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Power News
We Have Been Damaging Our Wonderful Aircraft
Two ways, in fact:
1. Towing it with the tail wheel locked; it forces the rudder arm against the stop. Sorted with a simple repair this time; it will be hugely expensive if we do it again. Here is what we must do to avoid it:
Before Towing: check and double check that the lever is up/ unlocked &
Always On The Ground: secure the lever up with a lap strap (just like we do with glider airbrakes)
2. The second is quite different, occuring when removing wing covers with the canopy cover bungee snagged. It stretches as the cover is pulled, then eventually frees with a loud twang and hole in the fuselage fabric. Again, two things for us to do:
Putting Covers On: do NOT hook the bungee over the wing cover.
Taking Covers Off: do check that it is not snagged.
Finally: Who Has Read This?
As before, please drop me a line when you have read this. So far, the following have not:
P**e, R**K, R****e, J*n, W***y, C**l, G**n, B*b, K*n, R*n, B**t, Al, Dave, &, if not too busy on the beach, M**k.
Posted on 14 Sep 2009 by andy
Power News May 2009
Hot on the heels of April's news - all about fuel this month.
1. From Pete Desmond:
"Warm Starting - During the NPPL Course this problem recurred; i.e. engine starts fine when cold but a pig when warm. We cured the problem by doing all warm starts without using the electric fuel pump. How did we discover this link? Well students going through their checks take considerably longer than seasoned hacks. The resultant puddle of fuel under the engine led us to conclude that fuel bleeds through the carb when the electric pump is on thus flooding the engine. Since adopting the practice of warm starting without the electric pump, we had no further problems".
So, yet another change to the check list: you will see it soon.
2. A further small change, too, to the fuel bit of the log sheets. To keep track of whether the gauge is telling the truth, we ask you to record the indication on shut down; any uplift and the reading after uplift. Please:
> Record what you actually see, not what it ought to be.
> Only after shut down; with the engine running you have higher priorities.
3. The new bowser is getting closer.
4. Fuel/ water checks: after the check, please don't throw the fuel away; please don't put it back; please do use it to clean the underside. That small but persistent oil leak is making its mark. Please come with suitable cleaning cloths in your boot.
Finally: Who Has Read This?
As before, please drop me a line when you have read this. So far, the following have not:
M**k, P**e, J*n, W***y, A*, T**y, K*n, B*b, Rick, Ron, Carl, Dave, Glenn, Richie, Burt, Gaz
Posted on 06 May 2009 by andy
Power News April 2009
Mark & Rick have been doing plenty: the 600hr service last Saturday; new rope and mirror; lots of head scratching over the paperwork. Here's the carb balancing in progress (complete with the bendy prop that digital cameras produce). Do keep reading below the picture, there is more to tell - starting with Mark. 
We have a new tow rope. Please help protect it by winding when flying at a reasonable speed, say 60 – 70 kts?, and in a straight line………no hard turns. If there is any resistance when pulling it out STOP as it is jammed and pulling hard will only strip the outer sheath so wrecking the rope.
Make pilots aware of the carbon monoxide detector. To check the validity date, when it’s life ex and check regularly during the flight, as part of FREDA checks…….maybe.
Extension Ropes The aircraft now carries not one, but two extension ropes. The long one is unchanged - handy for a long retrieve or glider with belly hook. New is a dinky short one: this is to be used every time we tow the K21.
Both get dragged along our harsh runway: they must be inspected before and after each use.
New Boswer should be with us in just a day or two - watch this space for how to use it.
Warm Starting We have started to have trouble: similarly, watch this space.
Paperwork: The big red book has been updated & is now an even better read.
Courses: our BGA courses have been plagued by poor weather (interspersed with all those wonderful weekends) but are otherwise running well.
As this is being written, the Club's NPPL course is exactly half way through. Fabulous weather, but a host of airfield difficulties.
Finally: Who Has Read This?
As before, please drop me a line when you have read this. So far, the following have not:
W***y, J*n, R**K, T***y, M**K, A*, R*n, C**L, K*n, P**t, D**e, B*b, Glenn, Richie, Burt, Gaz,
Posted on 22 Apr 2009 by andy |
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