It was almost noon before the ceiling lifted enough for me to feel safe to go flying today. I kept listening to ASOS and they were announcing that the density altitude was something like 1200 feet above what we normally are. I don't know why that seemed important to me, and am still not very sure.
So, I cranked her up and taxied to the end of 13 and did my run-up. For some reason, I just could not get a good feeling about the way the engine was running but could not identify anything that could be wrong. I checked for full power, 3000 RPM, that is all I can depend on for static. Everything was technically OK, so I departed. The takeoff was textbook, except for the slight wing drop just after lift off, which is my signature move. The climb out seemed good and the trim tab that I added was working so good that I could take my hand off the stick and she would keep the nose at an 85 MPH climb. Then when I began my turn to downwind, I glanced at the RPM and noticed that it was only at 2500. I checked, and I had not changed it. So I decided that I better head for home. All other indications were that everything was OK. I was landing on 13, which I always chop off really short, and with my concern over the RPM, I think I cut it even shorter. The result of that was that I could not get down, for being too high and so went around. On climb out, it still would not get more than 2500 RPM, and I am thinking that the engine isn't sounding so good. All the other indications were that everything was good. I had gotten the attention of James and the others on the ground and he called to ask what the problem was. I told him that I was not developing full power. I came around and made another bad approach, too high. I had used up about 1/4 of the 5000 foot runway and decided that I had to go around again. This is not something you want to do when you think your engine is "limping" along. So I pushed in the power and the engine almost died. I quickly pulled back to idle an mentally told it, that it was going on the ground. I must have been 600 feet above the runway at that time, so I put in full left aileron and a lot of right rudder. James told me that since I had power, I should go around again. I am sure he was right, but now she is dropping like a rock and I was committed to this decision. I had to remind myself not to give too much forward stick, which I have a tendency to do when I am too high and when I am slipping. I had picked up a little speed and don't remember much from that point to the time I am getting the wheels on the pavement. Yes, pavement. Actually, I touched the pavement so smoothly that I don't even remember it, but I did know that I had to get the tail up or I would be flying again because I could sense that I was going quite fast. Now, the tail on this plane does not like to stay up, so I ended up flying again and having to land it again. The end of the runway was coming up very quickly, so I am working the rudder like mad and lightly working the brakes, with the tail up, to try to get her slowed down enough to get the tail down. Finally, just as I crossed the displaced threshhold, the tail came down, I stuck it, and applied full braking. Another landing without incident. Everything that went up, on and in the plane, came down it it's same relative place. I don't think that I will be flying again soon. I need to take some time to figure out why this engine ran perfectly on Sunday, and today it seemed sick. Where is my Corvair. I need to go find that thing and get it finished. See N64KR at http://KRBuilder.org - Then click on the pics See you at the 2007 - KR Gathering There is a time for building and a time for FLYING and the time for Flying has begun. Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC
