Air re-starts

[mike.smith]

Does anyone (Xenos pilots?) use any specific procedures for restarting the AeroVee in flight? I've been doing a lot of aerobatics and although I generally keep the maneuvers in the positive G range, if I did something to cause the engine to stop I've wondered if I should do something like initially shut off the fuel to avoid pouring fuel into the air filter until I actually get to the restart procedure. I also believe I've heard that the AeroVee doesn't windmill at normal air speeds.

[MichaelFarley56]

As a matter principle I try not to shut the engine down in flight :), but like some others I did have my idle set a little too low initially which caused a shut down during the landing rollout a few times early on.

Just like you said Mike, unless you make some sort of immediate correction the engine is still getting fuel and it seems to flood out quickly, so my immediate action item was to pull the mixture to idle cutoff immediately. This cuts the fuel. Then I’d hit the starter and slowly start feeding the mixture back in. It normally catches after a few blades and then I’ll reset the mixture as needed.

Something similar may work for you if you’re talking about an immediate restart.

Just a thought!

[WesRagle]

Hi Mike,

I had a dead stick landing during the early testing of a Sonex. The idle was set too low and the engine died on final. I had the field made and so focused on landing rather than a restart. Once on the ground the engine was badly flooded and I couldn't restart and had to drag the plane back to the hangar.

After that I worked out a restart procedure.

As soon as the engine dies quickly pull mixture to idle cutoff.

Engage the starter.

Wait for the engine to fire or until five seconds have passed, whichever comes first.
Then, with the starter still engaged if the engine hasn't fired, set mixture full rich.
The engine should either continue to run or re-light.

YMMV