Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19981015101540.00c97a4c@olsusa.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 10:15:40 -0400
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
From: Julie Byrnes <byrnes@mpx.com.au> (by way of Marvin Kaye <marvkaye@olsusa.com>)
Subject: Jottings
Mime-Version: 1.0

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Dear Marvin,

I now have over 300 hours on an io320 and would like to share some of
the experiences.
	1. Fuel system. I didn't like the idea of fuel in the cockpit and
dispensed with the header tank (put the battery there). The fuel is
sucked from the wings through 3/8" pipes via non-return valves, a right,
left and off switch to the boost pump on the firewall and then the
engine driven pump. The boost pump is used for priming, t/o and landing
with the engine pump sucking fuel during flight. It has not missed a
beat but I am now building a second 360 and will add slosh gates and
also put a low pressure facet pump in parallel to one of the non-return
valves on the cockpit floor. I change from one tank to the other each 30
mins. Total capacity is 182 litres with 2 litres unusable (6 hours @ 30
litres.hr-1.
	2. The fuel probes are of the capacitance type, run the full length of
each wing from highest point in the tip to the lowest point in the root.
Each is removable through the wing tip. A fibreglass tube takes the
probe through the aileron area between inboard and outboard tanks. I
should have made little funnels for the hole in each wing rib so that
the probes would self-centre when inserting rather than having to take
off the inspection plates to direct the probes through the rib holes.
	3. The main-gear hydraulic actuators were very poor! One was made of
soft steel and bent after the first landing. Same thing happened to
another guy. Some of them did not have the shards removed and scored the
cylinders on first use. Another had an eccentric groove for a circlip (
which blew off). The actuators were remade with 1/2" hard steel and will
never bend again.
	4. The engine mount is extended 2" but it would have been better with a
further inch (no header tank). One can also use 2 half batteries forward
of the firewall to help with cg. The second craft will have a 3" engine
mount extension, 2 forward half batteries and the header tank will be
used for heavy luggage such as tent equipment etc. I am trying to work
out how to get golf clubs into the stub wings.
	5. The hydraulic lines near the brakes get very hot and can near melt.
One needs a better hose for the area close to the brakes but these can
then join with the standard brake lines.
	6. IFR in Australia requires an upgrade in both lateral and
longitudinal stability. The latter is with the Mk11 tail or a nifty
extension which was designed here to attach to the standard tail (but
was never approved for aerobatics). The lateral stability is negative
with opposite rudder causing further wing drop rather than bringing it
up (rotating effect of the rudder combined with shallow dihedral). The
local fix is winglets (usual) or rudder-aileron interconnects.

PS I still require a couple more "safe histories" of 100+ hours at a
placarded 1800 lbs to affect an increase in MTOW in this country. Can
anyone help? (fax 61 2 9332 6602).

Regards
David Byrnes