Friday, 8 January 2016

RansMail #152 February 2014
N.B. This Saturday, Spitfire, Goodwood Sussex.
NOTAM. A 10 MINUTE DISPLAY WILL TAKE PLACE 2NM RADIUS OF 505132N 0004500W (Near GOODWOOD Aerodrome). 15 Feb 2014 11:15 GMT to 14 13:15.
 
Ron Atkinson [Newhaven E,Sussex] Enjoyed watching the Dambuster's and the great commando's dry dock raid from the Web Site last month, trouble is, very time consuming. With the unsuitable weather for flying or anything else makes me wonder if you have flown since your emergency landing, "dead stick" I gather you aviator's call it.
[Jackrell's field is very squidgy and all I've managed is pull the S6 out for a good engine run. M]
Its said that if you fall off a horse or bike, you should get straight back on again to protect your confidence, not so easy to get back up immediately when you fall from the sky. He sent us this:
Passengers in the 21st century, find max capacity flying dreary & uncomfortably squashed.  Pan Am Historical Foundation
In the late 1930s those few & rich enough could afford trans-oceanic flight & got to take the Boeing Clipper, Model 314.  Passengers took meals at real tables, Franklin Roosevelt celebrated his 61st birthday on one.Between 1938 and 1941, Boeing built 12 of the jumbo planes for Pan American World Airways. The 314 offered a range of 3,500 miles and room for 74 passengers. Of course, modern first class is amazing  experience and  a whole lot safer, but nothing matches the romanticism of crossing the ocean in the famed Clipper.

Bob Hughes (from BMAA forum late Jan). The 503 powered S6 & the Escapade ?
I've owned both. The lightest Rans S6 with Rotax 503 engine is 'Fantastic'. Flew to Spain and France and Germany and Scotland and Ireland... It is a bit underpowered so you have to have a lightweight passenger - the hedge at Baxby had a narrow escape as I learned that one - but otherwise the Rans flies really well, much better than the Escapade I spent hundreds of hours building. I toured mine solo and had more fun than I could ever have imagined for the money. I have flown down the Loire, chateau spotting with the doors open on a calm summer's evening, and there is little to beat it.
Both are lovely planes but I do like flying the Rans more. The Escapade has some great plus points - comfy, fantastic baggage, really easy wing fold, no Dacron... but I think in nose-wheel format the mains are too far aft - which led to the nose-wheel having to be strengthened because it tends to plonk on the ground quite enthusiastically. There is also not enough elevator authority which doesn't help the landings and means that trimming in all stages of flight is difficult. I found that a fast(ish) approach or a tickle of engine revs helped the landings, otherwise they are somewhat abrupt. I gather in tail-wheel the rear end can take a bit of a bashing and a few have cracked fuselages, but I would not like to say why.
The Rans floats and floats and floats... and floats - I love it & I used to wheelie the nose-wheel Rans all the way down the runway. When I was doing conversion Tail Dragger training it took me ages to get used to the relative lack of sink and the extended floating. In flight the Escapade rolls nicely and flies well, you can do a few hours providing you wriggle your bum and the view is good. The Rans has better fuel consumption and/or flies quicker (in my experience) despite the huge wings. I like flying it with the doors open. The Esca took my camping kit and folding bike in one big bag in the back, the Rans requires me to put the folding bike behind P2 and the rest behind me but is still not an issue.
Coolant comments particularly Quik with Rotax 912S (Paul Dewhurst & Andy Buchan BMAA)
The coolant tanks caps only last so long and can develop a tendency not to suck back, so water in the header tank is not a good indication of true level. Also if you have a coolant leak it can reduce the amount of suck pressure when engine cools, so important header tank level can be slowly going down whilst expansion bottle misleadingly remains with some. Always check coolant level in the header tank and don't make the potentially hugely expensive mistake of thinking it will be fine because expansion bottle has some in it. Paul.
Having the overflow bottle empty when cold is fine on the Quik. It is the level in the header tank (the black alloy one) that is important. The overflow bottles are quite small and if you have liquid in it when cold you will find that coolant comes out of it when hot. Coolant type - Blue is the 2 year lifed type (normal) which is ethylene glycol.
I find an 80% mix is best (ie 80 ethylene glycol / 20 distilled water). The factory put in 100% to allow for a little bit of topping up with distilled water 'in the field'. [Though Rotax say 50;50]  Red is the 5 year type. Evans is a dirty grey colour. Andy.
Rotax fuel Pumps (Brian Anderson, New Zealand - Pulsar forum)

The recent Rotax SB on swapping out the fuel pump got me thinking. While my engine serial number was not one included in this SB it is a pretty old engine. It’s been flying now for 13 years, although only just 500 hours. It still had the original fuel pump. I decided that it was time to change to the new design. Fitting the new one was easy, although because it is slightly different in shape from the original, I had to relieve a little area inside the cowling to provide clearance. I cut the old fuel pump open to check, the diaphragm is discoloured but still looks pretty good & flexible with a deal of life left in it. Perhaps you could also include the comment made by Cliff regarding the reed petals., which still looked OK in my pump.
It’s usually the reed petals that fail.  Have a look to see if there might be any sign of cracking.  I have had about 4 new pumps in 2000 hrs. Cliff.
Kevin Brooker's young son alerted me (via Dad) of Farnborough's airspace grab
for a wide area from west London to the coast. 
[Also  EASA will soon inflict a limit "not within 1000ft of cloud". So any new Farnborough zone 4,000 ft base becomes "not above 3,000 ft."  and impossible if the cloud base is 1500 ft . When to stay legal one would have to fly at 500 AGL, despite our VFR "in sight of the surface" operates perfectly well.  - What more nonsense can these beurocrats devise. - I've submitted a complaint with comments on these things to the new LAA hosted group to contest these and similar intrusions.M].
For details BMAA notice:  http://www.bmaa.org/news_item.php?wnID=7781.
Their proposals directly affect current controlled and uncontrolled airspace across a large area of southern England – not only in the immediate vicinity to Farnborough Airport. If approved, their airspace would extend:• Out as far as Reading and Aldermaston to the north west • All the way from Farnborough to the Solent/Southampton area to the west and south west • Right down and off the south coast as far as the south part of the Isle of Wight • Along the south coast to a point just north of Shoreham • Well beyond Guildford to the east.
The base of many areas of existing airspace would be lowered, and large areas of new airspace would be introduced. Their plans represent the most substantial redesign and increase of airspace in the UK for many years. http://www.consultation.tagfarnborough.com/
Peter Greenrod writes:
Sorry for disappearing off the radar for a while,  I always intend to do a bit for the magazine regularly and I do like to receive my Ransmail every month.  It is really great to hear from all the active flyers out there to hear what they have been up to.   Mike can only put things together for us in the Ransmail, so please all, let us know what's happening.....    
I have been busy with various things.  We were looking into running the flying school here at Welshpool but decided that the time/economics were just too much. 
My Bede has been forcing me to neglect the S5 for a while (something I will change now I hope)  I am going through a LAA mod prop. change process with the Bede, changing the Hoffman prop for a new Hercules one.  Picture shows my colour co-ordinated spiral spinner. The reason for my expenditure was to try to get some more revs throughout the flight range as the original Hoffman was specified a little optimistic on the high speed end (hence low revs, especially on take off).     I know it's a more easy  process to alter and then achieve success with a ground adjustable Warp prop. & I spent many an hour getting my S5 to perform exactly as I wanted.   But it is not so easy this time with a fixed pitch prop.  I am still not convinced that this new prop is right but Rupert from Hercules Propellers knows his stuff and will get me sorted I am sure.  I am just waiting for a calm day now to do a final flight test...after first having to re-do a W&B & my permit nearly due too.  
You can see from the 9th Feb. picture taken here at Welshpool that I have a little spare time now to do some jobs.
Qu.   If the S4/5 goes unregulated can we then fit the Rotax 503 ?   Fun times ahead maybe.  I must finish - FF this year. If anyone has a spare fuselage skin let me know.  I did make one but am not totally happy with it and don't fancy making another. I have updated the amalgamation of Mikes previous RansMails + added a pretty front page, I initially created this so that I could search through one document for articles.   It proves to be a great tool for anyone to do this.   Download it again yourself for reference.   It is a bit big, but no problem in these days of fast Broad Band.   https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4702449/Ransmails.pdf  - which should be the same reference as before.
Expensive Cambridge "International" Airport jon.harper@cambridgeairport.com
He sent out an advertising flyer: I replied "I'd very much have likes to post your information in RansMail, but at £25 a pop for your lowest rate it's distinctly VLA unfriendly !"
Richard Arkell (France) Reports more:
I guess you are far too  soggy to fly if not actually underwater. I am pretty much grounded too and unable to try the latest pitch reduction on the Sherwood. Duc, the prop maker recommended 17 degrees of pitch angle. We actually started at 16 degrees but that was no good, 14 was better and we are now trying 12 in the hope it will be just enough to lift the owner Paul plus the lightest instructor we can find. He is back briefly in March. It seems the only way to make Jabirus go is to rev the nuts off them. I guess this is always a problem with the smaller direct drive 4 strokes. At 14 degrees we were showing just under 3000 so even at 12 degrees we should be under max 3300 flat out in level flight. Fortunately the Sherwood has so much drag it holds the revs down. No-one guessed the answer correctly last month, the Vega which is progressing steadily. I have managed to order a canopy from Soplami down near Toulouse and am in the process of ordering the preliminary fabric application stuff using fabric left over from the Jodel build as I ordered too much, but will be using Polyfibre products and paint this time as working in a fresh air supplied  suit for its polyurethane was a pain and found the Stewart Systems non toxic stuff difficult to get the hang of. I have managed to shoe horn in the old 110 Lt tank from the Robin DR. Although it is quite well back the heavy old 320 up front will mean I am probably not going to have a problem with a rearward C of G. Even some of my other Jodel stuff was sold that I had not used, like the seats and bits of control system plus tatty canopy for Euros 500.

E-Go Aeroplanes News. Test Flying has progressed well. A visit by astronaut Michael Foale in early January.  Michael, who holds dual UK-US nationality, recently retired from NASA and shared with us his desire for working on “green” aviation technology and development of electric aircraft.
With this long wet & consequently too soft to use airstrip, engines stand in damp air far too long. Aircraft Engine Lubrication – What you should know  A rather interesting presentation by Ed Collin, creator of CamGuard and Exxon Elite oil on aircraft engine lubrication. A good mix of technical facts and product advertisement that makes it worth a read. [LAS UK list it and I hope to try adding a dose to the Rotax 912 - as soon as they import me some. M]
John Murphy sent http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/234576/10 which leads to another good read.
"Capt Eddie" (USA). Asked me was I still grounded ?  In RansMail some back I read someone is using another type of carbon tail spring. Do you know what brand or perhaps some one that might help with my tail-wheel problem. I removed my tail wheel spring the welds had broken and can't make turns to the right. The tail takes a beating, it  needs something that has some flex to it. Now I'm grounded too, until I get my S4 making turns to the right. I can stand on the right brake add power then it will turn but that is not acceptable.
[The S4 still needs a replacement engine.  The carbon spring is mentioned in Sept. 2011 RansMail., the Italy based reader then started a different 2 seat a/c rebuild project. His was a one off self created spring., see RansTIPS blog - The spring does have a hard time as do the two very close set bolts fixing it to the relatively soft rear fuselage members. Graunch them up too tight and the tube squashes a bit and they get loose again, so it requires a soft touch. I occasionally lift the tail body onto a padded box to let the tail wheel hang free and check it isn't loose on the two bolts. I also avoid tail wheel first landings - when I can. Lastly the tail rudder connection springs were changed years ago to softer ones by trial and error to allow the tail wheel to swing 90 degrees off for turning on the brakes, without imposing undue 'breakaway' load of the tail wheel leaf spring attachment. Mike]
New Readers
Gary McGrane. My hope is to build an aircraft in the next few years and at the moment a Rans S6 II is the front runner. I'm an Irish man who started flying on the new 'hotship' breed of microlight - the Urban Air family - first Lambada, then Samba and eventually the Samba XXL. The club I trained and rented with was a good 90 minute drive each way so I was looking for a more basic machine to buy and operate from the family land. I carved out a short strip - 220m and bought and converted to a  Quantum 582 which was the best flying I've done!
I'm working in Oman, but I plan to build a Rans S6 II and add 100m to the strip when I move home again. Sadly there's no GA out here.
Richie Piper.  I am based at mainly at Popham but have interests in Goodwood, Frensham and Duxford. I originally got my PPL when I was living in the USA and gained my UK PPIL when I got back. I became an instructor on, singles, multis, aeros and instrument flying but now concentrate on flying and strip flying plus a bit of display work. I have over the last few years got more involved in LAA aircraft and own a share in a few and own a converted Fly Baby. I believe I did a bit of instructing in an S6 a long while ago. PS I do know Rans owners like Richard Warrender.

Mike Mold. Devon Strut News, Editor.  http://www.devonstrut.co.uk/    I’m a “certified” long time Jodeller with a D117A based at Watchford Farm in East Devon and have passed your Sussex strip several times en-route to Headcorn for the short channel crossing to Cap Gris Nez. The S4 appeals as a possible option when the cost of running the Jodel exceeds my pension.
Andy Dyer. I hope to get my own Rans S6, in the near future, so the more info I can get the better.
Jeremy Campbell Trike owner, now based at Jackrell's Farm
Brian Bell (Rotax 912 Escapade) IVO Prop. Tape.
The 3 years old strips were looking a bit worse for wear.
Not only that – I had a bottom-twitching moment when one of the strips came off in flight. Time to apply new ones & 5 stainless steel leading edge Ivoprop replacement tapes were sourced from Clench Common Airfield for around £34. Instructions from Ivoprop Corp in the U.S. were included.(It’s a good idea to keep  a couple of strips in  reserve in case you need to rip one or two off and start again process of applying the tape/strip again, though if one strip is ever replaced, it may be  worth replacing all. I assume that this was due to possible disparities in different batches of tape which are already cut prior to being dispatched to the UK & a valid point for the purposes of prop balancing I suppose. (Though as I don’t always collect an equal number of bugs on each  prop blade whilst low and slow over the South Downs, I must therefore assume that the prop blades have never really been completely in balance – discussion/ideas anyone ?).
These instructions outline removing old & applying new strips, but should not in any way replace Ivoprop Corps' own.
The older strips should be taken off with pliers.  Wear gloves – this material is sharp.
  1. The area for the new strip should be thoroughly cleaned with an appropriate solvent (suitable for your prop type / material). MEK is commonly used. Cleaning is vital, as any gunge/dirt particles will show through the new strip.
  2. Remove the tape backing and gently apply the tape along the prop leading edge. Do not apply any pressure to the tape at this point. The objective at this point is to position the tape.
  3. Bend the tape gently towards the curved side of the prop. blade. Now apply pressure  over the tape on the blade's front curved side with a cloth and ensure no air bubbles are trapped.
  4. Once firmly, gently roll the tape onto the blade's flat side, but do ensure no pressure is applied to the leading edge. Do apply pressure over the flat side, smoothing it over with a cloth. Watch out for air bubbles again.
  5. Job done – take some photos and go burn some mogas.
  6. Don’t forget to add a new entry in your logbook for the application of the tape (and please don’t tell me it’s a mod !
From our U.K. CAA
MANDATORY PERMIT DIRECTIVE MPD 2014-002: Aerotechnik EV-97, EV-97A, EV-97 Eurostar SL and EV-97 teamEurostar UK: Wing / Fuselage Fairings - Inspection for Rivet Damage.  http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/20140130MPD2014002.pdf
Radiotelephony Manual (CAP 413) clear, concise, standard phraseology  http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP%20413%20Radiotelephony%20Manual%2021%202%20complete.pdf
General Aviation Report - Occurrences processed by Safety Data in January 2014.
Rotax' UK - Important Agency Changes Details (Thanks to Sandra hmfc forum)
Rich Shankland (USA) sent this link of an enterprising gentleman's home-built.
Old RansMails are now on line courtesy Peter Greenrod. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4702449/Ransmails.pdf
Jacqui Manley,  Famous truths ---
"Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value" -- Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre, France
And from Sharon (Greece)  http://safeshare.tv/w/aDRgKMGhWi
Mike
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