---------------------------------------------------------- Kolb-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Thu 04/09/09: 37 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 02:22 AM - Re: Victoria Falls (pj.ladd) 2. 03:21 AM - Re: 912 ULS starter (icrashrc) 3. 03:35 AM - vibrations (Ted Cowan) 4. 05:19 AM - Eliminating harmonics (Mike Welch) 5. 05:19 AM - Stits (william sullivan) 6. 05:27 AM - Re: 912 ULS starter (Thom Riddle) 7. 05:48 AM - Re: Stits (Mike Welch) 8. 06:06 AM - Re: Re: 912 ULS starter (herb) 9. 06:18 AM - Re: vibrations (lucien) 10. 06:34 AM - Re: vibrations (Richard & Martha Neilsen) 11. 06:35 AM - Re: vibrations (robcannon) 12. 06:35 AM - Re: 912 ULS starter (Thom Riddle) 13. 06:42 AM - Re: Mixture control... (Jack B. Hart) 14. 06:50 AM - Re: vibrations (John Hauck) 15. 06:50 AM - Re: Re: 912 ULS starter (herb) 16. 07:05 AM - Re: Stits (frank.goodnight) 17. 07:10 AM - Re: vibrations (robert bean) 18. 07:17 AM - Re: Mixture control... (herb) 19. 08:27 AM - Re: Victoria Falls (lucien) 20. 11:20 AM - stits (william sullivan) 21. 11:49 AM - Re: stits (frank.goodnight) 22. 12:34 PM - stits (william sullivan) 23. 12:50 PM - stits (robert bean) 24. 01:12 PM - Re: now an actual Kolb question (lucien) 25. 01:18 PM - Re: stits (frank.goodnight) 26. 01:46 PM - Re: vibrations (Carlos) 27. 02:21 PM - Re: Mixture control... (Jack B. Hart) 28. 02:24 PM - Re: stits (Dana Hague) 29. 02:34 PM - Re: vibrations (JetPilot) 30. 03:11 PM - Re: Re: now an actual Kolb question (John Hauck) 31. 04:19 PM - Re: vibrations (lucien) 32. 04:52 PM - Re: Re: 912 ULS starter (ElleryWeld@aol.com) 33. 05:03 PM - Re: Re: vibrations (Larry Cottrell) 34. 07:38 PM - Re: Re: now an actual Kolb question (Herb) 35. 07:52 PM - Re: Re: now an actual Kolb question (John Hauck) 36. 07:59 PM - Re: Re: now an actual Kolb question (Herb) 37. 08:10 PM - Re: Re: now an actual Kolb question (John Hauck) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 02:22:05 AM PST US From: "pj.ladd" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Victoria Falls Do you fly the trike from the back seat?>> Hi John, Perhaps more accurately `being flown`. I know my limitations. I flew a weightshift when I was considering changing from gliding to ultralighting and although I managed OK when I had time to think about it I decided that one day when I dropped out of the bottom of the glide slope 10 ft above the ground, I would push instead of pull by reflex and that was a complication i could do without. I have seen young instructors step out of weightshifts into 3 axis machines with no trouble but I know I am not as switched on as I once was. The guy who flew me round the Falls parked the weightshift and then started up a six seat helicopter and flew a group back around the same course. Africa was a new experience for me. Starting from Capetown and working north through Durban, Pretoria, Jo`berg, then to a Game Park and then north again to Zambia it was noticeable that everything `slowed up`.Hotel service fell off, organisation began to disintegrate. There were several in our group including me who needed wheelchairs at airports. It seemed to be beyond capability to get 4 wheelchairs in the same place, at the same time to synchronise with a planes arrival or departure. >From a group of 40 with 2 pieces of luggage each and 4internal flights they managed to lose 64 pieces for more than 24 hours and almost sent the whole groups luggage back to Heathrow about halfway through the trip. Probably the most exciting bit was being chased by a massive she elephant which decided that our 12 person Jeep was too close and objected. She came out of the bush like a locomotive, ears up. trunk out. We were facing her and the driver hit reverse and accelerated backwards down the game trail at about 40 mph with the elephant bashing on the hood with her trunk. We slowly outdistanced her and got round a bend in the trail and relaxed when we realised she was still coming. Away we wnt again until we reached aplace where we could turn round and get out of there. Got some good pics though. Cheers Pat ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 03:21:49 AM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: 912 ULS starter From: "icrashrc" DC clamp-on meters may not be a dime a dozen but they are easy to find. I have one as well. I just don't have the entire system to use it on at the moment... Thanks for checking your 912ul. You may want to check the calibration and/or settings on your meter. Somehow i think your estimate of 75 amps is closer to reality. I would hate to think i ran 6 ga cable to the starter when 18 ga would have worked just fine! -------- Scott www.ill-EagleAviation.com do not archive Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238454#238454 ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 03:35:55 AM PST US From: "Ted Cowan" Subject: Kolb-List: vibrations For those that have not been privy to my harmonics on my 912, here is the following. The first thing I thought was wrong was the prop not being set "right" so I developed a laser that sits on the tip of my blades, one at a time, while I set them so they are near perfect. The blades themselves were all different weights, one a different length and two had what looked like cloth bumps showing. I sent them back and they came back better but still not the same. One has a different twist at the middle and now has a smaller tip. This is what WD thinks are good blades. I believe I have a set of reject blades all thrown together. My personal belief. I sent them back twice but they are still basically the same. I have been balancing large RC props for thirty years and have never seen blades like these. I super balanced them. Same problem. I super tuned the carbs -- three times! Not the problem. I changed the angle of my titan exhaust outlets -- twice! I added some angle sections to my pipes so the exhaust would not hit the blades directly -- no joy. I have stainless tubes with holes on the ends of my pipes and they do reduce the noise a bunch but I still have the harmonics. I have taped the wing fabric top and bottom and checked all the fittings, pieces and mounts for loose or dangling fabric. I changed my gap seal three times. I started with no spacer, spent $450 for a four incher, no help. That changed my balance where it was not desirable, dont know why. I took it off and put a two inch spacer on and that seems to work good except the harmonics are still there. I changed spark plug gaps and then spark plugs. nothing helps. This harmonic sound does not increase in beat, just intensity to the point where it actually beats on the back of my helmet. My anr removes most of it so I can tolerate this noise. It is noticeable from the ground as a rum rum rum sound like it out of tune. A friend has a new set of WD props like mine down in Florida and I will try them as soon as I get down there. If that makes it better then you can bet I will call WD with the 'proof' and see what they will do. Right now I just live with it. As far as changing type of prop -- well, how many of you have an extra grand or more to just 'try' another prop? I dont. I should not have to. I paid my money and should have a good prop. Like I said, I have not absolutely proven it is the prop yet but I will. By the way, one blade really shows the cloth weaving and I believe it is the culprit. Ever hear a digery do or however it is spelled? That hum hum is what I am talking about. Thought WD would replace it last time but they didnt. Not exactly the service I would expect from such a reputable dealer. Guess I dont have enough 'fame' to get good service from them. My life as it is. At least my rum rum is accompanied by zoom zoom and that makes it worth it. Ted Cowan, Alabama, Slingshot 912 UL. p.s. I still have a fifty buck reward for someone with a cure. (something we have not already thought of or done) Hauck is the first one for the blades being bad. ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 05:19:37 AM PST US From: Mike Welch Subject: Kolb-List: Eliminating harmonics Ted=2C I have a couple of suggestions to try out=2C if you haven't already tried these. First=2C get a few lengths of plastic tubing=2C and tape the ends securel y near where you think harmonics are coming from=2C like the exhaust tip=2C near the prop hub=2C the motor mounts=2C etc. Place the other end inside the cabin=2C so you can listen to each one during a test. Whatever it is that is generating the harmonic vibration=2C it will be loud est at the source. Once you have the tubes secured=2C do a run up to the worst harmonic leve l=2C and listen to each hose. Usually (!)=2C the noise source is much loud er in one hose. Just a thought..... Next=2C to help identify the source=2C change something (very slight). I f you think the prop is likely the culprit=2C try taping the entire leading edge of each blade with duct tape. It'll only be on for a few seconds=2C so I don't think it should hurt a thing!! With three exact lengths of duct tape=2C place them on the leading edge o f the blades=2C splitting the middle of the tape down the sharp edge of the blade. Do a worst case harmonic run-up=2C and see if things change (harmo nics are better or worse). It's a good chance that the duct tape will chan ge the prop blades enough to alter their effect at creating a harmonic reso nance. The tape will change the blade's profile=2C balance (very slight!!) =2C and performance. A quick run-up should give you an idea about whether or not the blades ar e the cause. Remove the tape. Mike Welch MkIII _________________________________________________________________ Internet Explorer 8 ' Get your Hotmail Accelerated. Download free! ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 05:19:37 AM PST US From: william sullivan Subject: Kolb-List: Stits - I am doing some planning before ordering the stits materials for the Fi restar.- Has anyone used the lightweight fabric- 1.7 ounce?- How was th e durability?- Both sets of the previous coverings were 2.7 ounce.- One was Aerothane, and one was Polytone.- UV protection is not a prime conce rn in Connecticut, so I can go with the lighter weight paint jobs.- I am going to go with Polytone, not only for weight but for ease of application and repair.- Also, I hold the record for bad paint jobs. - Also, if I cover the pod, should I use the heavier fabric there?- Lot s of minor bashing could be expected while climbing in and out, and abrasio n from leaning into it.- - Another question, not mentioned in the book- What about UV protection o n the inside of the pod fabric?- There is no mention of the exterior coat ing protecting all the way through, and the fabric there is exposed to more sunlight.- - ------------------------- ------------------------- Bill Sullivan ------------------------- ------------------------- Windsor Locks, Ct. ------------------------- ------------------------- FS 447 ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 05:27:21 AM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: 912 ULS starter From: "Thom Riddle" Scott, The Rotax 912 Installation manual states that the regulator is rated for 75 Amps continuous and that is where my aging memory got the 75 A number. The #6GA wire is what the installation manual calls for too, I believe. The manual also states that the battery required is 18AH. My clamp on meter is nearly new. Compared to two other meters I've tested it against recently, it is accurate, so 13 Amps cranking current is what I'm getting. I suspect it would be a bit higher in colder weather and a little less in the summer. -------- Thom Riddle Buffalo, NY http://riddletr.googlepages.com/sportpilot-cfi http://riddletr.googlepages.com/a%26pmechanix A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that works. - John Gaule Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238466#238466 ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 05:48:58 AM PST US From: Mike Welch Subject: RE: Kolb-List: Stits Bill=2C I have a LOT of 1.7 oz Poly Fiber left over from my MkIII build. When I first bought my plane from Kolb=2C the fabric choice was to use 1.7 oz. La ter=2C 2.7 was found to be a better choice for the MkIII. So=2C I bought l ots more fabric @ 2.7 oz. I have not taken the time to figure out how much of the 1.7 oz stuff I ha ve=2C but it appears to be quite a bit. If you're interested=2C I'd sell i t to you at a good price. Send me an email off-list to discuss it=2C if yo u want. I don't think 2.7 oz would be necessary for the fuselage. For rubbing=2C I don't think it matters much. For a puncture=2C whatever would poke a ho le in 1.7 will surely poke a hole in 2.7. Yes=2C I felt the Poly Spray UV coating was more important inside the cab in=2C compared to the outside. It seems like it would get more sun. I put Poly Spray on ALL my Poly Fabric. 3 coats on the sunny side of the wings =2C 2 on the bottom=2C etc. Mike Welch do not archive From: williamtsullivan@ATT.NET Subject: Kolb-List: Stits I am doing some planning before ordering the stits materials for the Fire star. Has anyone used the lightweight fabric- 1.7 ounce? How was the dura bility? Both sets of the previous coverings were 2.7 ounce. One was Aerot hane=2C and one was Polytone. UV protection is not a prime concern in Conn ecticut=2C so I can go with the lighter weight paint jobs. I am going to g o with Polytone=2C not only for weight but for ease of application and repa ir. Also=2C I hold the record for bad paint jobs. Also=2C if I cover the pod=2C should I use the heavier fabric there? Lot s of minor bashing could be expected while climbing in and out=2C and abras ion from leaning into it. Another question=2C not mentioned in the book- What about UV protection o n the inside of the pod fabric? There is no mention of the exterior coatin g protecting all the way through=2C and the fabric there is exposed to more sunlight. Bill Sullivan Windsor Locks=2C Ct. FS 447 _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live=99 SkyDrive: Get 25 GB of free online storage. http://windowslive.com/online/skydrive?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_skydrive_032009 ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 06:06:35 AM PST US From: herb Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: 912 ULS starter Unless the meter had a peak and hold ability...it did no read the initial in rush current to the essentially stalled motor.. To get the motor turning takes a multiple of 15 amps for a fraction of a second..maybe longer... Marginal wire side coupled with necessary long runs and a marginal battery ...is always a problem... Herb At 05:21 AM 4/9/2009, you wrote: > >DC clamp-on meters may not be a dime a dozen but they are easy to >find. I have one as well. I just don't have the entire system to use >it on at the moment... > >Thanks for checking your 912ul. You may want to check the >calibration and/or settings on your meter. Somehow i think your >estimate of 75 amps is closer to reality. I would hate to think i >ran 6 ga cable to the starter when 18 ga would have worked just fine! > >-------- >Scott > >www.ill-EagleAviation.com > >do not archive > > >Read this topic online here: > >http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238454#238454 > > ________________________________ Message 9 _____________________________________ Time: 06:18:57 AM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: vibrations From: "lucien" tc1917(at)bellsouth.net wrote: > For those that have not been privy to my harmonics on my 912, here is the > following. The first thing I thought was wrong was the prop not being set > "right" so I developed a laser that sits on the tip of my blades, one at a > time, while I set them so they are near perfect. The blades themselves were > all different weights, one a different length and two had what looked like > cloth bumps showing. I sent them back and they came back better but still > not the same. One has a different twist at the middle and now has a smaller > tip. This is what WD thinks are good blades. I believe I have a set of > reject blades all thrown together. My personal belief. I sent them back > twice but they are still basically the same. I have been balancing large RC > props for thirty years and have never seen blades like these. I super > balanced them. Same problem. I super tuned the carbs -- three times! Not > the problem. I changed the angle of my titan exhaust outlets -- twice! I > added some angle sections to my pipes so the exhaust would not hit the > blades directly -- no joy. I have stainless tubes with holes on the ends of > my pipes and they do reduce the noise a bunch but I still have the > harmonics. I have taped the wing fabric top and bottom and checked all the > fittings, pieces and mounts for loose or dangling fabric. I changed my gap > seal three times. I started with no spacer, spent $450 for a four incher, > no help. That changed my balance where it was not desirable, dont know why. > I took it off and put a two inch spacer on and that seems to work good > except the harmonics are still there. I changed spark plug gaps and then > spark plugs. nothing helps. This harmonic sound does not increase in > beat, just intensity to the point where it actually beats on the back of my > helmet. My anr removes most of it so I can tolerate this noise. It is > noticeable from the ground as a rum rum rum sound like it out of tune. A > friend has a new set of WD props like mine down in Florida and I will try > them as soon as I get down there. If that makes it better then you can bet > I will call WD with the 'proof' and see what they will do. Right now I just > live with it. As far as changing type of prop -- well, how many of you have > an extra grand or more to just 'try' another prop? I dont. I should not > have to. I paid my money and should have a good prop. Like I said, I have > not absolutely proven it is the prop yet but I will. By the way, one blade > really shows the cloth weaving and I believe it is the culprit. Ever hear a > digery do or however it is spelled? That hum hum is what I am talking > about. Thought WD would replace it last time but they didnt. Not exactly > the service I would expect from such a reputable dealer. Guess I dont have > enough 'fame' to get good service from them. My life as it is. At least my > rum rum is accompanied by zoom zoom and that makes it worth it. Ted Cowan, > Alabama, Slingshot 912 UL. p.s. I still have a fifty buck reward for > someone with a cure. (something we have not already thought of or done) > Hauck is the first one for the blades being bad. Well I do have to defend WD a little bit here. Yeah it's wierd if they're not fixing malformed blades for you, but I can't say their service has been any problem for me. After all, my plane does have that big ol "Experimental" sticker plastered onto the side of it. So ultimately, the plane is an experiment, so I have to keep in mind and take that responsibility. Things are just going to come up if I have to make changes. In my case, I'm just going to have to keep "experimenting", that's just how it is with experimental. Its on me to do the work here and I can't expect everyone else or even WD to know exactly what's wrong with my setup. I kind of have to take the bull by the horns and get to work on things for which others might not have ready answers. That's kind of how life is in general in fact, and is no reflection on anyone else... If this particular prop wont' work, it just wont work and that'll just be a consequence of my particular setup. It sure isn't the fault of the prop. I've used WD before (on my FSII) and it was a superb prop. This one I have is impeccably made and I sure can't argue with the performance. But I am going to try different prop types. At this point I've exhausted most other things to try tho there are still a couple more things to try. But that's just how it goes with our flying machines... LS -------- LS Titan II SS Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238472#238472 ________________________________ Message 10 ____________________________________ Time: 06:34:25 AM PST US From: "Richard & Martha Neilsen" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: vibrations Ted I have chased noise issues with my VW over the years and think that the engine mount is the area that you may want to look into. Try softer vibration dampers or move them around so that they isolate engine/prop vibrations better and still control the position of the engine/prop. My VW high mount had the lowest noise in the cockpit and lest vibration transmitted to the airframe. The redrive I was using at that time would vibration crack engine parts quite regularly yet the noise level in the cockpit was so low that sometimes I could take my headphones off for short periods of time in flight. The engine was real loose on the mount allowing the engine to visibly twist away from the torque applied to the prop. After about a hundred hours the vibration dampers were destroyed. When I designed the lower VW engine mount I used a damper system that placed the dampers further apart to better control the engine and extend the life of the dampers. It worked but the noise and vibration in the cockpit increased so much that I had to use ear plugs under my ANR headsets. Since then I have reduced the vibrations a bunch and the noise a bit with a smoother redrive. I'm now on a quest for softer damper bushings. Food for thought and as always worth what you paid for it. Rick Neilsen Redrive VW powered MKIIIC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ted Cowan" Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 6:35 AM Subject: Kolb-List: vibrations > > For those that have not been privy to my harmonics on my 912, here is the > following. The first thing I thought was wrong was the prop not being set > "right" so I developed a laser that sits on the tip of my blades, one at a > time, while I set them so they are near perfect. The blades themselves > were all different weights, one a different length and two had what looked > like cloth bumps showing. I sent them back and they came back better but > still not the same. One has a different twist at the middle and now has a > smaller tip. This is what WD thinks are good blades. I believe I have a > set of reject blades all thrown together. My personal belief. I sent > them back twice but they are still basically the same. I have been > balancing large RC props for thirty years and have never seen blades like > these. I super balanced them. Same problem. I super tuned the carbs -- > three times! Not the problem. I changed the angle of my titan exhaust > outlets -- twice! I added some angle sections to my pipes so the exhaust > would not hit the blades directly -- no joy. I have stainless tubes with > holes on the ends of my pipes and they do reduce the noise a bunch but I > still have the harmonics. I have taped the wing fabric top and bottom and > checked all the fittings, pieces and mounts for loose or dangling fabric. > I changed my gap seal three times. I started with no spacer, spent $450 > for a four incher, no help. That changed my balance where it was not > desirable, dont know why. I took it off and put a two inch spacer on and > that seems to work good except the harmonics are still there. I changed > spark plug gaps and then spark plugs. nothing helps. This harmonic > sound does not increase in beat, just intensity to the point where it > actually beats on the back of my helmet. My anr removes most of it so I > can tolerate this noise. It is noticeable from the ground as a rum rum > rum sound like it out of tune. A friend has a new set of WD props like > mine down in Florida and I will try them as soon as I get down there. If > that makes it better then you can bet I will call WD with the 'proof' and > see what they will do. Right now I just live with it. As far as changing > type of prop -- well, how many of you have an extra grand or more to just > 'try' another prop? I dont. I should not have to. I paid my money and > should have a good prop. Like I said, I have not absolutely proven it is > the prop yet but I will. By the way, one blade really shows the cloth > weaving and I believe it is the culprit. Ever hear a digery do or however > it is spelled? That hum hum is what I am talking about. Thought WD would > replace it last time but they didnt. Not exactly the service I would > expect from such a reputable dealer. Guess I dont have enough 'fame' to > get good service from them. My life as it is. At least my rum rum is > accompanied by zoom zoom and that makes it worth it. Ted Cowan, Alabama, > Slingshot 912 UL. p.s. I still have a fifty buck reward for someone with > a cure. (something we have not already thought of or done) Hauck is the > first one for the blades being bad. > > > ________________________________ Message 11 ____________________________________ Time: 06:35:04 AM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: vibrations From: "robcannon" Ted - I took some training last summer in a Rans S 12 in preparation for my Kolb first flight. (it was the only high thrust line pusher around). It has the same harmonics you describe (annoying in the cockpit, and annoying on the ground) It has a Rotax 912 with a three blade "kool"prop. They have over 1700 hours on this plane and motor, and they have accepted this thrum thrum thrum and part of the package. When I flew it I just chose a throttle setting that minimized it the most. Don't get me wrong here, if I were in your shoes I would not give up untill I had a explanation/solution, but it may not be the warp drive that is the culprit. good luck, Rob Cannon ps: Rans has probably sold more 912 pushers than most - I would call up their tech support guy and see what he says. Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238478#238478 ________________________________ Message 12 ____________________________________ Time: 06:35:19 AM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: 912 ULS starter From: "Thom Riddle" The 912 installation manual also shows a 300A peak (1 second max) for the regulator. I was reading continuous cranking amps, not peak starting current. -------- Thom Riddle Buffalo, NY http://riddletr.googlepages.com/sportpilot-cfi http://riddletr.googlepages.com/a%26pmechanix A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that works. - John Gaule Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238480#238480 ________________________________ Message 13 ____________________________________ Time: 06:42:26 AM PST US From: "Jack B. Hart" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Mixture control... At 09:57 PM 4/8/09 -0500, you wrote: > > >Jack > > See your post and am reminded...how is the mixture control >coming...? IMHO...not only does it promise a bit better fuel burn >through better mixture control...but also may allow us to dial out >the egt peak as we drop below 5k rpms? Perhaps make the engine less >susceptible to seizures...? > Herb, For flying this winter and spring, so far, have been mean weather wise. Most of the time my cold weather gear was used to blow snow. Spent most of the winter in my basement shop working on stuff to try this spring. Most of it is weight reduction stuff. I flew for the first time in March with the new filter cover (ram scoop) positioned at about sixty degrees up from horizontal. But I took no pressure measurements. I was not able influence EGT with the cover in this position. This got me to thinking about what to do to increase the positive pressure over the float bowl. I realized that it would be better to reference this pressure off something in the carburetor. I removed the carburetor and put a static pressure tap plus a positive dynamic pressure tap into the carburetor inlet. If the static tap does not do the job, I will move to the positive dynamic tap. Since this will produce much more pressure than needed, I will run the line to simple liquid bubble pressure regulator to obtain constant but ground adjustable pressure. By adding the filter air scoop to recover filter pressure loss, I have complicated things, and so I will have to run quite a few flight tests to record air filter pressure drops at various engine speeds and scoop positions. Then I will be able to get back to working with the mixture control. I remain very excited about the mixture control. The ability to adjust EGT in flight lets one dial in the same burn rate for a given engine rpm. One does not have sweat "should I have added fuel" thoughts. I have wondered how it would work on a Rotax 447, but for me it is too late for that. I am running this engine at much higher EGT than I did the Rotax. The Victor had the same problem as you described for below 5,000 rpm. At first I thought it was a leaky exhaust coupler. I modified the system and changed clamps. Still the same problem. Out of frustration, I started looking at the Bing. I noticed how the slide was polishing and concluded the throttle return spring was too weak, and the slide needle assembly was bouncing. Went to a heavier spring and things looked better. Then I decided to modify the carb needle. It was an eye opener. I was able get a flat EGT across the whole cruise rpm range. This proves to me that no engine manufacturer can tell you what needle jet combination is correct for every given application and it is unfair expectation. What they recommend may work on the test bench, but one must consider this is just a starting point. Rambling. The snow blower is off and the mower is ready to go. Jack B. Hart FF004 Winchester, IN ________________________________ Message 14 ____________________________________ Time: 06:50:52 AM PST US From: "John Hauck" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: vibrations That hum hum is what I am talking > about. Thought WD would replace it last time but they didnt. Not exactly > the service I would expect from such a reputable dealer. Guess I dont > have enough 'fame' to get good service from them. My life as it is. At > least my rum rum is accompanied by zoom zoom and that makes it worth it. > Ted Cowan, Alabama, Slingshot 912 UL. p.s. I still have a fifty buck > reward for someone with a cure. (something we have not already thought of > or done) Hauck is the first one for the blades being bad. I've offered several suggestions since Ted C has had the harmonic problem. Guess none of them worked. Also offered to try my WD off my airplane. I believe the place to start is remove the suspect prop and hub. Put another WD prop on from a setup that has no problem. Test it. If it developes the same problem, then it is not the prop. If the problem disappears, then you have more ammunition to go back to WD and get a replacement prop. I also recommended contacting Daryl to request another prop and hub to use for a test. I have a good feeling he would do that to see that his customers are satisfied. I don't think 'fame' has a thing to do with getting good service from WD. This company has been in business for many years, and not because they mistreated their customers or because they sold inferior products. While I am recommending, highly recommend you give Daryl a call at 1-800-833-9357. I reminded him of your problem. He would be glad to discuss it with you. john h mkIII - 60 west of Ted Cowan's airstrip. ________________________________ Message 15 ____________________________________ Time: 06:50:52 AM PST US From: herb Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: 912 ULS starter The regulator should no be in the circuit when starting... I was thinking about the current draw when starting motors... couple of seconds......:-) Ohms law ... The fractional resistance of a conductor becomes appreciable at high currents which results in a proportionate voltage drop.... Herb At 08:35 AM 4/9/2009, you wrote: > >The 912 installation manual also shows a 300A peak (1 second max) >for the regulator. > >I was reading continuous cranking amps, not peak starting current. > >-------- >Thom Riddle >Buffalo, NY >http://riddletr.googlepages.com/sportpilot-cfi >http://riddletr.googlepages.com/a%26pmechanix > >A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from >a simple system that works. > - John Gaule > > >Read this topic online here: > >http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238480#238480 > > ________________________________ Message 16 ____________________________________ Time: 07:05:10 AM PST US From: "frank.goodnight" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Stits Hi William ; I covered my firestar 2 with 1.7 oz fabric about a year ago. I fold , unfold, and trailer my plane every time I fly. I know it's my fault , but it seems like I get a new ,bang, bump , cut, scrape, or ding every week. 2.7 may not help much but it sure can't hurt. If I were doing it over again I would use 2.7oz. I don't know much about a/c covering but I would use polytone because it's easy to repair and I'm not interested in pretty or shiny. As for uv protection- the whole covering and paint process- was enough of a pain in the butt that I would use plenty of silver so I would not have to recover for a LONG LONG time. I did not cover my cage and don't use a nose bowl or windscreen. The main trouble with with that is the wind noise interfears with my hand held radio. The A/ C flys fine. Maybe some ultra star drivers can help [ please] . I share your thoughts about cage cover and uv protection . Why protect the outside of the fabric when the sun shines on the inside and destroys the fabric from there? Frank Goodnight Firstar 2 HKS 75 hrs On Apr 9, 2009, at 7:14 AM, william sullivan wrote: > I am doing some planning before ordering the stits materials for > the Firestar. Has anyone used the lightweight fabric- 1.7 ounce? > How was the durability? Both sets of the previous coverings were > 2.7 ounce. One was Aerothane, and one was Polytone. UV protection > is not a prime concern in Connecticut, so I can go with the lighter > weight paint jobs. I am going to go with Polytone, not only for > weight but for ease of application and repair. Also, I hold the > record for bad paint jobs. > Also, if I cover the pod, should I use the heavier fabric there? > Lots of minor bashing could be expected while climbing in and out, > and abrasion from leaning into it. > Another question, not mentioned in the book- What about UV > protection on the inside of the pod fabric? There is no mention of > the exterior coating protecting all the way through, and the fabric > there is exposed to more sunlight. > > Bill Sullivan > Windsor Locks, Ct. > FS 447 > > ________________________________ Message 17 ____________________________________ Time: 07:10:05 AM PST US From: robert bean Subject: Re: Kolb-List: vibrations Ted, borrowing other props for comparison would be my first choice too. I know I wouldn't be happy if I had paid for new blades and got blades that didn't even look cosmetically perfect. The "proof" approach is the way to go. I also have a rum rum but I have noticed that some of it may be my hearing. I hear it just walking up the driveway, in time with my heartbeat. Something to go along with my tinnitus. If you have a two blade WD hub that would be a good thing to try. That reminds me to order a two blade hub for my powerfin. I sure would like to be able to keep the 70" two blade WD on my suzuki because it gives me what seems like 10 hp better performance than the 3 blade 65" powerfin I had on before. Mix match and compare. BB > > ________________________________ Message 18 ____________________________________ Time: 07:17:11 AM PST US From: herb Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Mixture control... Good info Jack...much appreciated... you may be the only engineer in the world working to improve 2 strokes... :-) I haven't experimented but I suspect that the egt peak in the high 4k range occurs when the needle/needle jet drops in influence and we begin to go fully onto the main ... a transition point at abt 3/4 throttle.. I think I have also noticed that some props tend to load/unload at certain rpm ranges and effect egts...Herb > > > >Herb, > >For flying this winter and spring, so far, have been mean weather wise. >Most of the time my cold weather gear was used to blow snow. Spent most of >the winter in my basement shop working on stuff to try this spring. Most of >it is weight reduction stuff. > >I flew for the first time in March with the new filter cover (ram scoop) >positioned at about sixty degrees up from horizontal. But I took no >pressure measurements. I was not able influence EGT with the cover in this >position. This got me to thinking about what to do to increase the positive >pressure over the float bowl. I realized that it would be better to >reference this pressure off something in the carburetor. I removed the >carburetor and put a static pressure tap plus a positive dynamic pressure >tap into the carburetor inlet. If the static tap does not do the job, I >will move to the positive dynamic tap. Since this will produce much more >pressure than needed, I will run the line to simple liquid bubble pressure >regulator to obtain constant but ground adjustable pressure. By adding the >filter air scoop to recover filter pressure loss, I have complicated things, >and so I will have to run quite a few flight tests to record air filter >pressure drops at various engine speeds and scoop positions. Then I will be >able to get back to working with the mixture control. > >I remain very excited about the mixture control. The ability to adjust EGT >in flight lets one dial in the same burn rate for a given engine rpm. One >does not have sweat "should I have added fuel" thoughts. I have wondered >how it would work on a Rotax 447, but for me it is too late for that. I am >running this engine at much higher EGT than I did the Rotax. > >The Victor had the same problem as you described for below 5,000 rpm. At >first I thought it was a leaky exhaust coupler. I modified the system and >changed clamps. Still the same problem. Out of frustration, I started >looking at the Bing. I noticed how the slide was polishing and concluded >the throttle return spring was too weak, and the slide needle assembly was >bouncing. Went to a heavier spring and things looked better. Then I >decided to modify the carb needle. It was an eye opener. I was able get a >flat EGT across the whole cruise rpm range. This proves to me that no >engine manufacturer can tell you what needle jet combination is correct for >every given application and it is unfair expectation. What they recommend >may work on the test bench, but one must consider this is just a starting >point. > >Rambling. The snow blower is off and the mower is ready to go. > >Jack B. Hart FF004 >Winchester, IN > > ________________________________ Message 19 ____________________________________ Time: 08:27:55 AM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: Victoria Falls From: "lucien" pj.ladd(at)btinternet.com wrote: > Do you fly the trike from the back seat?>> > > Hi John, > Perhaps more accurately `being flown`. I know my limitations. I flew a weightshift when I was considering changing from gliding to ultralighting and although I managed OK when I had time to think about it I decided that one day when I dropped out of the bottom of the glide slope 10 ft above the ground, I would push instead of pull by reflex and that was a complication i could do without. > I have seen young instructors step out of weightshifts into 3 axis machines with no trouble but I know I am not as switched on as I once was. The guy who flew me round the Falls parked the weightshift and then started up a six seat helicopter and flew a group back around the same course. > Just FWIW and I know this isn't Kolb related but may be of general interest. I found that the transition to weight-shift from 3-axis took the longest time of any other plane transition I made. It took about 20 hours to get comfortable and about 50 hours for me to get completely automatic. I was safe in perfect conditions after about 6 hours maybe a little more. That's actually a lot.... 3-axis pilots also need special instruction in weight-shift from an instructor that also flies 3-axis. The primacy of training can be a problem for a longer time at the start than for a zero timer (yanking the bar in in sink, trying to yaw with the pedals). Besides the bass-ackwards controls, the inputs needed are different. We learn the concept of control "pressures" in planes with discreet control surfaces, but in weight-shift the inputs are more like counteracting the behavior of a pendulum (in roll more than pitch really). I.e. try to steady a ball hanging by a string in your hand, etc.... To make it even worse, the throttle is on the left _foot_. But if I can do it anyone can. Finally, trikes are easily flown from the back seat when "training bars" are fitted to the control bar downtubes. This is how instructional trikes are setup. do not archive LS -------- LS Titan II SS Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238494#238494 ________________________________ Message 20 ____________________________________ Time: 11:20:43 AM PST US From: william sullivan Subject: Kolb-List: stits - Frank- No nose cone on the FS II?- What do you use for an instrument panel?- Dana flies an Ultrastar without a nose cone or windshield.- Vis ibility unlimited. - ------------------------- --------------- Bill Sullivan ------------------------- --------------- Windsor Locks, Ct. ------------------------- ---------------- FS 447 ________________________________ Message 21 ____________________________________ Time: 11:49:06 AM PST US From: "frank.goodnight" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: stits Bill, I built a small alu box that is between my knees, just forward of the stick [copy of the one Bryan built for the firefly that won 1st place at sun & fun last year ] it holds my ASI, ALT.Skidball& compass . My EIS & switches are mounted in a 3 x 6 box that is mounted just forward of the throttle and is level with the top cage rail .it is outside the cage. Frank Goodnight Firestar2 HKS 75 hrs On Apr 9, 2009, at 1:16 PM, william sullivan wrote: > Frank- No nose cone on the FS II? What do you use for an > instrument panel? Dana flies an Ultrastar without a nose cone or > windshield. Visibility unlimited. > > Bill Sullivan > Windsor Locks, Ct. > FS 447 > > ________________________________ Message 22 ____________________________________ Time: 12:34:38 PM PST US From: william sullivan Subject: Kolb-List: stits - Frank-- Interesting arrangement.- What's your cruise speed?- Wind in your face bother you, with no cone or shield?- FS II is a lot faster than an Ultrastar. - ------------------------- ------------------- Bill Sullivan ------------------------- ------------------- Windsor Locks, Ct .. ------------------------- ------------------- FS 447 ________________________________ Message 23 ____________________________________ Time: 12:50:09 PM PST US From: robert bean Subject: Kolb-List: stits Frank-- Interesting arrangement.- What's your cruise speed?- Wind in your face bother you, with no cone or shield?- FS II is a lot faster than an Ultrastar. Not always. Ed Steuber's US was fast. Haven't heard from him since he got a steady job. BB ed's ultra ________________________________ Message 24 ____________________________________ Time: 01:12:17 PM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: now an actual Kolb question From: "lucien" John Hauck wrote: > > The Fire Fly video was made several years ago at Lakeland. It was a > beautiful airplane built and painted by Bryan Milborn. > > I was also fortunate to be the demo pilot for this FF. I had forgotten how > windy and rough the air was that year. The video clearly demonstrates I had > my hands full, but the little FF performed like a champ that it is. > > A young lady bought the FF for her 92 year old adventurer grand father at > the show. I never got to fly it again, nor did I ever see it again. I did > hear that it was neglected, not flown, and considerable damage was done by > children playing in it. It was a fantastic show plane and well as a flyer. > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SFhiQRlGwA&feature=related > > john h > mkIII Wow.... the more I watch this vid, the more I want a FF....... Tho that's currently plan A for the 2nd-plane thing anyway... I'm 5'7" about 200lbs. How would I fit in the FF? LS -------- LS Titan II SS Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238542#238542 ________________________________ Message 25 ____________________________________ Time: 01:18:52 PM PST US From: "frank.goodnight" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: stits Bill I don't really have a cruise speed dialed in yet , depends on what I"m doing. most of the time ,slow flight,various stalls,turns about a point,landing off airport, just learning about my a/c and learning how to fly again after 35 years of being earthbound. 40 to 60 mph is the range. My longest flight to date was about 100 miles one way I didn't try to maintain a cruise speed 55 mph was about my average. the wind is not a problem except for the handheld radio[ unless it's cold ]. A lot of my time is in a benson gyro so I learned to like the open air. Frank Goodnight Firestar 2 Brownville,TX Do not archive On Apr 9, 2009, at 2:32 PM, william sullivan wrote: > Frank- Interesting arrangement. What's your cruise speed? Wind > in your face bother you, with no cone or shield? FS II is a lot > faster than an Ultrastar. > > Bill Sullivan > Windsor Locks, Ct. > FS 447 > > ________________________________ Message 26 ____________________________________ Time: 01:46:48 PM PST US From: "Carlos" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: vibrations Hi Ted, While I dont have any personal experience with a 912, I do have a few suggestions of a general nature. Check the gearbox oil of your engine to see if every thing is okay. Perhaps there is a bearing or gear that is causing your grief. Any metal in the gear oil is not a good sign and warrants a tear down of the gearbox. Check the runout of the propeller drive flange to see that it is running true. Also check to see if there is any play or slop in the drive that shouldn't be there. In general terms, some gearboxes have preloads and no play while others require a small amount to operate properly. The Rotax manuals may call out the details for your gearbox. Have you checked the compression of the cylinders to see if they are okay? Uneven compression maybe causing harmonics in your engine. A fixed pitch wood prop would be less costly alternative to a composite if you have to purchase one for testing. Again these are a few general items I would look at if I was having your troubles. Good Luck and let us know when you have found the problem. Best Regards Carlos G AKA BaronVonEvil. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ted Cowan" Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 3:35 AM Subject: Kolb-List: vibrations > > For those that have not been privy to my harmonics on my 912, here is the > following. The first thing I thought was wrong was the prop not being set > "right" so I developed a laser that sits on the tip of my blades, one at a > time, while I set them so they are near perfect. The blades themselves > were all different weights, one a different length and two had what looked > like cloth bumps showing. I sent them back and they came back better but > still not the same. One has a different twist at the middle and now has a > smaller tip. This is what WD thinks are good blades. I believe I have a > set of reject blades all thrown together. My personal belief. I sent > them back twice but they are still basically the same. I have been > balancing large RC props for thirty years and have never seen blades like > these. I super balanced them. Same problem. I super tuned the carbs -- > three times! Not the problem. I changed the angle of my titan exhaust > outlets -- twice! I added some angle sections to my pipes so the exhaust > would not hit the blades directly -- no joy. I have stainless tubes with > holes on the ends of my pipes and they do reduce the noise a bunch but I > still have the harmonics. I have taped the wing fabric top and bottom and > checked all the fittings, pieces and mounts for loose or dangling fabric. > I changed my gap seal three times. I started with no spacer, spent $450 > for a four incher, no help. That changed my balance where it was not > desirable, dont know why. I took it off and put a two inch spacer on and > that seems to work good except the harmonics are still there. I changed > spark plug gaps and then spark plugs. nothing helps. This harmonic > sound does not increase in beat, just intensity to the point where it > actually beats on the back of my helmet. My anr removes most of it so I > can tolerate this noise. It is noticeable from the ground as a rum rum > rum sound like it out of tune. A friend has a new set of WD props like > mine down in Florida and I will try them as soon as I get down there. If > that makes it better then you can bet I will call WD with the 'proof' and > see what they will do. Right now I just live with it. As far as changing > type of prop -- well, how many of you have an extra grand or more to just > 'try' another prop? I dont. I should not have to. I paid my money and > should have a good prop. Like I said, I have not absolutely proven it is > the prop yet but I will. By the way, one blade really shows the cloth > weaving and I believe it is the culprit. Ever hear a digery do or however > it is spelled? That hum hum is what I am talking about. Thought WD would > replace it last time but they didnt. Not exactly the service I would > expect from such a reputable dealer. Guess I dont have enough 'fame' to > get good service from them. My life as it is. At least my rum rum is > accompanied by zoom zoom and that makes it worth it. Ted Cowan, Alabama, > Slingshot 912 UL. p.s. I still have a fifty buck reward for someone with > a cure. (something we have not already thought of or done) Hauck is the > first one for the blades being bad. > > > ________________________________ Message 27 ____________________________________ Time: 02:21:21 PM PST US From: "Jack B. Hart" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Mixture control... At 09:15 AM 4/9/09 -0500, you wrote: > > > Good info Jack...much appreciated... > > you may be the only engineer in the world working to improve 2 >strokes... :-) > > I haven't experimented but I suspect that the egt peak in the >high 4k range occurs when the needle/needle jet drops in influence >and we begin to go fully onto the main ... a transition point at >abt 3/4 throttle.. > > I think I have also noticed that some props tend to load/unload >at certain rpm ranges and effect egts... > Herb, If I had not been forced into using a two stroke, I would be flying a four stroke. In the past I was influenced by what has been written about two strokes. I have found that there is a lot of misinformation out there. A lot of it came directly from the EAA by picking an expert that was not a flyer but was a two cycle motorcycle man. When the two cycle engine is placed on an airframe, one does not have to worry about quick throttle response time. Most of the time the engine is run at constant speed with short bursts of max output for take off and climb out. As for 4k rpm EGT peaking, I do not believe it has anything to do with the main jet. After mounting throttle slide position indicator, I found that both the Rotax 447 and the Victor will develop max engine speed at around 40% of the throttle opening. This is just where the main jet starts to pick up. Checking my flight notes I had recorded 5,000 rpm at 25% and 4,500 rpm at 20% carb opening. In this range the Bing is under the influence of the pilot(idle) jet, slide cutaway and the needle position. This gives a couple of things that can be done to adjust the carburetor. One cannot adjust the cutaway but you can lean and richen the mixture about 50 degrees EGT with the idle mixture control. The other and I consider the best choice was to modify the needle between the 20% to 40% region. This has worked out very well. All of this indicates the carb size is much too large, but one just use what is available and fit or refit the needle to your specific application. My disappointment is that I had to figure this out. But it has made me much more excited about flying a two stroke engine. It has moved me from a piston port to reed valve engine. I have discovered I can run this engine at higher EGT than the Rotax 447. The reason for this is advanced technology and design. With ceramic cylinder coating lets you run a tighter fitting piston due to both being made of aluminum alloys with a common temperature expansion ratio. Liquid cooling is a pain, but it helps get more heat away from the cylinder as apposed to a steel liner in aluminum interfacing directly with air. Running a tuned exhaust helps with engine breathing and the reduction of unburnt fuel in the exhaust. This type of engine design is supposed to be less prone to cold seizure. Before I added the fuel mixture control, I had problems of the engine quitting on final after a long low throttle decent. Idle jet adjustments did not seem to help. After adding the mixture control, I can fly the FireFly down at cruise speed, close the throttle and land without the engine quitting. This technique keeps the carburetor throat warmer and less prone to icing. Best of all, the Victor is running at half the fuel flow rate of my Rotax 447. Could I have gotten to this point with the Rotax 447? I don't know. The next question is why doesn't Bing added this mechanism in or to the carburetor and make it a true aircraft carburetor? Not flying enough - Rambling #2 Jack B. Hart FF004 Winchester, IN ________________________________ Message 28 ____________________________________ Time: 02:24:57 PM PST US From: Dana Hague Subject: Re: Kolb-List: stits At 03:32 PM 4/9/2009, william sullivan wrote: > ...Wind in your face bother you, with no cone or shield? FS II is a > lot faster than an Ultrastar. In the UltraStar, I wouldn't say the wind _bothers_ me, per se, but it's fatiguing after awhile. I always fly with some kind of glasses, though, either sunglasses or clear safety glasses... not only do my eyes tear too much otherwise, not to mention that a bug'd be painful at 50mph!. I do have a clear face shield for my helmet, but I was careless with it and it got scratched... I've since polished it out but I haven't flown again since then (but Spring's here, yee hah!) -Dana -- Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. ________________________________ Message 29 ____________________________________ Time: 02:34:43 PM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: vibrations From: "JetPilot" We have a couple MK III's here at my field, and both of us have had to do a mod to reduce the noise inside the cockpit. Built by the plans, there is an open space from the prop that makes the cockpit act like a resonant bell, the noise was HUGE ! My " Neighbor " put a piece of clear lexan behind the seats, where a headrest would be if he had one. This simple, one piece of flat lexan made a huge difference in making his cockpit noise tolerable. His noise reduction worked so well, that I went a lot of steps further and enclosed the entire cabin of my plane, above and rear, and put sound dampening in the lower fabric in the cage behind the seats where it faces the prop. I also have sound dampening on the rear lexan windows. In other words, I put sound dampening in any part of my cage on my plane that " Sees " or faces towards the the prop at anything less than a 90 degree angle. John Haucks MK III is pretty much like this, with all rear areas enclosed. This made a huge reduction in the noise level. I use ANR headsets, but don't need any earplugs. I wonder if you have a typical loud hum hum that would be hardly noticeable with some noise prevention measures. Its hard to tell how severe this is, or if its typical without hearing it first hand and comparing it to other Kolbs with a similar setup. My warp drive prop is perfect. Did you check the tracking on the tips of your prop, all three blades should be within 1/16 of an inch or so. My Rotax 912-S / prop is as smooth as silk, smoother than any other piston engine I have flown behind. I can barely feel it running if I place my hand on the cage tubing. I have had several occasions to deal with Warp Drive, and they have always been more than fair, and gone the extra mile as far as I am concerned. There are lots of warp drive props on experimental airplanes, it is very rare to hear anything bad about them. It is possible to get a combination of equipment that will not work well together, but there are such a huge number of Warp Drive / 912-S combos flying, that I don't believe this should be problematic combo. Maybe time to look more at the airframe ?? P.S. Going from a 4 inch spacer to the two inch spacer you have now is a such very small change of CG, I don't see how this could possibly have any meaningful impact on the flying qualities of the airplane. You must have miscalculated something or not have a full understanding of effect this has on CG. Anyways, the 4 inch spacer on the prop is far better than a two inch spacer, for a number of reasons. I would most definitely use the 4 inch spacer... Just off the top of my head, I think two extra inches on the prop spacer would equal less than one pound of weight added to the nose IF you wanted to keep the same CG.. Thats a rough guess off the top of my head, it would be easy to calculate given your WB information and prop weight. In other words, its negligible and I would not even bother with such a small change. The longer spacer is much better for a pusher setup like found on our Kolbs. Gook luck chasing this down, like Lucien said, we did sign up for Experimental aviation, and it can make you want to beat your head against a wall sometimes. Mike -------- "NO FEAR" - If you have no fear you did not go as fast as you could have !!! Kolb MK-III Xtra, 912-S Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238553#238553 ________________________________ Message 30 ____________________________________ Time: 03:11:07 PM PST US From: "John Hauck" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: now an actual Kolb question that's currently plan A for the 2nd-plane thing anyway... > > I'm 5'7" about 200lbs. How would I fit in the FF? > > LS > > -------- > LS No problem fitting in a FF. We've had much larger folks than that fly them. Brian Blackwood, former co-owner of TNK, probably went close to 250. He flew the pants off the factory FF. john h mkIII ________________________________ Message 31 ____________________________________ Time: 04:19:07 PM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: vibrations From: "lucien" JetPilot wrote: > We have a couple MK III's here at my field, and both of us have had to do a mod to reduce the noise inside the cockpit. Built by the plans, there is an open space from the prop that makes the cockpit act like a resonant bell, the noise was HUGE ! My " Neighbor " put a piece of clear lexan behind the seats, where a headrest would be if he had one. This simple, one piece of flat lexan made a huge difference in making his cockpit noise tolerable. His noise reduction worked so well, that I went a lot of steps further and enclosed the entire cabin of my plane, above and rear, and put sound dampening in the lower fabric in the cage behind the seats where it faces the prop. I also have sound dampening on the rear lexan windows. In other words, I put sound dampening in any part of my cage on my plane that " Sees " or faces towards the the prop at anything less than a 90 degree angle. John Haucks MK III is pretty much like this, with all rear areas enclosed. This made a huge reduction in the noise level. I use ANR headsets, but don't need any earplugs. I wonder if you have a typical loud hum hum that would be hardly noticeable with some noise prevention measures. Its hard to tell how severe this is, or if its typical without hearing it first hand and comparing it to other Kolbs with a similar setup. > > My warp drive prop is perfect. Did you check the tracking on the tips of your prop, all three blades should be within 1/16 of an inch or so. My Rotax 912-S / prop is as smooth as silk, smoother than any other piston engine I have flown behind. I can barely feel it running if I place my hand on the cage tubing. I have had several occasions to deal with Warp Drive, and they have always been more than fair, and gone the extra mile as far as I am concerned. There are lots of warp drive props on experimental airplanes, it is very rare to hear anything bad about them. It is possible to get a combination of equipment that will not work well together, but there are such a huge number of Warp Drive / 912-S combos flying, that I don't believe this should be problematic combo. Maybe time to look more at the airframe ?? > > P.S. Going from a 4 inch spacer to the two inch spacer you have now is a such very small change of CG, I don't see how this could possibly have any meaningful impact on the flying qualities of the airplane. You must have miscalculated something or not have a full understanding of effect this has on CG. Anyways, the 4 inch spacer on the prop is far better than a two inch spacer, for a number of reasons. I would most definitely use the 4 inch spacer... Just off the top of my head, I think two extra inches on the prop spacer would equal less than one pound of weight added to the nose IF you wanted to keep the same CG.. Thats a rough guess off the top of my head, it would be easy to calculate given your WB information and prop weight. In other words, its negligible and I would not even bother with such a small change. The longer spacer is much better for a pusher setup like found on our Kolbs. > > Gook luck chasing this down, like Lucien said, we did sign up for Experimental aviation, and it can make you want to beat your head against a wall sometimes. > > > > Mike For what it's worth, according to Daryl, the tracking need only be within about 5/16" max. 1/4" is typical, my current one and the one I had on my FS II were about 1/4" off (the one on my FS II was smooth as glass). I'd personally try to keep the spacer as short as possible. A long spacer adds a signficant amount of arm to the Coriolis forces the prop imposes on the prop shaft. Every little bit helps to preserve our gearboxes even tho they're still strong as stink..... My FSII was unbelievably loud in the cockpit and sure enough it was open at the rear. Wish I'd had my telex ANR headset back when I had that plane...... LS -------- LS Titan II SS Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238562#238562 ________________________________ Message 32 ____________________________________ Time: 04:52:49 PM PST US From: ElleryWeld@aol.com Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: 912 ULS starter You can buy one from a Snap-on tool dealer you just lay the meter on the wire if the wire is the right size it will snap on to it and you can als o get one to test your charging system from snap-on I have both of these meters in my Tool box that I have been using for years and they are a gre at rig to have Ellery in Maine In a message dated 4/9/2009 12:10:42 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, by0ung@brigham.net writes: --> Kolb-List message posted by: "b young" Using clamp on ammeter I got ~13 amps current during cranking our 912UL at about 45-50F OAT. >>>>>>>>>>>>.. I have never seen a clamp on dc amp meter. Boyd ======================== =========== ======================== =========== ======================== =========== ======================== =========== **************New Deals on Dell Netbooks =93 Now starting at $299 (A edir=http:%2F %2Fad.doubleclick.net%2Fclk%3B213771973%3B35379628%3Bw) ________________________________ Message 33 ____________________________________ Time: 05:03:44 PM PST US From: "Larry Cottrell" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: vibrations My FSII was unbelievably loud in the cockpit and sure enough it was open at the rear. Wish I'd had my telex ANR headset back when I had that plane...... LS -------- LS Titan II SS For what its worth, on my trip to Texas with Arty, I used the full enclosure on my Firestar. That is the full windshield and the fabric with the convertible type window in it. It cut my maximum speed to 60 MPH. Without it and using the full windshield I gained 7 MPH. It might be quieter, but I am not willing to take the cut in top speed. Larry C ________________________________ Message 34 ____________________________________ Time: 07:38:32 PM PST US From: Herb Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: now an actual Kolb question Lucien I am 6'2" and 200 lbs...The Firefly is just fine...Very comfortable on trips of 60 to 100 miles...Herb Wish I could fly it like John does!! :-) At 03:11 PM 4/9/2009, you wrote: > > >John Hauck wrote: > > > > The Fire Fly video was made several years ago at Lakeland. It was a > > beautiful airplane built and painted by Bryan Milborn. > > > > I was also fortunate to be the demo pilot for this FF. I had > forgotten how > > windy and rough the air was that year. The video clearly > demonstrates I had > > my hands full, but the little FF performed like a champ that it is. > > > > A young lady bought the FF for her 92 year old adventurer grand father at > > the show. I never got to fly it again, nor did I ever see it > again. I did > > hear that it was neglected, not flown, and considerable damage was done by > > children playing in it. It was a fantastic show plane and well as a flyer. > > > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SFhiQRlGwA&feature=related > > > > john h > > mkIII > > >Wow.... the more I watch this vid, the more I want a FF....... >Tho that's currently plan A for the 2nd-plane thing anyway... > >I'm 5'7" about 200lbs. How would I fit in the FF? > >LS > >-------- >LS >Titan II SS > > >Read this topic online here: > >http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=238542#238542 > > ________________________________ Message 35 ____________________________________ Time: 07:52:13 PM PST US From: "John Hauck" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: now an actual Kolb question > I am 6'2" and 200 lbs...The Firefly is just fine...Very comfortable > on trips of 60 to 100 miles...Herb > > > Wish I could fly it like John does!! :-) Are you sure? Didn't look like I was doing so well, yanking and banking to get it back on the ground in the video clip at Lakeland. ;-) john h mkIII ________________________________ Message 36 ____________________________________ Time: 07:59:28 PM PST US From: Herb Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: now an actual Kolb question You got her on the ground in flying condition on a tough day...I would bet that not much else was flying from the ul field...Herb At 09:50 PM 4/9/2009, you wrote: > > > > I am 6'2" and 200 lbs...The Firefly is just fine...Very comfortable >>on trips of 60 to 100 miles...Herb >> >> >> Wish I could fly it like John does!! :-) > > >Are you sure? > >Didn't look like I was doing so well, yanking and banking to get it >back on the ground in the video clip at Lakeland. ;-) > >john h >mkIII > >_- ________________________________ Message 37 ____________________________________ Time: 08:10:07 PM PST US From: "John Hauck" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Re: now an actual Kolb question > You got her on the ground in flying condition on a tough day...I > would bet that not much else was flying from the ul field...Herb We had a good reputation, Kolb Aircraft, to fly when everybody else at OSH and S&F were on the ground. We felt this was a true demonstration of the ability of the Kolb line of airplanes. This was true 25 years ago when I was drooling on the ground watching a teenager, by the name of Dennis Souder, put the hot, new Kolb Ultrastar through its paces at the tiny grass strip at S&F March 1984. It was the best performer there. Nothing could touch it. My kit was waiting on me when I returned home to Alabama. Three months later I was drooling on my own US. ;-) john h mkIII ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message kolb-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Kolb-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/kolb-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/kolb-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.