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victorbravo(at)sbcglobal.
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 Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2018 8:32 pm Post subject: Setback |
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I did another test flight today, and adjusting the pitch on the propeller 2 degrees was making a difference. Same short takeoff roll, but the aircraft climbed significantly better, now twice the angle/rate that it had done on the previous flight.
I am now convinced that the propeller I have is not the correct prop for this installation. I spoke to the people at Air-Creation trikes today, who have sold and flown with this brand of propeller, and they told me that the Arplast propellers were specifically designed for weight shift trikes as opposed to airplanes. The trikes usually have a lower speed range, and so the twist ratios of the propeller have probably been optimized for that. That would explain a LOT.
So just as I was starting to figure out that this airframe was good, and the engine was not broken, and it may well be this strange French propeller behind most of the problems... I ran into a problem that I cannot solve.
Today I flew during the time of day the control tower was operating, for the second time. Even on a day that was not busy, my 50 MPH airplane was causing traffic separation issues, making the control tower get other people out of the way, and making me get out of other people's way. Several of the comments on the radio by the tower and my fellow pilots made me realize that this slow airplane is not going to be welcome at this airport for very long. If this had been a busy Saturday the tower would have requested that I stop flying for air traffic safety. I would not be able to blame them,a nd the FAA will stand behind the tower controllers 100% on this type of issue.
So the primary reason for my having bought and worked on this airplane (having a fun little bush plane that is based here in my existing hangar/airport) is now not going to be do-able. I have put the Firestar and the HKS engine up for sale separately, since I cannot legitimately claim that it has all the bugs worked out as a finished flying airplane.
The Firestar has been set up as a single seat LSA sportplane, with extended "bush" gear legs (from a Kolb Slingshot), hydraulic heel brakes, and the Kolb upgrade tailwheel. The airframe has a 14 gallon fuel tank in the "rear seat" area, but there have been no modifications to the airframe that would prevent it from being taken back to being a two-seat Firestar. It has good fabric, and is in above average condition. It has an Odyssey battery system with a custom built electrical/switch panel, an aircraft gascolator/fuel strainer, and master fuel shutoff valve. Vortex Generators on the wings and tail, stall speed in level flight 2000 feet MSL indicated 29 MPH. Custom built wing folding stand, aluminum center section cover. I had fabricated short extensions for the front stabilizer mount as discussed on this list, but those exteenders will be removed and the stabilizer returned to the original mounting position before sale. I put it on Barnstormers if any Kolbers are interested.
HKS engine for sale separately, also on Barnstormers. Because of the difficulties matching a propeller to the 3.47 gearbox on this airframe, it is my opinion that this particular engine and this airframe "do not go together" well. This would be an ideal engine if it had the 2.58 gearbox like Larry C has, but unfortunately as we all have found out the 3.47 box causes a lot of problems with the Kolb. This engine is ideal for an Airbike or Legal Eagle or something.
Bill Berle
www.ezflaphandle.com - safety & performance upgrade for light aircraft
www.grantstar.net - winning proposals for non-profit and for-profit entities
--------------------------------------------
On Wed, 11/21/18, Richard Girard <aslsa.rng(at)gmail.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: HKS Exhaust
To: "kolb-list(at)matronics.com" <kolb-list(at)matronics.com>
Date: Wednesday, November 21, 2018, 8:00 AM
Here's
the original post;"We
contacted HKS in Japan about exhaust system requirements and
received a reply back from an HKS engineer. He said the
headers need to merge at 500mm for proper scavenging and the
length after the merge was not critical though he noted that
installations with excessively long pipes after the merge
had experienced rough idling issues. As far as individual
headers with no merge, there was an HKS on a Skyraider at
OshKosh years ago that had independent headers going to
super trapp mufflers. They had a difficult time getting the
engine to run well and it was way off on power. Jim routed
my exhaust tubes to merge as close to 500mm as room would
allow in the cowling and my engine runs fantastic. Right
after the merge he rolled a simple muffler can with no
baffles and its pretty quiet."
Rick
On Wed, Nov
21, 2018 at 7:46 AM Richard Girard <aslsa.rng(at)gmail.com>
wrote:
Bill, Something got me thinking last night after I
wrote to you about my experience with props on a completely
non prop notion. I went digging in my HKS file and found
what I was looking for.Measure your exhaust from
exhaust port to the join (collector) of the two pipes. This
distance should be 500 mm (~19.68"). If it's more
or less than that there's your problem. This distance
was shared by the HKS importer with a fellow on the HKS
forum. Contact Mark Bierle at Earth Aircraft for advice,
too. He's done a lot of research into HKS exhaust pipes
working correctly. You could also try and find a mechanic
with a tailpipe sniffer to see what the compounds in your
engine's exhaust pipe are. My guess is that a lot of the
engines intake charge is either being blocked by a reflected
wave or being over scavenged by that wave. With math
calculations that would make my head hurt you could also
determine when that wave arrives relative to the crankshaft
rotation and valve timing.
Rick
--
“Blessed are
the cracked, for they shall let in the light.” Groucho
Marx
--
“Blessed are
the cracked, for they shall let in the light.” Groucho
Marx
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George Alexander
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 245
Location: SW Florida
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| Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2018 8:40 am Post subject: Re: Setback |
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| victorbravo(at)sbcglobal. wrote: |
S N I P
.......as we all have found out the 3.47 box causes a lot of problems with the Kolb.
Bill Berle
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My Kolb Firestar II performs beautifully with the 3.47 ('C') gearbox with a Powerfin 3 Model F prop behind the Rotax 503 DCDI.
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_________________
George Alexander
FS II R503
E-LSA N709FS
http://www.oh2fly.net |
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Richard Pike
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 1671
Location: Blountville, Tennessee
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| Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2018 4:05 pm Post subject: Re: Setback |
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| victorbravo(at)sbcglobal. wrote: |
<Snip>
Today I flew during the time of day the control tower was operating, for the second time. Even on a day that was not busy, my 50 MPH airplane was causing traffic separation issues, making the control tower get other people out of the way, and making me get out of other people's way. Several of the comments on the radio by the tower and my fellow pilots made me realize that this slow airplane is not going to be welcome at this airport for very long. If this had been a busy Saturday the tower would have requested that I stop flying for air traffic safety. I would not be able to blame them,and the FAA will stand behind the tower controllers 100% on this type of issue.
<Snip>
Bill Berle
|
I understand where you are coming from, and you are sort of right, and sort of wrong. I am an old man, and old men like to tell stories, so I'll tell mine. Besides, today is Thanksgiving, and we all have much to be thankful for, hopefully some of you will find this amusing.
I am a retired air traffic controller, transferred into TriCities Regional (TRI) in 1981.
In 1983 I built a Maxair Hummer as a legal Part 103 ultralight. Got a radio for it, because my airstrip (3TN0) is just inside the Class D airspace. (Used to be called the Airport Traffic Area/Control Zone)
Depending on which supervisor was working that day, I had several different ways to get in and out of my airstrip to go fly. Or come home from flying:
Milt: Call on the phone and ask - you have a ten minute window to take off and get out of the ATA. Same thing if you want to come back; call ahead and give a projected ETA within ten minutes. (This was my Sup - he was a real joy to work for)
Toby or Joe; Use the radio - that's what it's for.
Shub: Just do it and don't bother us. We don't care.
After several months of this, I had had enough chicken hockey to last me for several years, so I licensed the Hummer as an Experimental Amateur Built, put N numbers on it, and told them to that I expected to be treated as any other General Aviation aircraft. My Tower Chief (who should have known better, or at least known the regs) said it was still an ultralight, so nothing had changed. Consequently the next day (I was off) I flew it in and landed, tied it down, and went to lunch. After lunch I flew it back to my strip. When I came back to work a couple days later, he called me into his office and advised me that he had been in touch with the Airport Manager and was planning to take action against me. I told him that before he went much further he better call GADO and FSDO and ask a few questions. <Grin> Apparently they straightened him out. Never heard a peep.
So then things escalated - (are you surprised?) I would go fly and if I was in the Class D, I would call for traffic advisories and request TRSA services. Depending on which controller was on the other end, sometimes I was asked to do a few identifying turns for radar identification, and then given "Radar Contact, etc." And given the appropriate legally required services.
In other cases, (depending on who was working the other end) I was told that ultralight-type aircraft were unidentifiable, have a nice day, frequency change approved.
By this time I was getting to the point of obsession, (not to mention being totally PO'd) so I went on ebay and bought a transponder. <Grin> Wired it in, got it working and 90% of my workmates were cool with it. But there is always that 10%... Who were unable to properly identify me and provide TRSA services for whatever reasons. So Ed in his Hummer & I flew down to Knoxville, called TYS Approach Control, flight of two, squawk, etc, landing Downtown Island, and got perfect service. Went back to work a couple days later, bragged about the great service we got from Knoxville Approach Control, and the local FAA (my co-workers and staff) caved and started behaving.
But not entirely.
The Tower Chief cornered me in the Break Room and and asked me "What would you do if you were in the pattern and you had to deal with a Southern 737 on downwind, and you were told to follow him?"
I said I would follow him in such a way that I could stay out of his wake turbulence.
"But what if you were told to tighten it up for traffic?"
I told him that I was the Pilot in Command of the aircraft, I was solely responsible for my own safety, and I would do as necessary to stay out of his wake turbulence.
"So you would not be conforming to ATC instructions?"
I love it when a plan comes together... I told him - "You know; my wife used to work for Miami GADO, she has written up a lot of accident and incident reports, she knows the regs almost as well as I do, and I will be telling her about this conversation. So if any problems ever come up in the local area that turn out poorly for me, she will know what to do."
Checkmate. End of BS.
So Bill - the point of all this is that I know where you are coming from, however the FAA is required to provide services to any and all legal users, and they CANNOT deny you services. They can delay you, they can have you do several 360's, they can re sequence you as necessary. But they CANNOT refuse you service or tell you to go away. Or tell you that you cannot play with the Big Boys. It is their responsibility to sequence you with faster traffic. That's why they get the Big Bucks. But if they try and tell you "You don't fit: go away!" Study the regs, hold their feet to the fire, and (as we used to say in South Georgia) "Be prepared to kick ass and take names!"
Because the FAA does not back the tower controllers; they back the regs. If the regs are on your side - you win.
I understand why you did what you thought was appropriate. Good luck and God Bless with your next build.
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_________________
Richard Pike
Kolb MKIII N420P (420ldPoops)
Kingsport, TN 3TN0
Forgiving is tough, being forgiven is wonderful, and God's grace really is amazing. |
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ceengland7(at)gmail.com
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| Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2018 7:17 pm Post subject: Setback |
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Charlie
On Nov 22, 2018, at 7:07 PM, Richard Pike <thegreybaron(at)charter.net (thegreybaron(at)charter.net)> wrote: | Quote: | | Quote: | --> Kolb-List message posted by: "Richard Pike" <thegreybaron(at)charter.net>victorbravo(at)sbcglobal. wrote: | Quote: | | Today I flew during the time of day the control tower was operating, for the second time. Even on a day that was not busy, my 50 MPH airplane was causing traffic separation issues, making the control tower get other people out of the way, and making me get out of other people's way. Several of the comments on the radio by the tower and my fellow pilots made me realize that this slow airplane is not going to be welcome at this airport for very long. If this had been a busy Saturday the tower would have requested that I stop flying for air traffic safety. I would not be able to blame them,and the FAA will stand behind the tower controllers 100% on this type of issue. Bill Berle |
I understand where you are coming from, and you are sort of right, and sort of wrong. I am an old man, and old men like to tell stories, so I'll tell mine. Besides, today is Thanksgiving, and we all have much to be thankful for, hopefully some of you will find this amusing.I am a retired air traffic controller, transferred into TriCities Regional (TRI) in 1981. In 1983 I built a Maxair Hummer as a legal Part 103 ultralight. Got a radio for it, because my airstrip (3TN0) is just inside the Class D airspace. (Used to be called the Airport Traffic Area/Control Zone) Depending on which supervisor was working that day, I had several different ways to get in and out of my airstrip to go fly. Or come home from flying:Milt: Call on the phone and ask - you have a ten minute window to take off and get out of the ATA. Same thing if you want to come back; call ahead and give a projected ETA within ten minutes. (This was my Sup - he was a real joy to work for)Toby or Joe; Use the radio - that's what it's for.Shub: Just do it and don't bother us. We don't care.After several months of this, I had had enough chicken hockey to last me for several years, so I licensed the Hummer as an Experimental Amateur Built, put N numbers on it, and told them to that I expected to be treated as any other General Aviation aircraft. My Tower Chief (who should have known better, or at least known the regs) said it was still an ultralight, so nothing had changed. Consequently the next day (I was off) I flew it in and landed, tied it down, and went to lunch. After lunch I flew it back to my strip. When I came back to work a couple days later, he called me into his office and advised me that he had been in touch with the Airport Manager and was planning to take action against me. I told him that before he went much further he better call GADO and FSDO and ask a few questions. Apparently they straightened him out. Never heard a peep.So then things escalated - (are you surprised?) I would go fly and if I was in the Class D, I would call for traffic advisories and request TRSA services. Depending on which controller was on the other end, sometimes I was asked to do a few identifying turns for radar identification, and then given "Radar Contact, etc." And given the appropriate legally required services.In other cases, (depending on who was working the other end) I was told that ultralight-type aircraft were unidentifiable, have a nice day, frequency change approved.By this time I was getting to the point of obsession, (not to mention being totally PO'd) so I went on ebay and bought a transponder. Wired it in, got it working and 90% of my workmates were cool with it. But there is always that 10%... Who were unable to properly identify me and provide TRSA services for whatever reasons. So Ed in his Hummer & I flew down to Knoxville, called TYS Approach Control, flight of two, squawk, etc, landing Downtown Island, and got perfect service. Went back to work a couple days later, bragged about the great service we got from Knoxville Approach Control, and the local FAA (my co-workers and staff) caved and started behaving.But not entirely.The Tower Chief cornered me in the Break Room and and asked me "What would you do if you were in the pattern and you had to deal with a Southern 737 on downwind, and you were told to follow him?"I said I would follow him in such a way that I could stay out of his wake turbulence."But what if you were told to tighten it up for traffic?"I told him that I was the Pilot in Command of the aircraft, I was solely responsible for my own safety, and I would do as necessary to stay out of his wake turbulence."So you would not be conforming to ATC instructions?"I love it when a plan comes together... I told him - "You know; my wife used to work for Miami GADO, she has written up a lot of accident and incident reports, she knows the regs almost as well as I do, and I will be telling her about this conversation. So if any problems ever come up in the local area that turn out poorly for me, she will know what to do."Checkmate. End of BS. So Bill - the point of all this is that I know where you are coming from, however the FAA is required to provide services to any and all legal users, and they CANNOT deny you services. They can delay you, they can have you do several 360's, they can re sequence you as necessary. But they CANNOT refuse you service or tell you to go away. Or tell you that you cannot play with the Big Boys. It is their responsibility to sequence you with faster traffic. That's why they get the Big Bucks. But if they try and tell you "You don't fit: go away!" Study the regs, hold their feet to the fire, and (as we used to say in South Georgia) "Be prepared to kick ass and take names!"Because the FAA does not back the tower controllers; they back the regs. If the regs are on your side - you win.I understand why you did what you thought was appropriate. Good luck and God Bless with your next build.--------Richard PikeKolb MKIII N420P (420ldPoops)Kolb Firefly Part 103 legal (Redoing the Firefly windshield)Kingsport, TN 3TN0Forgiving is tough, being forgiven is wonderful, and God's grace really is amazing.Thanks for sharing that, Richard. I'd have said the same thing about the regs, but I can't speak with authority. My former (airline pilot) Swift partner used to tell me, "You don't work for ATC; they work for you."Charlie |
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