From the Co-pilot's Seat

[ualani]

It only took me nearly 5 years, but I finally put this up on YouTube This is my first YouTube upload.

I shot this from the co-pilot's seat and was mostly interested in the gauges, controls and what the pilot was doing during the flight. The panel is fitted with a neat gauge (the one that flickers on the upper right of the panel because of the digital camera.) The gauge provides various information for each individual cylinder in the engine such as cylinder head temperature, exhaust gas temperature, oil pressure and temperature, etc. and he can toggle back and forth from cylinder to cylinder to get information from each one.

This flight was from a bush fishing camp in the James Bay Region of Quebec, in the middle of nowhere, to a small, remote float plane dock just off of the James Bay Highway. This is in the sub-arctic watershed where the terrain is pretty flat, but has a huge amount of lakes and rivers that empty into James Bay (the lower arm of Hudson Bay.) The sleepy, bored looking guys in the rear seats are my 2 brothers and my older son, who is in the middle. Enjoy!

Steve

Oh ya, the pike I'm holding in my profile photo was caught on that trip.

[ryapad]

That's a pretty big fish!

My dad's always wishing for one of those engine monitors. Our Maule had only been flown a handful of times in ten years, so they were worried about the engine when we first started flying. The plane has been running a little hot for a while, but with one of those, not only is it accurate, but it tells you the temps. of all the cylinders in case one is burning hotter than the other. The normal EGT is only attached to one cylinder. Why did he pull the mixture full-lean when he was taxiing around?

[ualani]

I don't know why he leaned it way back. I've been told that the engines in those things are very sensitive and have to be really babied. The plane had flown in to get us and probably sat with the engine shut off for about an hour and it still took about 10 minutes for the engine and oil temps to come back up into the green, even though it was in the 60's outside. Maybe pulling back on the mixture helps warm it up, but I have no idea. Ask your dad. Also notice how he throttles back the manifold pressure and prop pitch as soon as we're air born. Takes a lot of power to get off the water. Finally, I find it interesting that he waits until he's getting up a pretty good head of steam before he extends the flaps to takeoff pitch. I'm sure there's people around here who know the answers as to why. Again, ask your dad.

Steve

[stiletto2]

Hi Steve,

Interesting video.  Thanks for the post.

Rod

[av8erjm]

I have had a EIS gauge in every piston plane I've either owned or partnered in. It's a great tool to have to pin point a problem before it gets out of hand.

[spud]

Nice video of the Beaver.  IE: leaning the mixture, radial engines have a tendency to 'loadup' the lower cylinders and will run rough when allowed to idle very long.  Taxiing and setting up for takeoff does take some time so its not abnormal to lean the engine until just before take off.  It's obvious the pilot has flown this A/C for some time as he knows from 'feel' where to levers (Manifold and Prop RPM will be for climb and cruise.  He can retard power and prop at the same time with the correct settings by the position of the levers in his hand.  That comes from experience and practice.
The engine analyzer guage is a very handy instrument for setting up power to exacting conditions and additionally it will be an early indication of possible problems with individual cylinders. 
Here's a link to some info on the guage:

http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article/engine-analyzers-information-is-power/#.WLBuen9ffhc

 

[ualani]

Thanks for the technical info guys. Keep it coming!

Steve

[Stearmandriver]

Like Spud says, the engine leaning at idle is to prevent a rich idle leading to spark plug fouling.   It's pretty common on higher powered recip engines in general.   Taxi or idle at full rich for 10 minutes and you'll probably find some roughness during your mag check.  That's easily fixed by running at a little higher power and leaning to make the engine run hotter, until the fouling deposits burn off the plugs and the engine smooths out... but you can usually avoid it in the first place by leaning during ground/ taxi operation.  The danger, of course, is forgetting to richen the mixture for takeoff... this is where good checklist (or at least flow) discipline will save ya.

[jeff3163]

Thanks for the video, Steve.  What a treat to get a ride in a Beaver (and share in a video too).  Very cool!   

[nbrich1]

Great vid Steve.. Nice to get a real cockpit viewpoint: very informative.  Thanks for posting.

Norm

[ualani]

Next up will be my ride(s) last summer in a Turbo Otter - after I get things edited and spliced together. Quite a different bush flying experience.

Steve

[spud]

Nothing more important that the pre-takeoff check list for longevity!  Strangest thing I ever had happen was in a T-34 instructinh Naval students.  pre-take off checklist went smoothly up to the point where you check that the enging will shutdown by momentarily switching the mag switch to the off position and back on to see if the engine stops firing.  Student got to that point and 'something' just didn't sound right.  Took over and re-ran the grounding check and the engine was a bit rough after switching back on.  After running up and burning any fuel build up in the cylinders.  Re-ran the check and engine got rough again.  One more check and this time I let the engine get closer to shutting down and when the mag switch placed in the 'both' positon the engine actually stopped rotating for just a second and started running backwards.  I could get it to about 1600 RPM before it went 'rough' again.  Needless to say had to shut down and have A/C towed to the line and sign out a new one for the hop.
When I called ground and told them I would need a tow in they probably thought I was balmy when I told them I could back it in if they didn't have a tow tractor handy.
 

[NeptuneP2V7]

Hello nice Video
I hope Milviz will be inspired for the how to ! engine & propeler ....

Patrick

[Yoland]

What a nice trip in the "real" airplane. I could even smell the mist and the kerosene. Thanks for sharing!

[spud]

Yoland,
if your smelling kerosene you better tighten your shoulder harness because the Beaver is an AVGAS radial engine and its gonna quit pretty fast trying to burn Jet A.