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Air speed indicator stuck

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Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:20 am Post subject: Air speed indicator stuck

Yesterday I entered the pattern to land behind a student in a retractable doing stop and gos.  They usually sit on the runway a while, and talk about it I guess.



Anyhow, I figured no big deal I'll just pull the speed back to about 40 mph and hang on down wind while they decide to take off.  I glanced at the ASI when the kitfox started to feel like about 45 mph but it said 73.  It didn't sink in to me that the ASI needle was stuck so I kept slowing down until I felt the stall buffet.



This time I was glad those guys were in front of me. I had time to sort out the stuck ASI.  I don't pay much attention to it until I turn final then slow to 50 mph.  I might have tried to slow it down more and cause a stall on final.



Here's a picture.  It took me a while to see the problem.  How long do you have to stare at it to see it?

ASI stuck.jpg

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_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

MichaelGibbs(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 6:28 am Post subject: Air speed indicator stuck

 	  Quote: 	
		  



Here's a picture.  It took me a while to see the problem.  How long 

do you have to stare at it to see it?


	


Yikes!  I don't think I've ever seen something like that happen.



Mike G.

N728KF, Kitfox IV-1200 Speedster

Phoenix, AZ

Av8r3400

Joined: 22 Sep 2008
Posts: 83
Location: North Central Wisconsin (KRRL)

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 6:35 am Post subject: Re: Air speed indicator stuck

Had this happen once when some moisture mixed with dirt/dust caused a bubble in the pitot line.  I fixed by detaching the line at the ASI and blowing compressed air back through the pitot tube.  Got the water and dirt to come out.



***  Never blow toward the ASI, always away from the instrument!!  ****

_________________
Thanks,
Av8r3400

Kitfox Model IV-1200 W/912UL & IVO
Kitfox Model IV-1050 W/912UL & Warp
YouTube Videos

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 6:37 am Post subject: Air speed indicator stuck

Bingo!  Took me a few seconds to see it...guess that's why you  

sometimes see a little bit of shiny stuff running across those  

screws, as in a clear sealer or CA glue to prevent back-out.



Lynn Matteson

Kitfox IV Speedster, taildragger

Jabiru 2200, #2062

Sensenich 62"x46" Wood (summer)

Electroair direct-fire ignition system

Rotec TBI-40 injection

Status: flying...1030 hrs (since 3-27-2006)

do not archive



On Aug 4, 2010, at 9:20 AM, Tom Jones wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  

 Here's a picture.  It took me a while to see the problem.  How long  

 do you have to stare at it to see it?



 --------

 Tom Jones

 Classic IV

 503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp

 Ellensburg, WA

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 6:45 am Post subject: Re: Air speed indicator stuck

 	  Av8r3400 wrote: 	
		  Had this happen once when some moisture mixed with dirt/dust caused a bubble in the pitot line.  I fixed by detaching the line at the ASI and blowing compressed air back through the pitot tube.  Got the water and dirt to come out.



***  Never blow toward the ASI, always away from the instrument!!  **** 	




My first thought was a bug in the pitot.  I had tapped the gage with no movement at all on the needle, not even a slight jiggle, so after I landed I asked a couple guys...one an A&P...what it might be and they both said "Bug in the pitot".

_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 7:00 am Post subject: Air speed indicator stuck

I've had two instances of a stuck ASI just this summer...but stuck in  

the slow position. Both times required a back-blast of air from the  

ASI end of the pitot tube to clear out the effects of a a mud dauber  

setting up housekeeping. I gotta keep reminding myself to put the  

"Remove before Flight" booties on the pitot and the fuel vents after  

a flight.



Lynn Matteson

Kitfox IV Speedster, taildragger

Jabiru 2200, #2062

Sensenich 62"x46" Wood (summer)

Electroair direct-fire ignition system

Rotec TBI-40 injection

Status: flying...1030 hrs (since 3-27-2006)

On Aug 4, 2010, at 10:35 AM, Av8r3400 wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Had this happen once when some moisture mixed with dirt/dust caused  

 a bubble in the pitot line.  I fixed by detaching the line at the  

 ASI and blowing compressed air back through the pitot tube.  Got  

 the water and dirt to come out.



 ***  Never blow toward the ASI, always away from the instrument!!   

 ****



 --------

 Thanks,

 Av8r3400



 Kitfox Model IV-1200 W/912UL &amp; IVO

 Kitfox Model IV-1050 W/912UL &amp; Warp



 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=307470#307470

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

Dick Maddux

Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 516
Location: Milton, Fl

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 10:02 am Post subject: Air speed indicator stuck

Had a Piper Pacer once and gave it a bath. I stuck a cigarette butt in the pitot tube to keep water out of it and of course forgot about it. Flew it around the pattern with that butt blocking it but no big deal..stupid ...yes. And then there was that Pitts..but I won't go into that. I did have a failure on a P-3 Orion right after take off now that was a challenge as it is a little tough doing "seat of the pants' in that large of an airplane.

  I am sure that Lynn would have NO problem flying his airplane without an airspeed indicator as he has so much time in it. Just takes familiarity.

                                      Dick Maddux

                                      Fox 4

                                      Milton,Fl

  [quote][b]

Tom Jones

Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 752
Location: Ellensburg, WA

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 10:59 am Post subject: Re: Air speed indicator stuck

During my tail wheel endorsement training I flew a J3 cub from the back seat.  I kept chasing the air speed while doing touch and goes so my instructor put his hand over the ASI just after lift off.  He told me to fly by attitude which I should have been doing anyway.  He peeked at the ASI a couple times on approach then took his hand away as we crossed the fence so I could see it was right on 60 mph.



I have a pretty good feel for speeds in my kitfox now but this was my first no ASI landing solo.  I kept the speed up on approach to what felt to me like 70 mph.  It probably was cause I floated a long way down the runway.

_________________
Tom Jones
Classic IV
503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp
Ellensburg, WA

icubob(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 1:56 pm Post subject: Air speed indicator stuck

funny this came up. 

   i haven't been pic in 25 yrs and never flown a taildragger, let alone even sat in a tandem seating. yesterday i started taking some ''lessons'' in a champ to pass my bfr as i hope my project [a taildragger] will fly this fall.  

     instructor said it would want to fly at 40-45mph. at a constant 20mph the tail was up and it felt like it was ''time to go'' even though i had never felt that in a taildragger before i guess it feels the same  in anything. climbing out felt solid and then the instructor finally said over the headphones ''i guess the airspeed isn't working, i washed the plane today.''

     it all worked out fine. after 10 minutes the airstream must have dried out the water because we had airspeed again. 

   thinking back i had never even taken off in a taildragger let alone tried to land one after doing a run fast enough to bring the tail up  and i thought  it much better to continue and get in the air. i would guess the instructor was so intent on taking the controls should i lose it he didn't notice the airspeed  was inop. and everything felt good to him in the back seat. i did a dozen landings with no help and no bounces. i felt pretty good about that 10 more hours in his champ and i will be ready to fly mine!

   bob noffs

   his champ was restored 4 yrs. ago and was as beautiful as new.

 On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 1:59 PM, Tom Jones <nahsikhs(at)elltel.net (nahsikhs(at)elltel.net)> wrote:

 [quote]--> Kitfox-List message posted by: "Tom Jones" <nahsikhs(at)elltel.net (nahsikhs(at)elltel.net)>

 

During my tail wheel endorsement training I flew a J3 cub from the back seat.  I kept chasing the air speed while doing touch and goes so my instructor put his hand over the ASI just after lift off.  He told me to fly by attitude which I should have been doing anyway.  He peeked at the ASI a couple times on approach then took his hand away as we crossed the fence so I could see it was right on 60 mph.

 

I have a pretty good feel for speeds in my kitfox now but this was my first no ASI landing solo.  I kept the speed up on approach to what felt to me like 70 mph.  It probably was cause I floated a long way down the runway.

 

--------

Tom Jones

Classic IV

503 Rotax, 72 inch Two blade Warp

Ellensburg, WA





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[b]

lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:28 pm Post subject: Air speed indicator stuck

Dick,

  

 Did you do any hurricane chasing in the orion.  The reason I ask is a  good friend who built a Series V while fighting colon cancer flew them in the  Navy - at least that is what I think he flew.  We lost him in hospice but  he was able to fly for a couple of years - Leo Rice.

  

 Lowell

 [quote]   ---

Dick Maddux

Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 516
Location: Milton, Fl

Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 4:34 am Post subject: Air speed indicator stuck

Lowell,

  I didn't know Leo. My primary mission in the P-3 Orion was ASW (anti sub) not hurricane hunting. The only time I flew into rain storms purposely was to wash the salt off the aircraft as flying at 300 ft (or below) over the ocean makes for a gruby,salty airplane. We flew (at) 100 ft when we were "rigging" ships. I never liked that. One distraction (such as Russian gun turrents tracking you) and SPLAT ! 

                                                            Dick Maddux

                                                             Fox 4

                                                            Milton,Fl 

  [quote][b]

Roger Lee

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1464
Location: Tucson, Az.

Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 5:26 am Post subject: Re: Air speed indicator stuck

Hi Dick,



Sending these instruments into the Mfg at times is fairly cheap to get them fixed or re-calibrated. I send in UMA gauges and they only charge $29 to make them brand new.

_________________
Roger Lee
Tucson, Az.
Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
Light Sport Repairman
Home 520-574-1080 TRY HOME FIRST
Cell 520-349-7056

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