Matronics Email Lists

Ken,

I fly a 503 Firestar II, which should be similar to yours for take-off and landing. Trouble is, I usually fly at 600 pounds gross, or less. When I have flown at 750 pounds, both take-off and l ...

I have been flying Kolbs for the last 11 years with a 377 and then a 503. No engine outs. In the 8 years before that, I had two engine outs. Both with engines that someone else had rebuilt. I prefer e ...

Have the engine never been decarboned?

Rotax recommends that it be inspected every 50 hours and decarboned as needed. I decarbon mine at 100 hours and I have never been able to detect a ring that ...

Will 2 blade give me faster cruise ?

I switched from a 3 blade 63" IVO to a 68" 2 blade IVO several years ago. The cruise speed did not change, nor did the top speed, but it gets off t ...

Rick,

What plane did you mount the HKS on?

Ted,

Here is an idea: Exchange props for a day or two and see what happens to performance. Then, let the rest of us know.

In my experience, there is little or no difference in performance betwee ...

Dana,

The Ultrastar with an enclosed trailer for $3000 sounds like a very good deal. But that assumes that you want an Ultrastar. The Ultrastar is know as an excellent flying airplane, like all Kol ...

Group,

I believe that I solved the problem. It was the battery. After doing a lot of checking, I discovered that the size battery that I have been using was less than recommended. The 503 manual s ...

I'm changing plugs in my 503 and I was wondering what the gap should be?

My 503 with gual Ducati ignition is supposed to have plug gaps of .014 - .018 per the manual. I can be hard to start if t ...

Arran,

My Kolb is built from some parts from a damaged one and the rest ot the parts were bought from the company. It saved me a lot of money.

One thing that you may want to check on is if you ...

What do others think?
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Pat,

My experience with Kolbs is that rudder is very seldom needed. Yes, if one gets "heavy handed" with the stick, some rudder is needed, but u ...

Looks like a Firestar II
~ Earl
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I agree, it just has the new nose cone that gives it a slightly different look.

This would be a good question for Comtronics. I don't think that they are compatable.

John J:

Don't remember what the book says about spark plug gap. We also use a
Ducati ignition on the 912 series engines. The book calls for .028",
but many of us run with .020 to .022& ...

JJ:
Get the Rotax book off the internet that has the procedure for
checking ignition modules, coils, alternator stator, etc.

Thanks, John H.

I looked up the how to test the ignition system ...

Since Dave was checking the other guy out, who had a PPL, could he have been at the controls? It was a kinda strange machine to the other guy.
regards,
Bob N. � �FireFly 070 Old Kolb

I tal ...

Group,

Last Friday, I flew my Firestar for the first time since last spring. No problems at all until I shut the engine off on the runway to get out and measure a short landing. When I got back in ...

This is just my opinion, from being a Kolb owner for 10 years and wanting and pricing Kolbs for years before that.

$4,000 to $5,000 is a fair price for the Ultrastar. It could be worth more if it ...

Congratulations on the new job, Larry.

David,

I have flown a 377 Firestar and a 503 Firestar II DI with one and two carbs. Also, a 447 on another plane. After having a DI Rotax, I would not like to go back to single ignition. The DI jus ...