Hi all,

Well I took the plunge today and accomplished flying in high winds. The weather today in North Texas was gusty NW wind from 6 to 22 knots. I read all the post on the web site that dealt with flying in high winds, just to make sure I didn't pull any bonehead mistakes. I also practiced with RFG2 to learn want to expect. I had ran a tank though on the ground, just to measure how long the engine would run on a full tank.

I kept having a problems with my OS .40 LA engine stalling. I have never had this problem before.The first 3 tries, I got it maybe 30' up, and then the engine would die...talk about your trial by fire....dead stick into the winds mentioned above. But, no problems landing, just kept the nose down and landed just fine.

Finally, I set the avistar's engine to a real rich mixture and got it up. My girlfriend called me a hard headed, for trying to fly in the strong winds as they were, but living in north Texas, you have got to learn to fly into the wind. The flight was great, talk about your thrills, whew man! After about 10 minutes, and couple of practice approaches, she landed as smooth as ice.

After a short nicotine break...needed it after that...I attempted to try again, engine started just fine, got it 25 feet up, and the darn thing stalled again, this time to close for me to flair, so the front nose gear's plastic collar snapped.

My question to the group is what can I do to keep the engine from stalling? I have flown the avi 5 times before with no problems, don't know what is causing the engine to start stalling in the air and run just fine on the ground.

Thanks in advance.

when you start your motor, have a helper hold your plane level, then pick it up and point it nose up about 45 * and make sure it doesnt speed up or die out.. if it does you need to adjust the airbleed screw on the front of the motor read your instruction manuals on how to adjust it.. i dont remember exactly how anymore.. i dont have to mess with airbleeds. im sure someone here knows for sure.. good luck

Airbleed screw is only for idle adjustment, but do as Jim says and hold the nose up and set the high speed needle till the engine goes to top rpm., then richen it up till you hear the engine slow down a couple of 100 rpm. As the tank level drops the engine will lean out even more. It should be so that when you get to the botton of the tank, it is leaned right out.

Are you crazy flying in these winds??? I could barely keep my car in its lane today! Are you flying at North Lakes?

Nope, on Lewisville lake, by Lake Park Golf Course. Kind of cool to fly out over the lake, again my girlfriend thinks I am crazy.

Thanks to Jim C and Gord, I will try these suggestions out Sunday morning. Just wondering if the cold maybe playing more of a factor here, should I lean or go rich for colder weather, Friday afternoon it was in the mid 50's, I am going out Sunday morning and the temperature is predicted to be in the upper 30's to low 40's with 10 mph winds of out the south.

LearJetMech - you know I have been waiting for weeks to have nice calm winds on the weekends, but as you know, it always is rather nasty on the weekend around this neck of the woods.....and I just could not stand waiting any more.

Thanks to all

it will run a little leaner in the cold.. rich in the summer. after you start it up.. have a helper stand in front of the horizontal stab and run the engine up to full throttle.. let it run for a few seconds. then adjust the high speed needle (main needle) a little lean (clockwise) untill you get top rpm out of it.. then richen it up untill the rpms fall off just a bit.. (prob 1/8th of a turn) then you should be good to go.

Once you learn to fly in the wind it can be a lot of fun. You should be able to point the nose into the wind and I have even had planes back up.

Adjusting the low end is opposite with air bleed and second needle valves. An air bleed will ritchen when turned in (clockwise) and an idle needle valve will lean out when turned in. For the OS la (air bleed carb) adjust the low end as follows:
1. Do this from behind the aircraft!
2. Start the engine and run it up to full throttle. This will allow the sleeve to expand (ABC constructionn means Aluminum piston / brass sleeve / Chrome plating). Adjust as noted in other posts with the engine pointed up at full throttle.
3. Return the plane to level and idle and pinch the fuel line going to the engine. If the engine slows and then quits the mixture is too lean >> turn the air bleed in which gives less air and richens the mixture << If the engine speeds up and then slows down the mixture is too rich >> turn the air bleed out which will lean the mixture <<
4. If the temperature is cold when doing this you will need to run the engine up to full throttle periodacly to insure the sleeve stays warm during adjustment. It is impossible to adjust the idle if the engine is not at operating temperature.
5. Other factors can cause the engine to quit. Bad fuel (old or left open), bad glow plug and dirt in the spray bar.
6. If you leave the plane at idle for a while preparing for take off the sleeve can contract. Add to that a rich setting at idle (possibly the problem here) and advance the throttle the engine cools even more and stops. Try adjusting the idle and keep the engine warm just before take off. Advance the throttle smoothly so you don't stall the engine.

Good luck! See the glow engine forum for additional information.

EXCAP232

just a small caviot to that.... its good to do a good run-up before you take off. just stand infront of the horizontal stab.. and advance the throttle to full.. and leave it clear and warm up before you go.. and most important... IT GIVE YOU ONE LAST CHANCE TO CHECK THE CONTROL SURFACE MOVEMENT!!!! HINT HINT HINT.

Fortunately I'm switching shifts this week to weekend shift. Work Fri-Sun, off Mon-Thur. Got the field all to myself.

With someone holding your airplane and after your engine is warmed up, take it to full throttle and pinch your fuel line to the carb just for a second and listen. If she speeds up your rich, if it hesitates your lean. Start out with your high speed needle at 1 & 1/2 turns out, if its rich turn in just a few clicks, if its lean turn out just a few clicks. After the high speed needle is set, have someone hold the airplane and you advance the throttle to full and listen to the engine, tilt the nose up slightly as to similate take off if the engine does not hesitate then you are set. Make sure you have padding around your fuel tank and that you do not have bubbles inside your fuel tank.

In my experience, when a good running engine like the OS .40 LA is quitting on you, it's usually the plumbing, not the needle valve. You should check the needle valve first to make sure you're not running too lean, because it's easy to do, but that's probably not the problem. What I do is just start over at the beginning and take out the tank, and replace all the tubing. Use little zip ties at each connection, and make sure the clunk is swinging correctly. Nine times out of 10, the engine that was giving me problems suddenly becomes gold.