Mailing List lml@lancaironline.net Message #39691
From: Joe Bartels <JoeB@lancair.com>
Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Safety Czar
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:49:55 -0500
To: <lml>
John, John, John...Safety Czar?  Does that mean that you have to listen to me?  Well, if that is what you want ...here goes!  First, turn on the low pressure boost when you arrive at 10k.  When you later descend through 10K turn off the pump.  As others have mentioned, at some point above 10k, you will notice the engine surge a bit and, in general, not run as well as it did below 10k.  On very hot days (above 98f.) you may wish to take off with the boost pump on low...helps get rid of the potential for vapor lock.  In fact on one occasion where my aircraft had been sitting on the ramp all day, I noticed upon takeoff surging at 6k and it was necessary to go from low to high boost to keep the engine running correctly.
You might want a light on your annunciator panel that advises you that the pump is on.  Others were correct that Lancair sells a pressure switch which will act as a reminder.  You may want to tell your avionics panel builder to include these items, they might not know, however Lancair Avionics does.  If you forget to turn off the low pressure boost prior to your pulling the engine mixture to cut off, you will find that the engine continues to run even though you have the mixture control in the full aft position.
All Lancair can do is make recommendations such as take the recommended pilot training through HPAT, have your aircraft examined by our experts prior to first flight and for the insurance certificate,  USE COMMON SENSE, if you are remotely concerned about flying in certain weather, your first instincts are probably correct so, don't fly in it, if you believe there is something wrong with your aircraft, again, your first instincts are probably correct, have it checked before flight, if you are tired, don't fly, if you have been drinking, don't fly, if you have no lead in your pencil, don't fly after taking viagra.
Every time I get the dreaded call that a Lancair goes down I am truly sickened.  I have to either personally go out to examine the site or I have to send a representative who reports to me all too well what he has found.  I know of no structural failure to a Lancair that was caused by other than weather incursion (Level 5, 6).  Even when one of our customers, at home, who failed to properly prepare (sand and bid tape) the inner wing skin of a Legacy, was able to make it home when the wing skin disengaged from the remainder of the wing.  The FAA/NTSB does not allow me to make known any of the information that I learn through the joint investigation of an accident scene, so I cannot satisfy your curiosity about such accidents by informing you of them.  I can, though, inform you as I have above, that training is the magic bullet followed closely by common sense and the use of certified components, properly maintained in your aircraft. 
Oh, one last thing, use the materials that Lancair recommends in the aircraft or at least get our opinion as to the change  you wish to make. 
In the end, I am not the "Safety Czar," YOU ARE!
 
Joseph C. Bartels, CEO
Lancair International, Inc.
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