REFLECTOR: Second First Flight Today

[Ron N VelocityXLFG]

I like your extra fuel system idea . I have been working that idea 
through my head for a while now.
I would do the same except I need another ignition system also to make 
it more redundant for my setup..

Ron
On 3/25/2013 11:16 AM, Brian Michalk wrote:
> Unfortunately there was no smoking gun after the first incident.  Like 
> carb icing, there wasn't any evidence pointing to a main cause of the 
> engine failure.  I did make some modifications, like adding a small 1 
> gallon reservoir to serve as a vapor-fuel separator before the fuel is 
> returned to the sump.  I also modified my venting system to keep it 
> from getting filled with fuel at high angle of attack.
>
> That said, I determined that I had configured the EFI system to be too 
> rich.  I tuned the engine to run rich, and extrapolated those values 
> to the end of the fuel table, and had never tested the engine at those 
> power levels until the first flight.
>
> Words of wisdom:
> Make sure you've addressed failure modes as best as possible.  I have 
> two battery systems that can power the EFI system.  Then, if all that 
> fails, what then?  I also installed a backup constant fuel injection 
> system.  It's very simple.  45PSI fuel is taken off the regulated fuel 
> rail, and runs up the keel to a needle valve accesible to the pilot.  
> From there it goes back to the engine to spray nozzles mounted in the 
> intake manifold.  If the electrics go out, I just turn off all of the 
> batteries and continue flying on one magneto and the constant flow 
> injection. There's no metering to adjust to airflow, so it's best if 
> set and left alone.  Changing the manifold pressure throws the mixture 
> off.
>
> If you go off into the weeds on installing a non-aviation EFI system, 
> it really adds a *LOT* of build time.  All of the components are 
> fairly simple.  It's getting everything to work properly that's the 
> hard part.
>
> On 3/25/2013 10:52 AM, Glenn Falkenberg wrote:
>> Congratulations Brian.  Way to go, your determination is an 
>> inspiration to us all.
>> I read the account of your first flight on VelocityXL.com. It sounds 
>> like your using electronic fuel injection, if so do you feel this was 
>> the cause for power loss?  Do you have any words of wisdom for anyone 
>> who may be considering this type of system?
>> Glenn Falkenberg
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 7:17 AM, Richard J. Gentil 
>> <richard at naples-air-center.com 
>> <mailto:richard at naples-air-center.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     Many people would have given up after the cornfield, you did not.
>>
>>     My hat is off to you, well done!
>>
>>     Richard
>>
>>     Sent from my iPhone 5
>>
>>     On Mar 25, 2013, at 12:01 AM, Brian Michalk <michalk at awpi.com
>>     <mailto:michalk at awpi.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     > Four years ago, I had my first flight on March 28th, which
>>     ended up in a cornfield due to an engine out.
>>     >
>>     > Today, I had my second first flight.  I've been battling a list
>>     of squawks, and finally got most of them ironed out.  I made two
>>     flights today, with the first one cut short because of high
>>     CHT's. I landed and discovered a disconnected colling duct to the
>>     plenum. I fixed that, and went for a second flight.  I cut that
>>     one short because I thought the smell of smoke was getting
>>     stronger.  I think there's some RTV and other materials that are
>>     just outgassing, and will make odors until they are good and
>>     baked.  After that flight, I was just too tired to go up again,
>>     and called it a day.
>>     >
>>     > I still have some issues to address, but the important thing is
>>     that now I can actually begin working the flight tests.  I think
>>     I'll change my sig to test pilot now.
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