Hi Bob
Thanks for your detailed reply. I am very sorry you had to go through all
of that. Very glad it turned out so well.
I am having second thoughts about the Warp Drive re: Jack Wiebe's story etc.
Then I go flying & occasionally hit 120 KIAS, (without a tail wind), and
think, this is pretty nice.
I am going to do some more thinking about the prop & may make a decision
over the winter.
That is great that Hope Aero Props. were so good to you. I guess the good
news for you in the whole thing is that now your metal prop is now a little
lighter with I'm sure no loss of performance.
Cheers
Brian #328R
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Patterson [mailto:
bob.patterson@canrem.com]
Sent: Friday, November 03, 2000 9:25 PM
To: Murphy Rebel Builders List
Subject: RE: 0 320 engine mounts / cowling
Thanks for your concern, Brian !
Actually, Wayne did a very tidy job of installing the speed
cowl, 'by the book - and better', - it's just that the cowl really wasn't
designed for easy maintenance ! You've done a GREAT job of modifying
yours for easier access, but I guess I'm spoiled - I've had 2 Rebels
with the standard cowling ! :-)
Removing mine now is such a big job because of my paranoia
- justified by my 'brush with death' (or at least a big bill for
a new prop) !!! ;-)
Because the wires came forward, even though they were hooked
over the back lip of the cowl, when I replaced them, I drilled a
1/8" hole in the fiberglass, and pushed the end of the wire in, then
reached in behind with pliers and bent it forward over 1/2" !!
Not taking ANY chances again - it <could> have been fatal !!
I'd already put about 17 hours on the Rebel, and the wires had
not shown any sign of moving, so I felt reasonably comfortable
with the setup. (We did an oil change that day, and I guess pulling
the wires and replacing them loosened them enough - or maybe just
putting the cowl back on a bit differently than it was ... )
This, of course, means I have to do an enormous amount of
fiddling, to work the pliers in behind the cowl lip, and carefully
bend and push the wire, to get it out .... Not the best setup,
but there wasn't ANY time for niceties.
The 'incident' happened on the Thursday - and we were leaving
on the Rebel Ramble on Saturday morning !! There were 2 huge 1/4" - 1/2"
square chunks cut out of the trailing edge of the prop !!! Fortunately,
I heard the bangs and saw the shiny arc on the prop when I was on
short final for 33, and was able to shut down & roll in. If I had
been somewhere in the Rockies, or out over Lake Huron - it could
have been VERY messy !!! I'm quite sure they would have cut a
blade right off - at which point the vibration could shake the
engine right off, and the glide wouldn't be pretty, with the
CofG 'way at the back !!!!!!!
I am enormously grateful to the wonderful folks at Hope
Aero Propellers !! I took the prop down to them at 3 o'clock on
Thursday afternoon, just hoping it <might> be saved, or that they might
have a replacement ..... (it looked BAD !!!)
I called at 10 o'clock Friday morning to see if they'd been
able to X-ray it to see if there was any chance of repair - and they
told me I could "Come & get it in 1/2 hour, the paint is just drying" !!
They had filed off about 4" x 1/4" of aluminum on each blade, after
testing it for cracks, re-balanced it, and repainted the black on
the back of the blades !!!!! It was very fortunate that it was
right in at the root end ! Those guys are FANTASTIC !!!!
We put it back on the Rebel, did a test flight, finishing
just as the first Ramblers flew in !! Put the Rebel to bed, and
went down to get things ready for the kick-off BBQ .... (whew !)
If it hadn't been for Hope Aero, the Ramble would have been
delayed for several days - or <we> wouldn't have gone AT ALL !!!
I'm pretty happy with the metal prop - it IS heavier, but
I think it's smoother, and I'm getting a bit worried about Warp
Drive props these days .... not sure how they'd stand up to a
"wire attack" ! :-) Think I'll just stick with this one for
now - and try to find a way to make the cowling a LOT easier
for maintenance .....
.....bobp
------------------------------orig.------------------------------------
At 11:27 AM 11/3/00 -0500, you wrote:
Bob
It sounds like somebody did a substandard job of your cowl installation. I
can well understand why you are so upset. I would not be happy either.
If properly done, the cowl can be removed & replaced in under 10 minutes
revealing the entire engine. (I did not use the piano hinge technique as
you know because I thought it would lead to difficulties in removing the
cowling, and, therefore, it probably would not get done too often. The
hinge pin I'm sure would be just fine if it goes straight in and out, but
on
the speed cowling, the pin has to curve substantially at the nose, and,
that
looked like trouble). Maintainability is crucial. If you do it right with
the speed cowling, you can achieve this. Obviously, yours was not done
right.
The cowl installation does take a fair bit of work to bring it to this
point
but the results to me are well worth it. The forward/downward visibility
are the best on any aircraft I've ever flown.
Bob, are you thinking of getting rid of the speed cowling when you change
your prop out to a Warp Drive or whatever? Obviously that would be the
ideal time.
BTW, my exhaust system cost the same as Ron Barber's who has the standard
cowling. He had to buy 3 exhaust systems. I only had to buy one and it
fit
properly right off the bat. The spacer cost $190 I think but I don't know
the difference in cost from the small spinner to the 13" one used for the
speed cowling. Ron also bought 2 spinners as the first one departed the
aircraft in flight.
Bob, are you saying that the new Sensenich prop on your 0320 aircraft has a
1/4" gouge in it now? If that is true, you have great reason to be upset.
Sorry to hear that. Can this be cleaned up by a prop guy?
Anything I can do to help?
Regards
Brian #328R
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Patterson [mailto:
bob.patterson@canrem.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2000 9:30 PM
To: Murphy Rebel Builders List
Subject: 0 320 engine mounts / cowling
You've REALLY hit a sore spot for me !! I <REALLY> don't
like the "speed cowl" (which does NOTHING for speed !) - it's a
REAL pig for maintenance, especially on floats !! Where do you
put this huge sail that will sink if you drop it ???!!!
I'm particularly burned, because the cowl wires (that were
even bent around the lip of the cowl !) came forward and chewed
great huge chunks (1/4" square !) out of my prop !!!!! The shape
of the speed cowl forces them forward if vibrated.... And that
was a brand-new $3,000 prop !!! Not to mention the mess I'd have
been in if it hadn't happened on short final !!
NEVER had a problem with the wires on any of our other 3
Rebels ! Or ANY Rebel I've ever flown with the 'standard' cowl.
Of course, this <could> be avoided <IF> I came up with a sure-fire
solid, guaranteed way to hold those wires in place that would
still let me get them out easily !
Also, you can't really do a proper preflight with the ^%$^%$%^
thing - just peer in through the oil filler flap !
In terms of cost - add about $2,000 for that sexy cowl !!
Add it up - cowl, special prop spacer, special spinner, special
exhaust .... $$$$ !!!!
If you do the 'standard' cowl, you can put the side braces
on horizontally, add piano hinges top & bottom, and .... just pull
2 pins and swing open the top & bottom of the cowling !!
If you're concerned about looks - a Rebel builder in Australia
used a Thorp T-18 nose bowl from Aircraft Spruce (about $85), and
it looked pretty sexy ....
I was SO mad at this cowling, I'd have traded ANYBODY for
2 cents !! I just wanted to put a little tape over the oil cooler
inlet to raise my temps a bit (it's getting cold here !) - Only
takes an HOUR !! Pull the pins (bending carefully), undo a bunch
of screws, lift and place SOMEWHERE .... GGGRRRRRRRRRR !!!
I'm still threatening to take a hacksaw to it, and carve
out some decent side panels, with piano hinges !! You can KEEP
'sexy' - give me MAINTAINABILITY !!!!!
Sorry for the tirade, but I'm still peeved with the thing !!
....bobp
-----------------------------orig.---------------------------------------
At 08:22 PM 11/2/00 EST, you wrote:
OK, old cowling verse new cowling for those of us who have still to decide
and order a cowling. Which cowling do you prefer, and why? I've heard ease
of
maintenance, and know the prop spacer and C of G for the old cowling. The
new
cowling gets marks for looks and better visibility (well, on second
thought,
looks might be a personal preference). Lets not forget cost. Is it worth
it?
Bruce G 357R
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