MAC-CDL Prop Strike
Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:33 pm
I would appreciate any information and/or advice from any MAC-CDL fundies out there.
I replaced the old Cuyuna (with V-belt reduction gear) with a Rotax 503 with gearbox. The prop is driven via a shaft direct from the gearbox. The shaft is held with a P205J bearing and housing. Whereas before the thrust line went through the root tube, it now goes through the shaft direct to the gearbox/engine assembly and to the root tube via the engine mountings.
After putting a lot of hours and effort in making the necessary changes from a Cuyuna to a Rotax I finally took the aerie this morning for a test flight. Flew the plane at ground effect height (+- 10ft) the length of the runway to check the controls and found the plane a little nose-heavy. I decided to taxi back to the hangar to make the neccessary adjustment to the tail-feathers. While taxiing, the P205J disintigrated and the prop (brand new) chewed up both trailing edges and my brand-new set of sails. The root-tube is twisted beyond repair and the prop is history. I had taxiied the aerie extensively the previous weekend without detecting any vibration or adverse torque effect.
Can anyone please give me some advice if the mod I made has an inherent flaw?
I replaced the old Cuyuna (with V-belt reduction gear) with a Rotax 503 with gearbox. The prop is driven via a shaft direct from the gearbox. The shaft is held with a P205J bearing and housing. Whereas before the thrust line went through the root tube, it now goes through the shaft direct to the gearbox/engine assembly and to the root tube via the engine mountings.
After putting a lot of hours and effort in making the necessary changes from a Cuyuna to a Rotax I finally took the aerie this morning for a test flight. Flew the plane at ground effect height (+- 10ft) the length of the runway to check the controls and found the plane a little nose-heavy. I decided to taxi back to the hangar to make the neccessary adjustment to the tail-feathers. While taxiing, the P205J disintigrated and the prop (brand new) chewed up both trailing edges and my brand-new set of sails. The root-tube is twisted beyond repair and the prop is history. I had taxiied the aerie extensively the previous weekend without detecting any vibration or adverse torque effect.
Can anyone please give me some advice if the mod I made has an inherent flaw?
