Calidus in hot weather

[iWazzuu]

In Israel we enjoy about 10 months of sunshine with some 5-6 months of actual hot weather, going over 40 degrees Celsius often.

My ONLY concern at this point with potentially choosing the Calidus as my gyro is the heat, I'm not sure the painted sunroof and the summer canopy (window openings) will provide adequate cooling.

So I was wondering if any of you fly (has flown) the Calidus with the summer canopy in very hot days and can share your impressions.

[nicow]

It looks like a microwave oven...hope the summer canopy works.

[FO Gyro]

Spoke to a Calidus owner and he was telling me that flying in temperatures of 37 Degrees, the ventilation was more than adequate, and on the ground, the canopy is opened to allow a flow of air into the cockpit.

[mak]

I can confirm, although I don't fly a Calidus but a Xenon, I haven't once during summer, up to 35 degrees, felt warm inside and this from only four little air vents and about the same ventilation as on the Calidus. Only once you land and taxi do you feel the heat and as FO Gyro said, then you can open the canopy and that I see most Calidus owners do.
iWazzuu, as long as the big fan on top and the small fan at the back is working you will not be hot inside, but I suspect that if one of those two fans come to a halt you might break a sweat, even on a cold day.

[Pieter Smith]

Dont worry about a hot cabin in hot weather, all Gyro makes will be nice and cool as long as you are in the air. Maybe you should ask what is the temperature of engine going to do in hot weather on that closed engin of the MT and other Gyro tipes with closed engine cowlings.

Ek weet self nie nie ouens, ek wonder maar net daaroor.

[mak]

Pieter, I think the guys have done their homework on local conditions. Remember a lot of these gyros are operated in Central Africa with a lot hotter temps (+-45 degrees).The Xenons are fitted with a "tropical kit" and our Xenon are almost running too cold because of it. I think the Calidus needed some fine tuning in the beginning but I haven't seen or heard any problems lately.

[BONZAI BELL]

Xenons are fitted with a "tropical kit"

Klink vir my , jy vlieg n Xenon met Cane en Passionfruit as dit warm raak.

[Pieter Smith]

Thanks Mak,
Ek het maar net nog altyd gewonder wat so airie sal maak op Alldays in Desember met +/- 45 - 48 degrees. Dankie nou weet ek ook.
Groete
Pieter

[Gyronaut]

Any machine with a closed cockpit, Gyro or otherwise, tends to get hot on the ground without airflow. You often see fixed wing aerries taxiing with a door or roof open.

The Sycamore, Xenon, Magni M24, RAF2000 and Calidus all get hot inside without a door open but once you set off they are all fine. The Sycamore, M24 and RAF fly perfectly well without doors and the Calidus has a very nice summer canopy.

Machines with enclosed engines like the Magni M24 and Xenon do also experience higher Oil and Cylinder Head temps when stationary and need to be managed carefully during long idles. The Calidus has an electric radiator fan which automatically kicks in above a given temp (90degC I think) and like some cars will keep running even after you have switched off.

So, in summary then, the Calidus is better suited to hot weather operations than any other enclosed-engine gyro because it has an electric cooling fan.

Hope my logic makes sense.

Len

PS; Owners of machines with enclosed engines should consider having both fuel pumps on independent switches rather than on the ignition key as some have. On extended holds (such as at controlled airfields) you can switch off the engine and pumps but leave the avionics on to listen for your instructions without draining your battery

[Learjet]

PS; Owners of machines with enclosed engines should consider having both fuel pumps on independent switches rather than on the ignition key as some have. On extended holds (such as at controlled airfields) you can switch off the engine and pumps but leave the avionics on to listen for your instructions without draining your battery

Len, agree with the independent switches, but would it not be better to keep the fuel pumps running and the fuel circulating (it will do so via the fuel pressure regulator and return) in order to help avoid vapour locks? My old short wheel base Landrover had a nasty habit of developing vapour locks when standing idling on a hot day, and I can only imagine that a vapour lock induced cough and splutter would be the last thing you need on take off once the ATC has given you the green light after an extended hold. Any idea how long would it take for the fuel pumps to drain a battery?

[Gyronaut]

Dave, I have found the 914 takes a little longer to start when hot, on both the M24 and the Calidus, with their enclosed engines. I suspect this is because of some fuel evaporation from the carb bowls but holding the starter just that little longer does the trick.

As for how long it will take to drain the battery with a pump running with no charge? ... I once flew for more than an hour with no charge going to the battery, one pump on and avionics all on - and ended up on the N1. I would still not like to be at the hold, at somewhere like PE, with a regional jet behind me and then find the engine won't start because the battery has run flat.
So I would still prefer to switch off and only keep the avionics running - without pumps.

[Vertical Tango]

Len, you are correct. That's why my Xenon electrical diagrams went one shot in the bin when I built my Xenon and now I have 14 fuses instead of 5, and everything is switchable independently.