Hangar Flying

J
I have noticed that if i pull the nose off 'early' and waddle through the acceleration,
that there is much less energy developed than i like.

)

I have done more than a few runway flights in the 3 new projects we have built and found it that use full throttle to your magic number and pull it off at idle to find out what happens.  You want that extra energy to blow through stall speed and have a little extra.  I spent 12 years flying in the Navy and was a maintenance check pilot along with a ferry pilot.  In the ferry world we were damn near test pilots because of the junk we had to fly and the numerous problems they could pose.

Main point being, if you have a serious cross wind for takeoff, add some knots and yank it off.  EZs are known to have a somewhat weak nose gear and you want to keep it with the least stress you can.

Landing in a serious crosswind a few tricks are in order.  Add a few knots, look for a building or hangar to block the wind, and once you land put the nose down firmly and keep it there.

My record in my Long was 20 knots at 90 degrees.  In a C-130 it was over 60 knots at 90 degrees and I had condition levers in full reverse and two in the flight range.

To paraphrase an old movie line, "you have to know your limitations".

Drew and I had a discussion on wing fences for Longs.  He wasn't thrilled with them with his Long at the time.  Since I am an old Naval Aviator, flying at min speed for landing is a given.  Added energy in an EZ just adds more rollout and more braking. Recall the old adage of runway behind you doesn't help at all.  Too much speed just adds to wasted runway.  

I have a little time to hit this forum am out of the sandpit for leave. At the moment am hanging my wings up to clear out some room in my garage.

Cheers;

Jack

Jack and Allen,
I'll let you know my address when I get down there (should helo down between the 20th and 25th).  I think that I am working at Victory and living in Liberty.

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Ahh so. Sounds right.  Just found out am stuck another night here.  I might be in Biap on the 21st or so if they don't fly me direct out to DXB for my R&R.

You wanna hit the DVD and software store by ECP 4.  Picked up Vista and Office 07 for 3 bucks a pop.

You hit Victory let me know. Probably have a run into it sooner or later. I can point you  to the good deals.  Might be leaving the country at the right time. Lots of message traffic on it lately.

Thanks Allen am pretty well set up. After 31 months over here I have accumulated a tad too much.

One point about running fuel flow, it does slow down your fuel flow a tad. Might double check to see how much. On a Vari with gravity feed fuel flow meter is a bad idea.

Cheers;

Jack

more an issue of higher cylinder pressures caused by the high compression and that higher cylinder pressure in combination with a lean mixture make the flame front progress more rapidly.  I don't know, but I'll try to look it up when I can.

NACA the forerunner of NASA has an online database stretching back to 1917 or so.  Do a search and pull up the database. Most of these issues were addressed decades ago.  Another point as you fly higher your losing power due to less atmosphere.  So unless your running a turbo or supercharger you won't have sea level power in the teens.

When I was running R-2800s we had a two speed supercharger and went to high blower somewhere before 14,000 feet. It also sucked up 50 BHP of power to turn the puppy.

Have to know your motor and it's sweet spot. Freaking 2800s had a serious section on running the motor for long range cruise and I usually ran it right at 2100 RPMs because the engine felt good and less vibrations.

Jack

    In regards to leaning out the motor at altitude I have been doing some trial and error. Since LOP is not an option for a carbureted motor n

On a really big recip like a R-2800 with a carb we leaned to LOP as SOP. Tis an old wives tale about running LOP. If you have the gauges and touch use it.

Lycoming long ago highly recommended using LOP on their motors. It kinda of fell by the wayside.

Iraqijack

I
This is my third time to Iraq (first time on the ground).  Who would have ever known that Navy guys would be on the ground in Iraq?

Your up North, I was based there for 4 months.  Think we are lucky this year heat is breaking early.  Right now out of TQ we are only running as far North as the Big Snake.  We hit the big city a tad too often for me. It's a freaking hot run when you get past Fallujah.  

You can drop me a line at blackkat2007@yahoo.com  and I can let you know what it's like on the roads <G>.

Cheers;

Jack

I need to know the max crosswind component for the varieze. I did not see it in the POH. Also, what are some techniques you varieze drivers are using for crosswind takeoffs and landings (i.e. rudder, differential braking and bank)?

Walter

In the Long I have landed with 20 knots at 90 degrees. It's a lil dicey, carry power, 10 plus knots extra speed, wing down and top rudder. Now takeoff, another 10 knots and pop it off quickly. You don't want to drag the nose gear or a main.

Another consideration when landing if your using serious braking and have wheel pants. Double check you haven't trapped heat in the strut and ventilate it if required.

One trick of the trade, look for a building or something large to block the crosswind and land there.  Tis a trick I used in the Azores with a 40 odd knot crosswind one day.

Your working the power and controls right down to the bitter end with a serious crosswind.

Jack

Use a thin piece of masking tape about 6 inches long. stick the washer to one end of the tape so its just barely on the flat of he washer. Then lower the washer into position on the bolt. Don't pull the tape off until you slide the bolt back into position.

I use silcone to hold the washers in place.  Oh yeah ensure you document how many washers are where first.  I even video tape it with comments.

Another trick of mine is to use checklists for common maintenance areas. IE. what tools are required for pulling the wing, canard etc and the steps to do it.  Review the checklist prior to the work and it can make life much easier.

Now if I can get back to flying the EZ vice driving in freaking sandpit convoys.  Life will be sweet.

Cheers;

Iraqijack

I was reading that Dick Rutan, in his demonstrations of the a/c, would killl the power, dive at the runway, then pull up and circle back for a landing... all without power...

anybody ever tried it?

Dick is one of those golden stick and rudder type pilots. This was an airshow and no doubt he practiced it many times before.  I have seen him fly in Mojave back in the 80s and he is damn good.

I have cut my Long motor at 10,000' and checked my glide ratio.  It improves if you stop the prop from turning.  I posted the data in this forum before. I used 70KIAS and dim memory recalls about 800FPM coming down.  My hard deck was 5,000' over a big freaking airport.

If I had to do a real engine out landing.  Overhead the field at 1,000" AGL for a high key would be a starting point.  Tis far easier to lose altitude then gain it.

Cheers;

Jack