RansMail # 040 December 2004

News from Edward, in late November.  "Yes, my S4 finally took to the skies last Sunday on its test flight (Graham Smith at the controls) and yesterday the new permit arrived."   Congratulations and a major achievement, after what turned out to be a major reconstruction job, any more news or a photo would be nice, Ed., when you find time.

 

Other activity is that despite the current anticyclonic, gloomy, weather conditions the Rans' light footprint and dryish ground conditions have allowed both Vince and me to get in some local flights in Sussex & Devon, respectively. What with the very short and steep hill site he has, he usually tries to accumulate useful data - fitting for an ex test pilot.

 

Talking of which he sent me a sketch of Vortex Generators intended to reduce the stall & presumably avoid the tail down mush when approaching slowly, so will expect more info. in due course.  "Looking from above, when finish folded, they are mounted to a maximum of one to each rib. The material is "Aluminium 'flashing' from 'Lowes' or 'Home Depot'. And they fixed (without any damage to the wing top) with double sided tape. They are one inch wide forward, x 3" wide at the back with a fore/aft length of 1 3/4 inches. The sides have turned up edges 3/8 inch high.
It's recommended to put a slight bend along centre line of the Vortex Gen's length to conform to the fabric dip each side of the wing ribs. They should be positioned with their rear edge placed on a line 3 to 4 inches in front of the thickest part of the wing. "Some experimentation may be needed to get best performance". (On a Kolb that was 11 inches back from the L.Edge)."

 

Radio issues latest, the newly issued CAA "Safetycom" frequency, 135.475, which is devised for our sort of flying has now been decided on for visitors and residents at Jackrell's Farm who may wish to use radio to make a 'blind transmission' safety call. The adjacent strip owner says he'll fall in line and thus it replaces our unofficial use of the microlight 'Base' frequency of 129.825.

 

Having seen the fabric covered u/c on G-MVXW (issue #37), Don sent a U.S. Rans "closed in legs" picture. This was interesting as it's a single skin whereas the 'real thing' as seen on Cubs etc has the fabric on both sides of the leg members, which may even be a little less draggy ?

Also the engine is reversed but the sticker reads correctly so it can't be a reversed image or....? 

Vince remarked that he seemed to remember "seeing a photo of an S4  [was it on your list  , or was it an American ?] which had the exhaust on the other side. Isn't it right that you can run most 2 strokes either way so perhaps if you have  a right hand prop you could turn the cylinders round  as part of a change of rotation??"

 

I've been getting rejected messages from the ISP for Geoff Scott whom I'd telephoned after he was originally traced through the sighting of a yellow S4 at Chatteris by Ed Wallington, when he was learning up there, but Geoff never did acknowledge again. As we otherwise remain a tiny group, I got onto Deepak last week having got his number again off Ed. and he said he'd like to receive these e-mails too, so welcome Deepak to this list, I hope you can get hold of Geoff and let me have his current e-mail address.

 

I'm just putting some stick-on sailcloth offcuts for use as repair patches on my wing tips and various demi tears marks from a recommended microlight sailmaker, Nigel at Top Flight Sails, further work on buying and fitting new skins for the ailerons and flaps is having to be considered, but with some apprehension after advice from Ed.

 

Vince spoke to Deepak reference cruise speeds and power, he mentioned the flap elastics sagging and allowing flap droop and drag. I can't really see it myself,I would've thought that airflow would bring them right up. He explained the elastics were a pig to do, involving skins off to get into the wing.

SOLUTION now proposed by V, shorten the wires about 1 to 1.5 inches, providing rubber hasn't perished and still has elasticity,

HOW?...Special gizmo by V which doesn't cut the wire, a sort of clamp/thimble which holds the existing eyelet out of the way to one side yet keeping the wire tension in a straight line with the top arm attach bolt.

Construction [each flap] :-two one inch [nylon] discs with central bolt hole to suit top arm attach bolt, clamped together with 3 self taps or rivets or even 1/8 bolts.The inner face cut with a 1mm groove cut in a 1/4 circle; existing wire clamped with wire in the groove, the eyelet and swage protruding at 90 degrees to the line of tension and clear of the attachment/pivot bolt. Wire curvature in the groove not to exceed that around the original eyelet. No sharp bend to occur where wire exits swage/ferrule. It also allows reversion to original spec.

This does not seem to be an essential component  - on the Britannia we let the surface {aileron} hang down, they flew up as we reached flying speed - and is not highly stressed. 

 

I don't want to take the skins off either, though I'll have to release them if I ever refit that top tank.  We had looked at using a coat hanger wire to loop in new elastic from the front and pulling enough to tie off before pushing it all back up and leaving the old one's there or whatever.

However if the flap does stream I'm unsure whether they actually create drag, could it even be with the slack elastic that as speed drops off so the flap does droop. If so would be a beneficial 'auto' flap deployment to augment lift at t/o & landings ?

 

Lastly, I wrote about airfield guides to various publishers and aviation book sellers as there are too few sites marked and tracing owners for permission to land is almost impossible in some cases. 'AFE' & Pooleys don't bother to list Jackrell's though it's on the CAA Charts; Lockyears has only a few sites in Sussex plus poor presentation with loads of 'typo's', whilst the PFA  and a seller of the "Rapid Flight Guide"  have resolutely failed to answer three reminders !

As I can name some 20 more unlisted strips in reach from here, I might yet try and produce something for "emergency info only".  I am of the opinion that even if an owner doesn't wish to be visited, they should never-the-less be known because in emergency a near strip could be a major life or a/c saver; rather significant for we 2 stroke fliers. Certainly I have never found being in Lockyears Guide has been any trouble, on the contrary no-one can say they didn't know it's PPO at Jackrell's Farm.

 

Happy Christmas and New Year,

 

Mike.