Skybolt
Active Member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2020
- Messages
- 31
- Reaction score
- 14
Hi, I'm new to the forum and thought I would introduce myself, as well as asking a few questions. My name is Matt, and I am now the owner of a 85hp J3, which I bought a few weeks ago in Nebraska from a very nice farmer.
I started flying it back to my home state of Washington but on the way I woke up to a snowstorm in Montana, so that's where the bird sits at the moment. I am headed over to resume the journey home this coming weekend.
On the first leg of the trip home from Nebraska I jumped in the rear seat and found I couldn't get my size 12 sneakers to dig into the brakes. When I landed two hours later I bummed a ride into town and bought two forty pound bags of dog food, put them in the backseat, and got in the front. After an hour of flight my left foot went to sleep from being jammed in the tight space, my knees were up near my chest and getting to the brakes was no easier. On my next landing the dog food was given away and I went to the back again to resume the trip.
I am pretty sure my chief difficulty in getting the brakes to function is because I cannot rotate my foot enough and the amount of brake travel required doesn't help. Would Grove brakes help with that? Are they more sensitive and do they come on sooner? Brakes that come on instantly with a slight bit of heel movement would be a vast improvement.
My next question has to do with the prop. It has a wood sensenich but I question whether it is the right pitch. In cruise I reached 65-70mph at 2300 rpm, but the throttle is barely cracked , perhaps one fourth if that. I have to really watch it as its easy to go over redline with a bit too much throttle. What is the ideal prop for the C85-12? I am not looking for speed, although I wouldn't complain if I could get 75-80 mph. My concern is that I am not working the engine efficiently if I am cruising at a quarter throttle, and the right prop would give me better climb and cruise performance and keep me away from redline. According to the log book, the current prop is a W72GK46. Is my experience normal or is there a better prop engine combination?
Thanks much
M
I started flying it back to my home state of Washington but on the way I woke up to a snowstorm in Montana, so that's where the bird sits at the moment. I am headed over to resume the journey home this coming weekend.
On the first leg of the trip home from Nebraska I jumped in the rear seat and found I couldn't get my size 12 sneakers to dig into the brakes. When I landed two hours later I bummed a ride into town and bought two forty pound bags of dog food, put them in the backseat, and got in the front. After an hour of flight my left foot went to sleep from being jammed in the tight space, my knees were up near my chest and getting to the brakes was no easier. On my next landing the dog food was given away and I went to the back again to resume the trip.
I am pretty sure my chief difficulty in getting the brakes to function is because I cannot rotate my foot enough and the amount of brake travel required doesn't help. Would Grove brakes help with that? Are they more sensitive and do they come on sooner? Brakes that come on instantly with a slight bit of heel movement would be a vast improvement.
My next question has to do with the prop. It has a wood sensenich but I question whether it is the right pitch. In cruise I reached 65-70mph at 2300 rpm, but the throttle is barely cracked , perhaps one fourth if that. I have to really watch it as its easy to go over redline with a bit too much throttle. What is the ideal prop for the C85-12? I am not looking for speed, although I wouldn't complain if I could get 75-80 mph. My concern is that I am not working the engine efficiently if I am cruising at a quarter throttle, and the right prop would give me better climb and cruise performance and keep me away from redline. According to the log book, the current prop is a W72GK46. Is my experience normal or is there a better prop engine combination?
Thanks much
M
