Jeff,
It was I and it's very much a wish of mine - I'm not a fan on steam-age
technology in modern aircraft!
I'm rather behind you with my build, though, so it's unlikely I'll have a
solution in time for you - unless you're happy to retrofit in a few years.
At this stage, I'm just trying to find out who has done what to date - the
factory intercooler is one item that won't need to be developed, for
example.
Getting it all through the PFA will be another matter... But at least it
should be safe if Francis anoints the solution with holy water!
Cheers,
Jeremy
Jeremy Davey
Europa Monowheel 537M G-EZZA
Tail done
Standard XS wings with mods underway
CM installed in fuse (with airbrakes fittings)
1200 build hours to date
Intended fit:
Rotax 914 turbo, Airmaster CS fully-feathering prop
Lots of lights, buttons, switches, gizmos, and alarms
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Jeff Roberts
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Engine failure test for glider wings
on 8/6/04 7:00 PM, Dave Anderson at dja767@charter.net wrote:
Someone mentioned the other day about the thought of fuel injection on these
engines. I would love to here of any intent to do that. I am still wiring
the engine and everytime I look at those rubber tubes I wonder. There must
be somthing better.
Jeff
A258 Getting closer and loving it.
>
> Well, it has happened. The airplane has itself demonstrated its capability
for
> safety by having an engine failure - a slow motion failure. I was climbing
out
> on the usual profile that provides an easy glide back to the departure
> airport, when I heard a sound change. It was enough to look over at the
> manifold pressure gauge to see 30 inches, when it is normally 36 inches in
the
> cruise climb. I throttled back and then increased power to confirm the 30
> inches was not a hallucination. I checked the fuel flow to see if there
might
> be some sort of fuel leak - a hazardous condition to be sure. The fuel
flow
> was normal, so I throttled back to idle and returned to the airport. I
> considered shutting down and feathering, but it was running OK at idle, so
I
> didn't. The airplane arrived over the field at 3500 agl. A circle
followed
> with full speed brakes, with a high downwind leg. On downwind, the engine
> started to vibrate in a quite pronounced manner, so with the field made, I
> shut it !
> down , leaving it to windmill. The vibration stopped as soon as I turned
off
> the ignition, throttle at idle.
>
> The airplane lands the same way regardless of the power - engine at idle
or
> shut down. The landing was normal and I just took the high speed exit,
> coasting to a stop. By that time, the airport people were out there with
their
> trucks and flashing lights (un-invited). A brief look over the airplane
showed
> nothing obvious and a peek in the engine cowl showed nothing obvious
either. I
> tried to restart, but it would not start so it was towed to the hangar (by
my
> Dad, who had just arrived in his airplane).
>
> The problem turned out to be a very simple one - yet a show stopper. The
> engine has two carburetors which are held to the intake manifold via
rubber
> flanges. It is really quite a Mickey mouse design that I will be doing
> something about in the future - a back-up to keep this from resulting in a
non
> running - or rough running engine. The rubber flange on the left side of
the
> engine cracked and split 180 degrees, causing the carburetor to separate
> enough from the intake to let in enough air to essentially kill the two
> cylinders on the port side of the engine. The fix would take about 10
minutes,
> if I had the $75 part that has already been ordered. The glider wings paid
off
> making this thing a very easy and almost relaxing event. The only hiccup
was a
> Cessna taking the runway when I was abeam the numbers on downwind
announcing
> what was going on. Some people's kids???
>
>
> To quote Forrest Gump "That's all I have to say about that!"
>
>
> Dave
> A227
> mini U2
> 215 hours TT
>
> I'll probably attach the picture of the flange to the Mini U2 web
site.....
>
>
>
>
>
>
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