Dave,
Thanks for the update...
Soaring is OK isn't it ;)
We are still plugging away at our MG. The top was glued on Saturday and the
landing gear functions as it should. It's so cool, it looks like a plane!
Ralph
MotorGlider A234
Reno, NV
----- Original Message -----
From: <DJA727@aol.com>
Subject: Europa-List: Mini U2 progress report
>
> Hello to the group,
>
> Just a brief report of the performance of the long wing Europa. I have
been
> asked several times about how well the airplane performs as a glider and
after
> today I can provide some input.
>
> I did a flight today in thermal lift conditions. The flight was a total of
> 2.2 hours with the engine shut down for 1 hour and 20 minutes. I shutdown
and
> feathered at 8,800 feet and found a thermal, which I rode up to 14,100
feet. I
> had to pull the speed brakes at that point, since I didn't think I would
get
> that high and hadn't turned on the O2 bottle which is now located in the
aft
> fuselage. I am not an experienced glider pilot, so these results are
possible
> with my experience level. The field elevation is 4,700 feet and I returned
to the
> airport as a glider, restarting the engine on the 45 leg to downwind ( at
> 7,000 feet msl). Had it not restarted, I would have simply landed the same
way I
> did - without the go around possibility.
>
> I don't have any specific number on the glide ratio, but I now know that
the
> airplane is very usable as a glider. I have done also well in weak lift
> conditions as reported by the local glider community. I am a big believer
in the
> safety of the high aspect ratio wings - more each time I fly it.
>
> I how have 130 landings and 120 hours of total time. As of the last few
days,
> the engine is losing the battle with the airframe! The total fuel burn for
> today's flight was less than 2 gallons. Had I turned on the O2 and had
somewhere
> to go, I could have made a significant headway with the engine off --
going
> from thermal to thermal.
>
> One last point -- there was some discussion about outrigger wheels. I have
> made the change to the outrigger wheels mentioned by a few (can't remember
the
> name) and they have worked out OK. The glider people here seem to like to
use
> "scooter wheels" -- which are like roller blade wheels and have sealed
> bearings. They are 100mm and cost about $10 each. I have an extra set of
outrigger
> wheel bottom brackets and have fitted those wheels to try out the wheels.
They
> are very smooth and fit right in place - with spacers to center them as
they are
> skinnier. Since there is very little load on the wheels, they will be OK.
The
> gliders use them as tail wheels in many cases. I bought mine at a sporting
> goods store (FAA approved of course!)
>
> I have posted a picture taken in the flight yesterday working up to
today's
> successful soaring flight.
>
>
> http://hometown.aol.com/dja727/index.html
>
> Dave
> A227
> Mini U2
>
>
|