Page 19 - MFW June 2024

check and run the engine. The engine had not been run in On a personal note I would like to thank everyone for their
the plane before so we made sure it was well tied down, help and encouragement during the whole journey, and I
and Russell bravely held onto the tail. The engine needs look forward to more flights in the new year.
priming with fuel and then it generally starts very easily. Regards, Phil Sharp.
Once we got a bit of fuel in it away it went. It takes a little bit
of running to clear all the oil, but will then idle at about 900 Post Script. Phil and John have now had four flights to
RPM. Max speed is 2500 RPM which produces 60lbs date getting to know the model and its eccentricity better
thrust, more than enough. I have fitted an optical RPM each time. The gyroscopic effect from the motor does
sensor, but they don’t work that well in bright sunlight. We make it’s presence felt on occasions and John is dealing
ran the engine for a while and it seemed OK so John said well with that but on the third flight the drama came when
let’s try a taxi run, and maybe take off. So out on the strip on landing approach John had to apply a little throttle,
we fired it up, poor Russell hanging on again, and then let it unfortunately the engine responded too much, which
settle back to idle, fortunately at idle it doesn’t pull too resulted in a massive torque roll. I guess we all thought it
much. was all over, but magic reaction from John saved the day.
John advanced the throttle and it started rolling, then the A couple more circuits to calm the nerves and the second
engine kicked in, and in 15m or so it was in the air, with a attempt was fine.
little bit of left roll. I must admit my memory is a little vague,
but it climbed well. The real problem is getting the engine The problem with the engine control is difficult because it
to a smooth running RPM.John turned right and the relies solely on fuel supply. Anything other than full power
gyroscopic effect meant the nose dropped which took a means a rich mixture. The other issue is that I am using a
while to recover from, but with more throttle John gained small pump from a jet turbine, and I was running it at a low
some good height to get a bit of a feel for it. Aileron control voltage to reduce the flow. This proved too difficult to get
was good, and pitch OK, although he switched to high enough control, so I have now fitted a bypass valve, which
rates. After a couple of circuits a landing approach was bypasses about 50% back to the tank. This allows the
made, but by this time the wind was starting to blow across pump to run in a better voltage range and has made a
the strip, which meant a go around. With a reasonable considerable improvement to the low speed running and
amount of throttle it shot away, certainly no lack of power. softened the response. The fourth flight was much less
Another approach, the wind still pushing it towards the nerve wracking! The two video clips will show that the
fence, but this time a successful landing. I was very happy throttle control is much better.
and relieved! John did a fantastic job, I can’t thank him Some video links of a days flying are available here on the club facebook page;....................
enough. His words were “it’s a beast”. Hopefully we can
tame it a bit in the next few flights. https://www.facebook.com/1143093532/videos/780069180276887/?idorvanity=300601920024462
https://www.facebook.com/1143093532/videos/377095651905992/?idorvanity=300601920024462
The landing was a little firmer than John would have liked,
https://www.facebook.com/1143093532/videos/pcb.7296499750434609/1342397289767051
due to the cross wind, but the only damage was to the
cabane cross wires, and the U/C wires. These were very Barrie Russell Editor MFHB. May 2024.
small M2 clevis/threaded shaft, which came with the kit,
too weak in my view, for my model with the extra weight. I
will now make M3 fittings, as I had already done for the
main flying wires. Teething troubles, but generally a very
successful flight, and probably a first in the Southern
Hemisphere. Stephen Wessel, the engine designer,
thinks that apart from his own, this is the only other one to
have flown. Four more test flights in January once the
repairs are done.

18