> > 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.
Here is a photo of the 3 blade in front of the cowl opening. The two
blade has a piece of tape approximately where the top of the opening
would be if it were in the same position as the blade shown on the 3
blade. I thought the flat area on the two blade was partially in front
of the opening, but it doesn't look like that was the case.
Bob W.
