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Thom Riddle
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)
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 Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 4:14 am Post subject: FS 447 Good News / Bad News |
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447 Good News
I installed a primer and solved the hard starting problem when cold. It starts on first pull every time with the primer. I also installed the 15E5U jet needle and it stabilized the low rpm operation just fine. It was still just a smidgeon too lean with the clip in the #3 slot. Unfortunately, LEAF sent me an old jet needle with only three slots. The new ones have 4 slots, which I would need to make it perfect, even with the slightly richer 2.72 needle jet. But it ran so smooth at low rpm I was delighted.
FS1 Bad News
I flew the FS to Bob Bean's place on Sat AM and the flight was perfect until my final approach, in which I was trying to perfect my short field landing technique. I had a light quartering headwind and was going a bit slower than my normal approach. I did not take into account the dead air spot just downwind from the line of trees at the approach end and I stalled at about 8 feet above the runway in the dead air pocket. At least that is my best guess as to what happened. In any case it was Pilot Error, pure and simple. The FS did what all airplanes do when they run low on airspeed, it quit flying. Upon "landing" the left tire hit the only pot hole in Bob's field right at the threshold. The axle weldment broke off, the left gear dug in and I executed the famous Kolb Somersault with the nose cone acting like a pole vaulter's pole in the ground, taking a nice sized divot from the runway, thus landing upside down. The 4130 tubing gear legs took it all in stride.
I released my wonderful safety harness, banged my head and rolled out of the cockpit. There was fuel dripping on the ground behind me. Fortunately, just before this flight, I had trimmed the overhead gap seal back to several inches ahead of the engine so the fuel was not being funneled aft to the hot engine.
Bob Bean witnessed the whole acrobatic maneuver so you'll have to ask him if it was a perfect 10 or perhaps only a 9. On the bright side, I think I broke my record for short field landings. I didn't measure it but it appears that from first touchdown to the stopping point was on the order of 40 feet or so.
We removed the wings and with the aid of Bob Bean's backhoe we hoisted the FS and rolled it back right side up then rigged a temporary dolly for the broken wheel to move the aircraft off the active runway. I use the term active runway with a lot of poetic license.
Personal Results
Two very bloody shins from the instrument panel frame that was trying to occupy the same space as my legs. Slightly bloody bald spot on the crown of my head which I didn't notice until I got home. Thanks for the 40+ mile drive home, Bob.
Engine Results
One blade on the Powerfin is showing its innards. The other blade looks okay. The cabin heat muff on the cylinder head is bent a bit but repairable if I care to, probably not since I didn't plan on flying it in the winter anyway. Otherwise the engine is probably not affected in any way.
Airframe Results
Right wing leading edge crumpled at wing tip with damage to a couple ribs (true or false, didn't check closely). Left wing appears undamaged but the left wing strut bent a bit. Tail boom broken but empenage completely undamaged. Fuselage cage has slight damage to left upper longeron. Nose structure needs some cutting and welding. Instrument panel needs rebuilding and some instrument panel structure needs to be re-built. Fuselage cage fabric will have to be redone and perhaps the door canopy too.
My question to all you Kolbers who have been upside down on the ground in your Kolb, is this:
"Do I now qualify for membership in the Coveted Kolb Somersault Cadre?"
please do not archive this big mistake.
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_________________
Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)
Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
- Anonymous |
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George Alexander
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 245
Location: SW Florida
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 6:40 am Post subject: Re: FS 447 Good News / Bad News |
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Thom:
Sorry about your mishap. Glad you were not seriously injured. Looks like a made-to-order winter project.
| Thom Riddle wrote: | 447 Good News
<<<<SNIP>>>>
FS1 Bad News
<<<<SNIP>>>>
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DO NOT ARCHIVE
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George Alexander
FS II R503
E-LSA N709FS
http://www.oh2fly.net |
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slyck(at)frontiernet.net
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:03 am Post subject: FS 447 Good News / Bad News |
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Thom/all, yup, sure spoilt what promised to be a great day.
-from my observation point of 30' away: Good approach over the
cornstalks again.
Got a little slow, stall actually only about 3-4' off the ground.
Should have been survivable.
Left wheel assembly busted clean off at axle and zipped off to the
right.
left leg skidded about 15' on turf before digging in. Would have
been a small incident on pavement.
Looking at the axle fitting, I'm surprised it lasted as long as it
did. Too frail a design with
one circular weld and no gusset. A good gear leg will bend before
anything breaks.
Wing damage is two false ribs, one full. Leading edge tube
(spliceable), tip bow.
A lazy guy like me would leave the good fabric on and lap the repair
over it.
Some welding at the front, new boom tube. Yer right George, sounds
like a winter project to me 
BB, MkIIIc,
do not archive
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lcottrell
Joined: 29 May 2006
Posts: 1494
Location: Jordan Valley, Or
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:11 am Post subject: FS 447 Good News / Bad News |
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My question to all you Kolbers who have been upside down on the ground in
your Kolb, is this:
| Quote: |
"Do I now qualify for membership in the Coveted Kolb Somersault Cadre?"
please do not archive this big mistake.
--------
Thom in Buffalo
N197BG FS1/447
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Thom,
Very sorry to hear of your mishap. Been there done that! As for the
"club"? I am not real sure how many qualify for it. Myself, Rocks and sage,
Dennis, mud flats, but others I am not sure. I remember my bat like
experience of hanging in my harness, and my wonder that nothing hurt. I did
find that I probably had a "green stick" break of my middle finger, caused
by holding onto the throttle during the crash. Great little plane!
Larry C
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NeilsenRM(at)comcast.net
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:50 am Post subject: FS 447 Good News / Bad News |
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Thom
Sorry to hear about the problem. Get er fixed and flyn for next year.
Do not archive
Rick Neilsen
Redrive VW powered MKIIIC
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planecrazzzy
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 2:40 pm Post subject: Re: FS 447 Good News / Bad News |
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Well, your OK....
Your in good spirits !
and winter's comin , for all those repairs...
Next time , run the Vent tubes "Below" the fuel tanks.....
That way , if she's ever "Belly Up" ....The fuel won't leak...
Glad to hear your alright.
.
.
Gotta Fly...
Mike & "Jaz" in MN
.
.
.
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Thom Riddle
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1597
Location: Buffalo, NY, USA (9G0)
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 3:59 pm Post subject: Re: FS 447 Good News / Bad News |
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Fellow Kolbers,
Thanks for all your good wishes and advice. If I had built the FS it would have had an "upside down vent" among other things. Now is the time to make some of those differences happen.
Thom in Buffalo
alias: Stalls Too High
do not archive
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Thom Riddle
Buffalo, NY (9G0)
Don't worry about old age... it doesn't last very long.
- Anonymous |
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jb92563
Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 314
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 8:15 pm Post subject: Re: FS 447 Good News / Bad News |
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Sorry to hear about your incident.
Sounds like a classic case of misjudging the wind gradient.
For the benefit of those who don't know what that is here is an explanation.
Wind gradient is the concept of slower moving air as you get lower due to landscape trees etc.
If you are flying at 40 mph into a 15mph head wind on landing approach at 500' agl and you get down close to the ground where the wind speed is say 5mph what is your airspeed now?????
If you think its 30mph your right...is your airplane still flying at this airspeed????
...and how quick did that wind speed change?
To fast for you to do anything about it!!!!
A rule of thumb is to fly approach at the stall speed+50% plus 1/2 the wind speed.
So if you stall at 30mph then fly approach into a 20mph wind at
30+15+10=55mph.
The round out is where all your speed can decay as you hold it off for a perfect low energy landing.
Just some info to reflect on.
Sure beats fixing stuff all winter...
Ray
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Ray
Kolb UltraStar (Cuyuna UL-202)
Moni MotorGlider
Schreder HP-11 Glider
Grob 109 Motorglider
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huronflyer
Joined: 03 Aug 2007
Posts: 18
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jb92563
Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 314
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:14 am Post subject: Re: FS 447 Good News / Bad News |
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Hi Dave H,
Looks like some of us Lazair flyers also like Kolbs, the other great aircraft of that ultralight era and beyond.
Nevers hurts to have your memory refreshed once in a while, since its hard to remember everything we learnt about flight since Orville and Wilbur made us believe even us mere mortals can fly.
| | - The Matronics Kolb-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List |
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_________________
Ray
Kolb UltraStar (Cuyuna UL-202)
Moni MotorGlider
Schreder HP-11 Glider
Grob 109 Motorglider
Do Not Archive |
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