REFLECTOR: drag brake and general reliability of AC equipment

[John Dibble]

I have a speed brake on my SERG and rarely use it.  If I don't set up my 
approach well and endup high on final, I might use it to salvage the 
approach, but I could also go around.  If you're FG with wheel pants, 
you may have more of a need for the speed brake.

I routinely land on a 2400 ft paved runway and can stop with just 
moderate braking.  I try to get to 80 kn or less on short final, but can 
still make it at 90 kn.  The runway has a perfect approach.  The trick 
is to avoid coming in high.  It took me 200 hours to get to this point.  
Rounding out 200 ft before the runway helps, if you can control well 
enough to assure you won't touch too soon.

I had similar starting issues, especially when the engine was warm.  I 
tried many things, but what finally worked was installing a car battery.

John

On 5/4/2012 10:52 AM, David Ullman wrote:
> I am part way through my 40 hours.  I am mainly practicing landings - trying
> to get my speed down.  At altitude I can drive around the sky at 75 kts with
> good control and the speed brake up, but seem to be fast on final.  Trying
> to get to 80kt over the numbers.  I have used the speed brake on all my
> landings to date.
>
> On Wed I went out to fly and speed brake would not deploy.  I was still on
> the ground.  After chasing the problem I found that it is not my wiring, but
> the motor itself not working.  To get it out of the plane is major surgery.
> So, here is the question.  Do I even need the speed brake?  I know some
> people use it and some don't.  I need to consistently get in and stopped on
> 3000ft so I can move to another airport.  Can I do this without the speed
> brake? (I am learning on 5000ft, so not an issue just now).   Any words of
> wisdom are appreciated.
>
> Also, I am having another, intermittent problem.  The day the speed brake
> failed, the engine would not start.  When I turned the key, I could hear the
> starter solenoid click, but no starter.  This has happened once before, but
> all the other times, no problem.  Both times I put a trickle charger on the
> battery (I don't usually leave it on and have a good battery.) and traced
> the problem to the solenoid.  Both times, as soon as I traced the loss of
> current to the solenoid by checking voltages, the starter miraculously
> worked.  In other words, by tracing the problem, it went away.  This doesn't
> give me a feeling of confidence.  The starter is new, the solenoid is new,
> the battery may have been a little down (I still need to check if there is
> any draw with the master is off. I don't see how there can be).  Any
> thoughts?  I am leaning toward replacing the solenoid.
>
> While on reliability, I had a problem with my Dynon ADAHRS.  It was
> wandering all over.  It is mounted under the rear pilot-side seat.  I don't
> have the seat in yet and I made sure there was no ferrous material anywhere
> near it.  So it was the unit, not my installation of it.   They replaced it
> and all is fine.  I also just bought two autopilot servos from them.  One of
> them bound up when rotated.  They replaced that also.
>
> All of this lack of reliability has not given me much encouragement.
>
> David Ullman
> N-444DX Velocity
> EAA 292 President
> david at davidullman.com
> 541-754-3609
> 1655 NW Hillcrest Dr
> Corvallis OR 97330
>
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