REFLECTOR: Engine failure causes

[aminetech at bluefrog.com]

The position you trim the elevator to for TO will determine how easily it rotates.  Try more elevator down trim.

John

--- michalk at awpi.com wrote:


I don't think anyone would be able to do a quick full power hop on the 
runway.  The runway would need to be very long.  I only had 4000 feet to 
work with.  The power off hops were okay, but I was surprised at the 
increase in rotation distance with power on.  The thrust vector really 
kept the nosewheel stuck to the runway.

Stockman, Bill wrote:
> The key is, did you ever run the engine at full throttle (either in a
> pop up) or with the nose raised on the ground to simulate the takeoff
> angle?
>
> I discovered on my plane (173FGE) that after raising the nose and
> running the engine a while, I found some water and sediment stuff in the
> fuel sample and filter.   Apparently raising the nose significantly let
> it escape to the sump tank and to the engine.   Just a thought.     
>
> Bill Stockman, Senior Associate
> Dayton Aerospace
>  
> (937) 369-4799 cell
> (937) 426-4300 work
> bill.stockman at daytonaero.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of Brian Michalk
> Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 1:33 PM
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Engine failure causes
>
> Bill,
>
> I was doing high speed taxi tests. Full throttle to speed, then yank 
> power, then raise nose. All testing done with power off. I called my 
> technical flight adviser, and he strongly suggested to not do anymore 
> taxi testing. I felt my taxi testing was safe. Never got close to 
> running off the end of the runway. I even think I had enough cushion to 
> take a short hop.
>
> I have had a bit of engine run time on the plane. I never once 
> experienced a loss of power caused by the system. I think my logbook 
> will show maybe eight days of engine runs accumulated before I ever got 
> to the airport.
>
> Stockman, Bill wrote:
>   
>> Brian
>>
>> When you test your aircraft, you need to run it on the ground for a 
>> minimum of one to two hours (not continuous). You also needed to have 
>> tied it down and raised the nose to simulate climb and run it in that 
>> position for 5-10 minutes (obviously make sure the propeller is 
>> clear). It's amazing how much junk, water, resin, sanding grit, gets 
>> in the tanks, fuel lines, etc that doesn't show up until you fly and 
>> climb out. Unless you have run the engine or drained the sump in a 
>> nose high (or any unusual) attitude, you may never find the water that
>>     
>
>   
>> has accumulated in your tank over the last few years. Also, our local 
>> EAAs recommend 15-20 high speed liftoffs at full power (pop it off the
>>     
>
>   
>> ground and then land straight ahead). This becomes very important if 
>> you have changed the standard set ups and installations-this means you
>>     
>
>   
>> get to be real test pilot flying a new design.
>>
>> You also need to consider blocked vent lines. I realize you had 
>> minimum gas in the tanks, but if the main internal vents are plugged 
>> up (with debris or gas) the system will not draw fuel. This can bite 
>> folks since they also check this with the plane level but not with the
>>     
>
>   
>> plane in a nose high attitude. After flying almost 500 hours in mine, 
>> I filled my tanks to the max one day prior to a cross country and 
>> found that one of the tanks would no longer feed fuel (I landed, 
>> popped the cap and things equalized enough after about ten minutes to 
>> continue the trip-I blew the system out when I returned home). I 
>> apparently had too much gas and totally plugged the vent system with
>>     
> gas.
>   
>> Good luck.
>>
>> Bill Stockman, Senior Associate
>>
>> Dayton Aerospace
>>
>> (937) 369-4799 cell
>>
>> (937) 426-4300 work
>>
>> bill.stockman at daytonaero.com
>>
>>
>>     
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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