Oh, THIS Shouldn't Be Happening

Brad Z said:
A converted 172.
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I'd only consider that on one of the long range tanked models. My favorite P model N99510 had 160HP and would FLOAT during power off landings. I loved that plane. But it had a strange squeal forward of the firewall during power on/off stalls and high AOA maneuvers.
 
brien23 said:
That's the kind of pickey pilot rental people hate. They have two mags on the plane for a reason if one fails the plane will fly on the other. What's next return to the ramp for a full ashtray or some other lame reason. Don't be such a wimp, real pilots fly and take planes with all sorts of problems, they might not live long but their not wimps.
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Try a take off without returning the mag switch(s) to "Both". Then tell us if you still have the same opinion.
 
bbridges51 said:
Run it up to 1700RPM; right magneto, very little drop. Oh, this is good. Left magneto, engine quits (or at least tried to quit). I did this two more times and each time the left magneto seemed to be completely AWOL.
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I've been in a 172 where the ignition assemble is loose and you need to tighten the nut around the next... otherwise with the mag on the right it's really on the left and the mag on the left is really off...
 
Graueradler said:
Try a take off without returning the mag switch(s) to "Both". Then tell us if you still have the same opinion.
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A long time ago when I was much younger and not nearly as intelligent as I am now I flew a 150 from Winslow Arizona to Albuquerque New Mexico on one mag because I somehow failed (or forgot) to put the switch back to BOTH during my runup.

As for this case, please find out what was the cause so we won't have to endure forty pages of POA speculations and wild-eyed theories :rolleyes:
 
Jaybird180 said:
I'd only consider that on one of the long range tanked models. My favorite P model N99510 had 160HP and would FLOAT during power off landings. I loved that plane. But it had a strange squeal forward of the firewall during power on/off stalls and high AOA maneuvers.
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What does engine power matter for floating? If the power is off, it's off, and whether it doesn't have 160 HP or doesn't have 180 HP is irrelevant.

180 HP 172 conversions are the best performing 172s. They can usually carry more than 1000 lb useful load, enough for four people plus full fuel, and they work pretty nicely even in moderately high mountains (e.g., Lake Tahoe).

Floating usually means you're too fast. 172s like to approach over the fence at full flap at 60 KIAS.
 
MAKG1 said:
What does engine power matter for floating? If the power is off, it's off, and whether it doesn't have 160 HP or doesn't have 180 HP is irrelevant.

180 HP 172 conversions are the best performing 172s. They can usually carry more than 1000 lb useful load, enough for four people plus full fuel, and they work pretty nicely even in moderately high mountains (e.g., Lake Tahoe).

Floating usually means you're too fast. 172s like to approach over the fence at full flap at 60 KIAS.
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Perhaps the ASI was off on that one. We typically flew final at 60KIAS and that was the only one that floated like that, like it was lighter than the other P models in the training fleet.
 
Nice.

I'm not sure why 0.2 hours of logged time on the ground is even worth arguing over. I'd log it if I had to in order for my BFR to count, otherwise I wouldn't sweat it.

Would I fly it out on one mag? That's kind of pointless if you're at your home drone and maintenance is available. If I was out in the sticks? Just depends.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Perhaps the ASI was off on that one. We typically flew final at 60KIAS and that was the only one that floated like that, like it was lighter than the other P models in the training fleet.
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I've seen a couple of 172s where a somewhat boogered throttle friction lock prevents the throttle from being pulled all the way. Those can float at the correct airspeed, though they land real smooth. On one of those, the instructor wanted to see a simulated engine out from cruise. That thing glided just forever. :D

Some 172s really are lighter than others. Avionics gets heavy, especially glass panels and autopilots.

If the ASI is not accurate, that's a problem that needs correcting.
 
Jaybird180 said:
I'd only consider that on one of the long range tanked models. My favorite P model N99510 had 160HP and would FLOAT during power off landings. I loved that plane. But it had a strange squeal forward of the firewall during power on/off stalls and high AOA maneuvers.
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ANY plane will float if you bring it in at higher speed. That someone says a plane "floats" in the flare always gets me. Its all a matter of speed. Bring it in slow and it will settle immediately.
 
coloradobluesky said:
ANY plane will float if you bring it in at higher speed. That someone says a plane "floats" in the flare always gets me. Its all a matter of speed. Bring it in slow and it will settle immediately.
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It was only that ONE plane in the fleet that had that characteristic. See the remaining posts in the thread.
 
The plane had just been through a 100 hr inspection and i was the first to fly afterwards. Run it up to 1700RPM; right magneto, very little drop. Oh, this is good. Left magneto, engine quits (or at least tried to quit).
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If by "tried to quit" you mean it stumbled, belched and ran poorly it could have been fouled plugs as mentioned earlier. They should probably clean the plugs on the 100hr, but who knows. Any extended taxiing at full rich will foul them up pretty fast.

What you should do in this situation is turn the plane into the wind, run it up into the green arc (2200rpm or so) lean until the engine power drops off noticeably, then go back in with the mixture until it develops max power (1-2 turns). Hold the brakes and let the engine run for a minute or two. Keep an eye on CHT if you have a gauge.

Then repeat your normal run up. If it checks out fine, go fly.
 
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