> I got back in the air finally.  My main goal was to get some
> performance data on the Warp Drive prop.  The winds were 9 kts right
> down the runway all afternoon so I made a short flight.  I wanted to
> get back before the wind changed direction!  Mixture was reading super
> rich at all setting of the mixture control. After I got back, I took
> the cowling off and found the O2 sensor had fallen apart.
> > For some reason, my temps seem to be doing a little better.  This prop
> may be hitting the oil cooler a little better than the old 2 blade.
> > I did one full power speed test.  At about 7500 ft with the OAT around
> 50F I saw 155 IAS which works out to somewhere around 170 TAS.  Engine
> RPM was 7000 or 2450 at the prop.  I never tried it with the 2 blade
> because of the temp problems, and I would surely have had the engine
> over 8000.  I still need to put the wheel pants on which are supposed
> to be good for 8 or 9 kts.
> > I also learned that I can't take written data in flight.  With my left
> hand on the stick that leaves my right hand to write, and that just
> doesn't work.  Time to dig out the tape recorder.
> > Bob W.
> >

Thanks Bob for the BD4 flight report. What was the out side
air temp?
Hi Paul,

About 50 F on the ground at 6200 ft, so maybe a little lower at 7500.

Bob W.

Well water cooling is VERY sensitive to ambient air temp.
Do you have a spinner on that prop. A large spinner should
help the Warp Drive props. In theory you should be able to run
a bit more pitch.

Could you send us some pictures with the cowl on?

Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.

I have the 12 inch spinner on the Warp Drive.  That's what came with it
from the individual I purchased it from.  The 2 blade had a 13 inch
which blended in with the cowl better. I think I can improve the cowl
shape when I rebuild the whole thing some day.  I should be going back
to the airport today and I'll take a picture.

The temps seem to be doing a little better on the 50F day as compared
to the 2 blade on a 40F day.  Maybe some of it can be attributed to the
propeller pulling better at a lower RPM.  There are a couple of high
spots in the taxi ways here.  I sometimes had to go to 4500 RPM with
the 2 blade, now the three blade seems to handle it with 3500 RPM.

So far I'm thinking I can run this prop until I decide what I really
want.  Maybe the LAEV if it gets good reports.  I can increase the
pitch 2 more degrees from 18 to 20.

Bob W.