Billie
Member
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2014
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- 18
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I wondered if there is anyone out there who could help me spend some money?
I have owned my Skybolt now for 15 years and it came time for an overhaul of the engine. (Lycoming IO 360 A1A). That started off as a plain old overhaul but began to run away as these things always seem too....
Anyway I bought a Lightspeed Engineeering Plasma 111 kit and had some discussions with the LAA (who adminster homebuilt aircraft in the UK) . They are VERY conservative and any form of modification is a battle. I did think about buying a three bladed prop whilst I was about it (we have a 6 year mandatory overhail cycle and even though it had less than 200 hours the existing Hartzell 2 bladed prop was due a full overhaul) In the end I decided against the 3 bladed prop because of the expense and marginal gain. Instead I spent a load of money instead replacing all the ancillaries , Teflon hoses etc so everything firewall forward was new. I also sent off the prop and governor to be overhauled
Anyway 5 months after I submitted my Mod application, I finally got an answer back from the LAA saying that I would have to change the prop if I am to use electronic ignition. They quoted the FAA[FONT="] TCDS No. P-920 .
So now [FONT="]I[/FONT] have an overhauled prop that I need to sell and have to buy a new [FONT="]type of prop.[/FONT]
So the question is , which prop to buy?
I use the Skybolt for aerobatics and want to go air racing this year (if [FONT="]i[/FONT]t ever gets put back together)
I will have to choose something with a similar weight to the existing Hartzell [/FONT][FONT="]HC-C2YK-1B/7666A-2 prop as I was already near the aft CofG limits (I am quite heavy). So, although I have moved the battery to the firewall from behind the rear seat, I have also lost a lot of weight from the ancillaries forward of the firewall.
I was thinking of a 3 bladed MT . It needs to be constant speed , both for weight and the aeros , 3 blades look better than 2, but other benefits are marginal (that might start a discussion!)
Does anyone have any better suggestions than the MT?
Thanks
Jason
[/FONT]
I have owned my Skybolt now for 15 years and it came time for an overhaul of the engine. (Lycoming IO 360 A1A). That started off as a plain old overhaul but began to run away as these things always seem too....
Anyway I bought a Lightspeed Engineeering Plasma 111 kit and had some discussions with the LAA (who adminster homebuilt aircraft in the UK) . They are VERY conservative and any form of modification is a battle. I did think about buying a three bladed prop whilst I was about it (we have a 6 year mandatory overhail cycle and even though it had less than 200 hours the existing Hartzell 2 bladed prop was due a full overhaul) In the end I decided against the 3 bladed prop because of the expense and marginal gain. Instead I spent a load of money instead replacing all the ancillaries , Teflon hoses etc so everything firewall forward was new. I also sent off the prop and governor to be overhauled
Anyway 5 months after I submitted my Mod application, I finally got an answer back from the LAA saying that I would have to change the prop if I am to use electronic ignition. They quoted the FAA[FONT="] TCDS No. P-920 .
So now [FONT="]I[/FONT] have an overhauled prop that I need to sell and have to buy a new [FONT="]type of prop.[/FONT]
So the question is , which prop to buy?
I use the Skybolt for aerobatics and want to go air racing this year (if [FONT="]i[/FONT]t ever gets put back together)
I will have to choose something with a similar weight to the existing Hartzell [/FONT][FONT="]HC-C2YK-1B/7666A-2 prop as I was already near the aft CofG limits (I am quite heavy). So, although I have moved the battery to the firewall from behind the rear seat, I have also lost a lot of weight from the ancillaries forward of the firewall.
I was thinking of a 3 bladed MT . It needs to be constant speed , both for weight and the aeros , 3 blades look better than 2, but other benefits are marginal (that might start a discussion!)
Does anyone have any better suggestions than the MT?
Thanks
Jason
[/FONT]
