Gazzer

Guys,

Being a newbie on this, I just wonder what the current thinking about "should you do this" and if so what methods/practices are being used for installing a kill switch.

Reading the GTBA safety stuff and the instructions in my new Wren MkIII, it insists that a switch is installed that basically turns the pump off, stopping the engine. In the Wren instructions it shows a toggle switch pushed by a servo ensuring once thrown it needs manual restarting.

Now I am all for safety but I am trying to get my head round this and the FADEC controller. I have seen in writing the odd comments suggesting that with a PCM system you set the fail safe for idle, as the control might return. If you had a kill switch, then once thrown, your out and in for some kind of landing. However, if control does not return, the engine is still going.....

So what are the views and how do you do it!!!!???

Cheers,

Gazzer

jetflyer

My Feedback: (5)

I currently have my PCM failsafe to shutdown the turbine. I do believe that either next year or the year after AMA is requiring the turbine to be shutdown if TX signal is lost. Might be wrong, but I think I remember reading that recently.

Of course you being in the UK are unaffected, but I think it is good practice to shutdown the turbine if TX signal is lost. The theory being shutting down the turbine is to hopefully get it cooled down enough before a possible crash to minimize the potential for a fire.

JR Gautreaux

Shok

My Feedback: (28)

I think being able to shut down the engine from the throttle trim and having a shut off valve manually operated on the ground should be sufficient.

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

To my understanding (not saying I am 100% correct) if you have a manual fuel valve that is easily accessed (one way to turn off fuel, especially during ground ops) and also a switch that turns the ecu on and off it is acceptable, since you allready have a means to instantly kill the engine (throttle trim to low) via the radio.

If you set the failsafe to low trim (thereby killing the engine) it saves you from a radio lockout.
If you have control, you can also kill the engine via the low trim.

Therefore why would you need a separate servo activated switch (electronic or for the fuel)?

This is assuming you have the failsafe set to kill the engine. But, even if you had a radio activated kill switch, if you lost radio contact it is useless to shut down the engine.

JFWIW I have tried turning off my transmitter to verify my failsafe settings, and the engine shuts down within a second.

AJC