 |
Matronics Email Lists
Web Forum Interface to the Matronics Email Lists
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Ralph B
Joined: 14 Apr 2007
Posts: 367
Location: Mound Minnesota
|
 Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:12 pm Post subject: winter flight |
 |
|
I took a flight on December 15th from Maple Plain, MN
(my local airstrip) and experienced a slight problem with
the engine. After setting up the plane and dressing up in
my snowmobile suit, I tried starting the engine with closed
throttle and it wouldn't start. It popped and refused to start.
The temp outside was 15 degrees and I really wanted to fly
as I hadn't flown in quite awhile with the poor weather. I
adjusted the idle speed and the cable screw on top of the
carburetor. I finally got it started and it idled reasonably
well enough to be safe in the air.
Flying in the colder temps presents some problems in open
cockpit planes. When I climbed into the cockpit, my glasses
frosted up so I couldn't see. Not good. I waited a bit for my
breath to stop fogging up the face shield and glasses. I also
knew that once in the air, everything would clear up, so I took
off with one lens slightly fogged and it did clear at 500'.
I felt good knowing that the engine was running well and I
would have a good flight. The plan was to stay over the frozen
lake area all afternoon.
I flew for a couple of hours and it was time to head back to the
field. I flew back and set up an approach. Upon landing, I came back
on the throttle and sure enough it died on me. I was about a hundred
feet away from the car and trailer and didn't want to push the plane
back. So I got out, started it up, and let it push itself. This is a
tricky technique and unique to ultralight-type aircraft. It requires
a hand close to the throttle and kill switch should the plane try to
get away.
I packed it up and put it away for the day, but was wondering what
would cause it quit and why it wouldn't idle. During the course of
the week, I took the carb float bowl off and sprayed it with carb
cleaner. I also removed the idle jet and idle mixture screw. I
sprayed both of these. All of this takes less than 10 minutes to do.
I put the float bowl back on and let it sit until last Saturday (Jan
5th) when I decided to go flying again.
I trailered the plane to the lake and set up. It was nice and sunny
in the morning and when I was ready to fly, the fog rolled in. Darn
it! The engine started well and idled just fine. The carb cleaning
must have cleared whatever was blocking the idle circuit. I was happy!
I waited around for the fog to lift. After an hour and a half of
waiting, I finally decided to go home, get something to eat and come
back in an hour. By then, the fog had lifted and the visibility was 3
miles. Good, I'm going for it. I jumped in and took off. Wow, I'm
flying at last and it's not a bad day. I stayed around the lake area
and the winds were picking up to about 10-15 mph. I did several touch-
n-goes on Cooks Bay and had a good time. I attracted the attention of
the Lake Minnetonka Water Patrol and others. They watched as I was
having my fun.
The engine ran as it should and I had a great flight. I suspect that
some ice had got into the idle jet and prevented the engine from
idling on that first winter flight. The carb cleaning did the trick.
This experience is to let others know about winter flying and the
possibility of icing in the carb. In 2-stroke engines, icing isn't as
much a problem as in a 4-stroke engine. As the ice the builds, it has
a difficult time sticking to the inside of carb due to the oil
mixture. The mixed oil prevents ice from building, however, small
particles can block the fine holes in the idle jet as I experienced
on that first winter flight.
| | - 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 |
|
_________________
Ralph B
Kolb Kolbra 912uls
N20386
550 hours |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
bransom(at)ucdavis.edu
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:49 pm Post subject: winter flight |
|
|
Interesting on the carb Ralph. I've had idle issues too. One problem
can be noise suppression spark plugs -- higher resistance, so weaker
spark, especially when the thing is at idle so not much current
developed. The other problem I've experienced is a small air leak. I
once spent a long long time trying to find the cause of idle cut-out and
this turned out to be the culprit. A small amount of stray suction air
is a big percentage of the fuel/air mixture at idle. A shop vac in
blower mode put up to the exhaust outlet, with just a cupped hand so as
not to apply too much air pressure, plus a soap/water spray bottle will
turn up the problem very easily. Mine was on the exhaust manifold.
Ever since, I've used gasket sealer on the exhaust gaskets.
-Ben
Ralph B wrote:
| Quote: |
I took a flight on December 15th from Maple Plain, MN
(my local airstrip) and experienced a slight problem with
the engine. After setting up the plane and dressing up in
my snowmobile suit, I tried starting the engine with closed
throttle and it wouldn't start. It popped and refused to start.
The temp outside was 15 degrees and I really wanted to fly
as I hadn't flown in quite awhile with the poor weather. I
adjusted the idle speed and the cable screw on top of the
carburetor. I finally got it started and it idled reasonably
well enough to be safe in the air.
Flying in the colder temps presents some problems in open
cockpit planes. When I climbed into the cockpit, my glasses
frosted up so I couldn't see. Not good. I waited a bit for my
breath to stop fogging up the face shield and glasses. I also
knew that once in the air, everything would clear up, so I took
off with one lens slightly fogged and it did clear at 500'.
I felt good knowing that the engine was running well and I
would have a good flight. The plan was to stay over the frozen
lake area all afternoon.
I flew for a couple of hours and it was time to head back to the
field. I flew back and set up an approach. Upon landing, I came back
on the throttle and sure enough it died on me. I was about a hundred
feet away from the car and trailer and didn't want to push the plane
back. So I got out, started it up, and let it push itself. This is a
tricky technique and unique to ultralight-type aircraft. It requires
a hand close to the throttle and kill switch should the plane try to
get away.
I packed it up and put it away for the day, but was wondering what
would cause it quit and why it wouldn't idle. During the course of
the week, I took the carb float bowl off and sprayed it with carb
cleaner. I also removed the idle jet and idle mixture screw. I
sprayed both of these. All of this takes less than 10 minutes to do.
I put the float bowl back on and let it sit until last Saturday (Jan
5th) when I decided to go flying again.
I trailered the plane to the lake and set up. It was nice and sunny
in the morning and when I was ready to fly, the fog rolled in. Darn
it! The engine started well and idled just fine. The carb cleaning
must have cleared whatever was blocking the idle circuit. I was happy!
I waited around for the fog to lift. After an hour and a half of
waiting, I finally decided to go home, get something to eat and come
back in an hour. By then, the fog had lifted and the visibility was 3
miles. Good, I'm going for it. I jumped in and took off. Wow, I'm
flying at last and it's not a bad day. I stayed around the lake area
and the winds were picking up to about 10-15 mph. I did several touch-
n-goes on Cooks Bay and had a good time. I attracted the attention of
the Lake Minnetonka Water Patrol and others. They watched as I was
having my fun.
The engine ran as it should and I had a great flight. I suspect that
some ice had got into the idle jet and prevented the engine from
idling on that first winter flight. The carb cleaning did the trick.
This experience is to let others know about winter flying and the
possibility of icing in the carb. In 2-stroke engines, icing isn't as
much a problem as in a 4-stroke engine. As the ice the builds, it has
a difficult time sticking to the inside of carb due to the oil
mixture. The mixed oil prevents ice from building, however, small
particles can block the fine holes in the idle jet as I experienced
on that first winter flight.
--------
Ralph B
Original Firestar
N91493 E-AB
21 years flying it
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=157530#157530
|
| | - 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 |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
Get Email Distribution Too!
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
