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From: "Ed Anderson" <eanderson@carolina.rr.com>
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
References: <list-862908@logan.com>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Intersting flight
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2005 14:32:10 -0500
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I agree, Al.  One thing that Steve mention caused me to recall a small 
design or rather fabrication detail I make early-on with regard to my 
electrical connections.  I do not use anything but the enclosed circle 
terminal on any of my critical systems electrical connections.  There is no 
way short of the terminal breaking (or you not putting in the screw {:>)) 
that it will come loose (well, at least a very low probability {:>)).  The 
only down side is its a real pain in the rear end to have to completely undo 
a screw to get a terminal loose.  I also both crimp/solder and strain 
relieve with heat shrink tubing all such connections.  Not fool proof, but I 
have not had an electrical problem since I started flying - to the point I 
have now removed one of my  two17AH batteries.

I think the old adage KISS goes a long ways - as you know, it is possible to 
decrease reliability (not to mention increasing weight and cost) by 
increasing redundancy pass a certain point - more parts to break.

My design is such that you can even shut off the master switch and the 
engine will continue to run.  Even turning off the power to the EFI CPU it 
turns out will not cause the engine to shut down (turns out there is an 
unintended "sneak" circuit that provides an alternative path for power - not 
one I would wish to rely on for long but still a back up of sorts).
There are two things that will immediately and unequivocally shut down my 
engine - pulling the ignition CB, turning off power to the injectors, 
turning off power to both the fuel pumps.  In hindsight, I wish I had put 
each of the ignition modules (lead/trail) on separate CB.

Appreciate you inputs, Al, I can tell by your FEMA on your website you know 
of what you speak.

Ed A


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "al p wick" <alwick@juno.com>
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 04, 2005 1:56 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Intersting flight


> Nice of you to share the information Steve. That represents the best
> opportunity for other conversions to be successful. Glad it worked out as
> well as it did.
> There are all these patterns to failures. I've found it's important to
> understand the patterns. Other pilots will read your report, feel
> uncomfortable, decide they need to........... but gradually this
> discomfort will fade. And they still haven't taken the action they need
> to take. So it's important to write down your action list. If you write
> it down in 12" high letters and post at your work station, you greatly
> increase your chances of taking action...because you've increased social
> pressure.
>
> We had a crash just two months ago with exact same root cause. Electrical
> failure causes loss of power. Keith too crashed for same reason 2 years
> ago. Our installations are at much higher risk than Lyc because we are
> power dependant. So we need to be most thorough in this area.
>
> So let's consider the "other" causes.
> 1) All crashes are the result of change. So when you were improving your
> wiring, that change opened you up to new potential failures. So any time
> we work on the plane, we take a minute before we close it up to seek the
> inadvertent change. We look around, wiggle things, try to find our
> oversight.
> 2) Why don't auto's have this same failure? I noticed on my engine they
> have multiple sources for ground. Something like 5 attach points. Two
> power sources to ecm. They have all wires in looms, so you can't strain
> one wire. Looms have anchors, so you can't strain the looms. So there is
> great value in understanding why other installs are successful. We seldom
> notice stuff like this.
> 3) We go brain dead in emergencies. We focus better in some ways, but
> lose stuff too. It's pretty interesting. So practicing failure is
> valuable. I've found even more effective is using  graphics, audible
> warnings, computer monitoring. So, the computer would have found that
> first 10 ms power blip when you fired up the plane. Perhaps not.
>
> Off soap box. Thanks for sharing info. I've added "review ignition
> wiring" to my list.
>
>
>
> -al wick
> Artificial intelligence in cockpit, Cozy IV powered by stock Subaru 2.5
> N9032U 200+ hours on engine/airframe from Portland, Oregon
> Prop construct, Subaru install, Risk assessment, Glass panel design info:
> http://www.maddyhome.com/canardpages/pages/alwick/index.html
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Sat, 3 Dec 2005 06:28:46 -0800 (PST) Steve Brooks
> <prvt_pilot@yahoo.com> writes:
>> 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
>> reasons, and then had to bleed altitude (and speed)
>> while on short final.  I came in a little fast, and
>> touched down earlier than normal, but still was on the
>> ground, and very happy.
>>
>> Since I have two separate electrical systems (engine
>> and everything else), I was really stunned that I lost
>> both like that.  After thinking about it for I while,
>> I figured out that the master switch was the only
>> common link.  I pulled the I/P cover off, and found
>> that the ground connector was pulled off of the
>> terminal and just sitting there barely touching the
>> contact.
>> The cause of this was the fact that when I did an
>> annual on the plane in May, I had added some addition
>> ty-raps to dress up the wiring a little more.  In
>> doing so, I had stretched the ground wire which runs
>> to the master switch, which energizes the two master
>> relays.
>>
>> It was an easy fix, but now I have to replenish the
>> adrenalin supply, and figure out how to get the ridge
>> out of the seat cushion.
>>
>> After some ground testing, I made another flight
>> (circling the airport) and everything checked out OK.
>>
>>
>> I have an emergency bypass switch that will supply
>> power to the engine systems from either the forward or
>> aft battery.  I didn't think to switch it over, but I
>> really didn't get to the point of doing any trouble
>> shooting, so I'm not sure if I would have thought of
>> that option or not.  It was without power for only
>> about 20 seconds, but it seemed much longer.  I will
>> definitely remember the emergency power switch, should
>> I every have an issue like that again, but I hope that
>> never happens.
>>
>> This isn't nearly as harrowing as some of the
>> experiences that Ed or John have had, but it was
>> plenty for me.  I don't want any more glider time.
>>
>> Steve Brooks
>> Cozy MKIV
>> Turbo rotary
>>
>>
>> --
>> Homepage:  http://www.flyrotary.com/
>> Archive and UnSub:   http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/
>>
>>
>
>
> -al wick
> Artificial intelligence in cockpit, Cozy IV powered by stock Subaru 2.5
> N9032U 200+ hours on engine/airframe from Portland, Oregon
> Prop construct, Subaru install, Risk assessment, Glass panel design info:
> http://www.maddyhome.com/canardpages/pages/alwick/index.html
>
> --
> Homepage:  http://www.flyrotary.com/
> Archive and UnSub:   http://mail.lancaironline.net/lists/flyrotary/