Soloed today

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Soloed today

Hearty Congratulations!
Perhaps Tom would share his story here?

[runon]

Re: Soloed today

My son Tom soloed in the T today
Im sure his Grampa is smiling

That's awesome congratulations to the both of you, that'll make for some great Holiday conversation.

[Fred Johnson]

Re: Soloed today

Absolutely Great, Yes he is smiling, just as mine was when I soloed.

[N95334]

Re: Soloed today

Now comes the fun part, spin training. A must to do if your doing slips.

[Nefj40]

Re: Soloed today

Now comes the fun part, spin training. A must to do if your doing slips.

Even though I've actually done well the last couple months, I'm afraid that spins is something that I should get comfortable with, and I'm not looking forward to it.

Right now I'm dealing with a miss @ lower RPMs and am self grounded until the girl sounds like she used to.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Soloed today

Remember you don't have to LIKE spins to be proficient doing them. I HATE acro, but unusual attitudes is important because if you think being disoriented now is bad, think about how it would be alone and unprepared. Get with your instructor, or someone familiar who knows Taylorcrafts and just practice them till they are tolerable (they don't have to be comfortable). You can probably do enough of them in one day to get to a point where you will react the right way. They are MUCH less uncomfortable when you get familiar with them. It is just something you need to do.

Hank

No matter HOW many I do, I STILL don't like them, but I'm not nervous about them. Now SLIPS, I LOVE! And high bank turns...and lazy eights...and stall series..and....HOLY CRUD! I may be starting to like Acro! Get the engine smooth (one problem at a time) and go practice with someone you are comfortable with. You will do great and soon, this will seem like a non-issue.

[Pearson]

Re: Soloed today

.... and when everything is perfect a thermal from the road catches you and now you're 100 ft higher than intended. Nose down and you're now @ 70 over the numbers. I've got a lot of learning to do.

As long as you keep that kind of attitude you will be a good pilot. The day you think you know everything or can handle anything is the day you get embarrassed.

[3Dreaming]

Re: Soloed today

Even though I've actually done well the last couple months, I'm afraid that spins is something that I should get comfortable with, and I'm not looking forward to it.

Right now I'm dealing with a miss @ lower RPMs and am self grounded until the girl sounds like she used to.

I'm not an acro guy either, but I did enjoy spins, and the Taylorcraft is one of the nicest spinning airplane out there.

Your miss at low RPM's is kind of normal in cold weather. Look things over first, but you will likely need to enrichen the idle mixture a little. I know most of the little Continentals I have been around pop and stutter in the cold, and will hesitate when throttle is applied on take off. Sometime a little carb heat will help.

[Nefj40]

Re: Soloed today

I'm not an acro guy either, but I did enjoy spins, and the Taylorcraft is one of the nicest spinning airplane out there.

Your miss at low RPM's is kind of normal in cold weather. Look things over first, but you will likely need to enrichen the idle mixture a little. I know most of the little Continentals I have been around pop and stutter in the cold, and will hesitate when throttle is applied on take off. Sometime a little carb heat will help.

Really? I didn't know that. What was making me think I had a mag/ign. problem was the stumble, and I get a puf-puf-puf of black smoke out the exhaust when it's idling. On top of that, every once in a great while it won't fire on the first flip, and it'll whirl backwards rather quick.

[Pearson]

Re: Soloed today

Dave,

I agree with 3Dreaming about these little Continentals being a little rough in cold weather until they warm up. And he is right on about enriching the mixture just a tad when the cooler weather arrives. I do that with mine every fall and then lean it back in the spring. Usually about a 1/4 turn of the big knurled screw on the carb.

But when he gave you that advice 3Dreaming didn't know you had puffs of black smoke coming out of your exhaust. Black smoke comes from too much fuel. If you ever see white smoke, it is from oil. But since you are getting puffs of black smoke I would not enrichen the idle mixture. If your engine was running well before all this started, and you did not adjust the mixture, I would also not try to lean it out either. That would just mask whatever the real problem is.

There is a long list of things that could cause your engine to run rich at idle; worn spark plugs, poor needle and seat condition in the carb, loose clamps on your intake rubbers, and others. Does fuel drip out of your carburetor when the engine is not running and the fuel valve is on? If so, you may have a needle and seat problem in the carburetor. Have you looked at the business end of your spark plugs lately? Worn spark plugs could cause the fuel to not burn completely at idle, which would cause the black smoke. Let us know what you find.

[Nefj40]

Re: Soloed today

I took my top plugs to a AP/AI and he cleaned, gapped and tested them for me. I also bought four new plugs that he gapped and I put those in the bottom. (REM40E)

No fuel is dripping from the carb. I also did a comp. check while changing plugs and everything is fine.

Oh, the plugs looked aweful black when I took them out. At least blacker than I'm accustomed to.

[M Towsley]

Re: Soloed today

Auto fuel, by chance? Cold weather and auto fuel I have found can be a little finicky at times.

Since I cannot get auto fuel anymore and have been running 100LL with MM I have not had any problems in warm or cold weather, (knock on wood), and no fouling at idle or long taxi runs, (again, knock on wood). This was after having my carb rebuilt by KPS Aeromotive and I have been very happy, (knock on wood, again).

[Nefj40]

Re: Soloed today

Auto fuel, by chance? Cold weather and auto fuel I have found can be a little finicky at times.

Since I cannot get auto fuel anymore and have been running 100LL with MM I have not had any problems in warm or cold weather, (knock on wood), and no fouling at idle or long taxi runs, (again, knock on wood). This was after having my carb rebuilt by KPS Aeromotive and I have been very happy, (knock on wood, again).

Right now it's probably straight auto fuel. I've bounced around between some sort of blend since I got the plane.

ZERO ethanol fuel. I've paid close attention to that.

[M Towsley]

Re: Soloed today

When it was cold with auto fuel mine would stumble a bit, even die on roll-out unless I cleared it now and then. 100LL may help, just a thought.

[robbie]

Re: Soloed today

Try 100 LL. My does the same under 50 deg. with auto fuel. Runs ok in summer on auto fuel.