The VAF News - 11.6.2025. #6432. Regulator, Tank, Tires, Starter, Comm, First Flight, Godzilla

[DeltaRomeo]

PSA: Rotax B-Regulator Connector Mount

I've seen a couple RV-12iS installations that have the newer Amphenol Round connector on the B-Gen Voltage Regulator that didn't have the VR connector mounting bracket installed. Rotax addressed the connector mounting bracket installation (951981 $61!) in the Service Instruction SI-912 i-024...

vansairforce.net

Sealant removal tool that I thought looked cool:

Fuel Tank Repair Suggestions

Good Day All! My 1982/88 RV-4 developed a fuel leak in the LH tank at the Sump and near the Forward attach point. Skipping the interesting bits, we were able to remove the tank and confirm the location of the fuel leaks via the ballon/bubble test. I removed the Fuel sending unit cover panel...

vansairforce.net

Michelin Pilot Tires ....dr

PILOT

Michelin Pilot Flyer, High Performance Bias Tires For Piston And Turboprop Aircraft Are Designed To Be The Best Tire Money Can Buy For Propeller Driven Aircraft.

aircraft.michelin.com

Had a nice talk with them Wednesday - they might become an advertiser down the road. Michelin Pilot tire is the product.
*Trivia: The Space Shuttle rolled on Michelins ;^)
“The tires for the space shuttle undergo extreme conditions - from landing at speeds up to 288 mph to carrying loads as much as three times that of a Boeing 747 tire, which is the equivalent of a 40-car starting line-up at a NASCAR race.
The tires weigh approximately 230 pounds and each tire takes approximately six hours to build. The space shuttle takes six tires - four main-landing gear and two nose-landing gear tires - to land. The shuttle tires are inflated up to 373 psi and use nitrogen, which best maintains pressure in varying altitudes and extreme temperatures.”

Violent start when starting warm/hot motor.

Hello all - re attacking this issue on here and hopefully trying to figure it out: IO-540 with dual PMAGS. I have experienced, since having the aircraft, what I can only describe best as a violent kick when starting a hot/warm motor. This happens if I have just ran it for a few minutes (say...

vansairforce.net

IO-540 with dual PMAGS. I have experienced, since having the aircraft, what I can only describe best as a violent kick when starting a hot/warm motor. This happens if I have just ran it for a few minutes (say starting up and taxing to get fuel and it will happen on the subsequent start) or after running for time and attempting restart while engine is till hot. When I do this, most of the time, I will get an extremely violent/hard kick that feels very not good for the engine.. The best way to describe it is what I would imagine starting with improper timing (ie without an impulse coupling) or some sort of detonation issue where there is one massive explosion that violently forces the cylinder away vice a smooth burn and gradual acceleration of the piston on the ignition stroke. This may be totally wrong but that’s what it feels like - and it feels terrible for the motor. The PMAGS are timed properly and they retard their timing for start. It also never occurs when starting from a cold motor (which I would imagine it would if dealing with timing problem). My only possible thought with the PMAGS is that I believe there is “wasted sparks” that occur on strokes and that this possibly is igniting some residual gas vapor filling a cylinder due to a sticking valve or something? But my understanding of how it all works makes that an uneducated speculative guess at best. Reaching out for help in this matter and to hopefully figure this thing out!
My typical hot start procedure is mixture idle cutoff, no priming, throttle cracked. Usually starts pretty easily albeit with this thud.

Garmin Comm Issue

As illustrated on the pic above, I had an issue about a week ago with my #1 comm (top left of G3x screen). You can see it reads that 1215 (emergency frequency) is active, but it also displays the word “FAULT” directly below the frequency. This occurred on an IFR departure when tower...

vansairforce.net

First Flight: Dan Frazer’s RV-12iS | Mason, OH. RV-12iS #121322

https://www.vansaircraft.com/first-flights/dan-frazers-rv-12is/

vansairforce.net

OFF TOPIC:



Please consider donating yearly to help keep this American 1-person pirate ship afloat:

https://cdn.vansairforce.net/donate.htm

Get your VansAirForce.net Charity Cap!

VAF Charity Cap: Help your charity and promote this site.

Get the cap all the cool kids are wearing! I don’t get a penny. It’s around $15. $5 more if you want your N-number on the back (I put 'STAFF' on the back of mine because it makes me laugh. Put STAFF on yours too if it makes you smile). And down the road $10 to the charity of your choice...

vansairforce.net

Older issues of the ‘VAF News’ can be found at:

Doug's Area ...The VAF News, About VAF, My Resume

Pushed out every now and then.

www.vansairforce.net

THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)

THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)

The VAF List ...a list of RV-related lists. RV-related things you might want to browse over (a closed post that is sticky and maintained by dr). Link to this in 'Links' in the menu. v/r,dr Small businesses that help bring you this list of RV-related lists: 360 Avionics www.360Avionics.com Ace...

vansairforce.net