I was shooting this photo:
I was slipping for a period of time to keep the wingtip out of the photos and I emptied my right tank and ran out of gas. I did have 5 gallons in the other wing so power came back quickly.
Engine quit today
Moderator: drseti
- CharlieTango
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:04 am
- Location: Mammoth Lakes, California
Re: Engine quit today
That's a beautiful picture! That engine stoppage must have been scary. Glad it restarted, and that you made it back safely.
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
Prof H Paul Shuch
PhD CFII DPE LSRM-A/GL/WS/PPC iRMT
AvSport LLC, KLHV
[email protected]
AvSport.org
facebook.com/SportFlying
SportPilotExaminer.US
Re: Engine quit today
Even happier it had a starter? Did you have the altitude to dive into a restart?
Dan
Dan
Re: Engine quit today
The more hours on my engine (2,055 and counting), the more I think about that in those situations...
- CharlieTango
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:04 am
- Location: Mammoth Lakes, California
Re: Engine quit today
Good point but not in this case. It was the end of the flight and I was ~7 miles from the field and above 12,000'.eyeflygps wrote:I'm glad it started back up OK, but isn't a total of 5 gallons getting too low especially for such a hostile environment?? And for those who want to point out that 5 gallons is over an hour, I know that. Very nice picture, anyway.
- CharlieTango
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:04 am
- Location: Mammoth Lakes, California
Re: Engine quit today
I was above 12,000' Altitude to spare.914Driver wrote:Even happier it had a starter? Did you have the altitude to dive into a restart?
Dan
- CharlieTango
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:04 am
- Location: Mammoth Lakes, California
Re: Engine quit today
It didn't even scare my passenger. As it got quiet he looked up at the sight tube on his side and saw it was dry and knew it was a fuel issue. We were using such a dramatic slip that you were very aware of it.drseti wrote:That's a beautiful picture! That engine stoppage must have been scary. Glad it restarted, and that you made it back safely.
A non event happening in a dramatic spot.
Re: Engine quit today
So did you actually empty the right tank? Or was the fuel unported from your aggressive slip?CharlieTango wrote:I was slipping for a period of time to keep the wingtip out of the photos and I emptied my right tank and ran out of gas. I did have 5 gallons in the other wing so power came back quickly.
- Richard
Sport Pilot / Ground Instructor
Previous Owner: 2011 SportCruiser
Sport Pilot / Ground Instructor
Previous Owner: 2011 SportCruiser
- FastEddieB
- Posts: 2880
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:33 pm
- Location: Lenoir City, TN/Mineral Bluff, GA
Re: Engine quit today
I was under the impression that due to the gearing of the ROTAX 912, diving would not get the propeller windmilling for a restart.914Driver wrote:Even happier it had a starter? Did you have the altitude to dive into a restart?
Dan
True or false?
- CharlieTango
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:04 am
- Location: Mammoth Lakes, California
Re: Engine quit today
Yes right tank empty left tank unported. I don't see how you could run out of gas with fuel on board unless you emptied one tank.designrs wrote:So did you actually empty the right tank? Or was the fuel unported from your aggressive slip?CharlieTango wrote:I was slipping for a period of time to keep the wingtip out of the photos and I emptied my right tank and ran out of gas. I did have 5 gallons in the other wing so power came back quickly.
- CharlieTango
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:04 am
- Location: Mammoth Lakes, California
Re: Engine quit today
Dunno. The symptoms were 100% power loss and silence but the prop was turning. I instinctively removed the slip and lowered the nose 30* as it happened. I never got much below 90kts IAS so maybe it would have stopped if I got slower.FastEddieB wrote:I was under the impression that due to the gearing of the ROTAX 912, diving would not get the propeller windmilling for a restart.914Driver wrote:Even happier it had a starter? Did you have the altitude to dive into a restart?
Dan
True or false?
I didn't even think about regaining power instead I turned for the airport and began setting up for a dead stick and the power returned with coordinated gliding.
Re: Engine quit today
Not long ago on the CT site Roger made mention that that with enough speed the Rotax will start rotating. I don't remember the thread.FastEddieB wrote:I was under the impression that due to the gearing of the ROTAX 912, diving would not get the propeller windmilling for a restart.914Driver wrote:Even happier it had a starter? Did you have the altitude to dive into a restart?
Dan
True or false?
Personally I have not tried in with a Rotax powered airplane. I do know that a couple of the Taylorcrafts I used to fly took 120-125mph to get the prop turning again.
Re: Engine quit today
Gosh, if my engine stopped and the starter didn't have enough juice to restart, I don't know if I'd want to do a dive to Vne to *maybe* get a restart. Seems like that altitude would be better used finding a good landing spot for a dead stick. If you found a very close spot and had plenty of excess altitude, it might be worth a try though.3Dreaming wrote: Not long ago on the CT site Roger made mention that that with enough speed the Rotax will start rotating. I don't remember the thread.
Personally I have not tried in with a Rotax powered airplane. I do know that a couple of the Taylorcrafts I used to fly took 120-125mph to get the prop turning again.
The high compression plus the gearbox drag is just a bear to get through to get the prop turning; it's even relatively hard to do by hand.
Andy Walker
Athens, GA
Sport Pilot ASEL, LSRI
2007 Flight Design CTSW E-LSA
Athens, GA
Sport Pilot ASEL, LSRI
2007 Flight Design CTSW E-LSA
Re: Engine quit today
Andy, I was right over the airport. I had climbed up to 5 or 6000 before shutting the engine down. I circled around playing in the lift on clear fall afternoon. When I was 2000 AGL I put the nose down to restart, knowing if it didn't I still had 1000 feet to set up for landing.MrMorden wrote:Gosh, if my engine stopped and the starter didn't have enough juice to restart, I don't know if I'd want to do a dive to Vne to *maybe* get a restart. Seems like that altitude would be better used finding a good landing spot for a dead stick. If you found a very close spot and had plenty of excess altitude, it might be worth a try though.3Dreaming wrote: Not long ago on the CT site Roger made mention that that with enough speed the Rotax will start rotating. I don't remember the thread.
Personally I have not tried in with a Rotax powered airplane. I do know that a couple of the Taylorcrafts I used to fly took 120-125mph to get the prop turning again.
The high compression plus the gearbox drag is just a bear to get through to get the prop turning; it's even relatively hard to do by hand.
Re: Engine quit today
Wow - good that you kept calm and the restart was uneventful. That would have raised serious pucker factor for me. (Heck, the seat fabric would probably still be pinched after I left the aircraft!)
I ditto the other post - Beautiful photo! Minarets / Crystal Crag?
I ditto the other post - Beautiful photo! Minarets / Crystal Crag?