Hi there, just to clear up a few questions, I have the great plains hydraulic
disc brakes that retro fit to the Azusa wheels. They are not really strong
enough but then you can?t tip it on its nose so easily. I can stop in 300
meters if I go at it. I can stop far shorter than I can take off, so that?s all
that really matters? My previous words yesterday were to inform about the
Jabiru engine and to respond to the comments about speed brakes that I don?t
have fitted. I also tried to reply to some questions I?ve been asked directly
by other people. It was an attempt to add another dimension or direction to the
regular mention about speed brakes, to show that you don?t have to comply with
standard building techniques. You can think out of the box. That?s one of the
great things about KRs, there is scope for individualism and freedom to design
something new or different. The KR?s we are building over in the UK are built
very differently than the ones I?ve seen in America. I didn?t expect so many
replies to my post. It was something to read and think about. I don?t really
like writing in forums because everyone has their point of view, which is fine,
but I don?t really need to read them. What I do and how I fly my plane works
for me and that?s all I have to say. I?m not pushing my views or commenting on
how other people fly, I?m just saying what I do. But I have several problems
when people have problems with what I may write. So for clarification and
please no one else reply to this, its just a point of view for thought, not to
comment on, its not worth it, but I am a licensed aircraft engineer and a
preferred test pilot for new KR?s in the UK, so I do know what I?m talking
about. So if you close the butterfly of a carburetor completely, it creates a
large vacuum and therefore large amount of internal drag from within the
engine. You can use this similar to an exhaust brake of a truck, to create a
lot of drag from the wind-milling prop. The engine is not switched off and the
prop will never stop in the air. A crack of throttle and it picks straight up
again. I have had a situation when doing the initial flight test of a KR2 that
I had to turn the engine off over the threshold as the idle was set too fast
and it wouldn?t land in the runway length available. When stationary the idle
rpm was a chugging 800, in the air it was some 1,400 rpm. So in my plane, I
have no idle stop. I just use the friction lock of the throttle knob. Like I
said, its very safe and safer than having to find switches. If I want my engine
to stop I close the throttle. End of? And I have had to do it when a dog ran
out in front of me. Yes I have normal mag switches. Everything is standard, I
just have no idle stop. There was mention of the speed brake adding flexibility
to the approach. It might do. But why do you need flexibility when landing and
another control system to provide more flexibility in landing, whether
"deadstick" or normal. There is mention of ?Another tool in the box, just like
slipping. Also another benefit of a speed brake is added drag behind the CG,
which apparently helps to stabilize the airplane while landing. Why is the
plane being flown if it is unstable when landing? Mine isn?t. There is also
mention that ?most aircraft makers, and indeed auto makers, probably wish they
could make their engines idle reliably and smoothly at 700 rpm.? My Jabiru
will? It will prop over down at 400 if I really want to but 650 is my normal
idle rpm.. If anyone wants to read what I wrote again, you will find no
mention of me flying with no throttle stop and routinely letting the engine
almost die on every landing. It doesn?t die. The prop is being forced round by
the airflow, but creating a lot of drag while doing so. I?m not ?Fiddling with
the throttle to keep it running on rollout. I?ve got one hand on the column and
the other on the throttle. That?s it. What more would you want? Other people
have one hand on the column and the other on the throttle and then on the flap
and then on the air brake and then back again to the throttle and then back to
full flap and then back to the speed brake and then back to the throttle if
they are too low. That seems a rather lot more distraction than what I?m doing.
There is mention that ?It might be contrary to everything you know about how
to drive cars or fly airplanes. It's one less thing to fool around with while
landing. That cure seems worse than the disease!? Sorry, I have to say that I
have no idea what you are talking about. Cures and diseases??? Its an aircraft.
All I did was, I tried to explain that you don?t have to or it is not
compulsory to stick to supposed standard KR2 requirements for flaps and speed
brakes or spoilers with holes in if you don?t want to. I wanted to say to other
members on here that ?you can think outside the box and not have to follow like
sheep. My very simple, light weight KR2, with no flaps or speedbrake levers or
complexities and exrta tools and controls is now along way from home and a
proven capable and safe, stable aircraft. It?s not some cure to some disease?
There is mention that ?I guess I can't say I've tried it, but I have tried
belly boards (both before and after), and I do highly recommend them... Fine.
Like I said last time, ?more than one way to skin a cat.? I have no problems
with how other people operate their aircraft. But I?ve heard a lot of people
suffering with aircraft floating on when it?s so simple to cure. If you like,
next time, before you go for a flight, try winding back your throttle stop and
seeing how much drag can be created by your engine and propeller alone in the
air, and try and see how easy it is to not have to keep moving your hand around
the cockpit to find and pull levers that change the pitch attitude of your
aircraft on the approach and see how easy it is to control your speed, height
and attitude by throttle alone. Who knows, you may even like it, you may be
removing those flaps and speed brakes and spoilers, saving weight and
complexity. If not, no worries. Each to their own. I?ll attach a video of me
test flying a KR2 built here in the UK. Skip to the end and see how I can drop
the aircraft down over trees and on to the runway, with no flaps or speed
brake. Its not great, but you may get the idea/ The runway is 500 yards long.
I?m editing a film of my journey to America, I have a GoPro running in the
cockpit every take off and landing, I?ll try and get a landing on youtube soon.
You can watch how little fiddling I do. Regards to all. Colin Hales.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omBs9lCkBLI
