Return-Path: Received: from scaup.mail.pas.earthlink.net ([207.217.120.49] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.1.3) with ESMTP id 2563351 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sun, 31 Aug 2003 21:49:25 -0400 Received: from user-2injp77.dialup.mindspring.com ([165.121.228.231] helo=Carol) by scaup.mail.pas.earthlink.net with smtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 19tdom-0001yz-00 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sun, 31 Aug 2003 18:49:21 -0700 Message-ID: <003901c3702b$3a06ba90$0000a398@Carol> From: "sqpilot@earthlink" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" References: Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] First flight- really :-) Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 20:49:03 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0036_01C37001.50319210" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2720.3000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2727.1300 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0036_01C37001.50319210 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable MessageHey, Rusty....congratulations on a safe and fairly successful = first flight. I'm sure we'll all be anxiously awaiting further reports = on both water and oil cooling, and turbo operations. A little tweaking = here and there, and getting the trim system working properly will give = you less distractions so that you can concentrate on feeding us the = numbers. Again, congrats. Paul jealous that I'm not flying Conner.=20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Russell Duffy=20 To: Rotary motors in aircraft=20 Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2003 8:14 PM Subject: [FlyRotary] First flight- really :-) Greetings, =20 Here's my log. I'm still alive, and I can even re-use the plane :-) = =20 It would seem that I succeeded in my goal of having too much cooling. = Of course it wasn't pretty :-) Now I can try to get it back to normal, = and start tweaking other things. I can also pay more attention to the = speeds, and performance at different MAP settings. Maybe Whiting will = be closed tomorrow, and I can do some more testing. I can even hope for = more a higher ceiling. =20 =20 You're up next Todd. Before you know it, he'll be flying too :-) =20 Rusty (where did I put my beer) =20 =20 =20 =20 8-31-03 / .1 hours / .1 total =20 First flight! It was brief, and there really isn't much to report. =20 =20 The plane itself flew fine, with a slight bank to the right, but I had = more fuel in that tank, so perhaps that's all it is. Van's aileron trim = is worthless, and I'll have to add stronger springs to make it do = anything at all, which I suspected all along. =20 =20 The engine ran fine, but it didn't seem like I was getting the power I = expected at 30 inches of MAP. 30 inches of MAP is about half throttle, = and I tried to maintain that level, but it sure felt more like half = throttle than full (NA) power. I bounced the tailwheel around a couple = times on takeoff, because I was fiddling with the power, rather than = flying the plane. At first, I was at around 2psi, which felt strong, = then I adjusted it down to 0, which felt weak. All the while, the tail = wheel was going up, then down :-) Fortunately, the landing was = respectable. =20 =20 Water temp never went over 130 degrees, which is way too cool. Oil = hit 190 on climb to 2000 feet (the cloud ceiling), and settled at about = 210 while circling at 4700 rpm, and about 120 mph. I didn't want to = push the speed too high on this flight. Unfortunately, I didn't notice = what RPM I was at during the climb. =20 After the flight, I removed the big ugly cowl, and fixed a small oil = leak at the oil temp sender in the pan. I also decided to install the = stock 180 degree thermostat so I'd have some hope of running normal = water temp. Not sure what this will do to the oil temp. On one hand, = it would seem to raise it, but on the other, it might not. Now that = there's a restriction in the water line, the radiator should get even = cooler than before, so perhaps this will help the oil temp. I guess = I'll find out soon enough. =20 =20 I took the engine down to get gas, and was quite happy to see the = temps come up so quickly. I had to run the engine for about 10 minutes = to get off the peg before flying earlier. When I got back to the = hanger, I ran the engine at 4000 rpm, which is about the limit of my = brakes. I held this for about 8 minutes, during which time the water = stayed at 180. Oil slowly went up to 220 degrees, and stopped there. = Maybe this will be OK, but at least it's the oil that is a problem, and = not the water. Synthetic oil buys me some breathing room on temps. =20 =20 A final note- there seems to be some cross feeding going on in my fuel = tanks. I made a point to transfer fuel from the left to the right tanks = (the one I feed from) last week. Now, there's slightly more in the left = again. The left wing does sit just a little lower than the right, so I = guess that was the equilibrium point. The check valve in the Facet pump = should stop this, but it only slows it way down. =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0036_01C37001.50319210 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message
Hey, Rusty....congratulations on a safe = and fairly=20 successful first flight. I'm sure we'll all be anxiously awaiting = further=20 reports on both water and oil cooling, and turbo operations.   = A=20 little tweaking here and there, and getting the trim system working = properly=20 will give you less distractions so that you can concentrate on feeding = us the=20 numbers.   Again, congrats.   Paul jealous that I'm = not=20 flying Conner.
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Russell=20 Duffy
Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2003 = 8:14=20 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] First = flight- really=20 :-)

Greetings,

 

Here's=20 my log.  I'm still alive, and I can even re-use the plane = :-)  =20

 

It would=20 seem that I succeeded in my goal of having too much cooling.  Of = course=20 it wasn't pretty :-)   Now I can try to get it back to = normal,=20 and start tweaking other things.  I can also pay more = attention=20 to the speeds, and performance at different MAP = settings.  Maybe=20 Whiting will be closed tomorrow, and I can do some more testing.  = I can=20 even hope for more a higher ceiling.  =

 

You're=20 up next Todd.  Before you know it, he'll be flying too=20 :-)

 

Rusty=20 (where did I put my beer)

 

 

 

 

8-31-03  = /  .1 hours  /  .1 total

 

First flight! =20 It was brief, and there really isn=92t much to report. 

 

The plane itself flew fine, with a slight = bank to the=20 right, but I had more fuel in that tank, so perhaps that=92s all it = is.  Van=92s aileron trim is = worthless, and=20 I=92ll have to add stronger springs to make it do anything at all, = which I=20 suspected all along.  =

 

The engine ran fine, but it didn=92t seem = like I was=20 getting the power I expected at 30 inches of MAP.  30 inches of MAP is about = half=20 throttle, and I tried to maintain that level, but it sure felt more = like half=20 throttle than full (NA) power.  = I=20 bounced the tailwheel around a couple times on takeoff, because I was = fiddling=20 with the power, rather than flying the plane.  At first, I was at around = 2psi, which=20 felt strong, then I adjusted it down to 0, which felt weak.  All the while, the tail = wheel was=20 going up, then down :-) =20 Fortunately, the landing was respectable. 

 

Water temp never went over 130 degrees, which = is way=20 too cool.  Oil hit 190 = on climb to=20 2000 feet (the cloud ceiling), and settled at about 210 while circling = at 4700=20 rpm, and about 120 mph.  = I didn=92t=20 want to push the speed too high on this flight.   Unfortunately, I = didn=92t notice=20 what RPM I was at during the climb.

 

After the flight, I removed the big ugly = cowl, and=20 fixed a small oil leak at the oil temp sender in the pan.  I also decided to install = the stock=20 180 degree thermostat so I=92d have some hope of running normal water = temp.  Not sure what this will do = to the oil=20 temp.  On one hand, it = would seem=20 to raise it, but on the other, it might not.  Now that there=92s a = restriction in the=20 water line, the radiator should get even cooler than before, so = perhaps this=20 will help the oil temp.  = I guess=20 I=92ll find out soon enough. =20

 

I=20 took the engine down to get gas, and was quite happy to see the temps = come up=20 so quickly.  I had to = run the=20 engine for about 10 minutes to get off the peg before flying = earlier.  When I got back to the = hanger, I ran=20 the engine at 4000 rpm, which is about the limit of my brakes.  I held this for about 8 = minutes,=20 during which time the water stayed at 180.  Oil slowly went up to 220 = degrees, and=20 stopped there.  Maybe = this will be=20 OK, but at least it=92s the oil that is a problem, and not the = water.  Synthetic oil buys me some = breathing=20 room on temps.  =

 

A=20 final note- there seems to be some cross feeding going on in my fuel=20 tanks.  I made a point = to transfer=20 fuel from the left to the right tanks (the one I feed from) last = week.  Now, there=92s slightly more = in the left=20 again.  The left wing = does sit=20 just a little lower than the right, so I guess that was the = equilibrium=20 point.  The check valve = in the=20 Facet pump should stop this, but it only slows it way down. =20

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