Clipper Pioneers Newsletters

September 2010 Newsletter

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FEATURING....

FLIGHT THROUGH THE DISTANT PAST - FLEET MODEL 7 AIRCRAFT

(-continued from last month)

In my state of alarm, the only clue to my problem is the oil temperature gauge that indicates a needle that is at the top of its scale. The only conclusion I can draw is that the engine is misfiring due to detonation. (When an engine runs at too high a power setting without adequate cooling, little specks of carbon in the cylinder heads start to glow red hot and ignite the fuel air charge at the wrong times.

Reducing power cools the cylinder head temperatures and the engine will operate normally with a lower output.) The effect of this power reduction is a drop in forward speed. Without an airspeed indicator, this is indicated by a change in the air noise through the rigging.

My heart rate now slows as I realized that the aircraft will hold its altitude with the new reduced power setting. In a few more minutes, the highway comes into view, followed by the appearance of the Colorado River. The cross of the two landmarks forms a perfect check point, and I flood with relief that I am now out of the wilderness, and if necessary, can glide down to the vicinity of other men. Now, with the fuel tank near empty...read more >>>

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