| Author | Message | |||
     Ali Moghaddas (Ali) |
I just acquired a wheeler Express project. the wings are already covered & ready for installation. I am considering the following options, and appreciate inputs/ suggestions on the following issues: 1- Due to lack of space, I would like to finish the wings completely & place in storage, while finishing the fuselage in my two car garage. I like to leak test the fuel tanks, before painting the wings. Any suggestions on the leak test. I guess one way is to seal all lines and pull 1-2 psi vacuum? 2- I have the "float type" fuel sending units. I am planning to use the Vision micro system fuel/ etc monitoring system. Any issues with reliability/ durability of the "cork" type floats? Is there any compatibility issues with the Vision system? 3- I am debating whether to install speed brakes. Any suggestions on the performance with & w/o the speed brakes. How easy are they to retrofit into a 90% finished wing? Do the speed brakes reduce landing roll significantly in this airplane? By how much? 4- I am planning to place the landing / taxi lights in the wing near the wing tips. I am planning on using a Xenon type bulb. I have to make a mold and create a lens from Plexiglas/ lexan Any suggestion on the lens thickness, molding technique (temp/ time for bending the Plexiglas)? Any issues with heat generation? 5- I am told that the wing lower surface bulges out when filled with fuel. Is it worth adding two graphite layers to the lower skin to stiffen up the lower skin? Has anyone had any experience with these issues? Your comments are appreciated. | |||
| Anonymous |
Ali... Just FYI... Unless Vision Microsystems has recently changed their system, You can't use the float type fuel senders with the their fuel measuring system. They require their own special capacitance probe/senders (ie. long rods that run the length of the tank). Irregardless, most capacitance senders seem to be much more accurate than float style anyway. Speed brakes will generate a notable amount of drag in flight, initially giving a 500 fpm descent and slight reduction in speed with no power reduction made. They won't do much for the landing roll-out though. | |||
| CHARLEY SCOTT (Hogfan) |
Ali; Regards to Vision Micro Systems, anonymous is correct you will need to use capacitance probes as supplied by VMS, but you gain accuracy of fuel remaining which you will not have with a simple float type fuel gauge. I have had a VMS in my Glasair for the past 11 years and some 900+ hours with very little maintenance and excellent service from the factory. I will definite use their products in my Express. | |||
| Ali Moghaddas (Ali) |
Thanks, Charley & Anonymous for your input. I am planning to incorporate your suggestions about using the Capacitance probe. I just need to figure out if I can use the flange part of the float system to minimize my retrofit effort. Any other suggestions are appreciated. Thanks, Ali | |||
| CHARLEY SCOTT (Hogfan) |
Ali, If your float type gauge is on the end of the tank you may be able to modify it to accommodate the capacitance tube. That should not be difficult, just one of the advantages of building with Composites. Charley | |||
| Brian McKinney (Bmckinney) |
I am going to be receiving my Skysports cap. fuel probes in a day or two. Anyone have a good picture they can email me showing their installation? I am getting the full length (8') probes with the bendable portion just below the head. Thanks, Brian (~1.5% complete) P.S. - I've got more stuff on my website. Check it out. I added more of my work & pictures of John Harlow's Express. www.ics-mn.com/express-project | |||
| Bruce Newlan |
I have ben having an anomaly with fuel flow, and I thought that someone might have a clue as to what is happening. It is on an Express Series 90 TD (that's tail dragger)that is ready to fly. It has a Continental IO 550 (G). During taxi tests this problem has only occurred when on the right tank. After 5 to 10 minutes of taxying at low RPM the engine sometimes will stumble, and to keep it running either I need to hit the boost pump for a second or two or switch to the left tank. (On this engine, one does Not run the boost pump except to prime the engine when starting)So far this has never happened on the left tank. At run up or full power RPM, the engine runs perfectly on either tank. Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind is the fuel tank vent line. I have two tanks on each side and each vent goes to the wing tip, then out the bottom of the wing per the original Wheeler manual. After returning to the ramp, and blowing low pressure air into the vent from under the wing while someone listens through the filler cap, one can hear a small amount of fuel being blown from the vent line back into the tank. Could this be a temporary blockage and cause the problem at low RPM and not high, or is it entirely something else? Any ideas anyone? | |||
| Jay Villalva |
Bruce, With your TD you have a greater suction pressure requirement. A couple of things to consider: with this occurring only at low RPM, the capacity of the engine driven pump is less then it is at higher RPM's and with this only happening on the right tank, it could be indicative of air leaking into the suction tubing for that tank. (The suction pressure requirement goes even higher on take-off with the aircraft rotating, the acceleration G-forces and higher fuel flow rates. Of course with the higher RPM's, the engine driven fuel pump has a higher capacity.) Just food for thought... Doesn't sound like a vent problem, because of your ability to do the full power run-up (assuming there is no deformation in the area around the fuel tank and no sucking sound when you remove the fuel filler caps). | |||
| Ed Watson Unregistered guest |
I have an S-90. It has never been flown but is structurally complete. The wings have been on/off for fitting of the ailerons and flaps. Will the Series 2000 wing fit the plane? What retrofit problems would there be? | |||
| thutchis Unregistered guest |
Ed, I believe the Series 2000 wings will fit. The main difference is the attachment of the front and rear shear web to the fuselage. The Series 2000 wing uses a special machined/cast aluminum bracket. Tom | |||
| Ted Gaston Unregistered guest |
Tom is right if you are talking about a true S2000 wing. If you are looking at an S2000 version 2.0 wing it is realy an RG wing without the extra rib structure for RG gear attachment and is too tall for the S90 fuselage. | |||
| Bob Henderson (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest |
I plan to use the XEVISION wing tip light system. Should I use 1 or 2 lights? Where can I get the lense that fits the leading edge, and the metal bracked to secure it to the wing skin? Thanks in advance for your help. Bob | |||
| Carter A. Smith New member Username: Carter_smith Post Number: 21 Registered: 07-2004 |
Bob, XEVISION lights are great, but as you know, very expensive. A number of us have used the Hella HID automotive style lamps. They are very bright and two for $500. I made my own lenses using plexiglass from Home Depot. You can make them by first making a mold - fiberlass or wood- and then put then in the oven. With a little practice I was able to make some pretty descent ones. Then make a fiberglass flange on the inside of the leading edge of the wing for them to sit on. Blind nuts with nylon screws should hold the lens in place. Some people, who are less concerned about changing the lens, have simply glassed them onto the wing. Using the small Hella lights you can get away with a lens that is only 4 - 5 inches wide. Future bulb access is through the removable wing tip which, by the way, I have attached with Carbhinge. I used two Hellas, one in each wing, and then one XEVISION for a taxi light in the cowl below the spinner. I know this is overkill, but "they" will certainly see me coming! Carter | |||
| henri walser New member Username: 43henri Post Number: 11 Registered: 02-2001 |
Hello Carter, for a fwee days I get my Hella HID. To know how the lamps producing some heat I switch on some el.power to see how warm the lens and body heat up. The result are : after 15 min. on the worktable the body and the lens are 70C /158F after 25 min. both the body and lens are 100C/212F. ???? My advice to not closed the lamps the need some aircooling. Henri | |||
| Werner Maag, CH8174 Stadel, Switzerland New member Username: Wmaag Post Number: 15 Registered: 01-2003 |
trying again to upload some pictures from my 2 Hella lights in the air scoops. The airflow has to be retarded anyway in these scoops to increase pressure for the cooling act (according Banaby Waynfan) so I hope this will work. These lamps come with relay, fuse and full wiring. Werner
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| Carter A. Smith New member Username: Carter_smith Post Number: 22 Registered: 07-2004 |
Thanks Henri, for the temperature data on the Hella lights. Mine are in the wing tips. Though there is no outside airflow in there, there is airspace around the lights for hot air to escape. I believe that coupled with the airflow over the wing itself that it will dissapate enough heat to be ok. I'll let know shortly - I hope to be flying within 6 weeks. Carter | |||
| Bob Henderson (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest |
Thanks for the wing light help tips. Bob | |||
| Chaz King New member Username: Chazking Post Number: 29 Registered: 01-2005 |
All, I'm replacing my VM1000c with an AFS4500. I expect the capacitance fuel probes remain unchanged after all of these years. Since my capacitance system has three wires, each side (red, white, & black), and AFS uses one wire (white/orange) I'm desperate to know the Express system so AFS can assist with proper electrical connections. Anyone know anything about the capacitance system ? Manufacturer, the wiring, the control box (& their usual location)? Chäz | |||
| Al Kittleson New member Username: Al38kit Post Number: 51 Registered: 07-2007 |
Chaz...every three wire probe I've seen is the same...volts+ (red), black (ground), white (signal), I have no idea how AFS makes things work with one wire...  |
Hella lams in airscoops