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Ken Holle's Mk IIIX goes home

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rickofudall

Joined: 19 Sep 2009
Posts: 1392
Location: Udall, KS, USA

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 5:48 pm Post subject: Ken Holle's Mk IIIX goes home

Ken Holle's Mk IIIX went home Sunday afternoon. Actually it was Sunday afternoon and evening, it takes a long time to get anywhere at 65 mph. As a parting gesture to her possessed nature, she had one more gotcha for me Sunday morning. I had reached the point in the pre-flight inspection where I check the fuel system. I had changed out a fuel line and re-routed another line so that it had a mild "S" bend in it between the fuel filter and the pneumatic fuel pump so I was being extra vigilant to make sure that that portion of the line would not collapse as the pneumatic pump drew the fuel uphill. Anyway, I flipped on the electric boost pump and watched as fuel bubbled up the line (the lines are urethane and transparent) but failed to reach the fuel filter. Hmmm? Turned all the switches off and started opening hatches and inspection ports and found that the line was sheared off right at the end of the inlet fitting of the electric pump. Truly a GPS (Green Pea Soup) moment. For a few moments I just stood there, unbelieving. The line didn't appear to be defective. Urethane line turns brown as it ages and gets very brittle when it finally turns black, but this piece of line was only mildly brown. It was sheared so clean it appeared, on a casual look, to be cut. A closer look revealed that it had indeed broken, but it was surely disconcerting.

 Luckily, I had some new urethane line in stock so replacing it was a small task that only took about 15 minutes. Just to be thorough, I replaced the grommet that sealed the vent line into the tank, too, and changed out all the portions of line from the tank to the electric pump. Now the electric pump pulled fuel through the gascolater and pushed it right through the fuel filter to the pneumatic pump. Problem solved, continue the pre-flight.

 From here everything goes well except that the briefer at WXBRIEF tells me that I can expect 18 knot winds at all altitudes pretty much in my face for the whole flight. And there's a likelihood that the thunderstorm that had the route blocked for most of the morning before it dissipated may regenerate after 6:00 pm. By now I'm ready to start praying.

 At two o'clock I called weather again and there is no change. Crap. Then she says, have you thought of going to Salina and then west to Hays? Udall to Huthinson to Great Bend to Hays is the hypotenuse of the triangle, Udall to Salina to Hays are the sides adjacent and opposite. Going that route is 40 miles longer. Well, she says, there's a weak front between McPherson and Salina that follows a line to the southwest. From Salina westward you can expect winds of 5 knots at all altitudes. They'll be from the west, but 5 knots is a lot better than 18. Okay, I'm going to Salina.

 I had put in fuel that morning so I get the airplane set up and take it for a test flight around the pattern. The only problem is that there isn't enough tension on the throttle lever pivot so when I took my hand off the lever, it promptly went to idle. That will get your attention on climb out, for sure.

 Back on the ground I tightened the nut another half turn, put in a new cotter pin and we're good to go. All I have to do is fill the tank and we're ready to fly.

 As one last great "F" you, it takes 30 minutes to get the blasted fuel cap off the race car fuel cell that the idiot OB installed. Finally it comes loose, Lou watches the fuel level as I fill the tank so I don't overfill it, the cap is back on and I'm ready.

 It's a quarter to four in the afternoon and the temperature is 111 by my OAT gauge. Excuse my patting myself on the back, here, but the Honda Magna motorcycle radiator installation that I developed works like a charm. Coolant temp hits 180 right as I make the turn to line up on the runway. I do a quick mag check, roll on the throttle and I'm off. When I reach up to take off the flaps, the throttle lever stays put. It's a Heinz climb out, S-L-O-W, but once I turn north west everything settles down. Coolant temp stays at 160, CHT's are both below 280 and the EGT's are below 900. Except for the thermals that are kicking my butt all over the sky, life is good. Fortunately, the horizontal gap seals that I made are doing their job and rudder effectiveness is such that I can keep the wings level with generous stabs at the rudder peddles.

 Leveling off at 6,500 feet I continue my track around the Class Charlie airspace that surrounds Wichita, then set the compass on 300 degrees to intersect I-135. Yes, I'm flying IFR, I Follow Roads. I'm not getting kicked around as badly so I treat myself to an ice cold bottle of water. I can't tell you how happy I am that I packed a little ice filled cooler into the space where the passenger seat was not. Even at 6,500 feet it was warm. The cockpit of this plane has no vents, at least not since I finished the gap seal between the wings with a nice eyebrow that is form fitted to the wind screen. I needed the water to replace what I was copiously sweating out.

 So, here I am sailing along, actually happy as a clam in my little green house come bake oven, and the miles are ticking by. This is where I began to get that nervous itch on the back of my neck that something is about to go wrong but, thankfully, it doesn't. The little 582 sang along at 5800 rpm.

 From that point on the flight only got better. Except for another fight with the fuel filler cap at Salina, and a thunderstorm that only matured enough to send out a single lightning bolt before it dissipated, the flight is uneventful. From Salina to Hays the slight headwind gradually came around to a crossing tail wind until I reach Hays and it is right down the runway for One Six. The thermals are done for the day and the air is glass smooth. I watch the windmills in the big wind farm that runs for a score of miles or more, mostly along the north side of I-70. Some are turning lazily, some are not. Wilson Reservoir, shining in the sun, is visible almost as soon as I reach the highway. I stay about 4 miles north of the interstate and when I reach the lake I can make out the old hang glider hill where I spent so many weekends almost 40 years ago. When I make out the airport at Hays I cross back over the highway and announce my intentions on the radio. The wind sock at midfield confirms the information I got from the AWOS. I turn on to final, drop the flaps and settle the airspeed for a nice steady approach. I'm a little ham handed as I bleed off airspeed in the flair, but the Kolb is very forgiving and I wheel her on three and roll out. As I taxi back I can see Ken's truck waiting on the ramp to lead me to his hangar. Once the plane is safely behind closed doors we head out to dinner, and a stop to pick up a car from Hertz. Afterward we return to the hangar. I make a prop adjustment so the engine will perform properly with the airplane loaded to gross weight, stay to talk for few more minutes and it's time to hit the road for home. The little Chevy Aveo cruises down the road at 80 to 85, twenty mph faster than the plane had flown down the same route just hours before, and I am back home before 2:00 in the morning.

 The plane is as good as I could make her. She went from death trap on my first flight in her, to flying the route from Salina to Hays with just two fingers on the stick, sailing along like she was on rails.

 So, now I have nothing to fly until I get the trike set up again. Once that's done so Lou and I can make all the late evening flights that the summer and our budget can afford, I can get started fixing the Mk III and the Firestar.

 



 Rick Girard

do not archive

-- 

Zulu Delta

Mk IIIC

Thanks, Homer GBYM

 



It isn't necessary to have relatives in Kansas City in order to be unhappy.

  - Groucho Marx



 



  [quote][b]

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John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 6:07 pm Post subject: Ken Holle's Mk IIIX goes home

Urethane fuel line is notorious for failure in many different modes.

Difficult to determine, at times, if the urethane line is serviceable or

not.  Seems to be "ultralight" fuel line because ultralights, weed eaters,

and chain saws seem to be what uses it.  I changed from urethane to neoprene

rubber automotive fuel line many years ago.  Had one main fuel line spring a

leak this Spring after 20  years under the fuel tank on my MKIII.  Top side

fuel lines get changed out when I feel they are ready for replacement,

primarily because of exposure to UV and heat when flying.



60 mph cruise at 5800 rpm is a little slow.  My MKIII cruised 80 mph at 5800

rpm with its first engine, a Rotax 582.  I flew this afternoon.  20 years

later with a Rotax 912ULS it cruises between 80 and 85 mph.  Guess the major

difference is my MKIII is a classic and you were flying an Xtra???



Glad you had a safe flight.  It was hot flying through your area three weeks

ago.  From weather reports and forecast today, it is much hotter now.



john h

mkIII

Titus, Alabama

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John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

WhiskeyVictor36(at)aol.co
Guest

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:27 pm Post subject: Ken Holle's Mk IIIX goes home

Rick G,

  

 Just read your flight report.  That was an outstanding write up  and I really enjoyed reading it.  Thanks for sharing the  adventure.

  

  Bill  Varnes

Original Kolb FireStar

Audubon NJ

Do Not  Archive



  

  In a message dated 7/31/2012 9:48:52 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  aslsa.rng(at)gmail.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Ken    Holle's Mk IIIX went home Sunday afternoon. Actually it was Sunday afternoon    and evening, it takes a long time to get anywhere at 65 mph.     

	


 [quote][b]

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George Alexander

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 245
Location: SW Florida

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 3:23 am Post subject: Re: Ken Holle's Mk IIIX goes home

 	  rickofudall wrote: 	
		  Ken Holle's Mk IIIX went home Sunday afternoon. 



...........



flying the route from Salina to Hays with just two fingers on the stick, sailing along like she was on rails.

do not archive



Thanks, Homer GBYM

 



 	




Nice account Rick!  

Thanks

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George Alexander
FS II R503
E-LSA N709FS
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Richard Pike

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 1671
Location: Blountville, Tennessee

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 2:15 pm Post subject: Re: Ken Holle's Mk IIIX goes home

Well Done Sir, very enjoyable. Thank you.

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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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