Another 'Getthereitis' cautionary tail, ground version

[flion]

This has been an exhilarating month. Since being released from a heavy teaching load thanks to the CoV-2 strain, I've finally been able to get to the panel change on my RV-6A and have accomplished more in the past month than in the previous two years. In fact, I have finished the work, done the G3X calibrations, and completed a condition inspection so the aircraft is ready to fly. But I'm not, and I'll explain the symptoms that convince me that I need to cool off a bit before taking to the air.

Two days ago, I finished connecting all the FWF sensors. The CHTs and EGTs had previously been connected and tested, as has been all other peripherals to the G3X system. Everything had been flawless so I was not expecting problems but a test showed that the oil temp sensor was not reading. I checked the connections - all good. It was the same sensor that had been there before and looked identical to the one shipped with the G3X, but I was tired so I figured I'd come back the next morning and try the new sensor. Fortunately, overnight my brain reengaged, so before swapping the sensors out, I checked the configuration and tried changing from the default to a K-type sensor and magically it worked. Ok, not too serious, but it's the beginning of the curve.

The rest of that day, I put the tank/wing root fairings back on, since there were no signs of leaks other than a dripping sump (replaced O-ring, problem fixed), buttoned everything up, and pulled it out to try an engine start. About when it should have started I got two backfires in succession and then the prop wouldn't turn. With not enough battery, I put it on the charger overnight. My guess (wrong) was that I had flooded it and didn't have enough battery to try a hot start procedure. Trying again in the morning again gave me backfires and eventually the prop would not turn, until I attached a boost battery - but you could see it straining at times. Now, finally, the brain wakes up - it acts like the lightspeed ignitions are out of phase. I had tested those before, but I would pull the top plugs to test again.

The procedure is to rotate the prop rapidly by hand back and forth across TDC. The plug wires are removed from the coils (and the top plugs are out), so there is no danger of starting but you will see a spark jump the coil outputs each time the prop moves past TDC in the right direction. Which coil sparks for #1 TDC also tells you which coil to connect #1 and #2 cylinders to. Repeat 180 degrees off to spark the other coil for a 4-cylinder engine. But, as I prepared to test the phase, the brain finally fully wakes up and reminds me that the marks on the front of the flywheel are different than those on the back. Yep, I had connected them out of phase but it was an easy fix to swap the coil connections at the lightspeed boxes.

After that, the engine started normally and I did a run-up and tested the engine and prop controls. Then I re-buttoned up the cowling, restarted, and taxied out to the compass rose to do the magnetometer calibrations. The magnetic interference check was no problem, so I restarted to do the compass swing, but there was too much airframe movement with the engine running so I shut down and called a friend to help run the calibration while I used my towbar to pull the plane around the circle. No problems and afterward I went to start the engine to taxi back but no joy. Even the hot start procedure did nothing.

Rather than run the battery down again, I pulled the plane back to the hangar with the towbar (fortunately not far) and put it back on the charger. When asked if I was going to fly it, I declined, preferring to wait until tomorrow when (I hoped) the engine would be in cool start condition again. It was not until I was on the way home when I realized what the trouble had been. With my mind on all the other things involved in completing the condition inspection, instrument calibrations, etc., I had forgotten to push the fuel purge control back in (AFP injection). My mind was clearly not 'flight ready' and I was not using my checklists or thinking my procedures through on something 'as simple as taxiing back to the hangar.'

So, beware tiredness, excitement, or other conditions that can lead to mistakes, even while building, or maintaining, as opposed to flying. We've all heard stories of people who left off a cap or forgot to safety a fastener or some such but we tend to think 'not me!' I did not realize how far away from flight ready I was until I reflected on the events above. But now I'm aware and I'm pulling out my POH to review procedures. More importantly, I will have the checklists in hand before I operate the aircraft again, rather than cavalierly assuming I know them well enough for ground operations. If you've had a bad building or flying day, maybe you should rethink your headspace, too.https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net...dd&oe=5F22CEAD

[Kyle Boatright]

Originally Posted by flion

I did not realize how far away from flight ready I was until I reflected on the events above. But now I'm aware and I'm pulling out my POH to review procedures. More importantly, I will have the checklists in hand before I operate the aircraft again, rather than cavalierly assuming I know them well enough for ground operations. If you've had a bad building or flying day, maybe you should rethink your headspace, too.

Any consideration of going for a flight with another RV'er in their airplane before daring solo flight again? If only to engage your flying brain?

[Steve Melton]

your good decision making keeps you in the game. I force myself to use a checklist every time, even if it is just a taxi across the field. reading every line is settling, changes your mindset and prepares you and the aircraft for flight or taxi.

[rv8ch]

Thanks for the reminder Patrick. I think I read someone else on the site (Paul?) that said he has a three strikes rule - if he makes three dumb mistakes before takeoff, he does not fly. Something like that. I usually know when my head's not in the game, the trick is to listen to what my brain and my gut are telling me. Having a simple rule to follow helps me listen better.

[flion]

Originally Posted by Kyle Boatright

Any consideration of going for a flight with another RV'er in their airplane before daring solo flight again? If only to engage your flying brain?

It's just the aircraft that hasn't flown for a while. I'm still current and haven't lost skills. I was just noting that frame of mind (excitement to get this plane back in the air, in my case) can affect my thinking process.

[sblack]

in 2011 I did a major refit of my 1969 Jodel. Zero timed the engine, new electrical system, new panel, a bunch of changes to the engine (new type of carb, stainless exhaust). It all took longer than expected, duh, and an airline pilot friend decided to "help" me. He said he would take care of weather briefing, notams etc so I could focus on all the new stuff I had on the airplane. He had a brand new iPhone and foreflight with Wx on it, which at the time was a pretty amazing setup. He had out his phone - Wx is great, no problem. So off I went. As I was lining up a rain drop appeared on the wind screen. Then another, but I was preoccupied with the new engine monitor and I did not want to glaze the cylinders by running a new jugs and rings at low power, so off I went. As I lifted off there was a flash to my right. I looked over and 3 miles to the east there was a huge cell. Then the skies opened up. I had allowed my 20,000hr airline super pro pilot to send me off on a test flight into a very nasty thunderstorm. I did the tightest circuit I had ever done in my life and taxied in and pushed into the hangar in a torrential downpour. Seems that the phone was taking quite a while to update the weather. When he looked back at his phone there were all sorts of pretty colors on top of the airport. My test flight lasted about 90 seconds. So we called it quits and went for lunch. He paid.

[RandyAB]

Did you ever get your 10 back on track Patrick?

[flion]

Originally Posted by RandyAB

Did you ever get your 10 back on track Patrick?

I pulled the floors and left skin aft of the main spar and the damage was limited to the skins and doublers. So now that the -6A is flying again, I can drill out the bottom skin and right skin aft of the main spar, and commence building. While I have the left skin off, I am also going to rework some of the bulkheads to make non-destructive removal of the A/C hoses possible. I already have all the parts (and then some, because I was prepared to replace all the skins, plus I thought I might rework the firewall). So, a bit of reverse progress and then moving forward again. Assuming the university leaves me alone for a while, I may even get to the finishing stage - if I didn't just jinx myself.

By the way, I hope none of you have to deal with the heartbreaking task of having to undo work you performed years ago. It was nostalgic ("ooh, look how awesome the step tubes held up with the insert plug my buddy machined") but at the same time very sad because these were assemblies I had not expected to have to revisit. I was pleased to discover that there was nothing I wanted to modify other than the A/C hose captures. And I am now VERY experienced in drilling out solid and pulled rivets - a dubious distinction at best.

[RandyAB]

Originally Posted by flion

I pulled the floors and left skin aft of the main spar and the damage was limited to the skins and doublers. So now that the -6A is flying again, I can drill out the bottom skin and right skin aft of the main spar, and commence building. While I have the left skin off, I am also going to rework some of the bulkheads to make non-destructive removal of the A/C hoses possible. I already have all the parts (and then some, because I was prepared to replace all the skins, plus I thought I might rework the firewall). So, a bit of reverse progress and then moving forward again. Assuming the university leaves me alone for a while, I may even get to the finishing stage - if I didn't just jinx myself.

By the way, I hope none of you have to deal with the heartbreaking task of having to undo work you performed years ago. It was nostalgic ("ooh, look how awesome the step tubes held up with the insert plug my buddy machined") but at the same time very sad because these were assemblies I had not expected to have to revisit. I was pleased to discover that there was nothing I wanted to modify other than the A/C hose captures. And I am now VERY experienced in drilling out solid and pulled rivets - a dubious distinction at best.

I?m very glad to hear that you are back on track. I was heart sick for you when I read about what happened and I?ve checked your blog intermittently to see what has transpired in the interim. I thought maybe the insurance company owned it now. I?m very happy that they don?t.