Well... the day turned out to be a "wild" but safe one. I had a great day, linking up with John Snider, Wayne Dengel, Dan Baker and Primo Rivera (the painter of the Leo).

The Leo is now back in the air and flying very nicely. The first flight ended up deadstick after about 5 minutes of flight..... Landed her smoothly (but with a dry mouth)!!

She feels nimble with one dead weight of 8ozs taken out of the nose & I will keep the balance the way it is, presently.

I will be spending the next few days searching for any air leaks I may have in the system as we noticed 2 small air bubbles in the line going to the turbine after the pump.

THANKS for all you guys who came out yesterday, the support was not only appreciated...BUT also well needed. I'm really happy now!
Wayne

What UAT are you using? I had issues with air entering my fuel system in my Odyssey. Mine ended up being a bad UAT. So, I bought a JMP UAT. No more issues. I am even safety wiring all my fuel connections. I wont use zip ties on my turbine fuel systems.....

Congrats Wayne! Not find your air leak!

Originally Posted by Bunky F. Knuckle

What UAT are you using? I had issues with air entering my fuel system in my Odyssey. Mine ended up being a bad UAT. So, I bought a JMP UAT. No more issues. I am even safety wiring all my fuel connections. I wont use zip ties on my turbine fuel systems.....

I’m really glad that you brought up the UAT and also the zip tie.

When I’m wrong, I’m big enough (well.. I’m actually short) to admit my mistakes. So here I’m admitting that I should have followed previous advice from Andy (Barracuda) and others to definitely use safety wires instead of zip ties. I found a specific zip tie that had a curved Base where the tie is secured (this is used by Evinrude outboard motors for their fuel lines.). I used that initially after trying the safety wire and puncturing my hand a few times. It worked for a while......

HOWEVER, I found an air leak on the 6mm supply line where it entered the pump but never showed until the bubbles (small) started coming out on the pressure side into the 4mm line. So, I used the safety wire on the new 8mm line from the fuel tank to the new JMP UAT With a changeable larger filter, shown in the accompanying photo below, and I also safety wired the entry nipple into the pump.

I will now change out the supply line to the pump and also safety wire it to the UAT. This should put me back to the reliable turbine operation that I previously had before the accident. Repeat after me: I will not use zip ties on my turbine fuel system. I will utilize all the previous experience that pilots have had who went before me!

That bubble that is visible in the UAT is after 4 minutes flight doing Aerobatics (the F3S sequence) before the motor shut down., so the UAT is doing its job of capturing any air coming in from the fuel tank.

Originally Posted by eheliflyer

Congrats Wayne! Not find your air leak!

Im tackling it Mr. C!

Originally Posted by Bunky F. Knuckle

What UAT are you using? I had issues with air entering my fuel system in my Odyssey. Mine ended up being a bad UAT. So, I bought a JMP UAT. No more issues. I am even safety wiring all my fuel connections. I wont use zip ties on my turbine fuel systems.....

I use FCT

JMP , FCT, Digitech, Hanson , and BVM are all Good UAT's.

and as far as Saftey Wire , I like to double loop mine before I twist

Originally Posted by wmat7039

I知 really glad that you brought up the UAT and also the zip tie.

When I知 wrong, I知 big enough (well.. I知 actually short) to admit my mistakes. So here I知 admitting that I should have followed previous advice from Andy (Barracuda) and others to definitely use safety wires instead of zip ties. I found a specific zip tie that had a curved Base where the tie is secured (this is used by Evinrude outboard motors for their fuel lines.). I used that initially after trying the safety wire and puncturing my hand a few times. It worked for a while......

HOWEVER, I found an air leak on the 6mm supply line where it entered the pump but never showed until the bubbles (small) started coming out on the pressure side into the 4mm line. So, I used the safety wire on the new 8mm line from the fuel tank to the new JMP UAT With a changeable larger filter, shown in the accompanying photo below, and I also safety wired the entry nipple into the pump.

I will now change out the supply line to the pump and also safety wire it to the UAT. This should put me back to the reliable turbine operation that I previously had before the accident. Repeat after me: I will not use zip ties on my turbine fuel system. I will utilize all the previous experience that pilots have had who went before me!

That bubble that is visible in the UAT is after 4 minutes flight doing Aerobatics (the F3S sequence) before the motor shut down., so the UAT is doing its job of capturing any air coming in from the fuel tank.

wayne if you are not bleeding from safety wire, you are not doing it correctly

Originally Posted by flying skunks

and as far as Saftey Wire , I like to double loop mine before I twist

Yes.... I do have that method down now.... & Learned the It's best (for me) to twist the overlap to the right first before I secure it in the special pliers. If I twisted it left....the pliers would undo the twist and continue in the right direction. I never actually paid attention to that at first.

Originally Posted by Carruthers43

wayne if you are not bleeding from safety wire, you are not doing it correctly

I also learned that the "bloody" way...... But now I'm safe as I know what I'm doing! (I hope)

Originally Posted by wmat7039

I also learned that the "bloody" way...... But now I'm safe as I know what I'm doing! (I hope)

Congrats on drawing blood with safety wire.....

I think we should make you an honorary A&P.

Originally Posted by wmat7039

I also learned that the "bloody" way...... But now I'm safe as I know what I'm doing! (I hope)

i promise you are not done drawing blood... if you dont draw blood again i would not trust the safety wire work lol

Well it finally happened! I bought my Rabbit back in Aug 2008. Never ran it, never powered up the ECU. Infact it's been installed in 3 partially built jets and then taken out again. The only piece of jet equipment used was my UAT when I let Bunky use it when he was having air leaks.

Yesterday we got the turbine started. We only put in about 1/4 tank fuel and we kept getting no starts with weak gas message. Subsequent starts had a little flame but would run fine. I'm at 40% on the propane setting and the plan is to bump it up 2% until I get consistent starts. I also found my 11yr old battery won't hold up.

My first start attempt went well until it ran out of fuel🤪

Hopefully maiden in Aug. Trying to line up friends and a time

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCwgPPWD...=1c08w2527l4zn

Wayne


What guage safety wire should I be using?



Ralph