M

Monacam44

I'm New Here
Hello everyone,

I'm currently in Cannes, France and I think either my alternator or voltage reg (they're separate) has gone US. Low battery volts and no charging. I've removed the battery and charged it fully. If I fly home (two 2.5 hour legs) on minimum kit ie: no lights, no transponder, minimum radio use, GPS on internal battery etc do you think I can get home or am I being optimistic? I don't have Dynons, just steam six pack. The turn coordinator will be off! I need to deploy and retract flaps twice. All opinion welcome. Thank you.

Regards,

Monica
G-RVCL
 
Monacam44 said:
Hello everyone,

I'm currently in Cannes, France and I think either my alternator or voltage reg (they're separate) has gone US. Low battery volts and no charging. I've removed the battery and charged it fully. If I fly home (two 2.5 hour legs) on minimum kit ie: no lights, no transponder, minimum radio use, GPS on internal battery etc do you think I can get home or am I being optimistic? I don't have Dynons, just steam six pack. The turn coordinator will be off! I need to deploy and retract flaps twice. All opinion welcome. Thank you.

Regards,

Monica
G-RVCL
Click to expand...

Impossible to provide a definite answer since we don't know what kind of battery you have, its health, and how much load is pulled by the items you intend to use. Flaps should not be needed unless you are operating out of very short runways.

Calculate the total load of the minimum required equipment and compare it to the amp/hr rating of your battery to get an estimate of battery life.

Best wishes for a safe flight home!
 
Last edited:
Monica,

There are many variables affecting your ability to limp home with battery power that are hard to quantify precisely, not the least of which are power consumed in engine start, minimum electrical loads, radio use, etc., and actual capacity (not rated capacity) of the battery in its current condition. So, technically, the answer to your question is maybe. And given that, it would seem unwise to knowingly embark on that kind of flight with the aircraft in that condition. And I won't even attempt to comment on legalities of what you're proposing.

If I were you I'd focus my efforts on plan B: getting the alternator problem diagnosed and brought back to working condition. Thankfully the alternator circuit is one of the simpler systems on the aircraft, and should be relatively quick and easy to fix. Even a complete R&R of the alternator and regulator, if necessary, is relatively easy to do in the field if you can obtain the parts.

Good luck,
-Roee

P.S. regarding your comment about flap deployment: If you aren't already, you should become proficient and comfortable in making no flap landings in your aircraft. That's generally speaking, for when you have an unplanned in-flight failure of the flap motor or electrical system.
 
monica,

ask yourself around before attempting any risky moves... i for one would not want to risk going NORDO/disappearing from radars over the english channel... so possibly consider a short positioning flight within france. but certainly not a 2:30 international and over water flight.

if i remember correctly, the owner of a larger maintenance/paint shop at cannes is himself an rv builder... i would certainly try to get in touch with him...

also, try contacting the van's club de france.
http://www.vansclubdefrance.fr/

good luck getting it fixed
bernie
 
Another option is to properly secure a backup battery and hook it in parallel with your main battery if possible. My battery is in the cockpit and I have done that twice.
 
Monica,

I found myself in exactly the same position last year tho nearer home as I was at Caen.

I flew back to Little Rissington (about 2hours IIRC) on battery alone - a fairly new Odyssey - and took advice before doing so. We had a hand held GPS as back up, EPIRB for the 60 miles of water (Caen-IOW), kept updating London info etc with location and had transponder and flaps for zone transit and landing. The main GPS had a backup battery as did the Dynon 180, so even if the battery had died we had instruments and location. We did not have a handheld radio and that is something I will rectify if I make another cross-channel trip.

Biggest anxiety was engine start as volts were down to 11.5.....

French ATC were VERY unimpressed that we did not choose to have the transponder on, and in retrospect I think we were lucky not to be told to land. We ran the fuel pump for takeoff and landing as per normal SOP. NO flaps for takeoff. We kept the master switch off and hence radio off except for position checks with ATC and the final 10 miles or so to Rissy.

We did the direct route back, the alternative being a long transit thru french airspace and the short crossing Calais-Dover. I suspect we would have needed a stop to recharge the battery if we had gone by that route.

We had a huge time constraint, a Plane Power alternator with no spare at home, minimal tools and negligible french language skills. I spoke several more experienced friends about the best course of action and this was what we came up with. Had we had trouble while en route we were to turn on the master and transponder, make a mayday call and leave everything on until on the ground in the water, then activate the EPIRB. We briefed all that before getting in.

I realise that none of that helps you of course, but perhaps gives a bit of perspective

From where you are I think you would be best to see if you can replace the alternator, then fly back. Track distance for you must be at least 800nm...., plus at least 20nm of water. I would think you would need at least 2 stops to recharge the battery if tried to go on battery alone.

Plus you might get grief from French ATC - who to be fair are of course very helpful and give a very good service. I'm not sure of the legality of a cross channel flight without a transponder tho I think if it is a problem it is at the French end rather than the English end (since you can still fly in teh UK without one).

Hope that helps, that you get back without too much trouble and that the delay does not lead to weather problems.

Chris
 
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