Microlighters

Hi there microbofs

I have recently purchased ZS-WOE a Windlass 503 single ignition.

I was able to do my first flight in it this weekend and I found it significantly lighter on the controls then my previous raptor (which I did just over 200 hours on)

My only concern is that it is just too fast...

Cruse speed is over 60 mph and without doing any high speed manoeuvre/turn I was able to get a max speed of 79mph

The reason I have gone back to trike flying is that I want to fly slow... this is anything but that...

Has anyone got some ideas on how to slow it down, (without deploying a parachute, or hanging the mother-in-law below the undercarriage etc)


Some notes:
The engine mount was modified before my purchase and is now “right side up” (see attached pic)
The hang point is in its rear most position
It has no side-bags etc, so it is nice and clean in the air (which may add a few mph, but not that much)

I would like to be cruising around 50 mph

As usual I await your wisdom

Thanks in advance!

ZS WOE

I know the previous owner, and I am sure that he has done everything he could to make it as fast as possible, hence the lack of panniers etc. I see the instrument pod is also small.
How has the stall speed been affected? because if it is still relatively low why not save the engine a little or give the GT450 guys a little scare

Hi Bumpy,

move your hang point to the very rear, loosen your spreader bar cable to the loosest position. Take out the last 3 curved battons on each side and take a little curve out of them. Make sure that they are the same both sides. This will lift your trailing edge alitte and it will slow your trik down. I promise you it will work. as for taking camber out of the last three curved battons start off by a little at a time and go from there. Pm me for more details if this does not work. jamie

Agree with africa. But to safe you a lot of time, phone solowings and order a batten profile sheet for your windlass. Shape them on that, set hangpoint to neutral, and fly. Why I say this, is that solowings designed the trike to do about 50mph or less, and doing that will set wing setting back to manufacturer settings, which is what you want. Do it once, and get it over with.


Regards,

speed checked against a gps? - not just the airspeed indicator over reading

Hi Guys

Thanks for the response so far.

The hang point is already on its rear most position, and the spreader bar cable is loose (the wing fabric is not “tight” at all)

The stall speed has defiantly been affected, I estimate by about 10 mph, (did not want to do any risky manoeuvres because it was the first time I flew her) anything less than 60 mph and I lose altitude

Yes, speed has been checked against a GPS, with absolutely no wind at all (early on Saturday morning in Barberton, one of the calmest days I have ever flown)

I will check the baton profiles against a chart (never thought about that one)

Anyone with further advice, please feel free to share it!

Cheers

Fly more into the wind

ZS-NEL wrote:Fly more into the wind

"FAST" used in the same context with TRIKE, just does not sound right.........

Replace the prop............

Don't fly full throttle

Set battens to profile chart. Wing might have little if any reflex.
Set wash-out cups to align with neutral marks.


and:

Don't fly full throttle

and:

Fly more into the wind

Lastly: Drink an anti-depresant. Chill-"pille".

Hey micro buffs

I managed to take my wing down this weekend to have a look at the batten profiles

Most of them were very far from what they should have been

I set them all back according to the chart (from solo wings) and did a few high-speed taxi runs to ensure that there wasn’t a violent turn…

After that the plane jumped into the air with about 10 mph slower ground speed, climb rate is +/- 750 feet per second and hands off cruise speed is about 48 mph

Thank you very much for the advice!

Until next time

Cheers for now

Mmmmm So, how do you say I bend my battens to get 70mph and more?