REFLECTOR: Speed Brake T.O. roll; grass strip fod

CanardAv8r_DWT-AGT_TFS- Inc showme177rg at hotmail.com
Sun Jun 5 21:32:22 CDT 2005


RE:  DEPLOYED SPEED BRAKE TAKEOFFS:  I'm notta builder & don't pretend to 
be........  I have 5 yrs & 500 hrs on a '89 Dan Maher Velocity & can attest 
to much  l-o-n-g-e-r  Takeoff rolls w/the speed brake inadvertantly left 
down.  I've done it 3-4 times since I've had my bird & the last time was a 
beaut - departing EAA conv. @ OSH !   (thought my tent was following - 
acting as a drag chute).  The TO roll was long & lift off was mushy & anemic 
- until I spotted that stinkin glowin' red light - right in front of my face 
- announcing that the speed brake was down !   I retracted the speed brake 
2/3rds of the way down the runway & climb out returned to normal. That was 3 
yrs ago - I haven't tried a deployed speed brake departure since !

RE: GRASS STRIP OPERATIONS:   My local EAA chapter meets in the styx, on a 
cornfield/soybean field with a grass strip.  I fly in 5-6 times a year.  I 
don't seem to get anymore damage there than I do on paved runways.  A lot of 
paved runways I frequent have some gravel; ice melt residue; etc.   I've 
taken (several times) a blower & blowed the taxiway from my hangar to the 
main tarmac.  That did not make the things noticeably better - I still get a 
few itty-bitty chips on the prop (Catto) frequently.

I agree with whoever said here recently a pusher prop makes a great vacuum 
cleaner & is gonna find fod for your prop to digest.  It happens !



Remember, friends don't let friends fly aluminum airplanes !

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     8>>>>>       DW  Taylor
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