Return-Path: Received: from fed1rmmtao11.cox.net ([68.230.241.28] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.3c1) with ESMTP id 720271 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Tue, 08 Feb 2005 09:55:02 -0500 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=68.230.241.28; envelope-from=ALVentures@cox.net Received: from BigAl ([68.7.14.39]) by fed1rmmtao11.cox.net (InterMail vM.6.01.04.00 201-2131-117-20041022) with ESMTP id <20050208145332.QKYC25487.fed1rmmtao11.cox.net@BigAl> for ; Tue, 8 Feb 2005 09:53:32 -0500 From: "Al Gietzen" To: "'Rotary motors in aircraft'" Subject: RE: [FlyRotary] Bad day at the airport Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 06:53:46 -0800 Message-ID: <000001c50ded$fd986380$6400a8c0@BigAl> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0001_01C50DAA.EF752380" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6626 Importance: Normal In-Reply-To: X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C50DAA.EF752380 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I am so very impressed with your adroit handing of the critical = situation; and relieved at the minimal consequences to you and your airplane. I'll have to admit that I am also concerned and disturbed that we are having these engine-out forced landings that so easily could end up with more unpleasant outcomes. We must find ways to reduce the number of these occurrences. What is it we need? More thorough inspections, maybe involving other builders? More thorough testing? What? =20 And if you can explain how you managed to get that slippery airplane = down and stopped in 600 ft, I'd sure like to know. Amazing! It's info I = never hope to need, but . . . =20 =20 Al =20 -----Original Message----- From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Paul Sent: Monday, February 07, 2005 6:09 PM To: Rotary motors in aircraft Subject: [FlyRotary] Bad day at the airport =20 On Sunday I decided to do a little "tweaking" on the ECU fuel mixtures = on my 13b powered SQ2000. I had the larger 3 bladed Performance prop on, and = just wasn't getting the rpm's I wanted, so I put the smaller dia/less pitch = prop on and took it to the end of the runway and once I was lined up on the runway, advanced the throttle to wide open. RPM's were only around 5100, = but I have flown it that way before, so I decided to go ahead and try to = work with the mixture programming at 5000 feet. Acceleration was normal, = liftoff in less than 2000 feet, and started my climb. At approximately 250 feet, = the engine started failing rapidly. I tried various throttle positions, with = no improvement. Unable to maintain altitude. I immediately started a left = turn, hoping maybe the engine would recover enough to just get me to 500 feet downwind so I would have a chance of making the runway. No such luck. I = was now heading back toward the center of the airport at approximately 100 = feet and descending. I wanted to land on the center turn-off section in the middle of the airport, but that would have me landing straight towards several parked aircraft and the main hangar. Not the best option. = There is a newly paved area slightly to my left, where aircraft may be tied down = in the future, but it was empty for now. I was out of options and altitude. = I crossed the runway at less than 50 feet. I didn't want to land going = across the runway, because the grass and mud I would encounter after rolling = across the runway would probably flip the aircraft over. I headed for the new aircraft tie-down area, and attacked it at a 45 degree angle to get as = much "runway" as possible. I held it off until I was over the parallel = taxiway, and landed on the parallel taxiway (the short way, of course) and with = heavy braking, began skidding across the aircraft tie-down area. (See attached photos). I knew I couldn't stop in that short a distance, but hopefully when I went off the other end of the pavement, I would not be going as = fast. The nose was dipped down at an angle from all the heavy braking, so I = had a nice view of what was coming. Grass, mud and a ditch. The aircraft kept slowing down, and as I ran out of pavement, I wasn't going all that = fast. I probably only went 10 feet past the end of the paved area into the grass = and came to a stop. Missed the ditch by almost 5 feet !!! No = problem...that was fun !!! Just don't care to do it again. I restarted the engine and taxiied back to the hangar, pretending nothing had happened. I don't = know what to do at this point. I don't care to have this much fun again = anytime soon. I'm torn between a carburetor and a Cessna. Paul Conner ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C50DAA.EF752380 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I am so very impressed with your = adroit handing of the critical situation; and relieved at the minimal = consequences to you and your airplane.  I’ll have to admit that I am also = concerned and disturbed that we are having these engine-out forced landings that = so easily could end up with more unpleasant outcomes.  We must find = ways to reduce the number of these occurrences.  What is it we need?  = More thorough inspections, maybe involving other builders?  More = thorough testing?  What?

 

And if you can explain how you = managed to get that slippery airplane down and stopped in 600 ft, I’d sure = like to know. Amazing!  It’s info I never hope to need, but . . .  

 

Al

 

-----Original = Message-----
From: Rotary motors in = aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Paul
Sent: Monday, February = 07, 2005 6:09 PM
To: Rotary motors in = aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Bad = day at the airport

 

On Sunday I decided to do a = little "tweaking" on the ECU fuel mixtures on my 13b powered = SQ2000.  I had the larger 3 bladed Performance prop on, and just wasn't getting the = rpm's I wanted, so I put the smaller dia/less pitch prop on and took it to the = end of the runway and once I was lined up on the runway, advanced the throttle = to wide open. RPM's were only around 5100, but I have flown it that way before, = so I decided to go ahead and try to work with the mixture programming at 5000 feet.  Acceleration was normal, liftoff in less than 2000 feet, and started my climb. At approximately 250 feet, the engine started failing rapidly. I tried various throttle positions, with no improvement. Unable = to maintain altitude. I immediately started a left turn, hoping maybe the = engine would recover enough to just get me to 500 feet downwind so I would have = a chance of making the runway. No such luck.  I was now heading back = toward the center of the airport at approximately 100 feet and = descending.  I wanted to land on the center turn-off section in the middle of the = airport, but that would have me landing straight towards several parked aircraft and = the main hangar.  Not the best option.  There is a newly paved = area slightly to my left, where aircraft may be tied down in the future, but = it was empty for now. I was out of options and altitude. I crossed the runway = at less than 50 feet. I didn't want to land going across the runway, because the = grass and mud I would encounter after rolling across the runway would probably = flip the aircraft over. I headed for the new aircraft tie-down area, and attacked it at a 45 degree angle to get as much "runway" = as possible.  I held it off until I was over the parallel taxiway, and = landed on the parallel taxiway (the short way, of course) and with heavy = braking, began skidding across the aircraft tie-down area. (See attached = photos).  I knew I couldn't stop in that short a distance, but hopefully when I = went off the other end of the pavement, I would not be going as fast.  The = nose was dipped down at an angle from all the heavy braking, so I had a nice view = of what was coming. Grass, mud and a ditch.  The aircraft kept slowing = down, and as I ran out of pavement, I wasn't going all that fast. I probably = only went 10 feet past the end of the paved area into the grass and came to a stop.  Missed the ditch by almost 5 feet !!!  No = problem...that was fun !!! Just don't care to do it again.  I restarted the engine and taxiied back to the hangar, pretending nothing had happened. I don't = know what to do at this point.  I don't care to have this much fun again = anytime soon.  I'm torn between a carburetor and a Cessna.  Paul = Conner

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