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Another anecdote about the "superiority" of certified
aircraft engines. My buddy has a Mooney M-20F with fuel injected IO-360 (200HP).
He just had a new Garmin GNS-430 installed and wanted to shoot some instrument
approaches. He asked me to tag along as a safety pilot. After the typical
hot-start issues (prime, mixture to cutoff, throttle to full, crank the starter,
crank some more, crank until the battery almost dies) we finally got it started,
taxied out, did a normal runup, and proceeded to take-off. About 5 seconds into
the takeoff roll and about 40KTS the engine started misfiring badly. Instead of
pulling power and getting on the brakes my buddy froze on the controls
until it was too late to do anything but takeoff and proceed around the pattern.
With the engine sputtering badly and making marginal power we made it around the
pattern and back to the runway.
Found all of the lower spark plugs were fowled so
cleaned them up and went back out to the runup area. The runup was totally
normal at 1700RPM but at full power again the engine was missing badly.
Fortunately this time we didn’t discover it on the takeoff roll.
So it appears one of the 1930s era tractor ignition
systems (aka magneto) is breaking down under load. I'll never again let somebody
try to convince me of the superiority of certified redundant magnetos. With one
mag working normally and one breaking down we barely got to 500AGL on the
downwind with 2 on board, no luggage, and fuel to the tabs.
That’s as close as I've ever come to an airplane
accident. Sure do appreciate how nice and easy my airplane is to start, hot,
cold, whatever. And though I have had some interesting moments since I've
started flying it, I've never had any doubt that it would continue to run and
make power.
Mike Wills
RV-4 N144MW
Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2010 5:01 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Now Lycoming (again)
Yes;
I read about it in the Vansairforce forums.
I have to admit here that I did respond to the point of writing:
"Insert ad hominum quid pro quo attack on irresponsible builders
using unsafe certified engines....from an alternative engine builder"
But in the end I was too polite to send it.
Today I'm working on lower cowl air seals around oil cooler and
radiator.
-----Original
Message----- From: Lynn Hanover <lehanover@gmail.com> To: Rotary
motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net> Sent: Sun, Jan 3, 2010
5:48 am Subject: [FlyRotary] Now Lycoming (again)
The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for
Lycoming Engines (formerly Textron Lycoming) models 320, 360, and 540 series,
"Parallel Valve" reciprocating engines, with certain Engine Components, Inc.
(ECi) cylinder assemblies, part number (P/N) AEL65102 series "Titan," installed.
That AD currently requires initial and repetitive visual inspections and
compression tests to detect cracks at the head-to-barrel interface, replacement
of cylinder assemblies found cracked, and replacement of certain cylinder
assemblies at new, reduced times-in-service. This AD requires the same actions,
but for an expanded population of cylinder assemblies. This AD results from
reports of 10 additional cylinder head separations since issuing AD 2008-19-05,
on cylinder serial numbers not listed in that AD. We are issuing this AD to
prevent loss of engine power due to cracks at the head-to-barrel interface and
possible engine failure caused by separation of a cylinder head, which could
result in loss of control of the aircraft.
From ANN
You hang in there sunshine, I think yours will make 2000 hours.
Or, Flyrotary...................no cylinder head...........
Lynn E. Hanover |