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lamprey(at)infocom.co.ug
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 Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:38 am Post subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems |
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Greetings from Kenya. I've saved up a few questions for the network, perhaps someone out there can help.
1. New regulations here dictate that we must now all fly with 406 ELT, and especially recommended is the Artex 406 (PLBs will not do here). This requires that for composite aircraft, the skin of the aircraft must have radial metallic strips, 1 inch wide, in the shape of a 6-point star, extending out for 24 inches in all directions. Seems a bit excessive for a Europa, where can we find that space? Behind bagage bay is obvious best bet. Will alumnium strips work (I have sticky aluminium tape, 2" wide). Has anyone fitted this arrangement? Does anyome have a mod approval, STC or something for the Artex 406 installation in a Europa, that I can wave at aviation officialdom here?
2. My tailwheel goes through bearings at the rate of knots, must be our dusty runways. But it is costly to fit new tailwheels, when the tyre itself is fine. Has anyone tried to fit the bearings available from Aircraft Spruce into the Europa tailwheel?
3. Two weeks ago I got into the Europa (Classic, 912UL), started up, and had very rough running. Under the hood, found that the left carb was leaking back through the connection to the plenum chamber, theres a small hole for water clearance, and fuel was pouring onto the ground. Further investigation revealed that all this seems to be because of an overflowing float chamber. The float 'needle' (with viton tip) looks absolutely clean, no grooves on its face, but no adjustment of the float bracket will stop the flow. The floats are fine. Has anyone had this problem after just 500 hours of flying? The fuel goes through an Andair gascolator upstream, so I am not sure what contamination caused this.
Thanks, and all best to all for the New Year!
Richard
Europa 168, Kenya.
[quote][b]
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keithhickling(at)clear.ne
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| Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 6:48 pm Post subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems |
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Hi Richard,
I have an Artex ME406 fitted behing the baggage bay, with the antenna inside the fuselage. I have copper strips curving up the side of the fuselage and longditudinally in a square for a groundplane. We have had a number of problems with this ELT in New Zealand:
1) The self-test routine seems to have been made over-sensitive to various problems, and many people have had a "failed" self test saying there is a problem with the antenna or groundplane. Artex finally admitted there was a problem and suggested using a longer length of coax to increase the impedance. Our local avionics man after extensive testing of my unit thinks there might also be a problem with radiation from the antenna supressing the unit from transmission if the antenna is mounted close to the ELT. Apparently the units supplied for helicopters have metal screening of the unit to prevent this. On metal aircraft with the antenna outside the fuselage this is not a problem. It took us many months to get my unit to pass the self-test.
2) There is a problem with the g switches becoming corroded, and several have failed to activate in a crash. We currently have an AD requiring regular checks of the gswitch. Artex are working on this problem.
3) Several helicopters with this unit fitted have had the antenna break off in a crash so the unit has been inoperative. This shouldn't be a problem with the antenna mounted inside the fuselage.
In summary, this unit has not been trouble-free in New Zealand, though Artex are working on the problems. Might be worth asking them about progress if you are going to use this unit.
Regards,
Keith.
Keith Hickling,
New Zealand.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Richard Lamprey
Sent: Tuesday, 11 January 2011 10:35 p.m.
To: europa-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems
Greetings from Kenya. I've saved up a few questions for the network, perhaps someone out there can help.
1. New regulations here dictate that we must now all fly with 406 ELT, and especially recommended is the Artex 406 (PLBs will not do here). This requires that for composite aircraft, the skin of the aircraft must have radial metallic strips, 1 inch wide, in the shape of a 6-point star, extending out for 24 inches in all directions. Seems a bit excessive for a Europa, where can we find that space? Behind bagage bay is obvious best bet. Will alumnium strips work (I have sticky aluminium tape, 2" wide). Has anyone fitted this arrangement? Does anyome have a mod approval, STC or something for the Artex 406 installation in a Europa, that I can wave at aviation officialdom here?
2. My tailwheel goes through bearings at the rate of knots, must be our dusty runways. But it is costly to fit new tailwheels, when the tyre itself is fine. Has anyone tried to fit the bearings available from Aircraft Spruce into the Europa tailwheel?
3. Two weeks ago I got into the Europa (Classic, 912UL), started up, and had very rough running. Under the hood, found that the left carb was leaking back through the connection to the plenum chamber, theres a small hole for water clearance, and fuel was pouring onto the ground. Further investigation revealed that all this seems to be because of an overflowing float chamber. The float 'needle' (with viton tip) looks absolutely clean, no grooves on its face, but no adjustment of the float bracket will stop the flow. The floats are fine. Has anyone had this problem after just 500 hours of flying? The fuel goes through an Andair gascolator upstream, so I am not sure what contamination caused this.
Thanks, and all best to all for the New Year!
Richard
Europa 168, Kenya.
[quote] - The Europa-List Email Forum - --> http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List - MATRONICS WEB FORUMS - --> http://forums.matronics.com - List Contribution Web Site - Thank you for your generous support! -Matt Dralle, List Admin. --> http://www.matronics.com/contribution [b]
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brian.davies(at)clara.co.
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 1:45 am Post subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems |
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Hi Richard,
So you are still surviving the draconian regulations that now exist in Kenya!
I converted my Mono to a Trigear a long time ago but I do remember having problems with the original tail wheel bearings. I returned the first wheel to Europa because it had grumbly/ sticking bearings from new. The replacement wheel was just the same so I took the bearings apart and it was obvious they were very inferior. The balls looked like lumps of lead shot rather than ground balls. I replaced them with the Aircraft Spruce bearings and never had a problem after that.
Best regards
Brian Davies
From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Richard Lamprey
Sent: 11 January 2011 09:35
To: europa-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems
Greetings from Kenya. I've saved up a few questions for the network, perhaps someone out there can help.
1. New regulations here dictate that we must now all fly with 406 ELT, and especially recommended is the Artex 406 (PLBs will not do here). This requires that for composite aircraft, the skin of the aircraft must have radial metallic strips, 1 inch wide, in the shape of a 6-point star, extending out for 24 inches in all directions. Seems a bit excessive for a Europa, where can we find that space? Behind bagage bay is obvious best bet. Will alumnium strips work (I have sticky aluminium tape, 2" wide). Has anyone fitted this arrangement? Does anyome have a mod approval, STC or something for the Artex 406 installation in a Europa, that I can wave at aviation officialdom here?
2. My tailwheel goes through bearings at the rate of knots, must be our dusty runways. But it is costly to fit new tailwheels, when the tyre itself is fine. Has anyone tried to fit the bearings available from Aircraft Spruce into the Europa tailwheel?
3. Two weeks ago I got into the Europa (Classic, 912UL), started up, and had very rough running. Under the hood, found that the left carb was leaking back through the connection to the plenum chamber, theres a small hole for water clearance, and fuel was pouring onto the ground. Further investigation revealed that all this seems to be because of an overflowing float chamber. The float 'needle' (with viton tip) looks absolutely clean, no grooves on its face, but no adjustment of the float bracket will stop the flow. The floats are fine. Has anyone had this problem after just 500 hours of flying? The fuel goes through an Andair gascolator upstream, so I am not sure what contamination caused this.
Thanks, and all best to all for the New Year!
Richard
Europa 168, Kenya.
| Quote: | | http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List |
01234567
[quote][b]
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Remi Guerner
Joined: 14 Dec 2010
Posts: 284
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 3:23 am Post subject: Re: tailwheel bearings |
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Richard,
I had the same problem with the tailwheel bearings. I replaced them with the ACS ones (P/N 06-00060). Removing the old bearings requires heating the wheel with an hair dryer to soften the glue while you are hammering the bearing outside. I also replaced the Europa supplied plastic spacers with a steel tube (ACS P/N 03-04100). This tube fits perfectly inside the bearings without any machining. The steel tube is longer than the width of the wheel + 2 washers so that when you tight the 3/8 bolt, you do not put any strain on the bearings. Glue the bearing with Loctite 603.
My original bearings had about 800 hours and were completely worn out. The new ones have only a few dozens hours and work just fine.
Regards
Remi Guerner
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p-a.austin(at)xnet.co.nz
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:24 pm Post subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems |
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Hello Richard,
I also have a Artex ME406 fitted in my Europa, today just completed my third
annual and it tested fine, though two others on the field with the same
model ELT have had failures, the G switch as Keith mentioned, the AD in this
country now requires a 6 month check of the unit until Artex gets it sorted.
My Antenna is mounted immediately behind my extended bagage bay, Pilot side,
the ground plane is a round plate of Aluminium mounted on a fibre glass
bracket which lets the right angled coax connection mate to the antenna
(just) and allows the ground plane to extend over the rudder cable, the
control unit is mounted aft of that, amidships, immediately forward of my
Txponder top-hat type antenna which is mounted forward of the Tailplane mass
balance guide. Alluding to what Keith said I used the coax that came with
the unit, its full length, I did not cut it but curled it up and cable tied.
I have never had a problem of any sort with this unit from day dot.
Regards Peter
ZK-ZEB.
fuselage. I have copper strips curving up the side of the
[quote] fuselage and longditudinally in a square for a groundplane. We have had
a number of problems with this ELT in New Zealand:
1) The self-test routine seems to have been made over-sensitive to
various problems, and many people have had a "failed" self test saying
there is a problem with the antenna or groundplane. Artex finally
admitted there was a problem and suggested using a longer length of coax
to increase the impedance. Our local avionics man after extensive
testing of my unit thinks there might also be a problem with radiation
from the antenna supressing the unit from transmission if the antenna is
mounted close to the ELT. Apparently the units supplied for helicopters
have metal screening of the unit to prevent this. On metal aircraft with
the antenna outside the fuselage this is not a problem. It took us many
months to get my unit to pass the self-test.
2) There is a problem with the g switches becoming corroded, and several
have failed to activate in a crash. We currently have an AD requiring
regular checks of the gswitch. Artex are working on this problem.
3) Several helicopters with this unit fitted have had the antenna break
off in a crash so the unit has been inoperative. This shouldn't be a
problem with the antenna mounted inside the fuselage.
In summary, this unit has not been trouble-free in New Zealand, though
Artex are working on the problems. Might be worth asking them about
progress if you are going to use this unit.
Regards,
Keith.
Keith Hickling,
New Zealand.
--
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frans(at)privatepilots.nl
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:24 am Post subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems |
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On 01/11/2011 10:34 AM, Richard Lamprey wrote: | Quote: | Greetings from Kenya. I've saved up a few questions for the network, perhaps someone out there can help.
1. New regulations here dictate that we must now all fly with 406 ELT, and especially recommended is the Artex 406 (PLBs will not do here). This requires that for composite aircraft, the skin of the aircraft must have radial metallic strips, 1 inch wide, in the shape of a 6-point star, extending out for 24 inches in all directions. Seems a bit excessive for a Europa, where can we find that space? Behind bagage bay is obvious best bet. Will alumnium strips work (I have sticky aluminium tape, 2" wide). Has anyone fitted this arrangement?
|
I had the Artex 406 ELT fitted in my aircraft (until an adaption of the regulation made the use of a certain PLB possible, and I replaced the Artex by a PLB).
The Artex was working fine though. I had it placed on an aluminium mount directly behind the bagage bay D-panel, with the antenna inside the fuselage on top of the Artex-unit itself, connected via a short coax cable.
It took some work to get the mount to double duty as a ground plane for the antenna. I had to install ONE(!) radial which I tuned on 121.500 MHz. The radial is a 1/2 inch strip of aluminium with drilled holes in it. The whole setup is sturdy but light weight.
(For the technically interested reader: the tuned radial is an acceptable trick. Instead of a ground plane of random dimension, you can use ONE thin straight "ground plane" strip, provided you tune it to a specific length. As seen through the eyes of the Artex, the antenna is now no longer a 1/4 wave on a ground plane, but a center fed 1/2 wave. Although it looks very different to the human eye, technically it is similar to the COM antenna in the tail, which is also a center fed 1/2 wave without ground plane. I used the original Artex antenna for this setup as one "half" of the antenna. The Artex sees a 50 ohms impedance and is perfectly happy with it, as its diagnostic test indicates. To be even more correct, the antenna also needs to be in tune at 406 MHz. This is achieved by giving one leg of the mount the correct resonance length for 406 MHz.)
I think this is the best solution. The aluminium mount works as a "shock absorber", and by mounting the antenna on the unit itself, it gives the best chances that in a fuselage scattering crash the unit and the antenna don't get separated.
If you are interested, I have the mount still lying on my bench, and I'm willing to ship it if you care for the shipping costs. I can also photograph it, but to fit the thing in the curved fuselage I had to shape everything to fit, and it is hard to describe exactly the angles and curves of the aluminium, and if you reproduce it chances are that it won't work unless you have the tuning tools and experience yourself (but in that case you weren't asking about it anyway).
One final comment: The installation calls for a switch with an indicator, and a connection to a power supply. The external power supply is ONLY used for feeding the diagnostic LED. It is a shame that this external power is mandatory, as it requires a non-switched "life" wire, something you not exactly desire if you are lying in a puddle of fuel after the crash.
So solve this matter, I installed a resistor of 1K in series with the power supply. This limits the current to 12 mA, not sufficient to burn anything or even cause a spark, but enough to lit the LED and make the authorities happy.
Frans
[quote][b]
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lamprey(at)infocom.co.ug
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| Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 11:07 pm Post subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems |
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Many thanks to everyone who responded to my message:
Brian - many thanks, useful info, I'll fit the Aircraft Spruce berarings, and monitor. Still here in Kenya, weather great, bureaucracy awful. Re aviation, all former Permit aircraft are now on a Restricted C of A (since 3 years), and under this category such aircraft 'may not make international flights', which locks us all into Kenya. I assume that the aircraft becomes unairworthy once it crosses the border. This affects 50 aircraft, 15% of the Kenya civil fleet, but it only seems a few are interested to travel to neigbouring Tanzania or Uganda, or further afield. I suspect that there are many kitfoxes and similar in the remote ranches who no longer bother with CofAs and all that. I used my Europa for commuting to Uganda, and no longer can, hence last year did only 6 hours in it. For my wildlife projects in Uganda and Tanzania I now have to hire a Cessna, and 4 time the cost.
Remi- thanks for the info. I'll try the AS option above, but will test performance, and bear your recommendation in mind.
Peter and Keith in New Zealand, re Artex 406. Thanks for very much for your help. Are your antenna(e) internally mounted? And Peter, the groundplane plate is a flat plate, and the diameter and thickness? I think the Artex 406 system has many problems as you indicate.... here in Kenya, an Artex went off in a parked Cessna, 100 m from the control tower of our busiest airport Wilson. The signal was picked up and reported (apparently) by a passing British Airways boeing. The ELT bleeped away for a week with various people running around the wider countryside of Kenya before someone peered out of the tower and realized it was just there... Tells you alot about many things...
Thanks again, all best
Richard
[quote][b]
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jrgowing(at)bigpond.net.a
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| Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 11:43 pm Post subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems |
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Richard
Thank you for the insight into your flying situation in Kenya!
JR (Bob) Gowing kit 327 in Oz
do not archive
From: owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-europa-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Richard Lamprey
Sent: Monday, 17 January 2011 6:01 PM
To: europa-list(at)matronics.com
Subject: ELTs, tailwheel bearings, carb problems
Many thanks to everyone who responded to my message:
Brian - many thanks, useful info, I'll fit the Aircraft Spruce berarings, and monitor. Still here in Kenya, weather great, bureaucracy awful. Re aviation, all former Permit aircraft are now on a Restricted C of A (since 3 years), and under this category such aircraft 'may not make international flights', which locks us all into Kenya. I assume that the aircraft becomes unairworthy once it crosses the border. This affects 50 aircraft, 15% of the Kenya civil fleet, but it only seems a few are interested to travel to neigbouring Tanzania or Uganda, or further afield. I suspect that there are many kitfoxes and similar in the remote ranches who no longer bother with CofAs and all that. I used my Europa for commuting to Uganda, and no longer can, hence last year did only 6 hours in it. For my wildlife projects in Uganda and Tanzania I now have to hire a Cessna, and 4 time the cost.
Remi- thanks for the info. I'll try the AS option above, but will test performance, and bear your recommendation in mind.
Peter and Keith in New Zealand, re Artex 406. Thanks for very much for your help. Are your antenna(e) internally mounted? And Peter, the groundplane plate is a flat plate, and the diameter and thickness? I think the Artex 406 system has many problems as you indicate.... here in Kenya, an Artex went off in a parked Cessna, 100 m from the control tower of our busiest airport Wilson. The signal was picked up and reported (apparently) by a passing British Airways boeing. The ELT bleeped away for a week with various people running around the wider countryside of Kenya before someone peered out of the tower and realized it was just there... Tells you alot about many things...
Thanks again, all best
Richard
| Quote: | | http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Europa-List |
01234567
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Version: 10.0.1191 / 01/16/11
[quote][b]
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