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KMKY to KLVK

goose43

New member
San Francisco
Aircraft Year
2000
Aircraft Type
114B/115
Reg Number
N6055U
Been a bit of a delay posting this, but I finally got the video of my ferry flight up on YouTube. Not super exciting but we did stall the motor on the runway at Truckee around the 7 minute mark. The other exciting thing that happened is the CFI wanted to show me how to stall the plane and he ended up entering a spin, unfortunately the GoPro was out of batteries at the time. My first one and it was not fun, 3 or 4 rotations. I’m wondering if there are any long term issues with the gyros, I had one issue recently with the attitude indicator and autopilot on. Will post a question in the maintenance section. Here you go, happy to answer any questions but it was a great way to get to know the commander and an awesome experience.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7PhGnrkYl04

And some photos here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/F4nMyn6rZhcGM1c57

Oh, the flight was: KMKY -> Tulsa with one fuel stop in Alabama. The next day was Tulsa to Reno with a fuel stop in Wyoming. The last day was mostly flying around my backyard of Northern California. So essentially a 2 day trip with four 5 hour long legs and most of the second day was at 12k feet. I’m really enjoying the plane and boy what a change from a 172!!
 
Glad you're enjoying Matt. I think a long talk with your CFI may be in order.
 
No the spin shouldn't of had any long-term effect on any of the instruments but I'd be looking for a new flight instructor. We've had enough planes destroyed by flight instructors around here - don't need to read about another
 
Why did the engine die on the landing roll out?

Beautiful airplane by the way!
 
That instructor was our of Florida and i will not fly with him again. He also had some questionable high altitude opinions. That is primarily why we stalled the motor. We were full rich on landing with 8700’ density altitude, I believe we essentially flooded the engine. A flooded engine restart is what he performed and we got it running. Like I said, i will not be flying with him again. He did know his way around south Florida rain showers....

glad to hear there likely wont be any long term issues due to spinning it. But i did have an interesting event where the attitude indicator showed us turning in straight and level and the AP was tracking that attitude. But that lasted a minute or so and then seems fine. Going up with a CFI now and I’ll see if it persists.
 
You will not regret purchasing that airplane. I will guarantee you that.
 
Going up with a CFI now and I’ll see if it persists.

In Florida no pilot knows anything but full rich takeoff. In mountains with 8700’ density altitude am curious what you lean to and why on takeoff per the local CFI.
 
Jay - I haven’t flown up there since but I did do some ground with Howard Donner, a very well respected pilot out of Truckee. He teaches to lean on takeoff roll, but presumably that is without a GEM. We leaned in a run up and used that setting. Now that I have my GEM working I’m not sure of the proper procedure when starting cold but I would likely leave the lean setting I had in cruise if i was landing there again. Still learning!
 
I am still learning too but I have never heard of an engine quitting due to being too rich as was your case. I have heard of engine quits when running too lean (for instance in a normally aspirated aircraft up high which is severe leaned and then descending and landing but the pilot forgot to richen the mixture in descent and the first time he had to push the throttle forward for some power was after landing and on the ramp the engine bogged and quit).
 
That's a really good point. I don't see any reason why being too rich couldn't kill a motor but I hadn't thought about it. Anyone here know? i'll ask my current CFI about it.
 
It makes sense that an engine could quit when too rich. Combustion happens when within a certain range of fuel/air ratios. Outside of that box, too rich or too lean, and the fuel/air mixture will not support combustion. I know it isn't the same scenario, but I had my engine go too quiet on me when on short final at sea level due to flooding. Increasing throttle (air) brought the engine back to life. The less dense the air, such as being high and/or hot, and the loss of airflow via a less than wide open throttle, the greater the possibility of being too rich.
 
I can't speak to the 114s but at least in the 112 you can run full rich all the time without any issues - other than burning a lot of fuel.
 
I can too for the 114. The issue I had that day was due to a mechanical fault.

I am remembering an important detail though that under normal conditions, it should not be possible to flood the engine. The mixture knob only controls the fuel available. The fuel servo or carburetor determines the amount of fuel for combustion.
 
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