Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #28144
From: Steve Brooks <prvt_pilot@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Intersting flight
Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2005 19:00:29 -0800 (PST)
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Bob,
 My set up is similar, and I'm also using 2 PC680's.
I don't have the ability to crank off of either
battery though. That's a good idea, but would require
pretty good sized relays.  I'm providing 2 20 amp
circuits fed from circuit breakers attached directly
to the batteries and switched with a couple small
relays mounted on the fire wall.  If I were you I'd
test it out.  You never know... as I found out.

Steve

--- Bob White <rlwhite@comcast.net> wrote:

> Hi Steve,
>
> I haven't put it to the test yet, but I actually
> have 3 switches.  One
> for the master relay, one to connect the main
> battery to the critical
> bus, and one to connect the aux battery to the
> critical bus.  Also by
> closing both critical bus switches, I can supply
> cranking power from
> both batteries.  I'm using two PC680's.
>
> I'm sure glad you had a successful landing, and it
> wasn't off field.
>
> Bob W.
>
>
> On Sat, 3 Dec 2005 07:35:26 -0800 (PST)
> Steve Brooks <prvt_pilot@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi Al,
> > You make an excellent point on the single failure
> > point.  I've been trying to come up with a way to
> > eliminate the problem, but outside of going to 2
> > switches, I'm not sure how to do it. Even with 2
> > switches the one for the engine is still a single
> > failure point for the engine.  
> >
> > The emergency checklist is also a good idea.  I'm
> > going to check today, I think that I already have
> one
> > with my preflight checklist.  A placard for engine
> out
> > is probably better though, rather than trying to
> find
> > a paper copy during an emergency.
> >
> > Steve
> >
> > --- Al Gietzen <ALVentures@cox.net> wrote:
> >
> > > What a relief the find that the power came back
> on;
> > > and that you landed
> > > without mishap. My adrenalin level was going up
> when
> > > I got to the part of
> > > your story where you were heading for the
> highway.
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > I see two important lessons in your experience;
> > >
> > > Redundancy in the system isn't much good if
> there is
> > > still a single point
> > > failure.
> > >
> > > Have an emergency checklist that is well
> memorized,
> > > but kept handy.
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > Glad everything is OK,
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > Al
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Rotary motors in aircraft
> > > [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On
> > > Behalf Of Steve Brooks
> > > Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 6:29 AM
> > > To: Rotary motors in aircraft
> > > Subject: [FlyRotary] Intersting flight
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > I made it down to South Carolina, to among other
> > >
> > > things, fly the Cozy.  It had been 2 months to
> the
> > > day
> > >
> > > since I had been down, so the remaining 8 hours
> of
> > > the
> > >
> > > 40 test hours have been slow to come off.
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > On Thursday I washed about 30 lbs of dust off of
> the
> > >
> > > plane (open T hanger) and checked everything
> out.  I
> > >
> > > did a high speed run down the runway, but didn't
> > > have
> > >
> > > time to get in a flight.
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > Yesterday I went to the airport after it warmed
> up a
> > >
> > > few degrees, and took off.  The engine was
> running
> > >
> > > very strong in the cooler air (54 degrees).  I
> had
> > >
> > > planned to do about a 30 minute flight ad land,
> just
> > >
> > > to check everything out, and was was doing turns
> and
> > >
> > > just cruising around about 6-7 miles from the
> > > airport
> > >
> > > at about 2900 MSL (2300 AGL).  While flying
> straight
> > >
> > > and level, I felt a sudden miss in engine.  When
> I
> > >
> > > check the I/P, I also noticed that the digital
> > > gauges,
> > >
> > > fuel and oil, had rebooted.  I immediately
> started a
> > >
> > > turn toward the airport.
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > About 15 seconds later, I lost total electric.
> The
> > >
> > > I/P went dead, and so did the engine.  This
> isn't
> > >
> > > good, I thought.  Actually, it was more like, OH
> > > SH**.
> > >
> > >  I took a look at the airport, and I was too far
> to
> > >
> > > make it there, so I looked around, and a 4 lane
> > >
> > > highway, which has light traffic appeared to be
> my
> > >
> > > best option.  I had just started turning toward
> that
> > >
> > > highway, when the electric power came back, and
> the
> > >
> > > engine picked back up.
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > I immediately started a climb, and headed toward
> the
> > >
> > > airport again.  I already knew that there was a
> > > plane
> > >
> > > in the pattern doing touch and goes (unicom
> field),
> > > so
> > >
> > > I called the airport and advised the other
> aircraft
> > >
> > > that I had a serious issue, and needed to make a
> > >
> > > straight in landing.
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > > It didn't lose power again, on the trip back to
> the
> > >
> > > airport, but that 6-7 miles seemed to take
> forever.
> > > I
> > >
> > > stayed on the high side on altitude, for obvious
>
=== message truncated ===

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