Birthday Fly

2008-12-20 Saturday

Today is my birthday.. well I it is a Saturday so I will be flying my Raven!

Reached Putra Height Aircraft Flier field at about 9:15. I already have half tank of fuel loaded and ready to fly at the minutes I reached there.

After saying hi to other fliers, I started my Raven's engine. Continue with normal in-flight check hover. Everything just nice and smooth, I continue to fly familiarizing with figure 8 (still!)

Afird (the guy who came to visit sometimes ago) also was there and giving me some few valuable tips. I will need to familiarize with "stall turn" start with shallow 45% angle. Than I can build up the vertical angle and continue with flip/loop.

Err... but not on this session.

So I flew for few more minutes quickly to realize that my main fuel tank already empty. Landed the Raven and shutdown the engine. Then I refueled.



Then watch others with their aircraft.. here is Bard with his new Esky Belt-CP

From Remote Control Helicopter - My Journey

Many others who joined the flying session as well

From Remote Control Helicopter - My Journey

After a while the field was clear, I started the Raven engine, and continue with my normal flight. Now I am more confident since previously the TR3703 has flew with out any problem. In this flight I noticed that the Raven is not leaning to left side anymore, instead, it is a bit leaning to right side. This is much better, since that is what I aspact when I check the center gravity before.

When the second tank almost finished, I landed the Raven. I think this is the first time I fly the Raven for long time consecutively.

I refueled TR3703 for the third time. And started to prepare for another flight. However, this time I was not able to start the engine!!

I keep trying, doing all kind of thing to troubleshoot the problem, including took out and put back the plug, use different glow heater, checking fuel line etc. Still no luck and I was not able to start the engine.

22:00 I checked again the glow plug and fuel line and then decided to try to start the engine. Outside my house I tried, after a few try it started ok!! I wonder why it was not ok before.

And later in the afternoon, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!
Had a moderate celebration at my elders brother's house in Selayang.

From Life is full of magic

2008-12-21 Sunday

09:30 Just found out that today PHAF team is using the alternate flying field. While it is neared to my house, this field is actually more human and flier friendly. There are many trees giving us good shades and the open space is much neared to the road where we can park our cars.

With all of the equipments ready I tried to start the engined with unsuccessful result. Some how it just won't start. I changed the glow plug using a brand new one, try different glow heater and now even adjusted the High Speed Needle (HSN) setting on the engine.

After a while of unsuccessful tries, Yed, Sidi and others come over to have a look and help me. We tried different glow heater, bypassed the glow extender, checked the fuel lines, did 'priming' etc. At one time we got the engine hydro locked. Just clear that by rotating the starter shaft without the glow plug installed and closing the exhaust. Then continue to troubleshoot.

Then we decided to reset the HSN to 2 turns setting. With this setting we were able to start the engine!

Then, with a bit more of HSN tuning, turning it back to less than 1 turn position, I able to spool up the rotor and take off to hover. Landed from the hover, in idle throttle for few seconds suddenly the engine died. Sensing temperature on the back plate, it was very hot!! So we set the HSN richer and started the engine again. This it is much better. I was able to fly it as normal including figure 8.

From Remote Control Helicopter - My Journey

Finished the session at 12:00, with big smile on my face!