People believe in 100 mpg carburetors and engines that run on water. Why is a magic airplane any different?
It's incredible the kind of forces carbon fiber can take. Other than some "delamination" (is that what it was?) that the Wasabi guys found the actual structural integrity would not worry me with the Raptor.. I believe as well that during that time he had help and the shop seemed more "legit" -- Just to appreciate carbon fiber a bit..
Good. Otherwise he may have flown it and had another engine failure soon. Next time may not go as well as the first one. Here's hoping he doesn't screw up something critical in the process of swapping the engines. Sounds like he plans to pop it in, fire it up, and fly soon after if he doesn't hear any "weird noises."
over/under on whether he’ll flush the rest of the oiling system prior to plugging the new engine in and letting‘Er rip?
It’s time for deeper causal analysis - what caused the failure of the wrist pin or rod. Only then can this be prevented in the next go round.
"It's a costly mistake, but it is what it is. You know, I've just got to go through the motions and get it done so I can get back on to finishing off the 40 hours..." The casualness of this statement is rather unnerving as it applies to this particular project.
It was time for deeper causal analysis before the taxi tests were ever started, lol. Don't look for him to start doing it now. Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk
yep. If not for the rod, I have no doubt he would’ve flown right after the test-run following the turbo replacement. Without laying my hands on it, everything that’s happening screams excessive heat. Not surprising given the temps he was “ok with”.
Running an engine for 4 minutes after an oil leak started resulted in a broken rod / wrist pin? What a shock. Who could have ever guessed that could happen?
I guessed it! I also predict the second engine won’t make it 10 hours and he will end up putting an aircraft engine on the plane.
Nope. Without the Audi, he has absolutely nothing to distinguish the Raptor from any number of canards. Well, nothing to distinguish is positively.
noun, plural ca·nards [kuh-nahrdz; French ka-nar]. /kəˈnɑrdz; French kaˈnar/. 1. a false or baseless, usually derogatory story, report, or rumor.
Looks like that seal retaining ring is not seated very well. It almost looks conical. Obviously better than not being there at all but would make me nervous. He had the whole assemply off the plane. Would have been a convenient time to have it machined so the retainer would fit correctly. But no, just shove it in there and hope for the best.
$5,000 for a new engine. That’s one thing good about using the Audi vs a Lycoming or Continental engine.
Carbon fibre makes for good racing wheels. Ask the guy that rode this bike, and had a minor mishap in front of me.
True, but Peter is the biggest factor in the reliability of his engine. The Audi engine itself is not unreliable, even if a poor aviation choice due to its weight. It's all his mods and neglect that make it so sketchy. He would probably find a way to turn a certified engine into a mess, too.
There are a number of things that distinguish the Raptor from other canards. Always overheats! Has a service ceiling of only 5000 feet. Cannot carry even just the pilot with full fuel tanks and on and on. If he ever does want to test the airframe he will need to bolt on an aircraft engine to do so. There is a reason Peter is the most hated airplane builder!
If I was in an airplane with an unknown best glide and it's marginal I'm making it back to the airport. I'm running the engine till she pukes too.
Well duh. But I’d bet you wouldn’t put out a video on how you’re gonna fly it again as soon as you fix the leak.
Well at this rate only 3 more engines until he burns through his 40 hours! Then maybe a 4th to get the plane to California.
Used, out of a wrecked vehicle. Unknown quantity. Not likely to be rebuilt for that price, just straight out of the junkyard.
What is 'Phase I' in the sense of an experimental R&D certificated airplane? There's been a lot of conjecture in this thread on what 'has to be done' for an experimental-amateur built airplane, but that's not how the Raptor was certified. Nauga, who is commenting on 'has to be' not 'should be'
That was a cheap fix compared to his ambulance/hospital bill. He had to be transported from Chuckwalla Raceway in the middle of the Southern California desert.
Gotta admire his commitment. From the few videos I have seen the airplane has a hard time maintaining 130 kts. He has a long ways to go to reach his claims.
Maybe a DAR can jump in and answer, I was making the assumption that anything in the Experimental Category would be assigned operating limitations, containing Phase I requirements. Maybe R&D is a completely different dealio. For an Amateur-built or a Kit-built project Phase I is when you're doing your tests within a specific area. For me it was 10 hours within 50 nm of my home field, 30 hours within the state. This 40 hour total was based on my choice of an experimental Lycoming. If I would have had a certified engine/prop combo my understanding is they would have made it 25 hours. When I finished Phase I, all I had to do was document completion with some very specific verbiage and then I'm in Phase II... which essentially means I can fly it as a normal certified plane. If I change the engine, prop or any other major change then I have to call the FSDO and reenter Phase I for a period of time. I would assume with his new engine he would have to do something similar, maybe get it reinspected.
Oof, that's a bad day. Don't miss coming too strapped to a back board in the back of an ambulance. Lol.
Double yikes. hope he’s ok now. Bikes are some of the most fun one can have on earth...until they aren’t.
May depend on the DAR, but I was told by mine that if I swapped in an engine of similar weight and horsepower, no need to redo Phase 1 (this was after Phase 1 was completed). If I put a significantly different engine in, a new Phase 1 would be needed. This was all E-AB. Peter's DAR seems to be treating his R&D like a hybrid between the two categories. As I understand it, R&D doesn't normally have a Phase 1, but he has something like it in his operating limitations.
Not sure what your point is. He was claiming this was going to be a 300 mph airplane, just saying he has a long ways to go. My Venture will run 130 kts at near idle and will barely reach 300.