Thanks Bill,

After reading the horror stories of engine starts without a load, I had
vowed to not even try.  For once I made the right choice.  Maybe Tracy
needs to add a rev limiter feature so that the engine won't run over
9000 rpm for those others that insist on doing it.  Sounds like an easy
software change to me. :)  Anybody want to go over 9K?  (Except Lynn)

Bob W.

 

Once years ago, a young fellow asked me to help him tune up his rotary at the track. I walked over and he fired up and revved his engine to a scream and it 4 cycled solid for a second. I backed away from the flywheel scatter zone, giving him the cut sign.

 

The engine returned to idle, and ran normally, (for a Bridgeport) at 2,000 RPM).

 

He thought the awful sound (of the rev limiter) was a tuning problem.

With no load, from zero to the Moon is 1/4 second. The Moon is 59,000 miles past ruined engine.

 

A rev limiter on both leading and trailing is required since either will take it past the other rev limiter with no load. I run two MSDs with 9,600 RPM chips. I like to hear it hit the limiters once in a while just to be sure the driver is trying real hard.

 

With a prop mounted, damage is unlikely.

 

A first start check list should confirm wheels chocked. Plane tied to immovable object. Throttle closed. Experienced pilot at the controls. Full up elevator. Toe brakes on. A positive method for shutting off ignition energy, with switch or breaker exposed and with a finger on that switch, or breaker. An adult standing by with a Co2 fire bottle with the pin pulled.

Assume that the fuel system will leak and cause a fire. It will. Maybe not this time, but it will.

 

Assume that oil pressure will drop to zero right after you look at it the first time. Maybe not this time, but it will. Lost prime, oil lines not filled, coolers not filled, sump not full, plastic pressure gage line melted in two, Fram car filter can split open, oil line not tightened fully.

 

Assume that all of your help are blithering idiots. Including that imbecile you put in the cockpit. Explain at length that anyone seeing anything they even suspect as abnormal, should wave an arm overhead so as to alert the cockpit guy to shut it off. No other thoughts are to be transmitted in this fashion. Just shut it off. If somebody points at anything having forgotten the wave rule, shut it off. If somebody runs away, shut it off. If somebody puts both hands over their mouth and backs away slowly, shut it off

 

To the pilot weight equivalent in the cockpit, anybody waves an arm, or you think you saw anything that may have looked even remotely like an arm waving, you shut it off. Shut it off after one minute no matter what. To check the water and to see if the shut it off scheme really works.

 

 

 

And the number one killer of rotaries............................No water flow on start up.

 

The pump is mounted high on the block. The air in the block takes several heat cycles to remove. A dose of air in the pump, stops flow cold. I hold one hand on the water pump outlet, and wait for one minute for heat at the outlet. No heat? shut it off and get the air out of the pump. Once heat starts to build, I take the cap off of the swirl pot and watch water enter the pot. The pump will stop no matter what the water temperature. So just because it gets hot means nothing. Let it run for one minute, and shut it down to check that water level at the top of the pump. It takes me three heat cycles to get all of the air out. And my system works great.

 

Do all of this outside the hanger. That way all of the planes in the hanger will not be lost when the hanger goes up in flames.  

 

If you are alone, Don't even try it.

 

Lynn E. Hanover