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Date: 08/17/99 Newsletter No. 13
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Concept: This newsletter is about presenting information on a
wide range of aviation subjects of interest to pilots and/or
aircraft owners. The author has been a pilot for thirty years
with a wide range of flying experience. The author has also
sold General Aviation aircraft for over twenty three years.
Roger W. Carpenter 1901157 ATP, CFI/II (not current),AGI,IGI.
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Suggestions and constructive criticisms are invited.
Readers are invited to submit questions on any aviation subject
near and dear to their heart. We will do our best to come up
with intelligent answers. Hopefully other readers will help out.
Also, I hope that readers will submit articles for publication
in this newsletter.
Take Notice:
** BEST weather service on market. Great new provider on the Web.
<http://weathertap.com> or 1-800-337-5263. I checked it out and
for less than $6.00 a month, you get the FASTEST weather on the
web. Great graphics, maps and forecasts etc. The same data
furnished to the FAA with no delays. Check it out.
***WARNINGS*** ***WARNINGS***
I received this from a friend in TX. It's not related directly
to aviation but I feel that, if true, it's nice to know info.
Roger
1. BEWARE
> I received a telephone call last evening from an individual
identifying himself as an AT&T Service technician who was
conducting a test on our telephone lines. He stated that to
complete the test I should touch nine (9), zero, (0), the
pound sign (#), and then hang up. Luckily, I was suspicious
and refused.
Upon contacting the telephone company, I was informed that by
pushing 90#, you give the requesting individual FULL ACCESS TO
YOUR TELEPHONE LINE, which allows them to place long distance
telephone calls billed to your home phone number. I was
further informed that this scam has been originating from many
of the local jails/prisons.
I have also verified this information with UCB telecomm, Pacific Bell, MCI,
Bell Atlantic, GTE and NYNEX. Please beware. DO NOT
PRESS 90# FOR ANYONE.
The GTE Security Department requested that I share this
information with EVERYONE I KNOW. PLEASE pass this on to
everyone YOU know. If you have mailing lists and/or
newsletters from organization you are connected with, I
encourage you to pass on this information to them, also.
Peggy J. Faas - Rumba Assist Desk
Shell Services International, Inc.,
Phone (713) 241-9860 1948C TSP.
Pager number 1-888-350-5998
Exchange “FAAS PJ” Internet - pjfaas@shellus.com
9/80 Schedule A
2. Satellite guide may get disoriented! Tuesday 8/17/99
By Randolph E. Schmid
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Some of those increasingly popular satellite
receivers that tell you where you are may become
disoriented this weekend unless they've been adjusted.
The result could be lost hikers and boaters, if they depend
solely on the new technology to guide themselves home.
Originally designed for the military, the Global Positioning
System now is used widely by air-lines, ships and in businesses
and has also become popular with recreational boaters and
pilots, hikers, campers, hunters and fishermen. GPS receivers
determine locations by using signals from three or more of the 24
satellites in the system. To do this they need the exact time,
and the system determines time by counting the weeks since
Jan.5, 1980- up to 1,024. Then they reset to zero and start over. That
moment arrives at 10p.m. MDT Saturday. Unless they have been
repaired earlier, some receivers may think it is Jan. 6, 1980,
when the satellite clock resets, according to the Transportation Department.
The satellites use the system to account for variations in the earth's orbit and rotation.
Feature Article:
Guest article. Because of the cost of aircraft modifications,
I feel that the following article might be of interest. Besides,
it is always nice to read material from someone that actually
has done their homework.
CHEROKEE SPEED MODS
By Paul T. Jones
Have you ever wondered how fast you could cruise if you installed
every speed mod there is for a Cherokee 140? This proved to be a
challenging project which could not have been possible without
the knowledge and generous assistance of the following: Laminar
Flow Systems; Knots 2U, Ltd.; RMD Aircraft Lighting Inc.;
Electronics International; Eastern Avionics; Sky-Tec Partners
Ltd.; National Air Parts; Progressive Air; A.M.R.&D. Inc.;
Questair Inc.; Unison Industries; and Fred Steffensmeier, IA and
A&P, Flagstaff, AZ.
Fred and I began the project by installing test equipment to
accurately measure the results. This equipment included a
Questair OAT; a prop tach; a Lorance Air Map 100 from Eastern
Avionics; and Electronics International's P/N 10-25215 Engine
Analyzer and P/N 10-25300 Fuel Flow Meter which is available
through Eastern Avionics. We also installed a new airspeed
indicator and tachometer after determining that the old indicator
was off by 8 mph and the tachometer was off by 50 rpm.
Immediately after installing Electronics International's Engine
Analyzer and Fuel Flow Meter, we discovered that the No. 3
cylinder's exhaust temperature was 150° higher than the No. 4
cylinder, and 200° higher than both the No. 1 and No. 2
cylinders. Electronics International advised that this was a
common problem and recommended running 25°F cooler on the rich
side of peak. During the leaning process, you can actually
observe the gph changing on the Electronics International Fuel
Flow Gauge which we found to be very accurate and invaluable for
cross country trips.
The installation of the Sky-Tec Starter and National Air Parts 70
amp Alternator greatly improved the starting and charging
performance of the Cherokee 140 as well as saving 16 pounds!
The prop was sent to A.M.R.&D. Inc. for overhaul, repitch to 60°
from 58°, and Prop Tip Mod. Repitching the prop was required to
increase cruise speed in preparation for the addition of speed
mods. After installing the prop, we noticed that the engine ran
smoother, however, we lost 100 rpm at static from 2300 to 2200
rpm. In turn, this reduced climb slightly, which is not
desirable when flying out of Flagstaff, AZ at 7011 ft.
Following the rigging instructions received from A.M.R.&D. Inc.,
we found the flaps were down by over ½" and ailerons were also
down. This adjustment had little effect on speed improvement,
but did decrease climb slightly. An 8 mph gain in cruise was
observed as well as a loss of 50 ft./min. climb.
We installed RMD Aircraft Lighting's Wing Tips, which look great
especially at night, and Laminar Flow Systems' Gap Seals and
Hinge Farings. Testing showed there an obvious improvement in
stability and handling, but small speed increase. We postponed
further testing until after the installation of all speed mod
parts due to the amount of time required to determine any speed
increases. We continued by installing Laminar Flow Fancy Pants;
Knots 2U Wing Root, Flap and Strut Farings, Slim Line Strobe
Light, and Stabilator Gap Seal; and A.M.R.&D. Stabilator Tips.
It didn't take long after testing began to realize that wind
direction and turbulence significantly affected the results.
Climb performance was increased approximately 50 ft. per minute
with no flaps. We determined the best climb was with 10° flaps
and 80 mph with 100-150 ft. gain at 7000 ft. We observed 145 TAS
using 9 gph at 7500 ft.; 138 TAS using 7.5 gph at 9500 ft.; and
131 TAS using 6 gph at 11500 ft. Overall, we gained
approximately 15 mph and 100 miles on our range.
Having heard that Unison's Laser Ignition System improves cruise
speed and fuel economy, we contacted Unison Industries to obtain
specifications prior to purchasing a laser ignition system. The
test data provided showed that we should see a significant
improvement, and we shopped around for the best deal and
ultimately purchased the system from Progressive Air in B.C.,
Canada.
It turned out that the ignition system was not totally compatible
with Sky-Tec's starter which causes a large drop in voltage upon
starting. The laser ignition system requires at least 7.5 volts
or it automatically switches to mag mode. Without impulse
coupling, the engine won't start. We solved the problem with an
extra cranking power Concord battery. The laser ignition system
functions with the mag switch in the "both" position, taking
approximately 25-30 seconds to initialize before the starter
button can be pushed. The laser light will stay on indicating
back up mode until prop starts turning. The light should go out
indicating laser has gone into laser mode, which retards the
timing, and then the engine should start. With the laser ignition
system, we gained 20 rpm at 7000 ft, and 50 rpm at 9500 ft.
We were still climbing at 200 ft./min. at 11500 ft. Progressive
Air stated that this system has eliminated shock cooling damage
caused by students at the flight schools which have purchased and
installed the laser system on training planes.
In conclusion, many pilots have asked whether or not we felt the
speed mods were cost-effective. For some it may be hard to
justify the significant costs versus the amount of time it would
take to recoup that same expense through savings in fuel and time,
but I feel that the additional performance and significant safety
margin easily justifies the modifications we installed. Our
project will continue with overhauling the engine to 160 hp,
installing Laminar Flow "25 hp increase" exhaust system, and
repitching the prop to 62°. We expect a cruise speed increase to
at least 150 mph or more. Stay tuned for future updates on our
project!
Feel free to contact Paul Jones at (520) 774-9177 M-F.
Supplier Listing
Laminar Flow Systems
Knots 2U, Ltd
Speed mods & exhaust system
Speed
Mods
888-FAST-140
414-763-6152
RMD Aircraft Lighting, Inc.
Eastern Avionics
Wingtip landing lights
Electronics Intl. Gauges
503-628-6056
GPS & Avionics
941-637-8585
Sky-Tec
National Air Parts
Lightweight starters
Lightweight 70 AMP
800-476-7896
Alternator
800-713-1111
Progressive Air
A.M.R. & D. Inc.
Laser ignition system
Speed Mods
250-376-6226
815-338-7347
Questair Inc.
OAT
203-795-0611
Comments on the Newsletter:
1. I received a scathing rebuke from a reader about misspelling
O'Hare (as in Chicago airport)in newsletter 12. I spelled it as
"O'Hara" . The reader felt my credibility was damaged. I
certainly apologize to those who (whom?) were offended. I washed
"O'Hara" through my spell checker a second time with the same
results. I'm ecstatic to announce that I'm initiating a
10 zillion dollar lawsuit against my word processor's software
manufacturer for causing extreme pain, suffering, sleepless nights
and tooth decay. I feel that any good spell checker should know I
was talking about the airport and not that incredibility
voluptuous redhead in the old John Wayne movies. I should be able
to buy that Gulfstream jet I've always wanted, real soon.
Is this a great country or what? Roger
2. A reader has another point of view on the Kennedy accident.
Complete, unedited reprint below followed by editor response.
"Todd W. Deckard" wrote: (a. is excerpt from my article on the
Kennedy crash).
>
> > a. Getting the wings level with the aircraft right side up
> > is paramount. Releasing back pressure is a necessity.
> > Remember "when in doubt, lower your snout". This means to
> > reduce your angle of attack by releasing back pressure. In
> > my opinion, anytime you're confused about the attitude of
> > your aircraft, REDUCE BACK PRESSURE! Back pressure keeps a
> > wing stalled in a spin and it tightens the turn in a deep
> > spiral
>
This is poor advice and contrary to conventional teaching (I'll
locate an appropriate text if you would like).
In an unusual attitude recovery the first step is to check the
airspeed indicator. If the airspeed is high and increasing
reduce power to idle. If the airspeed is low and decreasing
apply full power. If in a nose low recovery (with the power at
idle) first roll wings level(in the most common instrument configuration
use the electric driven turn and bank as primary). Then apply back
pressure until the airspeed indicator reverses
its trend and/or the attitude indicator displays level(presuming
instrument cross check and interpretation confirms consistent
attitude presentation).
If in a nose high recovery simultaneous put the nose down and
level the wings simultaneously. Lower the nose until the
airspeed indicator reverses its trend and/or the attitude
indicator displays level. Level the wings until the turn
coordinator or turn and bank displays wings level. Note: I
presume that the electric turn coordinator is the most reliable
instrument. If a wing leveler autopilot (slaved to the turn coordinator)
caused the upset - deduction may favor the AI.
The quick diagnosis of instrument failure is a crucial skill for
the instrument pilot and generally poorly taught.
The first instrument is airspeed, the first action is power.
Control pressures are a function of airspeed and trim condition,
not aircraft attitude. Relaxing back pressure as the first step
in an unusual attitude or spin recovery is not good advice.
Todd Deckard
Editor's response:
Todd:
Thank you for your response and comment. So far, you're the only
one to present a different point of view. (approx. 400
subscribers). I was hoping for more to stimulate informing
discussion. Is it ok to put your unedited comments in my
next newsletter?
Some comments:
1. Generally I like your approach. Thirty years ago when I
received my CFI, CFII, they taught a military technique of
instrument interpretation; for any attitude of the plane there
is a primary pitch, primary power, primary bank instrument.
Of course this implies the instruments also give supporting
verification. It also requires a high level of scanning skill.
In the 1990's when I had 10 to fifteen flight instructors in my
flight department, I was led to believe that the old way was out
and that the attitude indicator was the primary instrument for
flying by instruments under the idea it gives the most
information with the least amount of scanning.
However, proper recovery from an unusual attitude situation by a
properly trained instrument pilot is NOT the issue I was
addressing. I was trying to discuss the situation of a private
pilot suddenly finding himself in a panic situation. I was
assuming (since we don't really know) that Kennedy might have
kept pulling back on the control wheel trying desperately to stop
the obvious over speed of the plane (air noise alone would make
this obvious). If conventional instrument training is to focus on
the Attitude Indicator, then I'm assuming that this is the habit formation
that Kennedy was reverting to under this great stress.
This is where he was getting his attitude information. I was
assuming continued and increasing back pressure would be the
natural reaction by a lightly trained private pilot. In my
opinion, increasing back pressure, no matter what the attitude,
would prevent recovery of any kind! Therefore, logic dictates
in this situation, that the release of back pressure would give
an instantaneous reduction in the angle of attack and add
effectiveness to recovery efforts such as leveling the wings and coming
back to straight and level. Expecting a sophisticated
recovery approach by Mr. Kennedy in this situation is not
reasonable.
Roger
Editor's note.
"Stick & Rudder" will add a great deal of insight to any
discussion on controlling aircraft flight attitudes.
Other Information:
For a current listing of General Aviation aircraft for sale by
The R.W. Carpenter Company, go to
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In addition, I often recommend, what I feel to be the best book
ever written about flying an airplane, "Stick and Rudder" by
Wolfgang Langewiesche. I sincerely believe that every pilot
should read this "bible" at least twice. It WILL make you a
better pilot because it discusses flying an airplane from the
WYSIWYG perceptions a pilot receives. If you would like to order
it on-line or any of a million other books from Amazon click on
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