RansMail # 037 September 2004

a)    Mike Wyatt has kindly sent the following update on his new acquisition.

 

"Hi Mike - thanks for all the newsletters - they are very interesting, and make good reading.

 

Well, the collection of my Rans, G-MVXW started off with a blown fuse!

Adam, the co-owner had flown it for his last time before we arrived at Wickwar "International", but the fuse failed shortly afterwards, so we found him frantically trying to fix it - it powered the fuel pump and radio, so he was a trifle embarrassed. We discovered it was the holder - we got it going, but I need to replace the holder, and check the circuits.

My friend, Stewart Read, who flies an S6 tail dragger, was briefed, and took off for a short shake-down flight - he did a 360 and landed almost immediately, saying the engine was misfiring! It transpired to be that fuse holder again, meaning no fuel pump. That fixed, he took off, did a couple of circuits and turns near the field, then set course for Weston Zoyland, just over an hour away, leaving us to tow the trailer home by road.

When we arrived, Stew reported he had had a very enjoyable flight back, and he thought it was a "nice little plane". After all the other Club members had sat in it, and kicked the tyres ( including me ), he took off again to demonstrate it in the air - don't they look pretty! My chest filled with pride, hardly believing it was actually MINE !!

All too soon, it was time to de-rig 'XW and take her home to live in my garage. It was a longer job than I had visualised - but the trailer was just the job for transporting her home - only 4 miles. The wings strap on either side on two U-shaped straps - actually strapping them securely to the trailer isn't easy, as bungees tend to dig in. I am considering making some metal straps to actually "enclose" the wings so they can't move.

The trailer has been re-painted because it will need to sit outside in all weathers - cleaning and titivating can now begin on the plane!"

 

b)    Referring to the above mentioned electric fuel pump fuse holder problem & whilst I sympathise, I have a 'plane with just the crankcase depression pulse driven diaphragm pump, which seems to be all it needs, so I'm curious about the mentioned engine misfiring & whether it really was the correct diagnosis. Does Mike Wyatt's Rans not also have the semi mechanical diaphragm pump ?

In fact when the fuselage tank is full it appears to have sufficient head to feed the carb anyway, as I discovered when with the tap left (as it usually is) permanently on and the float bowl removed it kept on running through. A squeeze of the hand primer bulb in the cockpit is also capable of pumping fuel forward when the engine is running too, though its pressure tends to over fill the carb bowl and make it too rich for a moment, but never-the-less represents some form of emergency back up, which I have used in the air to 'prove' there was sufficient fuel getting through.

Alternatively, Graham showed me his fuel line pressure monitor installation on his own a/c when I met him this summer near Dover. Many light a/c have such gauges with sensors so they are available if you are concerned to monitor this function.

 

c)    When my p.c. was stolen I lost my last 18 months' photo files, including all those I have of the Rans'.

Vince has resent me some of his a/c but I'd appreciate you all sending me pictures  (again) of your own 'plane.

Because I'm NOT on Broadband it's best if you could J-peg them down to about 100 Kb or so. Windows XP and some of the picture publisher type of programmes usually offer a reduced file size suitable for sending out e-mail pictures to pay-as-you-go users like me.

 

d)    Vince has rejoined the flyers and sent photo's taken by Sue  departing & landing at his strip, but which so far don't show quite how small the available path is or what could happen if it failed to get airborne as it slopes away rather steeply at one end downhill into a hedge, but you get an idea from how far below, the next fields appear.

 

 

One extra picture of Vince's sloped field, holiday windmill on the right side, plus his report of last Sunday's outing.

 

"Up  today at 11.10 for a full flap 35 mph checkout 1000 ft. Then  Full Flap overshoot which showed it very unlikely I could waft up the slope then turn right to flop onto the flat top. In fact a right turn seemed to look at nothing but tall hedge and hangar demanding steep climb, so I turned left a bit passed abeam the tall 50 foot hedging and so over someone's stables and bungalow, I await repercussions.

Sue hadn't really helped by parking right in the middle of the top end of the runway. Next time round, approach fairly level  1-2 knots tailwind, at just over 40 with two thirds flap , [FF kept jumping out] a little under 5000 rpm started flare with 2 seconds full power and chop, ballooned a little but nice soft touch down, ran a fair way up ,a bit worried about overrunning with Sue`s car there; it takes me a couple of seconds to get onto the brakes.

At 1000 ft full flap 5500revs/6000 revs didn't make much difference once I'd got back to 35 mph with zero climb. I must do some  more, write out a proper series and do them all.

                                                That's all

                                                              V"

Mike.