CAA Certification on the UFO Gyro

[THI]

Regarding the tail design, it is interesting that this (new) tail design is the one that works. The SportCopter also adapted their old tail design to this new design, similar to the new UFO tail.

http://www.sportcopter.com/Gyroplanes/S ... fault.aspx

[MPL Pilot]

THI

You are right, the most obvious reason being according to JVL & Gary, movement from the tail that is connected to the mast, gets translated to input on the rotor control stick via rhe rotorhead.
To me the UFO is a good looking gyro, would be good for the company to have a flawless machine. Looking at what they're doing it won't be long.

[MPL Pilot]

Please excuse my ignorance,
Is the unit you are testing the actual one you will fly eventually, or do you plan to build a new one once tests are complete and results gathered?

Hi Grumpy
This gyro will be flown eventually. We will go through all the main strain taking parts of this gyro with great care, using a crack detector identifying weakened places. According to the material stress calculations, we have not tested the structure to damage it. But for safety all will be triple checked.
Thank you for your concern.

Pierre

[MPL Pilot]

Hi All

Today we tested the free fow exhaust, during the static test we got 235kg on the scale instead of the 218kg with the standard exhaust. (The engine sounded like a dragster at Talton). Other tests included, removing wireing from the engine and at last everything except for ignition, eventualy the EJ25 pumped black smoke thru the exhaust with the choke on, and registered 5100rpm during the worst of conditions. Good enough to keep the gyro flying.

Geoff Price from the UFO company in NZ send some pic's of the exhaust they developed for the UFO, it delivered 20hp more than the standard exhaust. The cost would be (seramic coated in and outside) R3200 + freight.
Next would be to setup the engine management system with the help of Kallie Venter.

Here is two of the pic's Geoff sent.

[Grumpy]

Please excuse my ignorance,
Is the unit you are testing the actual one you will fly eventually, or do you plan to build a new one once tests are complete and results gathered?

Hi Grumpy
This gyro will be flown eventually. We will go through all the main strain taking parts of this gyro with great care, using a crack detector identifying weakened places. According to the material stress calculations, we have not tested the structure to damage it. But for safety all will be triple checked.
Thank you for your concern.

Pierre

Pierre thanks for the explanation. However, I would not want to fly anything thats had the G's squeezed out of it. But I am not knowledgeable on the process or topic.
Good Luck.

[MPL Pilot]

To all the technical guru's,

Today we replaced the free flow exhaust with the modified original exhaust, we removed all the extra metal (baffle) from it.
The engine rpm was about 200rpm higher. After setting the pitch of the prop courser, the static thrust test improved with 2kg at full power.

The difference between the free flow and original exhaust is, on the free flow we have four Ø45 bore tubes (two each side) and the original has 2 Ø38 that joins.
Today was warmer than when we did the previous static thrust test, could be that the result would have been better if it was cooler like last time round.

Because we haven't got the right equipment to set the fuel management system yet, Johan sprayed petrol into the air intake during full power. The result was, the engine rpm dropped 300rpm with the richer mixture. The conclusion was, the fuel management is currently set for altitude at the coast which means, it has a rich mixture already and performance will improve with a leaner mixture at 5000 feet above sea level.

If someone has an interface for the Subaru D42V4 200204 Link Fuel management system, we would appreciate the use of it. If we can't get one from the manufactures of the Link System in NZ, the only solution would be to replace the current system with a new one.

Till next time.
Fly safe.

[MPL Pilot]

Hi All

Johan von Ludwigh got hold of a hand set for the EMS, between him and Riaan they had it on the engine, checking all the setting, timing, fuel mixture etc. After this exercise they realized something else has to be wrong with the engine.
I did a compression test, and the result was, left bank had only 8 bar while the right bank had 12 bar compression. After some more tests, the conclusion was, the rings on the left bank need to be replaced. We need to do a final "blow by" test to confirm.


Soon this setback will be rectified, and then we can get another step closer to flying this beast.

Soon CAA will have the final documentation (drawings of UFO from NZ),then we will be issued with the ATF for proving flights.

Something to look forward too.

Something worth mentioning, Johan got permission from Denel, to use test flight data of the RooiValk to support approval for certification of the UFO. The Rooivalk has a 2.6g safety factor for maneuvers and as I understand only pulls 1.4g during maneuvers.
Amazing

Till later

Pierre

[MPL Pilot]

If it seems ceritfication came to a halt, not so at all.

There has been a lot happening lately, the paperwork has made progress in the right direction. The drawings arrived from UFO in NZ. Now just tying up loose ends with the drawings, in a couple of days Klaus will have a thick file of drawings to work through.
The new exhaust should arrive mid September.

After the blow by test, we realized rings will have to be replaced, and at the same time have the cylinder heads done. The engin will be as good as new.

I can hardly wait to see this gyro flying, it would certainly be something to celebrate

[MPL Pilot]

CAA wanted another test to be done, load on the prop of a 150kg, pulling to the left or right side of the UFO. Johan measured the deviation and again, the UFO passed successfully
The drawings will be ready on Monday, rings and cylinder heads done by the 11th of September. Then it is only the ATF for proving hours.
Will keep you posted!

[MPL Pilot]

Hi all

The rings on the EJ25 engine has been replaced, heads done. Compression ratio all round 12:1. The max static thrust stayed at 236kg. Johan reckons the prop is turning in it own vacuum at full power, we will test the engine with a 3 blade prop and will see if there is a change during the static thrust test.
I had the gyro on the runway, it accelerates like a rocket!
The exhaust should be here any day now, I am not sure if we will see the difference with the new exhaust with the above mentioned results.

We are now waiting to get the "Document of Origin" from Geoff in NZ, then we can carry on with registration and ATF to follow.

Hopefully the UFO will be airborne before December.

Have to admit, I did not realize this process will be so time consuming, but we are getting there

Fly safe

[weedy]

Keep the updates coming it will be great to see a new type inthe air. Hoe is your flying training coming on?

[MPL Pilot]

Hi Weedy

Thank you for following the thread.

I have done 8 hours solo, should be flying again this coming weekend. When I am at Wagtail to work on the gyro, then normaly there is no time for flying, I do not want to be in the air, thinking what must be done next on the UFO, or vice versa.

Enjoy the flying!

Pierre

[Jean Crous]

Hi Pierre, will this gyro be available on the SA market in future, and if so at what price? I got your PM thanks. This gyro flying bug is stalking me with ever larger teeth
Cheers
Jean.

[Gyronaut]

I sense another 'Gyrocalypse' from JeanTree!

I flew with a high time IFR COMM pilot in a gyro today and if it wasn't for his ears, his smile would have gone right around his head. "Real Flying!" The wind was 20kt gusting 30. No problem. His mate is a wieght shift MPL and was scared to open the hangar doors, nevermind go fly in that wind. He (the MPL) got the hang of it real quickly and understood the 3 axis thing really quickly, even though it was from the back seat.

I say again that Gyro's are the best kept secret from the GA fraternity and once 'other' pilots understand and experience these awesome little machines, they are sold. VIVA GYRO's!

Len

[MPL Pilot]

Jeantree, to answer your question, I am convinced the UFO will be available here in the future. It should be selling at a very competitive price, depending import and assembly cost I would estimate between 500 and 650k.