I want my $50 back!

[TurboS7]

Might as well tell the guys how you get the six with 30K worth of fish out of Goodnews Bay while you are at it.Destination DLG. Captain Newt Ball.

 

[Timebuilder]

Any insights as to why a breaker point, kettering-style ignition system was used instead of a magneto system? Could it be that the RPM range was lower than for a magneto ignition engine? Some other reason?

 

[A Squared]

Any insights as to why a breaker point, kettering-style ignition system was used instead of a magneto system? Could it be that the RPM range was lower than for a magneto ignition engine? Some other reason?

It is a magneto system, not a kettering system. Sorry if my explanation was a little unclear. Normally in a high tension magneto system the primary windings, secondary windings breaker points and distributor are all in one package. In this low tension system, the magnetos, distributors and secondary coils are all different components.

The reason for a low tension system vs a high tension system is that the high tension system has high voltages through most of the system including the distributor and harness which can result in crossfiring, flashover and other interruptions, especially at high altitude. with the the low tension system, the distributor and most of the harness is handling relatively low voltages and high voltages only exist in the individual coils at the cylinder heads and a very short high tension lead. This reduces the opportunities for the electrons to find a path to ground other than through the spark plug.

 

[mar]

Brainiac

AA--Very impressive. You have truly achieved DC6 geek status.



Turbo--30,000 outta Goodnews? Good grief. I'm guessing he took off towards the water...I bet he woke everyone up in Platinum, eh?

The Ball Bros. What are they up to these days?

 

[Timebuilder]

It is a magneto system, not a kettering system. Sorry if my explanation was a little unclear.

Ah, ok.

So, is it one mag per cylinder row, or two mags per cylinder row for two pugs per cylinder, four mags per engine? I can see a bunch of different ways to configure this setup, but 18 positions in one mag seems a little too many.

On the "blower" issue: a rootes type, or a centrifugal kind? Driven off the back of the crank?

 

[A Squared]

Ah, ok.

So, is it one mag per cylinder row, or two mags per cylinder row for two pugs per cylinder, four mags per engine? I can see a bunch of different ways to configure this setup, but 18 positions in one mag seems a little too many.

heh, heh, since you asked........and since I've already been identified as a geek..... The magneto is a single unit, driven by a single drive shaft off the nose case. (yes, a sheared magneto drive results in a complete power loss) That unit has two coaxial tandem magnet rotors. Each rotor has 2 inductive coils, so depending on how you look at it, you could say that it has 1, 2 or 4 magnetos per engine. The convention is that the rotors are numbered 1 and 2 and the coils are left and right, so the 2L circuit would be the left coil on the #2 magneto rotor. Both left coil circuits go to the left distributor and both right coil circuits go through the right distributor. The left and right distributors are physically different units, each on a seperate drive pad on the nose case. Each distributor has 2 carbon brushes riding on 2 segment plates, each with 9 segments. You could say that each distributor unit contains 2 seperate 9 cylinder distributors. The 2 left coils and the left distributor fire the rear plugs in both cylinder rows and the right coils and distributor fire the front plugs.

On the "blower" issue: a rootes type, or a centrifugal kind? Driven off the back of the crank? [/B]

It's a centrifugal impeller, driven off the crank at about 7 times crank speed in low blow (8.5 x crank speed in high blow)

 

[TurboS7]

According to the FE, they had purple gas on from Kodiak Island. They went to max power with water, as away they went. At 1500 feet they pulled back for all they could, they flew off in ground effect over the water and it took 5 miles to get the flaps up. The low fuel lights were on when they started decending for the approach into Dillingham.

 

[bigD]

What's funny about this thread is that mar started it complaining about the $50 he donated to Flightinfo, and in the end the thread alone ended up being worth the money I've donated to Flightinfo. And then some.

Awesome, awesome information. This is the reason I love this site so much.

 

[Timebuilder]

I think I followed the mag explanation.

Makes me want to go and work on one.

 

[redd]

Mar,

You, Avbug, and A Squared, are the three wise men of FlightInfo.

All three of you wise guys are worth your weight in gold for those of us who get to read this stuff.

So please keep it up, all of yous guys have been waxing eloquently lately, this thread was a real good read.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Mar,

You, Avbug, and A Squared, are the three wise men of FlightInfo.

Uh oh! Do you realize what you just did, Redd? Prepare yourself for a lesson on the "real" three wise men.

 

[Timebuilder]

Let's see.

Jimmy Dolittle, Chuck Yeager,...

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Let's see.

Jimmy Dolittle, Chuck Yeager,...

You da man!

 

[flyingwildfires]

thanks mar....

I can't recall how many times I thought the same things in my head, Mar, and signed out of the board in disgust -- even almost gave up checking posts because everyone wanted to b*tch about politics and religion... puke. I'm glad you said the "A" word ---

AVIATION......

what a novel concept..

enjoyed your -6 stories, too.. thanks...

and thanks for reminding us what this board is for.......

blue skies and smooth engines......

 

[Crizz]

Kit Darby, John Ornstein,.....


We'll get this thread juiced up if it kills us!!






ps, Awesome read Mar

 

[low-n-slow]

Mar, thanks a ton for posting this thread!

Posts like yours is what makes me keep coming back for more...I'm not into reading about that other nonsense either.

Thanks again for sharing your experience.

 

[Timebuilder]

I guess that third "wise man" would have to be Bill Lear.

 

[enigma]

Three wise men: Wilbur, Orville, and Chanute.

Great thread, MAR, you feeling better now?

8N

 

[mar]

Wouldn't you?

Of course it makes me feel good when people say thanks, though I don't take all the credit. I was certainly reluctant to type out a whole "Day in the Life..." but I'm gratified that it was well received.

There were lots of great questions and I got some great back-up from a friend called Asquared.

It felt good to share a little bit about what we do up here. Sometimes I think I have painted myself into corner with this Alaska flying (after all, who's looking for DC6 pilots?). All I ever wanted to do was fly for the airlines.

So when I come here to get current on the industry and trends and all I read is so much bickering and loathing, well, that just bums me out.

The only thing we have in common Enigma is our love for flight and sometimes it seems even that is not enough to inspire the smallest civil thought from some of our minds.

I just keep asking myself: What are we trying to do here?

What are we trying to accomplish here?

For me: I want to learn. And I want to teach. And I want to have a good time.

I've decided I don't have any more time for anything else.

Fly safe.

 

[empenage]

"What are we trying to accomplish here?

For me: I want to learn. And I want to teach. And I want to have a good time.

I've decided I don't have any more time for anything else."

I hear you loud and proud.

Thank you Mar.