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I was castigated for my comments regards the following post on another Forum. The report is from the Northern hemisphere and they are just coming out of winter.
I would be keen to hear on the thoughts of others in this part of the world.
Went flying after a few months off on Friday. While the battery was plenty good
to spin the engine over, it took a few tries to start my trusty fling steed.
Seemed to start and then die again quickly only to start again after repriming
and repeat, Finally caught and after a little lumpy running, came to life as
the stellar performer I am used to. There is less than 300 hours on it since
rebuild. Preflight, runup, and takeoff were uneventful and I and my new to
flying friends were into the blue.
About ten minutes into the flight I noted that on power changes I was beginning
to detect a miss that got worse when the throttle was retarded and better when
firewalled, and that I was not at full power at any stage.
Messed around with leaning for a few more minutes hoping it would sort itself
out and then, since we were over water (Puget Sound) thought discretion was the
better part of valor and informed my passengers we were having a bit of an
issue and needed to call it a day.
Got ahold of the tower on the by now other side of the sound and informed them
of my problem and that I would be coming in high to assure I could cross the
sound. Once across I had to slip pretty hard to make the runway and of course
they had to make me feel foolish by have all the fire trucks, etc out with
lights blazing.
Motored back to the hangar on my own power still aware of the significant
missing/sputtering and just parked it for the day.
Now I am curious as to the cause, be it fouled plug(s), bad mag, gunky carb
whatever.
Anyone have a similar experience and care to make a guess? 1968 variety
Cherokee.....?
I would be keen to hear on the thoughts of others in this part of the world.
Went flying after a few months off on Friday. While the battery was plenty good
to spin the engine over, it took a few tries to start my trusty fling steed.
Seemed to start and then die again quickly only to start again after repriming
and repeat, Finally caught and after a little lumpy running, came to life as
the stellar performer I am used to. There is less than 300 hours on it since
rebuild. Preflight, runup, and takeoff were uneventful and I and my new to
flying friends were into the blue.
About ten minutes into the flight I noted that on power changes I was beginning
to detect a miss that got worse when the throttle was retarded and better when
firewalled, and that I was not at full power at any stage.
Messed around with leaning for a few more minutes hoping it would sort itself
out and then, since we were over water (Puget Sound) thought discretion was the
better part of valor and informed my passengers we were having a bit of an
issue and needed to call it a day.
Got ahold of the tower on the by now other side of the sound and informed them
of my problem and that I would be coming in high to assure I could cross the
sound. Once across I had to slip pretty hard to make the runway and of course
they had to make me feel foolish by have all the fire trucks, etc out with
lights blazing.
Motored back to the hangar on my own power still aware of the significant
missing/sputtering and just parked it for the day.
Now I am curious as to the cause, be it fouled plug(s), bad mag, gunky carb
whatever.
Anyone have a similar experience and care to make a guess? 1968 variety
Cherokee.....?
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could be any of those that you mentioned, why don't you just take it to your engineer & explain what it was doing???? more likely to get an accurate diagnosis from a lame than on pprune.....
Baron, what were your comments ?
I mean, you say you were castigated for your comments on the piece, so what were those comments, and how/why were you castigated ?
I mean, you say you were castigated for your comments on the piece, so what were those comments, and how/why were you castigated ?
Last edited by Back Pressure; 29th Mar 2011 at 00:22. Reason: clarification
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BP, I will advise a little later on, also with the cause of the problem.
I don't want to influence the discussion here in any way just yet.
I was interesting in getting others take on his saga....
I have a feeling I may be in the wrong and out on my lonesome..
I don't want to influence the discussion here in any way just yet.
I was interesting in getting others take on his saga....
I have a feeling I may be in the wrong and out on my lonesome..
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Perhaps I should add that I replied to that post offering my thoughts.
I am also of the era before PC and Human Factors.... it may have left me out of step with the rest of the world...
Anyone here heard of a spade ?
I am also of the era before PC and Human Factors.... it may have left me out of step with the rest of the world...
Anyone here heard of a spade ?
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Thanks for the input guys.
It was not entirely as I expected, possibly more of an indictment of the members of the Forum.
I sometime really do wonder how many here really are pilots, ie boys and girls who actually fly, and operate aircraft.
After reading the pilot's report and seeing that he continued the flight, and also flew away from the airport, I asked the question...
At what stage did he realise the aircraft was unserviceable ?
I had to assume the defect is not written up...
The pilot/owner of the aircraft did respond later saying the problem was a broken cowl fastener, - I guess we all scored a failing grade of zero there.
I am left wondering why people complain about poor condition aircraft when I rarely see defects written up.
I actually had one student try and tell me during his pre-flight that he assumed the aircraft was serviceable unless told otherwise.
It was sitting nose low on a flat oleo. He was still prepared to go flying....
I still have that feeling of loneliness.....
It was not entirely as I expected, possibly more of an indictment of the members of the Forum.
I sometime really do wonder how many here really are pilots, ie boys and girls who actually fly, and operate aircraft.
After reading the pilot's report and seeing that he continued the flight, and also flew away from the airport, I asked the question...
At what stage did he realise the aircraft was unserviceable ?
I had to assume the defect is not written up...
The pilot/owner of the aircraft did respond later saying the problem was a broken cowl fastener, - I guess we all scored a failing grade of zero there.
I am left wondering why people complain about poor condition aircraft when I rarely see defects written up.
I actually had one student try and tell me during his pre-flight that he assumed the aircraft was serviceable unless told otherwise.
It was sitting nose low on a flat oleo. He was still prepared to go flying....
I still have that feeling of loneliness.....
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The pilot/owner of the aircraft did respond later saying the problem was a broken cowl fastener, - I guess we all scored a failing grade of zero there.
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Yep XXX, I had not diagnosed it down to that either, I guess we given more than a few red herrings. Did he say it got better at high power, never achieved full power, and was still running rough on the taxi in ?
I think this is yet another reason why defects are not written up. I didn't mention it, the title of the post was "O-320 Crapping Out"....
I have a chat to the pilot's and get them to write the defect in my words. It looks much better at the end of the day..
I am trying to remain positive here, I still have my head firmly lodged down the lion's throat on the other forum.
I thought repair by mechanic was better than 'repair by forum'..
I was non too polite about the wisdom of not turning back immediately as well.
I once had an engine problem (inlet valve) in a light twin, with a tv news crew on board.
The aircraft threw itself in a turn back to base at exactly the same time as I started the trouble checking drill etc... ( about 1 second after the backfire) and well before the radio call went out.
I think this is yet another reason why defects are not written up. I didn't mention it, the title of the post was "O-320 Crapping Out"....
I have a chat to the pilot's and get them to write the defect in my words. It looks much better at the end of the day..
I am trying to remain positive here, I still have my head firmly lodged down the lion's throat on the other forum.
I thought repair by mechanic was better than 'repair by forum'..
I was non too polite about the wisdom of not turning back immediately as well.
I once had an engine problem (inlet valve) in a light twin, with a tv news crew on board.
The aircraft threw itself in a turn back to base at exactly the same time as I started the trouble checking drill etc... ( about 1 second after the backfire) and well before the radio call went out.
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Sir Baron, you have an audience... for now. If you get to the point you'll keep it. Everyone likes a mystery but if you continue faffing about like a nervous nun in a bordello you'll lose us all.
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Thanks Os, no I am done.
I was wondering if I was alone in assuming the little Cherokee had an unserviceablity. It appears I was not far from it.
I am still baffled though...
Engine crapping out, scared passengers, Fire engines...... does not equal Defect in Log, call engineers..
I was wondering if I was alone in assuming the little Cherokee had an unserviceablity. It appears I was not far from it.
I am still baffled though...
Engine crapping out, scared passengers, Fire engines...... does not equal Defect in Log, call engineers..
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Sorry, but I'm having trouble understanding any of your posts.
The aircraft threw itself in a turn back to base at exactly the same time as I started the trouble checking drill etc... ( about 1 second after the backfire) and well before the radio call went out.
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I had the aircraft returning to the field instantly, as soon as I was aware of an engine issue. I most certainly did not want to put more distance between me and the airport. I was on climb out and about 4 miles out at the time.
I mentioned that in the context of the chappy in the Cherokee, flying away from base on a joyflight and then having to cross water for his return to the field, resulting in 'an almighty slip to make it in '....
If you were on a joyflight, would you not just cut the trip short if you thought the engine was crapping out ?
To be fair, I guess he may have been seeking suitable terrain, I had not considered that.
I mentioned that in the context of the chappy in the Cherokee, flying away from base on a joyflight and then having to cross water for his return to the field, resulting in 'an almighty slip to make it in '....
If you were on a joyflight, would you not just cut the trip short if you thought the engine was crapping out ?
To be fair, I guess he may have been seeking suitable terrain, I had not considered that.
I am left wondering why people complain about poor condition aircraft when I rarely see defects written up.
I actually had one student try and tell me during his pre-flight that he assumed the aircraft was serviceable unless told otherwise.
It was sitting nose low on a flat oleo.
I actually had one student try and tell me during his pre-flight that he assumed the aircraft was serviceable unless told otherwise.
It was sitting nose low on a flat oleo.
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I like to see defects written up. I also like the pilots to talk about it first, once we have a plan and the wording sorted out then the write up becomes the basis for the rectification entry.
Pilots writing up nonsensical defects willy nilly are just a nuisance. It has to be thought through before potentially grounding the machine. Often the wording leaves much to be desired also, I think it best to work out the fix and then word the unserviceabilty accordingly.
Pilots writing up nonsensical defects willy nilly are just a nuisance. It has to be thought through before potentially grounding the machine. Often the wording leaves much to be desired also, I think it best to work out the fix and then word the unserviceabilty accordingly.