REFLECTOR: Ouch

[Scott Baker]

I once asked Chuck Harbert about his decision to change from a 20B 
rotary powered Velocity to Lycoming power.  He said, 'After the third in 
flight engine fire with the rotary, my wife said either the engine or 
she would have to go.'

Say what you like about Lycoming and Continental power plants - these 
engines have hundreds of thousands of hours of operating history to help 
iron out design and installation kinks.

Just a well meaning note to automotive conversion operators - please be 
careful out there.

Best,
Scott B.



On 7/30/2012 1:15 AM, nmflyer1 at aol.com wrote:
> I like the idea of a fire suppression system as well. In talking with 
> the pilot, he didn't even know he had a fire until he landed. The 
> engine quit and the flames started just as he turned off the end of 
> the runway. All he knew is that he smelled some "hot oil", then 
> started down for the airport. A witness watching the landing said 
> there was not even any smoke until the end of the runway, then a 
> second or two later.. fire.
>
> I was there talking with the FAA as they did the inspection of the 
> wreckage. Only thing they found was some questionable fittings that 
> were loose. They acknowledged that the looseness could have come from 
> the heat of the fire... or been there prior. Fittings right next to 
> the loose ones were tight... so that leads to some doubts on the 
> tightness of the oil fittings next to the turbo.
>
>
> Kurt
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Magee <edjonesbrady at gmail.com>
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
> Sent: Sun, Jul 29, 2012 8:56 pm
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Ouch
>
> Hi Alex,
> You are a man after my own heart. There is little worse for a pilot 
> than an in-flight fire. They're quite rare, but might ruin a whole 
> day. We used Halon extensively in the Navy, unbelievably effective. I 
> thought Halon fire suppressant been outlawed but just checked and 
> found them still available. I may follow your lead and have a Halon 
> bottle trained on my engine compartment with heat sensors. I'll have 
> to study this: the ram air for the cylinders does present a problem 
> with any fire-suppressant flooding technique for an aircraft engine 
> compartment. Ideally the ram air feeds would also need Halon nozzles, 
> as well as the 'static' air in the engine compartment. Don't know if 
> the concentration in the ram-air would be sufficient to quench.  I 
> would think nozzles aimed at the FI distributor block and other usual 
> suspects for an engine compartment fire would be appropriate. I would 
> be interested in seeing your nozzle outlay.
> Yes, this one ended well for the pilot, not so much his bird.
> Mark Magee
> N34XL
>
> On Sun, Jul 29, 2012 at 7:03 PM, Alex Balic 
> <velocity_pilot at verizon.net <mailto:velocity_pilot at verizon.net>> wrote:
>
>     I am a little bit paranoid about something like that happening, so
>     I have the heat sensors, and a 3 pound halon bottle plumbed to the
>     engine compartment-might even add camera for the inside of the
>     compartment - at least the pilot got out OK
>     *From:*reflector-bounces at tvbf.org
>     <mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org>
>     [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org
>     <mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org>] *On Behalf Of
>     *nmflyer1 at aol.com <mailto:nmflyer1 at aol.com>
>     *Sent:* Sunday, July 29, 2012 2:52 PM
>     *To:* reflector at tvbf.org <mailto:reflector at tvbf.org>
>     *Subject:* REFLECTOR: Ouch
>     Back from OSH last night. This morning had to go help clean up
>     this sad situation. Cozy Mk III with a torbo rotary engine.
>     Smelled oil and headed back on flt #6. Unfortunately, as he was
>     turning off the runway, things gor worse. At least he is fine.
>     Kurt
>
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