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From: Bulent Aliev <atlasyts@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Yet another limp home story
Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2006 08:28:43 -0500
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>

Jim,
Glad to hear everything turned out OK. Fiberglass debris clogging the =20=

filters at the beginning is very common in composite airplanes. Don't =20=

be in a hurry to blame the fuel. Most of the gas station tanks are =20
fiberglass. Make sure the interior of the tank is OK if you have =20
access port. Thanks for the detailed report.
Bulent "Buly" Aliev
FXE Ft lauderdale, FL
  http://tinyurl.com/dcy36


On Dec 27, 2006, at 11:15 PM, James Maher wrote:

> N11XD Forth Flight report
> The intent of this flight was to expand the flight envelope a bit =20
> from the previous flights where the aircraft was flown in the =20
> center of its envelope. This was also supposed to be the first =20
> flight to retract the landing gear after having repaired the up-=20
> lock release cable.
> It was a somewhat warmer day (mid 50=92s F) than the past few =20
> flights. By the time I finished the run-up and was ready for =20
> takeoff the coolant temp was up to 110C but the oil temp was still =20
> only 80C. Luckily I was told to position and hold on runway 2 which =20=

> allowed the coolant to cool to 100C before I was given takeoff =20
> clearance. There was a 90 degree left cross wind at about 10 knots =20
> which, as soon as I broke ground caused the aircraft to weather =20
> vane to the left. It took lots of right rudder to straighten it out.
> It was also very bumpy close to the ground.
> Climb out was 120 MPH at first and then increased to 130MPH to try =20
> to improve cooling.
> After leveling off at 2000 feet I headed east to the practice area. =20=

> The coolant temp eventually came back down to 90C once in level =20
> cruise and the power was reduced.
> Once in the practice area I climbed to 3000 feet where the air =20
> smoothed out a bit and did a few clearing turns. There were a few =20
> other aircraft in the area but they were in transit away from the =20
> practice area. Power was reduced to begin some slow flight =20
> maneuvers. Once the speed came down to about 90MPH the aircraft =20
> began to rock a bit and the controls became a bit "softer". The =20
> aircraft also began to descend slowly.
> This is all normal for a Delta.
> It was when I throttled back up that things began to be "not" normal.
> At full throttle the engine was only making about 50% power.
> Here we were, at 2800 feet and 110MPH, and slowly descending.
> I went into engineering mode trying to diagnose the problem.
> I switched from one fuel pump to the other and the power was =20
> further reduced so I went back to the first fuel pump selected and =20
> full power came back =85 for a little while.
> It then began to diminish again.
> I tried switching computers, no change.
> I disabled the injectors individually, first the secondarys then =20
> the primarys with no change.
> I pulled be throttle back and power came up a bit but not much.
> The engine was barely making enough power to stay aloft, but it was =20=

> still making power, so I headed for my home airport about 18 miles =20
> away.
> The air/fuel gauge was all over the place.
> At some point I switched to both fuel pumps and power came up a bit =20=

> more so I climbed up a bit.
> I was looking for spots to land but there was not much inviting =20
> territory around.
> That area is pretty desolate which is why it is used for a practice =20=

> area.
> The engine was still running smoothly just not producing much power.
> At this power setting I was able to maintain level flight so I just =20=

> left it there, not wanting to make it worse.
> At 10 miles out I radioed the tower that I was inbound.
> I was asked to report a right downwind for runway 2.
> At this point I was mentally preparing for a one shot landing as I =20
> would not have sufficient power for a go- around.
> Everything had to be just right.
> I still had a cross wind to deal with, but was reasonably sure the =20
> plane and I could handle it, if we made it back that far.
> The tower asked for a position report when we were 4 miles out.
> At this point I was thinking that we just might make it back in one =20=

> piece.
> There was another aircraft entering the airspace at about the same =20
> time.
> The tower asked for another position report a few minutes later and =20=

> I responded with 2 miles after hearing that the other aircraft was =20
> 3 miles out. This way I got preference for sequence even though he =20
> was landing on the other runway. I entered a tight downwind and =20
> reported upon turning base. At that point I was cleared to land. I =20
> had to fight a gusty crosswind all the way down final approach but =20
> managed to put it down right on the first part of the runway. I was =20=

> then asked by the tower to taxi all the way to the other end of the =20=

> runway before exiting. But I didn=92t mind.
> I was just glad to be back on earth without incident.
> The next day I went back to try to confirm my suspicions.
> During the summer I had a similar encounter with my car while =20
> driving back from the airport. On the highway in 5th gear the car =20
> would only do about 40MPH and about 2000RPM no matter how hard I =20
> pressed on the throttle. It turned out to be a partially clogged =20
> fuel filter.
> So the first thing that I looked at on my Delta was the inside of =20
> the gascolator.
> Sure enough there was lots of debris in the bottom and on the screen.
> It looked sort of like little fragments of jello.
> After removing the fuel filter it was found to be severely restricted.
> I believe that the new auto fuel formulated with ethanol is causing =20=

> my fiberglass fuel tank to slowly disintegrate.
> When this fuel tank was first constructed in 2001 leftover pieces =20
> of fiberglass samples were submerged in fuel to test its long-term =20
> effects. Those pieces are still in tact, but that was the old fuel =20
> with MTBE.
> The fuel tank is being used to test the new formulation and it =20
> appears that it is failing.
> Next project =85 perhaps an aluminum fuel tank.
> Well back to the drawing board.
> Jim Maher
> (Dyke Delta N11XD 13B 4.1 hrs)
>