mer Societ - American Bonanza Society

mer
Bonanza
Societ
newsletter --
september, 1984
volume 84, no, 9
page 1502
© 1984 ASS, Inc.
A36, E1493, 250AT
Owned by Allison Gas Turbine
Indianapolis, Indiana
~BONANZAOF
THE MONTH
We would like to submit N250AT as
Bonanza 01 the Month.
Pilots, ground crews and Bonanza
buffs In general have been doing doubletakes over N250AT at flight lines from
Olympia, Wash ington to Indianapolis, Indiana - and, of course, at Denver
where the American Bonanza Society
recently held its annual conve ntion .
Their eyes see a familiar Bonanza but
their ears, attuned to the throaty rumble
and roar of piston propulsion, hear instead the easy whine of a turbine
engine .
Their eyes and ears don't deceive
them. A Beech A36 Bonanza , owned by
Allison Gas Turbine Division of General
Motors, has been successfully converted
from piston propulsion to All ison turbine
power.
At the Dayton (Ohio) Air Show and at
"Oshkosh '84 " - this year's annual Experimental Aviation Association fly-in the A36 drew more than just the curious,
acccording to R.F. (Fritz) Harvey.
"Bonanza owners - whose appreciation for their aircraft , incidentally, rivals
that of lighter pilots - sought to get
priority positions in conversion orders tor
their Ship."
Salay Conversions, Ltd., made the
successful switch, installing an Allison
Model 250-B17C engine, a 420-shaft
horsepower turboprop used in aircraft
built by several international manufacturers.
The converted aircraft underwent
static structural tests and was suc-
cessfully flown from Salay's Olympia
ba se to All ison's Indianapolis headquarters. It touched down at Indy just in
time to be parked among a flight line
display of other Allison-powered fixedand rotary-wing aircratt. Some 100
Allison guests, In town for the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race , Immediately
converged In com mon curiosity around
the " prop-jet" Bonanza.
Allison Chlet Test Pilot, " Jack"
Schweibold, who with Salay pilot, Scott
Sturza , flew the A36 from Olympia ,
reported similar head-turning reactions
among ground crews at refueling stops
along the 1700 mile route. Perhaps, the
strongest reaction came from a FBO
manager who ran from his office to the
Bonanza, shouting for his crew to stop
feeding the A36 "wrong" fuel.
" It 's Just a super ship and we now
have logged over 120 flight hours. It
takes off in one-third less distance, lands
In two-thirds less runway and has about
a 45% faster climb rat e than conventional plston-englned Bonanzas."
Based on the Interest shown to date,
Allison is proceeding with plans to obtain
a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)
for the 250-B17C turbine powered
Bonanza.
N250AT will continue to accumulate
hours and interest this fall as attendance
and demonstrations at many ABS
Chapter fly-ins are planned.
AIR RACE FOR EFFICIENCY
WON BY CALIFORNIAN
In a surprising upset, The 4th Annual
Cafe 400 Eff iciency Race For General
Aviation Aircraft, held in Santa Rosa ,
.California, has been won by ABS
_
member Chuck Griger 01 Torrance,
California, in his modified E-33-C
Aerobatic Beech Bonanza.
Taking both Best Production Airplane
class and Overall victory, Griger
negotiated the 388 mile course in 2
hours and 6 minutes, averaging 183.3
miles per hour and consuming 14.83
miles per gallon with a payload of 1200
pounds.
Second pla ce went to Mike Smith of
Johnson City, Kan sas, former two time
winner and odds on favor ite to win
again. Smith was In his A-36 Bonanza
modified by his own company, "Smith
Speed Conversions."
The Cafe 400 is a com par ative aircraft
flight efficiency com petition for propellerdriven aircraft of less than 6500 pounds
gross weight, lIown over a closed crosscountry course of approximately 400
sta tute miles. The Cafe 400 is intended
to challenge and bring out the best in today's aircraft designs and designers.
Flight efficiency is determined according
to the Cafe formula of speed x miles
per gallon x payfoad.
F. " Jack" Schweibold
ABS N17547
DENVER '84 BONANZA
FOR A WEEK WINNER
N250A T on the ground at ABS Denver convention.
p.g. 1503 ••pt.mber 1984
.~
Winner of the 1984 ABS Convention's
Annual Grand Prize, a Week 's Free Use
of a New Beechcraft Bonanza ,
anywhere in the Continental U.S.. was
Warren E. Hoffner , President of
Engineered Sales Associates, Inc., St.
Louis, Missouri. Warren, who owns a
V-35 Bonanza, holds Instrument Com'
mercial and ATP ratings.
Warren and Mary Ann, who have attended nine ABS Conventions since
1972, plan to use a new Beech Turbocharged A36 on their free trip which
may be scheduled anytime during the
next year. They have not yet decided
when or where they will go, but say that
they are excited about winning and are
looking forward eagerly to visiting places
they have never been before.
american bonanza society
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•
PROVISIONAL ACTION REQUESTED BY MEMBERSHIP AT JUNE 22, 1984,
MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN DENVER, COLORADO
Dear ABS Member:
During our annual membership
meeting at the Denver Tech Center on
June 22, 1984, the following motions
were made, seconded, and passed by
the membership present:
1, Mr , Conway Roberts moved that
the ABS publish In the newsletter ,
statistics of all fatal Bonanza inflight breakup accidents, listing
them by model, date, and time .
2. Mr. Frank Hale moved to request a
vote of the members whether or
not the ABS should pursue action
with the FAA to help determine the
structural Integrity of the V-Tallon
the Model 35 Bonanza. The motion
was amended to include publishing
pro and con arguments in the
newsletter. The motion was further
amended to have a vote by a show
of hands of the members present
The show of hands indicated thai
the members present voted approximately 4 to 1 against the ABS
request to the FAA to help determine the structural Integrity of the
V-Tail on the Model 35 Bonanza.
Article VI of the bylaws of the
American Bonanza Society states that
when less than 30% of the membership
is In attendance at any membership
meeting , the action taken by such a
group is provisional and must be submitted to the entire membership for action .
Therefore, a vote of the members in attendance was taken on both motions
and passed on a provisional basis.
Therefore , as Society Secretary, I
have provided a membership ballot to all
ABS members. Please take the tim e to
vote on this matter and submit It to ABS
headquarters. Only ballots received
before October 15, 1984, will be
counted. Results of the balloting will be
printed in the December newsletter.
BALLOT
A vote in favor of this motion would
direct the Society to publish the
stati stics of all fatal Bonanza infl ight
breakups in the newsletter .
o
o
DO YOU FAVOR ASKING THE FAA
TO HELP DETERMINE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE V-TAIL ON
THE MODEL 35 BONANZA?
I favor motion H1
I oppose motion H1
A vote in favor of thi s motion would
direct the Society to publish a ballot in
the newsletter along with pro and con
arguments on whether the ABS should
proceed with asking the FAA to help
determine the structural integrity of the
V-Tail on the Model 35 Bonanza.
o
I favor motion H2
o
I oppose motion H2
STRAW VOTE
As a peint of information for your
Board, please answer the following
question at thi s lime:
o
0 Yes
No
Signature __________
Printed Name _________
ABS Member H _ _ _ _ _ __
AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
(ISSN 0003-1178)
publiShed by
AMERICAN IIONANZA SOCIETY
A New Yortr. Non·Proflt Corpor,lIon, Org.nlled Jlnulry, lM7
Publlc. lIon Olfle.
Mld·Contlnent AIrport. PO 11011 12111, Wlchltl, Kan .. 1 17271
CIIII A. Sontl ......ocl.l. Director
BOARD OF O/RECTORS
Harry G Hadler , PI.sKlenl
159 "e" Sireet, Sf. Ardmore, OK 73401
John E PI.ton, Vice President
Term bpll's
'987
'987
2125 GlJ8rnevllle Rd . Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Charles R GIbbs. SecretllY
'985
1226 LeBaron Ave . Jacksonville. FL 32201
Joseph A. McClain.
Treasurer
PO. Box 15731. Tampa, FL 33684
JOhn R Funk
R R fl . Bement , Il61813
m.
'986
'986
...
Glenn H KOOi
3).40 South ZunI Street. Englewood, CO 80110
Robert C Louoen
264 Harker Street. MansfIeld, OH 44903
'985
,
John M McCutcheon
7139 Via Solana, San Jose, CA 95135
Donald L. Monday
4288 NOlin Clubhouse Or , CamarlilO. CA 93OtO
John F Russo
616 WashIngton SI . Toms River , NJ 08753
Michael ZelenOCk, M D
8731 ThOrnlree Drive, Grosse lie. M148138
1981
...
'987
,
1985
PAST PRESIDENTS
Respectfully submitted ,
Charles R. Gibbs
Secretary
GENERAL AVIATION ALERTS
Champion
_
_
011 Filter
PIN CFO-100
Inspection of the oil filter element prior
to installation revealed there was no
"0" ring or seal where the bolt goes
through the element The submitter
recommends close inspection of the
elements prior to installation.
american bonanza soci ety
1967·1971
B J McClanahan. MO. ABSL 1
1971·1973
Frank G Rosa, ABSL386
1973-1975
Aussen W Rink. ABSL4
197~1976
Hypo!!le T Landry, Jr , M D, AB511449
1976-1977
Calvin B , Early, MD . PhD, ABSll797
1977-1978
Capl Jesse F Adams , USN(RET). ABSL772
1978-1979
David P Bailon. ABSL534
1979-1980
AkIen C Barrios. ABSl3326
196().1981
Fre<! A Driscoll, Jr " ABSL2976
E MAnderson. Jr • ABSL33
1981 · ' 983
1983-198.4
Donald L Monday. ABSL9904
The Amencan Bonanza Society NewSletter IS published monlhly by Ine Amellcan Bonanza Soclely al lhe WiChita
Mld-CoI'Ihnent Airport . PO
12888. Wrehlta. KS 61277 The price 0/ a yearly SuDSCllotlOn IS included In the annual dues
(S20) 01 Society members Seconck:llsa POSllge paid II Wichi ta . KS
The Soclely and PublIsher cannot Icc8(lllesponslDlhty 101 lhe cOIIKlness or accuracy ollhe mlttell or lnle<! heleln
Of 101 any opInrons eXp/essed OpinIons 0 1 the EditOf or contributors do not necessarIly represent the positIOn 01 lhe
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CliculaUon 1.023
POSTMASTER Send change 01 aOdfess, Form ' 3529 to
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ANNUAL DUES US - S20
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eo_
.eptember 1984 pago 1504
Colvin's Corner
J. Norman Colvin
Retired Beech Project Engineer
on Bonanzas and Barons
ABS Technical Consultant
Service Clinic Inspector
AC FUEL TRANSMITIER
Dear Norm:
I tried to call you the other day but
you were out ot the oHice . My sympathy
goes out to the Beech Owners with the
old AC tank transmitters. I am on my
fourth Bonanza now that has this unit
and through the years I have had
transmitters malfunction but thank
heaven I have been able to take care of
my problems. The technique of read ing
the amount of fuel in tanks hasn't
changed since the early 1930's. What it
amounts to Is a variable resistor in the
tank, positioned by a float sending
Information (ohms) to a receiver (gauge).
Even though the techn ique is archaic It
works with enough accuracy to allow us
to at least guess. Because the
transmitter is mechanical and constantly
on the move (wiper contact against a
wire wound resistor) things can and do
happen to It. What a shame that
because of the availability of the
transmitters the poor owner is faced
with the inconvenience plus horrendous
costs of converting to the Rochester
system. The demand in volume and start
up costs is not motivating to a mfg .
Let me give you a little background
which hopefully might give you a little
confidence in what I am thinking of
doing. For the past twenty years or so I
have been the engineering ,
manufacturing and marketing complete
fuel systems for several industries, to
name a few customers, General Motors ,
Ford, Chrysler , practically all the motor
home manufacturers, tarm equipment,
Industrial eqUipment, marine, etc . We
design the complete fuel system and do
all the testing, (crash, rollover, etc.). We
manufacture the tanks, supply all the
components such as valves, lines,
attaching and mounting hardware, fill
necks, caps and fuel transmitters. In
addition to supplying the systems
comptete, we acquire all the necessary
approvats, federat , state, etc .. for the
customer . When I started this business
one of my big problems was fuel
transmitters. There are not very many
manufacturers that build them and each
manufacturer build their unit in only one
configuration . I needed units that would
plgo 1505 •• plomb" 1984
be compatible to all the gauge systems
used throughou t the world. For example,
AC being a division of General Motors
made their transmitters to match the
gauges that they used, prior to 1960
they used 30 ohm units and then
switched to 90 ohms. Fords were
diHerent and so were Chryslers.
I designed a basic unit that by using
different res istors, I could cover every
system used in the world. I purchased
all the equipment necessary to wind all
the resistors needed , ohm readings of
30·9()'lS()'240, some linear some not,
some at 0 ohm empty, some reverse. I
was the only manufacturer of fuel
transmitters in the world that oHered all
of these con figurations. Our production
at times exceeded a thousand units a
day. We have manufacturered hundreds
of thousands of transmitters. A more
identifiable product that we build and
market world-wide is a cruise con trol for
automobiles and trucks. The brand
names are Escort and Travel Cruise.
I sold my company and have recently
retired , so with some time on my hands,
some·what bored wi th fishing , golf and
traveling, I thought I might like to solve
this Beech sender problem.
I got my hands on a couple of nonfunctioning early Beech transmitters
from an aircraft salvage outfit and I will
go ahead and re-build them to a like new
unit, new resisto rs, polishing and replating . When I complete them I will go
make my peace with the FAA. as to a
certified repair station and I will send
one to you for comments.
I! I decide to pursue this project I
would have the people send me their
units, I will re-build them quickly and
send them back,
Norm , I could really use your input at
this time, maybe at the Denver
conference you might ask around a little
and possibly find out how big the
problem is, how many people are having
problems? At this point I don't know
what the costs would be other than to
say that I will have to tool the
componen ts from scratch and create an
inventory of parts adequate to con tinue
the service for a long time. I don't see
the problem going away, as the planes
get older, the tran smitters are going to
give up and quit.
If you feel the problem might be
worthwhile I would appreciate any
information you can give me that will
help in my decision.
Larry Bacon
ABS N2909
Dear Mr. Bacon,
Thank you for your letter of June 4th
and for the good news that someone is
capable of repairing AC fuel
transmitters.
If you can lend a hand in the field,
many Bonanaza owners would be
eternally grateful 10 you.
The later Bonanzas, V3SB, use PC
Boards in their fuel gaging system .
These boards are expensive and give
trouble so while you are at it, try working
out a system that would eliminate the PC
board.
Retired people need to keep busy
so keep working on this worthwhile
project. Please keep us advised of your _
progress,
Norm
ENGINE START PROCEDURE
Dear Norm:
I own a 1968 V-3SA, on which I have
put 4,727 enjoyable hours of basically
trouble free flying .
I have just overhauled the engine, (4th
engine since new) and am noticing that I
am having a little trouble starting ,
particularly when hot , and at high
altitude. Most recently at Prescott, Ariz ..
and again at Winnemucca , Nev. During
th e last overhaul, we went through the
fuel injection system completely, and I
am suspicious that it could be set-up
wrong . Prior to this I had my own little
system to start the engine which worked
well when hot. (Little boost pump, when
engine caught, quickly turn on boost till
going good, then off with the boost.)
Now that sys tem doesn 't work any more,
my guess is that I'm flooding the engine,
as it will start, run for a few seconds
and then quit, even with the boost pump
on. After that I have to go ahead and
flood It and then turn It over with the
•
starter until it finally catches.
Do you think I should set it up a little
richer, or am I doing the whole thing
wrong? My system worked fine for the
american bonanza society
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last 1936 hours on the old engine. If you
have any tricks up your sleeve, I would
appreciate knowing about them .
Bruce Curtis
ABS #16211
Dear Mr. Curtis,
I would like lor you to go back to
basics and have the unmetered luel
pump pressure checked. At 550 to 600
RPM unmetered pressure should be 9 to
11 PSI. At lull static RPM, unmetered
pressure should be 28 to 31 PSI. Once
the correct luel pump pressure is set,
then check idle mixture. With engine
idling; pull out on mixture control lrom
lull rich to idle cut ott. Pull steady with
normal speed. Just belore the engine
quits, the tach should show an increase
01 25 RPM. Once the luel delivery
system is correct, then work on the
correct hot start procedure.
Mixture lull rich. Throttle closed.
Screw throttle vernier in one turn. Turn
on boost pump and watch the luel
pressure gage, it will peak and may lall
ott. Allow to peak a second time and
turn ott pump. Open throttle half open
and engage starter. When the engine
lires, close throttle. You may have to hit
the boost pump momentarily to keep the
engine running. This system will work.
Norm
LACK OF PERFORMANCE
AND RIG SETTING
I have had new windows, extended
windshield, flap and aileron seals, and
other minor items installed on my G35
Bonanza.
I am very disappointed In the lack of
any noticeable performance improvement. No guarantees were made, but
based on information I was given I expected 5-8 knot Increase in airspeed . I
believe my airplane is slightly out of rig .
When trimmed for straight and level
flight , the ball is off center to the left ,
and it tries to turn slightly to the right .
This condition existed prior to the work
at Martin Speed Mods. I would appreciate any info you can furnish regarding the effect this condition might have
on my airspeed.
Harley Tompkins
ABS #7512
e
Dear Mr. Tompkins,
The long slope windshield should have
given you some increase in speed.
I have two suggestions to make: have
your tachometer checked lor accuracy
at 2300 RPM, this is where you should
cruise your engine, also have the
manilold pressure system checked lor
accuracy. An alterthought, have the instrument static fines drained. Be sure
american bonanza society
the line is loosened at the airspeed instrument, when draining the line.
Now for rig. Be sure both aileron in·
board trailing edge align with both flap
outboard trailing edges. With both
ailerons in alignment, check the control
wheel, it should be level. Place a level
on the baggage floor board and level the
airplane. Check the ball in the turn and
bank, it should be centered. /I it takes
right rudder to center the ball in flight,
raise the right trim tab trailing edge. Access to the trim tab cables is through
the access panel on the left alt luselage.
Loosen the turnbuckle that lowers the
tab one turn and tighten the turnbuckle
that raises the tab one turn. You may
have to adjust the turnbuckles more or
less to correct the problem. /I one wing
is heavy after the suggested corrections
are made, lower the flap on the heavy
wing by lengthening the flap actuator
jack screw V2 turn .
The suggested changes can improve
airspeed and make your Bonanza fly like
a dream .
Norm
POWER CHARTS FOR LARGER
ENGINE CONVERSIONS
Dear Norm:
I am in the process of updating my
1957 H model N7968D : new late style
instrument panel and instruments ineluding radios. Long one piece windshietd, and best of all the IO-470-N
engine.
My question is where can I obtain informat ion on engine cruise power se ttings, etc.?
Collins Aviation Service in Seattle is
doing the conve rsion work for me and I
recommend them highly.
Fred S. Ferguson
ABS #14 727
Dear Mr. Ferguson,
This is in reply to your letter in which
you asked lor power charts lor your
Model M35 Bonanza eqUipped with the
10-470-N engine.
When you instafl a more powerful
engine in a given model airplane, there
are no power charts available that will lit
that particular combination.
I would suggest that you purchase the
model M35 owners manual Irom your
Beech Dealer that will have power
charts. This manual is nearest to your
Bonanza with its present engine.
Norm
HOT ENGINE START PROBLEM
Dear Norm,
I have a 1953 Bonanza with Continental 225 hp engine.
After flying for about an hour or more ,
I would return to the airport and stop to
get gas which would take ten or fifteen
minutes . Then I would try to sta rt the
engine, the propeller would barely turn
thus causing the baltery to run down . I
would wait for about an hour and then it
would star t.
What's the problem?
Ralph Drake
ABS #15105
Dear Mr. Drake,
When the engine is hot, all 01 the
movable parts are expanded so the
engine turns harder than when cold.
think you have a 36 E 14 starter which
normally has good cranking power.
There is a possibility the starter clutch
is slipping or you have a starter that
needs an overhaul. Starter brushes and
a clean commu tator might lix the
starter, but I would guess that you have
a weak or partially burned out starter
coil.
Norm
STEEL CENTER SECTION
SPAR INSPECTION
At long last we have good news for
those of you who fly the model 35
Bonanzas, serial 0-1 thru 0-1500 Including the R35 models.
We have obtained an amendment to
A.D . 63-25-01 which calls for x-ray or
magentic particle method inspection of
the steel center section spars.
We have obtained FAA approval for
fluorescent liquid penetrant inspection
procedure .
This method of inspection eliminates
the need for bulky magna flux or x-ray
machines when its time to inspect those
spa rs. Contact your ABS office and we
will mail the necessary papers to conduct the inspection and obtain approval.
We estimate 10 man hours labor to conduct inspection at your local FBO.
USED PARTS CORNER
We have a substantia t list of used
parts and we continue to receive many
calls for these items.
It is extremely necessary that we
maintain a current inventory list . If you
wish to list your used paris for sale, I
need your name, address and phone
number. Most importantly, if you sell a
part that has been listed, please let me
know so that I can mark it off the inventory list.
Those of you who need parts can give
your ABS Headquarters a ca tl and we
will attempt to get you fixed up.
Norm
september 1984 page 1506
SLOW FLIGHT
FOR SAFE FLIGHT
In which phases of flight are general
aviation accidents mostly likely to occur?
According to the NTSB , 65 percent of
Ihe reportable airplane accidents occur
during takeoffs and landings . In these
two phases of flight, airspeed is low and
pilot attention is often diverted to other
tasks.
Pilots who are skillful and confident in
operating an airplane at slow speeds
can easily avert the dangers that can
confront the hapless pilot unable to handle an airplane at minimum controllable
airspeeds. With a little training and practice, pilots can recognize that their
airplane Is approaching, or has attained,
a critically low airspeed, and learn how
to con trol the airplane at speeds just
above stal l.
The discussion presented in this article is excerpted from a General Aviation
Accident Prevention Program sa fety
bulletin. The bulletin outiines FAAapproved procedures formulated for the
use of flight instructors in introducing
students to flight at minimum controllable airspeed .
While the procedures could also be
utilized by an experienced pilot to increa se and maintain his proficiency, it is
strongly recommended that pilots first
review the procedures with a flight instructor.
The "minimum controllable airspeed"
for the aircraft you are flying is not a set
figure . It will vary with loading configu ration, power setting , and pilot technique .
It is best described, however, as a
speed just above stall or a point at
which a further reduction in airspeed, or
an increase in angle of attack or load
factor , will cause an immediate physical
Indication of a stall.
Let's go through a slow-flight procedure. In cruise flight at cruising
airspeed, use the rudder, aileron and
elevator, noting the pressure applied and
the response rate . Th en, while maintaining heading and altitude, reduce power,
slowing the airplane to minimum controllable airspeed.
As speed is reduced, note changes in
pitCh. A change in pitch attitude is needed in order to maintain altitude. There
will be a point at which pitch change
alone does not increase lift to the point
that altitude can be maintained . Power
must be added.
Next, recognize that the airplane is
close to operating limits: Sight, sound,
and feeling . The pitch attitude of the
nose, the angle of the wingtips in
reference to the horizon , the sound of
the engine compared to a reduction in
wind nOise, the lowered resistance to
control pressures, and the lack of
elevator and rudder trim all Indicate that
pege 1507 .eptember 1984
the airplane is at a low speed.
Everything still affects the airplane the
same way, with reference to control "
movements, except that greater control
movement Is needed to produce the
same rates of response that were obta ined at cruise speed.
Roll into a medium-banked turn to
show that the airplane Is maneuverable
even at low airspeed . The medium bank
will result in a high rate of turn at this
low airspeed. It will seem as though the
airplane is almost pivoting around a
point on the ground.
The turn made at medium bank also
demonstrates that a level turn does increase stall speed and, unless power is
added, a sta ll will occur soon after the
turn is established. When the first indication of a stall is felt, recover by
simultaneously reducing the angle of attack, adding power and rolling out of the
turn.
Return to straight-and-Ievel flight and
again set up minimum controllable
airspeed to demonstrate why proper
coord ination and recovery is Important.
By using aileron only to establish a banked attitude, the application of left aileron
causes the nose to swing, or "yaw" to
the right . The wingtip can also be used
as a reference to show yaw. As left
aileron is used, the right wingtip would
appear to move aft. Finally, use both
aileron and rudder control to show how
en tries and recove ries are properly executed.
Next on the list is demonstration of
th e effects of flaps on minimum controllable airspeed and airplane attitude.
Extending full flaps will cause the
airplane to balloon above the desired
altitude. Drag also results from flap extension. As the airplane decelerates, 11ft
is reduced. After flap extension, and
when all forces are again stablized, the
airplane will have a new, lower,
minimum controllable airspeed and a different pitch attitude for level flight . The
power setting may be the same as
before the flaps were added; or, If a
power change is needed to maintain
level flight , It will be a small one.
When the airplane is established in
straight-and-Ievel flight with the flaps
down , turns can be demonstrated, again
noting response rates to con trol
pressures and high rate of turn produced by medium-banked turns. Descents
can be performed by reducing power
while maintaining airspeed.
While descending , turns to the right
and left should be practiced. Now,
power can be applied to climb. At this
time, if the airspeed has been allowed to
get excessively low, it may be impossible to climb even with full power. By
reducing the amount of flap extenSion,
you also reduce drag and should then be
able to climb.
If the flaps are manually actuated ,
rapid retraction can result in a stall. If
the flaps are electrically or hydraulically
actuated, retraction may be slow enough
that the airptane witl accelerate so that
flaps-up stal t speed is attained before
the flaps are fully retracted. tn the case
of manuat flap operation , slower,
smoother retraction will also permit acceteration, as drag is reduced, and a
stall will be aVOided.
To comptete the demonstration , attempt (at a safe altitude) a simutated go
around with flaps fully extended. As in
attempting a climb, conditions at power,
toad and configuration may make acceleration and climb impossible . If the
pilot's operating handbook for your
airplane recommends a specific procedure, we suggest you tallow it. Otherwise, consult your certified tlight
instructor .
Practicing flight at minimum controllable airspeed takes a few minutes to
go through , so be alert for indications of
engine overheating, as indicated by
cylinder head or all temperatures. If the
alrptane Is equipped with cowl flaps, use
them to keep temperatures within timits.
If no cowl flaps are installed, it may be
necessary to Increase speed for cooling .
By practicing flight at minimum controllable airspeed, pilots III become competent and confident in their ability to
control the airplane . By applying the
knowledge gained through practice,
pilots can escape the hazards that
threaten takeoffs and landings.
A reminder. The procedures outlined
in this article are Intended to be practiced only by pilots who are accompanied
by certified flight instructors. Pilots
who are not thoroughly trained or experienced in flight at minimum controllable airspeed should not attempt
these maneuvers solo.
This article was provided by A VEMCO Insurance Company.
SPECIAL THANKS
TO DENVER VOLUNTEERS
The Directors and staff wi sh to extend
a special thank you to those members of
the Rocky Mountain Chapter who worked as volunteers at Denver '84.
There were several meetings before
the convention, and this planning really
showed. Each plane arriving at the
Arapahoe airport was greeted by a
volunteer and from that point on the arriving members never wanted for
assistance.
The Rocky Mountain Chapter really
did themselves proud.
american bonanza society
News and Views _ _ _ _ _ _ __
FUELTRON FUEL GUARD
COMMENTS PLUS HIGHLY
MODIFIED DEBONAIR REPORT
Dear ABS:
Silver Instruments "Fuel Gard" unit
which is Installed in my highly modified
1960 Debonair. Please be advised that
this unit has been very satisfactory and
performs as advertised . It's accuracy is
well within the 2% figure claimed and
frequently a tank refill at the gas pump
will coincide exactly with the 1110 gallon
read out of the fuel guard unit. Any
difference of a few 10th's could
probably be attributable to the actual
amount of fuel that was put back into
the tanks, that is, how high one fills the
tanks into the filler necks, whether or not
the place was level at the pump, etc . I
consider this unit one of the most useful
gauges in the cockpit, particularly since
my "Deb" has been so extensively
modified . It was amazing to note how
little movement by the mixture could
affect the fuel flow so much - very
difficult to discern otherwise . We ' re
talking perhaps ';' turn on the vernier or
less tor approximately';' gal per hour
flow change. Subtle changes like this
are, of course, almost impossible to
observe accurately on the fuel pressure
gauge.
It may be of interest to the
membership to know that my Deb at
6000' with everything forward will true
out at 230 mph on a standard dry day.
This speed occurs pulling 25" mp at
2700 rpm. Cruise @ 9000' pulling 75%
power (22 + " @ 2500 rpm) delivers 225
mph plus true depending on temperature
and humidity.
My hobby since 1972 when I
purchased N917T in purely stock form
has been to up-grade the panel and
other comfort items as well as its overall
performance. All airframe mods were
done by me on the ramp (not even a
hangar) at virtually no expense except
for time and effort. The aircraft is legal
and has resulted in numerous 337 forms
and one time STC's. The engine (10-470J) was changed to an 10-520BA about 6
years ago by Reg Collins at Boeing Field
under a one time STC. This mod did
involve considerable expenses approximate $10K including a factory
rebuilt engine. Recently, the McCauley 2
blade was exchanged for a McCauley 3
blade and resulted in 4-5 mph increase
on cruise and 2-3 mph increase on the
top end.
Cruise speed @ 75% is about 40
mph faster than when I obtained N917T
of which about 20 mph could attribute to
the bigger but much more efficient
engine, and the remaining 20 mph to
a
,
_
a
_
american bonanza soc iety
aero dynamic clean-up.
The "big engine " versus the "smaller
engine" economy argument bottom lines
with my Deb as follows :
Engine Power Alt. lAS
Fuel
MPG
10-470-J
75% 7000' t 85 13.5 gph 13.7
10-520-BA 75% 7000 ' 225 14.5 gph t5 .5
Optimum altitude for a stock Deb is
7000' at which 75% power may be
drawn @ recommended cruise RPM .
With the bigger engine and ram air
917T's optimum altitude is 2000' higher
or 9000'.
Many of my mods are too labor
intensive to be commercially available,
such as, gap seals top and bottom on
the ailerons - a highly labor intensive
inertially tuned exhaust system that
registers between minus 12-15 MM Hg
at the exhaust port for best possible
scavenging - a Beech Baron tail cone
(fiberglass) especially adapted to cover
rear control sur face gaps and
accommodate #2 Com . antenna - a
Grumman Tiger plastic dorsal fin
especially adapted to the Deb which
covers #1 com. ant. and 10 years of nitpicking small aero dynamic clean-ups
not to mention the ram air installation
which could hardly be anything but a
one time effort in it's present form .
My suggestion to anyone of the
membership that might be still doubiful
of the full potential of his Bonanza or
Debbie's performance should not
hesitate to contact someone tike Mike
Smith Speed Conversions for readily
available mods and be pleasantly
su rprised. I am definitely not in the mod
business and entertain no aspirations to
be in such . It was simply a challenge I
needed on a hobby basis to see what
could be rung out of a now 24 year old
Deb. InCidentally, all things equal , a
Bonanza is aerodynamically 2-3 mph
faster than a Deb @ 200 mph and 5-6
mph faster @ 225 mph due to its lack of
the Deb's third tail member drag , so it is
my opinion that a 235 mph Bonanza is
possible with a purely stock 10-520BA
engine .
The purpose of all of the above is to
possibly stimulate more interest in " V"
and straight tail owners' desi re to
upgrade and realize the full potential of
the most efficient 4-6 place single
engine. To those that do follow through
- be prepared to lose a lot of your
friends, no sel f respe cting Bonanza
owner likes to see his buddy's bird
cruise by him 20-40 mph faster .
Tom Reese
ABS #6026
PANEL PAINT
Dear ABS,
Mr. Sylvan Meyer ABS #3505
mentioned that he had a problem with
the paint on his instrument panel of his
1972 A-36. I have a 1972 G-33 Bonanza
which had the same problem. It was a
factory installation of an epoxy type
paint which was designed to keep a
velour type su rface . Needless to say, it
didn't work and ended up an orang ishcream-colored sticky unsightly mess. A
3-M plastic material was put around the
glove-box and sub-panel which has not
been a problem .
This is how I solved the instrument
panel painl problem: I removed the
shock mounted panel after dropping the
instruments back and removed the paint
with a hardware slore type remover. (In
the process, do not use anything
abrasive such as a wire bru sh because
the scars will show through the re-paint
job.) The remainder of the panel was
more difficult to deal with . I unscrewed
the metal ring which surrounds the
control column as it enters the
instrument panel. After removing the
lucHe overlay from the vertical radio
switching panel, the entire radio stack
was moved en-mass to the right. (This
allowed enough clearance to clean the
center panel.) The two aluminum trim
strips between the upper and lower
panels will then slide off . It is necessary
to mask behind and below the center
panel to keep paint remover off other
surfaces. Once the center panel is
clean, mask everything by making a
plastic compartment beginning at the
doorway, making sure it is a large
enough area in which to work . (This is in
order to shield the cabin and plexiglass
from solvents and paint spray and also
to allow enough room to place an
exhaust fan 10 aerate the area.) From
this pOint on it is just a matter of
painting. One word about the type of
paint. I would suggest a vinyl because a
very hard paint will tend to fissure due to
vibration. After the paint is sprayed,
dried and se t put everything back
together.
Hal Hunt
ABS #t2876
WING BOLT
REPLACEMENT COST
If you were wondering what new wing
bolts for your Bonanza will cost. Robert
Hewson reports that new wing bolts,
nuts and washers for his model A36
Bonanza, cost $225.60 and 7 hours
labor at $35 .00 for a total cost of
$470 .60. After 100 hours the wing bolts
must be retorqued so add another 5 to 6
hours labor.
september 1984 page 1508
~FASmONUJN
Empire 1 & 2 & 3 CREON
Friday, June 22
$10.00
167
page 1509 september 1984
Over 1000 people allended Ihe
Denver convention which offered more
seminars and tours than ever before.
Norm Colvin's seminar, as usual, was
one of Ihe top allractions and Norm was
kept quite busy answering
members'questions at Ihe Colvin's Corner booth located in the exhibit hall.
A fun time was enjoyed by all who attended the western fashion luncheon
where Sheplers, the world 's largest
western store, sponsored a fashion
show. The models were particularly
familiar to those attending and our appreciation is extended to Donna Gibbs,
Joan Monday, Bill and Jerri Murmer,
Jean Zelenock, Nadine Funk and Kris
Frank for their willingness to help make
this a great time.
A total of 698 members came through
the chow line at our western barbeque
dinner which was held in the Air Center I
hangar. A local Denver group, Dawson,
provided plenty of country and western
music for everyone's listening and dancing pleasure.
In closing, our new President Harry
Hadler extends a personal invitation to
all ABS members to allend the 1985
convention , June 26th thru 30th in San
Diego, California.
american bonanza society
=
---- --- -
Bo
american bonanza society
- - --
-
september 1984 page 1510
THE WINNER OF THE P·51
MUSTANG RIDE REPORTS
Up early Thursday for breakfast
before the seminars began, I was
happily chatting with an acquaintance
when he said something about being
willing to replace me on the P·51 ride if I
really Insisted that he do so. Having
forgotten until then that a lucky name
was to be drawn out of the hat at the
convention awarding a ride in the superb
WW2 fighter , I cheerfully exchanged
bantering remarks with him until I
realized that he was telling me that I had
won! He said when my name was
called, someone said "I saw him at the
cocktail party!" and another yelled, "He
was in a bar last time I saw him!" These
scurrilous, inaccurate, scandalously
untrue remarks served only to unmask
the ungentlemanly conduct of certain
low-lifes from the SE Chapter in their
effort to wrest the prize unto
themselves !
As It finally sank Into my traveldeadened mind what good fortune had
finally come my way (having been
emotionally ready for a P-5 1 ride since
about 1943!) a smile broke out that
stayed with me for the rest of the
conven tIon.
Flight time was lale the next day, about
30 light-years away. As time slowly
passed, word reached me that the
planned-for P-51 had somehow bellied
in, but that another was found and being
made ready as replacement. Then, at
the flight line, I was advised that the
replacement had dumped 2 of the 22
gallons of oil over the side during a test
runup, and could not be made
serviceable in time - but that a huge
T-28 trainer was available If I'd like to try
Itl
This gorgeous plane had just been
rebuilt by Ward Wilkins of Unlimited
Aero over In Ft. Collins, Colorado, a
professional aerobatlc pilot and A&P,
and had been beautifully painted white,
red, and blue with Air Force markings,
where It had done military service as a
primary trainer. The Navy stili has a
couple of squadrons on active duty.
The wlngtlps were 7 feet above
ground, and 24" tires above my knees
as I walked around this monster-sized
plane, noting the 9 foot prop 12" wide
mounted on the 800 HP rOlary engine,
all of which dwarfed the nearby
Bonanzas with Its awesome dimensions
and appearance of power. "ff I'd like to
try It!" Try to keep me away!!!! Ward
patiently answered all my questions in a
half-hour pre flight cockpit check, then he
climbed In the front seat and started the
engine - with a cloud of white smoke
not often seen when Bonanzas start up!
The noise level was low and throbbing,
even with the canopy slid back, and
pigi 1511 . Ipllmber 1984
slowly we taxied out around dozens of
Bonanzas and friends walking the line,
crossing in front. back, and alongside us
as we moved out. What seemed a slow
taxi speed was ac tually about twice as
fast as Bonanzas usually taxi, using
hydraulic nosewheel steering with a
small tiller to control our path . At the
runup pad we tightened shoulder straps,
slid Ihe hydraulic canopy shut, ran it up
at 1700 RPM with stick all the way back
Into my gut and touching the seatbelt
buckle - almost to the paint of making
me rise up In my seat, If able! The
window level was way below my
shoulder and provided Incredible 360'
visibility - real greenhouse stuff. And
my head was at least 10 feet above the
runway! Flaps went down to 5' for
takeoff, and while waiting for tower
release I noticed Bonanzas still arriving
and landing on this day halfway Ihrough
the convention. Into position and
released , Ward gave it 40" and 2500
RPM and we plunged ahead down the
runway - rotated at 75 kt., and lifted off
at 80. Close to Bonanza numbers ! Flaps
up at 110 and Into a 40' bank over the
watching crowd and over the nearly 400
Bonanzas lined up - a little Walter
Mitty strafing run down that flight line ! I
looked down for a second to take notes
and as I looked up seconds laler we had
somehow gotten up to pattern altitude in
a wink ! 135 kts. downwind, turn and dive
to 170 kt down to a 50 foot flyby! Pullup
in a climbing turn - and no G's!
Incredible experience, for in my plane,
everyone would groan with G-forces if I
tried any of Ihese maneuvers, and here
we were doing them with no G's of any
kind! Weird, but easy to see why the
plane was selected as a trainer, thinks I,
not realizing much of it was the
immense skill my pilot was displaying!
Back at 1000 ft . AGL without strain or
change of sound, a wingover and dive
and anolher strafing run at my friends
on the line - this time maybe 1 G as
Alan Fitzgerald, winner of P-S1 ride
with Ward Wilkins of Unlimited Aero
we pull up at 3500 RPM and bank 50'
- but very comfortable! I note the wing
seems about 113 wider fore and aft than
the Bonanza , but looks like the same
span.
We powered back to 22" and 2800
RPM, 140 kt indicated at 6900 ft MSL
only a thousand feet or so above the
Colorado hills as I fly it loafing out of the
TCA fringes where we then did rolls - a
dive to 170 kts, pull up at 45' and stick
full over - and stili no G-forces at all!
The second time, Ward provided a slight
hesitation while inverted, and I waited
for the shoulder straps to take up and
just as a very time sensation of straps
was felt, he rolled up over right side lip
with a slight 112 G and dove down to
another of those 50 ft. strafing runs and
pull up from below the level of the hills
to 1000 ft. in a flash. This plane can dive
at 340 kts!
Back to land, but first another low
pass and 60' bank during flyby with
controls crossed for photo effect from
the ground, and as I write, somehow
we're back at pattern altitude without my
notiCing - In split seconds. I never did
get used to that speed in climb without
sensation, noise, pull , or effort of any
kind.
We extended downwind to open up for
our landing approach , with 105 ft on
base, then a 2 mile final - line up mix rich - 1000 ft . - gear down at 120
kt, flaps 112, then full - 105 approach
speed - low throb of that huge engineprop combination - trim back, stick
bobbing as the quality of my pilot is
displayed as he tests for feel - and we
are as rock steady as a 727 on
autopilot! Mushing at 85, TO at 70, stick
full back as I again climb into the
canopy! A long rollout past the crOWd,
flaps up, canopy hydraulically open and
cool air floods in . A slow throbbing idle
as we taxi in. me grinning from ear to
ear, and again we dodge a couple of
unconcerned walkers of the line not at
all bothered by that 9 foot prop or
thinking of getting out of the way! Sitting
and grinning still, many minutes after
shutdown, I almost wish I could get up
the $62,000 prlcetag for this mintcondition beauty!
This kid wouldn't have been happier
with the ride provided, and as I thanked
Ward , and then our host of the
Welcoming Committee, Jack Cronin, who
had arranged the prize and rides, all of It
himself, he floored me with the comment
that I still have a ride In a P-51 coming,
should I get to Oshkosh or back to
Denver. So, we 're planning a ski trip,
maybe in December - (and I may even
remember to bring skiS!) because if the
flight in a basic trainer could be so
darned enjoyable, what do you suppose
a full-bore P-51 might be like!! II!
Alan Fitzgerald
ABS *5493
american bonanza SOCiety
AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name ____________________~~~~-------------------(please phnt)
11HAVE
Street _______________________________________________
Clly ___________________________ State _ _ _ _ _ 2,' _
!
YOU
_
Model Bonanza Owned ___________________ Serial ; ________ N= _ _
ORDERED
MemberShip IS open to anyone seriously mterested 11"1 Bonanzas M a~ appbcahon alon~ with annual oues to
AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIE TY, Mld-COOhf'leni All port .
P O Bo~ 12888 Wichita K$67277 (316)945-69 13
YOUR
ABS
SHIRT?
Annual Membership
us
520 FOREIGN MEMBERS
(lax Deductible)
TOTAL DUE
Add Addrhonal
PosTage &
520 PrOCesSIng Fees
$40 TOTAL FOREIGN
CANADA ME XICO
-+ VOluntary BUIlding
Fund Contubuhon
$20.00
ABS Air Salety
FoundatIOn
COnlubuttOn
$20 (TaA Deductible)
560
TOTAL AMOUNT OF CHECK ENCLOSeO
s ____
ABS BONANZA PILOT CHECKOUT PROGRAM
Your Sociely now offers the Bonanza
Pilot the opportunity to receive thorough
training and checkout in your Bonanza
from expert Bonanza Instructors.
This program is being put together by
your Society's Air Safety Foundation
because the Society feels that proper
checkout will produce better, safer pilots
and Significantly reduce the accident
rate.
The program consists of 8 hours of
class room ground instruction and 4
hours of flight instruction in your
airplane. Every minute of this training is
specifically oriented to the Bonanza
aircraft and Bonanza pilot. Systems,
normal operations, emergency
procedures, and pilot technique are just
a few of the subjects that will be
covered.
The course will be offered twice on
each of the weekends listed. The Friday
thru Saturday program will commence at
I :00 p.m. Friday with four hours of
ground school. Flying will begin at 8:00
a.m. Saturday and Ihe last four hours of
ground school will take place from 2:00
p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon .
This course finishes on Saturday with
make up flight time, If necessary, on
Sunday. The Saturday/Sunday program
has ground school 8:00 a.m. till noon
Saturday, flight Saturday afternoon and
ground school Sunday 8:00 a.m. till
noon.
Don 't miss this opportunity to really
learn about your airplane and get a
thorough checkout from an expert
instructor.
The Cost: $250.00
Space is limited so please register as
soon as possible.
ABS BONANZA PILOT CHECKOUT PROGRAM
Telephone N
Name
Address
City/State/Zip
==-______--:-,:;:-_ _ _
Dual Controls _ _ _
Bonanza Model
YES
NO
Flight Ratings
Total Hours
Total Bonanza
Total Retract .
Total lnstr.
Please check appropriate boxes.
o
Wichita, KS Sept 14 thru 16
o
FrifSat
o
Sat/Sun
Please complete this form and mall it along with your check payable to ABS/ASF in the amount of $250.00 to:
American Bonanza Society/Mid-Continent Airport/PO Box 12888/Wichita, Kansas 67277
american bonanza society
september 1984 page 1512
1984 CHAPTER CALENDAR
NORTHEAST CHAPTER
Serving : Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connec ticut, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and
West Virginia
October 12 thru 14 - Basin Harbor
Club, Vermont
CONTACT: JOHN KILBOURNE, 444
East 75th , 8-F, New York, New York
10021 , 212/573-3093, 861-3254
MID-ATLANTIC CHAPTER
Serving: Washington , D.C., West Virginia,
Maryland , Delaware, Penn sylvania,
Virginia
September 2 - Crisfield, MD , Crab
Derby
September 15 - Wright Patterson
Air Force Museum
CONTACT: ROBERT BLOCH , 3513
Gardenview Road, Baltimore, Maryland,
301/486-2610
SOUTHEAST CHAPTER
Serving: Atabama, Ftorida , Georgia ,
South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia,
Mississippi and Tennessee
October 5 thru 7 - 12th Ann iversary
Fly-In & Reunion at Jekyl Island, GA
CONTACT: PAUL OGLE , 1133
Wembley Road , Greenville, SC 29607,
NORTH CENTRAL CHAPTER
Serving : Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan ,
Minnesota, Missouri , Wisconsin, Ohio
and Kentucky
CONTACT: TED GORTON , 224 W.
Jefferson Blvd ., Suite 517 , Southbend,
Indiana 46601,219/232-1852 .
803/288-7464 .
SOUTHWEST CHAPTER
Serving : Arkansas, Loui siana , New
Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas
CONTACT: WILLIAM H. WISNER ,
10106 Inwood Road, Dalias, TX 75229,
214 /276-9447
ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER
Serving : Colorado, Kan sas, Nebraska ,
North Dakota , South Dakota , Montana,
Utah and Wyoming
CONTACT: LEE LARSON , 10458 Pearl
Way, Northglenn , Colorado 802 33,
303/452-8479
WESTERN CHAPTER
Serving : Arizona , California , Idaho,
Nevada , Oregon, Washington and Alaska
CONTACT: ALDEN BARRIOS, 1436
Muirland Drive, LaJolia , Cali fornia
92037 , 619/459-5901
1984 SERVICE CLINIC SCHEDULE
Eden Prairie, MN 9/14-17
Wlnston·Salem, Ne 9/21 ·24
Tulsa, OK 10/12-15
Please complet e this form and mail It along with your check payable to ABS/ASF In the amount of $85 to:
American Bonanza Soc iety I Mid-Continent Airport , I PO Box 12888 I Wich ita , Kansas 67277
Name
Telephone #
Address
City / State/ Zip
A/ e Model
ASS #
Reg . #
SI N
Please indicate you r three choices for date and time:
DATE
1
Friday
Saturday
TIME
2
1
3
2
3
8 a .m.
9 a .m.
10 a.m.
Sunday
Monday
1 1 a.m.
1 p.m.
Tuesday
2 p.m.
Wednesday
3 p.m.
Thursday
4 p.m.
page 1513 .eptember 1984
amer ican bonanza society