RE: Europa-List: Re: Contact detail & Help

[Karl Heindl <kheindl@msn.com>]

Hi Frans=2C
Thank you for the additional information. I will follow your advice=2C but 
probably not until next year.If you are going to publish in the flyer=2C th
en some good pictures please of the radiator installations.Also=2C a source
 for the rads.
You mentioned that the prop is not as smooth at lower rpm's. I have the sam
e prop and I discovered a long time ago that the carbs need to be in sync 1
00% for a two-bladed prop. With three blades the carbs would need to be out
 of sync quite a bit before you would notice. I know=2C because I tried it 
by putting my original Warp Drive back on.
Karl


> Date: Mon=2C 25 Jun 2012 23:09:34 +0200
> From: frans@privatepilots.nl
> To: europa-list@matronics.com
> Subject: Re: Europa-List: Re: Contact detail & Help
> 
> Hi Karl=2C
> 
> > I have been following your developments with great interest and I think
> > that the end result is just plain amazing.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> > Now=2C top speed is very useful for testing drag improvements=2C but yo
u
> > don't cruise at those speeds=2C do you ? When you are touring=2C what a
re
> > your preferred settings regarding speed=2C MP=2C rpm etc.=2C and exactl
y what
> > is your fuel consumption then.
> 
> I found the sweet spot of the aircraft is with 27 inch MAP=2C where it
> usually cruises with a speed somewhere between 120 and 130 KIAS=2C
> depending on C of G and some other obscure factors. Fuel consumption
> used to be 16 to 17 liters per hour=2C but I have observed this year that
> the fuel consumption has increased to 18 liters per hour. Maybe the
> carbs need an overhaul or so.
> RPM is usually between 4800 and 5000 RPM=2C this feels best for the
> engine. I have a two blade prop and at lower RPM's it feels less smooth.
> Of course actual settings depend on various circumstances. With a strong
> head wind we usually advance the throttle a bit=2C with a tail wind we
> enjoy the lower fuel consumption of a lower power setting. We fly 90% of
> our cruising with power between 26 and 28 inch.
> With higher power settings the fuel consumption goes up faster than the
> gain in speed. Other than in a car=2C a higher speed doesn't give any
> other feeling than a lower speed=2C it just gives the same sensation. One
> hour flying is still one hour flying. On a 3-hour trip I rather enjoy an
> additional 10 minutes flying and have a free meal than just cranking up
> the fuel consumption=2C paying more for less fun. AVGAS can be close to 3
> Euro's per liter over here=2C so saving 10 liters on a trip can save
> enough money to have a dinner for two! =3B-) I love telling friends that
> flying there isn't more expensive than getting there by car.
> 
> > If the rest of us mortals wanted to implement some of your changes
> > without too much expense=2C what would you recommend ?
> 
> There isn't much money involved actually. The radiator costs about 300
> Euro's=2C the heat exchanger a bit less. You can do without the heat
> exchanger=2C I have been flying one summer with the stock oil radiator fe
d
> by a 2" Scat tube via a wedge diffuser. Apart from the long warm up time
> it was quite an improvement over the tandem setup. Best thing to do is
> to scrap the stock coolant radiator=2C dog house=2C duct and associated
> hardware and just install a thin radiator in a 45 degree angle in front
> of the exhaust and turbo.
> 
> The main hurdle here is to shape a new underside of the cowling. You
> have to be brave enough to cut the dog house away=2C and then insert a
> block of blue foam and start cutting=2C rasping=2C sanding until you have
> the shape you desire. Anyone who wants to make a mold out of my cowling
> is welcome to do so=2C provided I'm allowed to use that mold to make a ne
w
> light weight carbon cowling for myself. =3B-)
> 
> BTW I'm not the only one who devised something like this. See the
> attached picture. This is another configuration with a thin radiator in
> a 45 degree angle=2C although it lacks a cowl flap and heat exchanger for
> the oil. (Oil is cooled by a radiator=2C fed by a NASA duct on the port
> side=2C you can see it on the picture). Also this owner claims very good
> results with his setup on his 914 engine. The key really is to use a
> thin radiator and mount it at the belly so the "used" air can take the
> heat of the exhaust with it=2C and enjoy the benefits of a very sleek
> cowlng=2C excellent cooling=2C low pressure losses=2C and minimal cooling
 drag.
> 
> Anyway=2C my cooling design is not an exclusive invention of me but the
> combination of ideas and experiments of multiple Europa owners who
> believed that the cooling of the Europa could be improved other than by
> using draggy brute force solutions.
> 
> > What is the part number for the
> > heat exchanger and exactly where did you install it ?
> 
> See picture=2C taken from under the engine. The heat exchanger is mounted
> behind the engine. This was the first setup=2C with the stock coolant
> radiator=2C hence the configuration of the coolant hoses pointing
> downwards. In the current design the hose routing has been changed to
> accomodate for the thin belly radiator.
> If you really want to go this way=2C contact me privately for more info.
> One caveat though: this heat exchanger has very thin canals and is not
> compatible with Evans coolant due to its viscosity. I use it with 50/50
> without problems.
> 
> > It also had a very
> > small (8AH?) battery.
> 
> I also have a small 8Ah battery=2C never needed anything more than that.
> But I have a second alternator (mounted on the vaccuum pad) so I don't
> need the battery as a backup during flight=2C I just need it for starting
.
> 
> Frans