I
turned the prop, heard a sharp metallic clink and
found it turned easily with the reassuring feel
of compression. I pulled on the prop and it
started with a healthy sound. Thanking the nice
man I took off and spiraled to an altitude
sufficient to reach my home airport less than two
miles away - if the engine again stopped. Landing
at my home airport was uneventful.
Observation: I was lucky twice. Once when I found
the great field below me and the second when I
broke one of my later rules of never taking off after an unexplained
failure.
Cause: Although the engine was running fine I
checked the cylinder and piston and found a
melted scar of aluminum on the wall of the
piston. The engine has seized when I suddenly
retarded the throttle. I later learned that this
was not unusual and from then on retarded the
throttle slowly whenever possible after a climb.
A Cow Field ' Mini Max 103 ' Engine seizure
Flying low levels in unoccupied fields is always
fun but the low level severely limits the pilot=92s
options should the engine quit. It quit at 50
feet AGL landing was immediate and fortunately
into a pasture without much hoof damage. There
was just enough residual energy to clear a fence
before the flare. Landing was uneventful and the
low time pilot (me) elected to start the engine and take off for the
four-mile return to the airport. This was before
cell phones. Luck again and the landing at the airport was uneventful.
Observation: Again twice lucky. With only 50 feet
of altitude there are almost no options except to
=93Fly the Airplane=94 and to land straight ahead.
The fence could easily have stopped this
narrative. By flying the airplane and maintaining
the airspeed I had just enough energy to Plop over the fence.
Cause: Engine seizure (I have no idea why Rotax
quit making the 277 but this might have had
something to do with it.) Again a new piston and honed cylinder
.
A Front Yard ' Mini Max 103 ' Exhaust Springs failure
While flying at 1000 feet AGL, suddenly heard
loud exhaust noise and experienced a considerable
loss of power. Below were pine trees, a small
road, several farms and one tree-laden yard with
what appeared to be enough room to land the Mini
Max on part power. The yard was rough but was
steeply up sloping to the house allowing a quick
deceleration to a stop. After discussing my
adventure with the owner of the field, I fixed
the two broken springs and took off after carefully walking the takeoff
path.
Observations: Luck again. If at all possible land
close to a house on property that is usually kept
mowed and clean of obstructions. Also should you
be hurt or need communications being close to a house is your best bet.
Cause: Exhaust springs broke allowing exhaust to
avoid the muffler. This resulted in over 50% loss
of power. Excessive vibration of single cylinder
277 engine wore grooves in spring ends fast and
required replacement more frequently than first thought necessary
A Side Yard ' Mini-Max 103 ' Rotax 277 Exhaust Horn failure
While leading a V formation of six other
ultralights (the slowest guy is usually given the
lead) I heard a loud exhaust noise followed by
significant heat on my foot and one leg. I
dropped out of the formation after announcing my
plight and shut the engine down from fear of
fire. I had 500 feet AGL this time and spotted a
house with an up-sloping side yard that looked
level but a bit short. Five guys above me in
ultralights gave me conflicting advice as to
where I might land. I told them in a nervous tone
that I had already committed and they could only
watch. The saw me land fast on the upslope and
kick the Mini Max into a ground loop to keep from
running into the fence at the end. Again did not
hurt the airplane but needed a part to be welded.
As luck would have it, the daughter of the man I
was to meet at the airport only two miles way
lived in the house I chose and she delivered me
to the planned lunch and got to see her father who lived in another city.
Her father landed in the same field to deliver me
a welded part and broke the nose gear on his
Challenger after hitting an unseen pothole. The
70-mile flight back to my home airport was uneventful.
Observations: More Luck with landing field,
mechanical help and friendly faces.
Cause: Exhaust flange weld broke loose and
allowed exhaust into the cockpit (open) and
caused loss of power due lost back pressure needed for two stroke operation.
A Beautiful Beach - Mini-Max 103 ' Rotax 277 Carburetor needle broke
While part of a flight of other Ultralights at
300 AGL I experienced an abrupt engine failure.
Close to my left was a Gulf of Mexico beach of
white sand. I announced my intention to land on
that beach and was met with a bunch of radio
noise telling me it was prohibited. Explaining
that it was not an option since my engine had
quit they shut up and watched. I landed very
close to the water, as I knew the sand would be
much firmer there. A quick inspection of the
carburetor revealed that the needle had become a
nail and dropped down into the jet to shut off
the fuel. The engine had only ten hours on it but
the steel-retaining clip had milled the brass
needle off and allowed the needle to drop. This
was near the time when we began to add the =93O=94
ring. I first though I could use the old needle
but found that I was using the lowest setting
(richest) and there were no slots left.
Fortunately a friend in a Phantom landed in front
of me and produced from his fly-away-kit a new
needle. Quickly replacing it we both took off
before the authorities arrived. The 200-mile trip
home was uneventful and an =93O=94ring was added.
Observations: Luck again with the natural airport
below and a friend with an extra needle. Up to
that time I had not heard of the =93O=94 ring fix.
A Grass Flying Field - Flightstar II ' Rotax 503
DCDI - Bearing failure 425 hours
While teaching a student stalls at 2000 feet, the
engine began making unseemly noises and lost
power. The engine was shut off and the student
was told that the lesson had just gone from
stalls to emergency landings. A former helicopter
pilot in Viet Nam, he made an unprintable
statement as asked if this was for real.
Explaining that this was for real he began to
seek the best L/D speed of 55 and started looking
for a suitable field. Not spotting one he turned
to airplane over to me and an uneventful landing
was made into a grass field where we had recently
been practicing landings. In the excitement he
had forgotten the safe field below us. The
aircraft was flown out the same day after another 503 engine was installed.
Observations: Experience and Good Instructors had
taught me to perform maneuvers such as stalls
only over a place where a safe landing could be
made. Now that cell phones are in vogue it was
easy to call a friend shortly after landing and
buy his used 503 engine which he delivered and
helped me install that same day. The student never came back.
Cause: The engine, overhauled only one hundred
hours before, suffered a bearing failure in one
of the connecting rods (crankshaft end). No
reason was found for the failure but it caused
the writer to go longer than 300 hours before
overhaul on subsequent engines with good results.
A Weed Field ' FlightStar II ' Rotax 503 DCDI ' Throttle cable broke
While teaching turns about a point and other
ground reference maneuvers at 1500 feet AGL, the
engine abruptly went to idle. The student advised
that he had not pulled the throttle back. The
lesson went from ground reference maneuvers to emergency landings.
The student picked a rough pasture and began an
approach on it. With the usual procedure I took
over the airplane, suggested cinching up the seat
belts and asked the student whose stomach
protruded more than mine to suck it in just
before the touchdown as I was going to need all the flare I could get. The
landing beside a private home was uneventful as
we both had pulled in our stomachs. Repairing the
cable, I left the student beside the road and
took off from the road in front of the house.
Making careful note from the air as to where I
had left him, I came back in a car for him. He did not come back for
lessons.
Observations: Practicing maneuvers over suitable
landing sites again paid off. Including all parts
of the throttle cable system on every pre-flight
is a good idea now being included.
Cause: The throttle cable had broken due to an
installation that did not allow the keeper on the
throttle cable to swivel on each application.
This constant bending of the cable caused the
break. A greased keeper which swivels is now being used.
The Onion Field ' FlightStar II ' Rotax 582 - Spark Plugs
While at a Fly-In, a friend asked that I give a
Discovery ride to his son-in-law. Departing the
main airport which was busy I flew to a close-by
grass field to simulate a landing. During the
climb-out from the small airport, the engine lost
considerable power as if one cylinder had failed.
The failure occurred at less than 300 feet AGL
with hills and trees all about. Remembering a
field we had just passed over I made a careful
180-degree back into it. I had not remembered
that it sloped sharply downward from the
direction we were committed to land. Upon
touchdown and application of brakes it was
apparent that the field was not going to be long
enough so I attempted to ground loop this
tricycle machine only to slide sideways over wet
grass and wild onions. We hit the brush line at
the end of the field with little inertia after
hearing the wingtip smack a small sapling.
We quickly exited the machine with no further
misadventure. Cell phone to the rescue, we soon
had friends and a trailer to recover the
aircraft. No strong reason for the one cylinder
stoppage was found but fouled plugs are
suspected. The passenger became a student.
Observations: A careful record of maintenance is
good practice and will be mandatory when we
transition over to Light Sport. The spark plugs
in the forward cylinder appear to have been
changed at the same time as the aft but showed
signs of a substance on the electrodes which was
unlike lead accretion. The substance appeared to
be thread anti-seizure compound. The gap in the
plug was not closed but was dirty and narrowed. A
check of all other systems and the replacement of
a fuel pump and the plugs returned the engine to good service.
Cause: Possible over use and quantity of anti
seize compound on the spark plugs.
A Bean Field ' Flightstar II ' Rotax 582 ' 60 hours
Shortly after climbing out of a grass field and
reaching less than 400 feet AGL, the engine
abruptly stopped. We were over trees but had just
passed over bean fields. These fields were the
best bet at our fast decent on this high-density
altitude day. Advising a companion in another
ultralight what we were about to do, and asking
the passenger (owner) to call out airspeeds, we
proceeded to land. It was not possible to line up
exactly with the furrows but it was possible to
line up into the light wind. We hit hard on the
soft field and slid less than thirty feet before
the tail went over and we ended up hanging from
seatbelts. We made a quick exit as there was fuel
dripping from the fuel tank vent just behind.
come off and caused the sudden stoppage. The
aircraft did not have an auxiliary electric pump
and the squeeze pump was difficult to manipulate
in the scant time allowed. The owner had planned
to install an electric pump in the near future.
Observation: The owner is known for his careful
preflights but both he and the pilot missed the
fact that the clamp on the engine side of the
pulse line was not tight. There had been recent
preventative maintenance in the area and it may
have been loosened at that time.
Cause: Failure to tighten the fuel pump pulse line.
Cartersville Airport and Sod Farm Rotax 582 ' hours unknown
While training the new owner of a Rotax powered
RANS -6 the engine abruptly stalled and stopped.
The aircraft was less than 200feet over the
northern most end of the runway and almost at the
end of the runway. It was impossible to land in
the remaining length of the runway due to a
sharply down-sloped approach to the runway. The
sod field in view was reachable in a good L/D
glide and caused a sense of complacency to this
pilot of many previous out-landings. Soon it was
apparent that maybe sod fields were not such a
great place to land. The steel sprinkler system
cuts deep ruts in its circular path. The
sprinkler will destroy any small aircraft hitting
it and the field was cut with water drainage
ditches. Picking the best stretch of level grass
I could find I guided the committed airplane down
and gave out of aerodynamics and energy just in
time to hit a ditch with the nose gear after a
bounce from the mains. Again I was hanging by
seat belts after an immediate stop from 30 to 40
mph. I will not soon forget the shock but the
four point belts held. Immediately falling out of
the airplane with offered help from my passenger
I stood up to find that my jaw was no longer in
alignment, my tongue was bitten in two places,
one eye was not back on line and my chin hurt.
This was my worst out-landing in what had
promised to be a walk in the park. It scared the
complacency and other things out of me. The
airplane is still under repair. So am I.
Cause
The FAA sent a small team to investigate and both
the owner and I were required to submit reports
to the NTSB. In it the cause of the engine
stoppage is not determined, but stop it did! The
engine was sent to overhaul and thoroughly
checked out. The fuel system and the electrical
systems were carefully examined and no smoking gun found.
Lesson: Do the best preflight you know how to do.
Keep your equipment in good shape.
http://www.georgiasportflyers.com/newsletters/Jan_2007%20GSFA%20Newsletter.p
df
Other Matronics Email List Services
These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.
-- Please support this service by making your Contribution today! --
|