daveb Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 At 3,500' today my Long started vibrating in an unfamiliar way. Like running into a new airmass. It seemed worse at lower revs and remained ...so I'm thinking prop... Here's a pic after landing. Interestingly it's on the trailing edge and I didn't feel any impact. No feathers stuck on either. The prop has under 30 hours use from new and I'm a bit concerned at the way it appears to have broken. Was it a weakness in the laminate? There is a notch just at the break. Might have been a really big blow fly? Dave VH-JZE Quote Dave VH-JZE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spodman Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 You are probably aware I'm not particularly knowledgeable about such, but it looks like you dinged a stone or suchlike. There a few other dings there as well, have you been flying out of somewhere rough? Do you still have the old prop, it looked good. Quote Mark Spedding - SpodmanDarraweit Guim - AustraliaCozy IV #1331 - Chapter 09www.mykitlog.com/Spodmanwww.sites.google.com/site/thespodplane/the-spodplane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveb Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 I was flying over the water just above the inversion tracking coastal near Anglesea. Not a stone in sight up there. Yep, always a few dings and things but the only serious one was on the other blade. That side was pretty clean. The old prop's at Petes still. Nearly fixed after the wet weather on that Townsville trip. I do have a big ding in my gyro rotors from when an eagle attacked me last year ......hmmm starting to see a pattern. Dave Quote Dave VH-JZE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waiter Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 There appears to be a small nick just in front of the break. The nick may have caused a crack that finally failed after the torture of flying. small rocks, bolts, washers, etc. Waiter Quote F16 performance on a Piper Cub budget LongEZ, 160hp, MT CS Prop, Downdraft cooling, Full retract visit: www.iflyez.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveb Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 Maybe. The nick which is significant wasn't there when I took off. Its fresh, I checked the prop as usual in my daily. My taxi and takeoff was all on tarmac. Maybe it was something on the runway this morning? Dave Quote Dave VH-JZE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spodman Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 The nick which is significant wasn't there when I took off.Erm, you don't know that. You can only be sure it wasn't there when you did your daily, before you started & taxied. If you were out of YBSS there is a lot of crap to traverse for a pusher, if out of YMMB you probably taxied over the impact site of any number of GFS trainers... I don't believe a nick in the prop will cause an immediate failure every time. It might take a particular rpm & airspeed to turn local damage into a failure, or just take time for a crack to propagate.The old prop's at Petes still. Nearly fixed after the wet weather on that Townsville trip.Sorry, I forgot about that. In a completely separate aside I was talking to Pete last year and he was showing interest in a Cozy build, and you have reminded me he was keen to see the plans. We were talking just before my PPL test and I had forgotten it in the resulting euphoria When you see him would you like to ask if that itch has been satisfied or would he still like a look? He could email me at spodman59 AT gmail.com Quote Mark Spedding - SpodmanDarraweit Guim - AustraliaCozy IV #1331 - Chapter 09www.mykitlog.com/Spodmanwww.sites.google.com/site/thespodplane/the-spodplane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveb Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 "Erm, you don't know that." You are quite right, YMMB was the place and there were no guys with brooms preceeding me. Here's where I park, might have been one of the twins leaving something on the ground, looks like the doors are falling off as it is Second pic is on the way back on Monday, never get tired of that view. Dave BTW I've sent Pete the URL of this thread and Congrats on the PPL! Quote Dave VH-JZE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waiter Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Crap can get kicked up by the mains or nose. To help minimize damage from nose wheel, Any time I'm on the ground, I keep the speed brake extended. Makes a great "Mud Flap" for the nose tire. :-) Waiter Quote F16 performance on a Piper Cub budget LongEZ, 160hp, MT CS Prop, Downdraft cooling, Full retract visit: www.iflyez.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macleodm3 Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 To help minimize damage from nose wheel, Any time I'm on the ground, I keep the speed brake extended. At what point do you retract the brake? It seems at run-up time, with the checklist would make sense to me. Seems like a great idea, and seems that many Canards pilots incorporate this practice. I am shopping for a smooth front tire for a Cozy MKIV to help with this same issue. Does anyone have a supplier for smooth front tires for the Cozy? Quote Andrew Anunson I work underground and I play in the sky... no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waiter Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 When I'm operating from a hard surface (concrete) I retract it at runup. If I'm operating from turf, gravel, or runway with garbage. I retract it immediately after I rotate. (Nose lift off) Waiter Quote F16 performance on a Piper Cub budget LongEZ, 160hp, MT CS Prop, Downdraft cooling, Full retract visit: www.iflyez.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spodman Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Here's where I park, might have been one of the twins leaving something on the ground, looks like the doors are falling off as it isYup! King Island Airways. I know a few of the pilots, one had a door come open in flight on him last year... Quote Mark Spedding - SpodmanDarraweit Guim - AustraliaCozy IV #1331 - Chapter 09www.mykitlog.com/Spodmanwww.sites.google.com/site/thespodplane/the-spodplane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveb Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 Thanks for the tip, will do. Makes sense, if we can pick up stuff on the taxiway, that includes after the runup bay so no point in half measures - might be a good practice no matter where you are - keep the routine the same. Confession - I have forgotten to put it back up once, she doesn't climb out so well with my 0-235. Question - Why do we need tread on the front tire? We steer and brake with the mains, it just castors anyway? Dave Quote Dave VH-JZE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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