PT-6 engine start in N844X with Austin Meyer

PT-6 engine start in N844X with Austin Meyer
Download X-Plane: www.X-Plane.com/desktop/try-it/
See all my videos: austinmeyer.com/videos

[@SwampyWilkinson]

thats a nice car

[@grqmedia3489]

Swampy Wilkinson lol

[@lvio_]

It's obviously a train.

[@PerfectPilot]

It’s a boat tho

[@cheese55431]

Bro

[@cheese55431]

Its a cycle from my view 💀

[@strider00111]

Nice plane ! Looking fwd to flying the Austin Evolution in XPX-11 !

[@josephcroft1502]

Super cool video! I love the explanatory comments at each stage of startup. And it sounds awesome!

[@bruceerwin2541]

Was unaware of this, your KZbin site until today, Austin. Thanks. Will forward it to my XP buddies.

[@subsoar5734]

the sounds of props coming out of feather into ground idle are so satisfying

[@CSkymen]

I like the sound inside the cabin!

[@thinkingai6017]

Thank you for the descriptions!

[@Invincible_International]

Loved your blog write up on the pt6

[@maxvogan8183]

I love that Plane! "EVOLUTION" Wish it would be included in Xplane 12

[@sebastiano4041]

That is one amazing and beautiful airplane you built! Totally in awe...I am so hoping we will see this in X-Plane at some Point!

[@austinmeyer]

AMEN TO THAT! I basically had to fight my team to allow artist time for such a rare airplan that so few people know about,, but I did finally win the argument, and we are indeed working on an amazing N844X for X-Plane right now!

[@aldionsylkaj9654]

@@austinmeyer any updates?

[@austinmeyer]

@@aldionsylkaj9654 tons. see austinmeyer.com for all my stuff i have going on (a ton)

[@aldionsylkaj9654]

@@austinmeyer Oh cool, didn't know you had a website! Hopefully I find an update to the lancair you modified.

[@thomascrawford7638]

@@austinmeyer is N844X out already? Is that the Columbia 400?

[@ADAPTATION7]

I have never flown turbine. Thanks for the step by step explanation on start up. :-)

[@WarrenPostma]

Here to see a cool engine start. Man I wish I had a friend who owned a PT-6. :-)

[@metocvideo]

Like the designers of the Spitfire said: “if it looks right, it probably is right”. And that plane looks very right indeed.

[@mickolesmana5899]

the very best kind of right indeed

[@ryangi5]

Very cool plane!

[@SergeZintchenko]

I have seen it in Osh 2018 It was nice to meet you Remember C-GRKZ parked right beside you?

[@joeburnsandclassiccars2652]

Beautiful

[@luisfelipeurbaneja7312]

I saw a video with a garrret its true burns almos half fuel... Austin im from Venezuela i love how roroaima and tepuyes are recreated in explaine...only missing piece is angel fall ..

[@rogerseelbach5330]

So awesome

[@killerdoxen]

Would love to get my hands on one of those, but the piston version for the range. Just found your blog with your build of this plane on it and how you were looking at building a jet which was what I wanted to do. But just too expensive, sourcing the engine I would have wanted and making it work with the avionics. The Garmin packages I was looking at are not jet friendly and I think Garmin would not sell a G3000 for an experimental. Want to be able to fly it to Europe. Wanted a jet so it wouldn’t take so long.

[@milfshake6944]

Gaaaaaaawd daaaaaaaayum, I do love Turboprops!

[@pilotmiami1]

Bravo.perfect

[@Hyperious_in_the_air]

what a rocket!

[@ELPaso1990TX]

I hope the FS2020 simulator I’m getting is this realistic when it comes to starting up turboprops and the engine is wrecked if done wrong.

[@austinmeyer]

X-Plane is much more realistic. I made X-Plane 11 simulate this engine type, and X-Plane 12 also simulate this airplane.

[@experience4879]

Modern Spitfire!

[@leokimvideo]

Looks like a pocket rocket

[@elbartoanticomunista3327]

perfect ]

[@JordanKingGaming]

Hey Austin, quick question. Your decal says Lancair/Meyer Evolution. Was this just an aesthetic personalization of your aircraft or is there something different in the "Meyer" version? Beautiful bird by the way, but you already knew that!

[@ThorNjord]

Jordan King yes he changed some stuff. Don't remember what, but it's somewhere in his blog posts. Go check it out. It's a fascinating blog!

[@austinmeyer]

It's a HOMEBUILT plane, NOT built by Lancair, and NOT certified by the FAA (!)... and I helped with a lot of the construction. So TECHNICALLY I am the builder of record, and technically, accordinfg to the FAA registry (where it is registered but not certified) it is indeed a Lancair/MEYER airplane, since I am the one that built it :-O In fact, ALL homebuilts are like this: They are ALWAYS listed on the FAA registry as make/manufacturer, where the manufacturer is the guy that built it (!). For whatever reason, nobody but me puts that literally official designation on their cowl though!

[@tm502010]

Fun!

[@davecrupel2817]

That is a seriously hot starting engine. Alot hotter than i thought small Pt6s were. That a pt6a-20?

[@austinmeyer]

pt6a-42

[@jascott62]

Awesome video :) The only thing I would add is ITT is the abbreviation for Interstage Turbine Temperature as the thermocouples on any PT6 engine are located between the compressor turbine and power turbines. Inlet Turbine Temp would be considerably hotter than what is indicated on the gauge. Very small almost irrelevant detail but may benefit someone that's curious.

[@austinmeyer]

OK now I am wondering: Why would the air be much HOTTER when it HITS the turbine than it is BETWEEN the compressor and the trubine?

[@jascott62]

@@austinmeyer The temperature is highest prior to flowing through the compressor turbine. As the gas passes through the compressor turbine blades, there is a pressure and temperature drop due to some of the energy being consumed to drive the compressor, then subsequently again the temp and pressure is lowered as it passes through each of the power turbines due to the energy being used to drive the reduction gearbox and propeller. My apologies if my previous comment didn't make sense.

[@austinmeyer]

@@jascott62 Uh-oh. "The temperature is highest prior to flowing through the compressor turbine" Sorry. I cannot agree to that at all. The compressor, by it's very name, compresses. That's the fist part. The compression. You said "As the gas passes through the compressor turbine blades, there is a pressure and temperature drop". So you literally just said the pressure DROPS as the gas through the COMPRESSOR. NO WAY. The compressor: COMPRESSES. That means it brings the pressure UP. So, you got something, possibly just terminology, backwards for sure.

[@jascott62]

@@austinmeyer I'm not sure you understand what the compressor turbine is. It's simply the turbine that drives the compressor rotor. I was never referring anything to the compressor itself. I don't think I have anything mixed up as I have built and test run hundreds of PT6 engines over the last 15 years so I have a pretty solid understanding of how they work.

[@austinmeyer]

@@jascott62 oh oh oh i see what you mean now. Got it. The turbine that DRIVES the compressor, not the compressor itself! Ok, yes, got it. So the flow is compressor, turbine that DRIVES then compressor, turbine that drives the prop, in that order, and the temp is measured BETWEEN the turbines. Got it. Mentally i just glommed the compressor and compressor turbine together as 'the compressor'

[@rnordquest]

How much room is in there based on how tall you are? For other planes I use Max W since at 6’4” we’re the same height.

[@julianlockwood]

That's a proper airplane !!

[@austinmeyer]

Yah 850 horsepower is just a NUMBER... but it is really something special to feel that kind of power being transferred to the air. Flying, you can really telly that the whole thing is just a super-lightweight carbon fiber envelope with a super-lightweight turbine engine and a little bit of tenuous wiring and sensors that can just barely watch what is really going on: turning burned fuel into moved air.

[@julianlockwood]

I look forward to a low fly-past of my house :)

[@ShubhamSingh-mo5nc]

why does th aircraft lowers at 1:06

[@matthewmajcher7180]

Wind inside the engine?

[@superhornetdriver6234]

Austin plemake the default xplane -11 b747-400 more realistic and better sound

[@diyfamily6848]

TIT not ITT , Turbine Inlet Temp not intermediate Turbine Temp ! The difference is where the thermocouple is located.

[@stephen_101]

Please put this plane in xplane 10 mobile - it's amazing!!!!!

[@austinmeyer]

Yah I am improving the PT-6 engine modeling in X-Plane based on all the stuff you see here in this video. And now, we use the SAME CODE for flight modeling for desktop and mobile (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) so all of those engine dynamics will be in mobile for the kingair. Then in the future we get my evo in there yes.

[@hunterayers6879]

Do you plan to add more free planes to X-Plane mobile?

[@ashsmitty2244]

I’d love to see the fuel burn comparison between a 350 hp lycoming/continental and a 350hp turboprop. I want to see 100-400 hp turboprops but for some reason they don’t exist and when someone does make one, they disappear.

[@austinmeyer]

Oh the turboprop almost always uses more fuel then the recip... and by kind of a lot. the only reason they are ever worth it is 5hey put out TONS of power from a TINY package... and do it for TWO THOUSAND HOURS with almost NO MAINTENANCE. (but when maintenance DOES happen its INSANE expensive) so the turboprops are only good in CERTAIN WAYS.

[@austinmeyer]

Now for some numbers: the turboprop uses easily FOUR TIMES THE FUEL PER HORSEPOWER as a recip when running at very low turbine RPM: that is at very low power or low altitude, where the turbine spins slow in the thick air. BUT, up hi, at high power settings, the turbine spins at max RPM, and suddenly it starts working right!!!!!! THEN, the fuel burn gets amazingly comparable to a recip!!!! (in fact, when the pt6 is at max turbine RPM, it burns LESS fuel per horsepower than a continental TSIO-550 running at full rich mixture!!!!!) so, at wide on throttle on a pt6 at hi altitude it is MORE efficient than an old continental at full rich. BUT, of course, you almost never run the continental full rich, and you DO spend a lot of your flight in taxi, descent, landing, instrument approaches, etc... and those all involve low engine power, where the turbine is just fuel-wasting junk. the turbine only works hi and fast... and then it simply destroys all other powerplants... but you have to run at max power to get that efficiency! and at max power, of course... you have hi fuel flow even if it IS efficient, because of all the power output.

[@ashsmitty2244]

@@austinmeyer Thanks for sharing,’you sure know a lot and I much appreciate it. I love the evolution! Same with a turbine legend. I would love to have a turboprop designed to fly in the 7-10,000 ft producing say 250hp. So I could own a smaller less powerful and therefore less thirsty 250 engine in comparison to a 600hp engine. And considering that kerosene is cheaper, burning 50-100 litres of kerosene is fine with me.

[@urhiredhr421]

Oh how I love the sound of the start-up. HOWEVER, it seems like you could easily destroy your engine if you don't do the right thing at the right time. Correct?

[@austinmeyer]

Yes!

[@larrynorman1919]

Is that "John Candy"?

[@wernerdanler2742]

You kept flipping the pages faster then I could read them. Pausing KZbin videos blurs them. I could read them on pause on this video only because the print was very large but then could not see your gauges at all. I still don't know what NG actually stands for. I have been trying to find that out for some time and no one ever says. Please tell me. I love the look and sound of that little plane. Just awesome!

[@austinmeyer]

its the rpm of the gas generator, in percent. 100% Ng is max speed of the gas generator. The gas generator is the teeny little turbine that spins at like 50,000 RPM to send exhaust out to a turbine, or little windmill, that is hooked to the prop.

[@wernerdanler2742]

@@austinmeyer thanks, but I got that from the video explanation. I still don't know though what exactly the letters NG stand for.

[@austinmeyer]

@@wernerdanler2742 N always used for rpm in %. G for gas generator.

[@wernerdanler2742]

@@austinmeyer Got it. Thanks!

[@ThisaraGamalath]

okay now walk into it 😀

[@jeffherndon]

Question- why are turbo prop engines started with their props full feathered? Why don’t they start with the prop 90 degrees flat at 0 degrees to not produce any thrust? Wouldn’t they spin up faster and easier and be less stress on the blade and mechanical parts?

[@austinmeyer]

YES!!!!! BUT, the part you forgot is... the shut down! The prop SPRINGS to feather, and is only HELD FLAT by OIL PRESSURE! AAANNNND the oil pressure comes from the ENGINE. So they make the prop SPRING to feather so if the engine quits, the prop feathers for best glide! Great idea! So, 100% guarantee, when engine not running, prop will be feathered. The spring guarantees it. So the prop only CAN go to flat pitch AFTER there is oil pressure.. in pother words AFTER the engine is running! :-O

[@jeffherndon]

I didn’t know it had springs in it. Unlike hydraulics on heavy equipment which has hydraulics both directions.

[@jeffherndon]

And thank you! Quick reply and way cool plane. Thanks!

[@austinmeyer]

@@jeffherndon Right.. only 1 direction here, so if the pressure is lost, the prop goes to fail-safe: minimum drag.

[@MikeKobb]

One other thing to keep in mind -- on the PT6, the core of the engine is not physically connected to the prop. That's why you hear that whine come up quickly, at the same time you see the prop begin to turn in a somewhat leisurely fashion. It's the hot gases from the core stages of the engine that turn the final turbine disc in the engine that actually rotates the prop (and it turns in the opposite direction from the core stages). Anyway, since they're not physically connected, it's not putting very much drag on the engine core, so it can start up fine. The prop itself would come up to speed faster if it weren't feathered, but that's not all that important.

[@luisfelipeurbaneja7312]

its pressurized?, if not, whats the advantage of turboprop it burns way more fuel than acgas in low altitudes, it is worth that diff? beauty althought

[@austinmeyer]

oh yes, pressurized of course!

[@luisfelipeurbaneja7312]

@@austinmeyer non pressirized turboprop makes sense?, they starve for fuel at low altitudes,,,

[@austinmeyer]

@@luisfelipeurbaneja7312 Correct. Turboprops use much fuel at low altitude. Pressurization needed for good efficiency. Correct.

[@runninggames771]

That seemed like a really hot start. Is that normal?

[@austinmeyer]

1000 is start limit, so it was... ok I have newer batteries in there now that make it a lot cooler, due to more air from faster starter.

[@runninggames771]

@@austinmeyer i see. Does it start cooler when using ground power? (Starter turning faster) Is there even a reason to want a cooler start? Would it affect engine longevity or something?

[@austinmeyer]

@@runninggames771 Oh yes ground power gives more juice to the starter which lets more air in before we add fuel… And keeps spinning the starter with electricity while the fuel is being added… So yes ground power gives a cooler start for sure. This is much more significant than most people realize. And yes, I'm sure engine longevity is improved if the temperature doesn't spike so much every time you start it up

[@liferewired]

Flying an engine more than plane 😂

[@GeorgeRon]

Wow. Whats the closest thing to this in Xplane ?

[@austinmeyer]

In X-Plane 12, this exact thing, right down to the pens velcro'd to the dash.

[@GeorgeRon]

@@austinmeyer Thanks Austin! I'll check it out! Greetings from Dubai.

[@experimental_av]

Does your plane need a GPU to start up the turbine?

[@androidgameplayvideos8834]

?

[@experimental_av]

@@androidgameplayvideos8834 ground power unit

[@RottenFlesh-we6nu]

@@experimental_av haha i thought it was a graphical processor unit 🤣

[@chrisht7072]

LOLz!!! Nothing ASSPloded .....

[@sturvinmurvin9408]

Fasssssssssst~~~

[@andrewdiamond2697]

Not like my Mooney. More like the AH-1F Cobras I used to fly in the Army.

[@hwoods01]

Nice payware.

[@sameden5528]

witchcraft

[@stringfellowbalk2654]

Great niche aircraft. Just too bad about the company.

[@marty34534]

Yup! I came here straight after watching Mr Meyer talk about how this plane starts up in a video about flight sim hardware. I cannot do his discription justice but NOW I see what he means. WOW this plane is a _BEAST_ !! You are a very luck gent to one one of these good sir! Fly safe.

[@paulwilson8367]

It's a beautiful little airplane. Love the turbo prop. I saw one at KSNA a while back and marveled that it was so sleek and, parked, it looked like 400mph. And, I had just landed a 737-700 and was sitting in it's left seat, envious. Fortunately, they paid me to fly the 73...not nearly enough to own something like the Lancair. Im cautious about laying out the bucks for X-Plane 11 (now retired, age 65), the only way I can afford to fly much of anything.

[@echsomat4611]

Appreciate your awesome progress on X-plane 11! Judging by this preview, it will be amazing ;-)

[@Q8Pilot]

Just lovely :-)

[@penaz89]

That sound comes from heaven!

[@JoshOnGuitar]

The explanations are really helpful, thanks!! Learned something!

[@joaohen]

Awesome video!

[@vincentfuria7301]

Sweet Little Aircraft, I Love It.

[@ThorNjord]

Oh man that SOUND! 😍😝

[@aquelequepescaoficial]

Bravo!

[@andimuhjafar]

That is massive engine for that small car.

[@corporate_flyerguy6708]

I just saw N844X fly over my house at 28,000ft. Thought it was pretty amazing, so I had to google it.

[@austinmeyer]

Reply with the exact date and location and I'll check my logbook and tell you what trip that was for.

[@cubie3835]

We have a Lancair in Western Norway used for private flying

[@3dognite]

Sweet!

[@lazypilotindonesian]

Father of Xplane

[@ellonysman]

Austin Sir, any videos discussing the new Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020? Curious on how this new technology will impact Luninar Researches developement for Xplane 11 next year?

[@mouhcinesouabni5656]

Hello Meyer, Cool video! I’ve only been flying with PT6 engines for 4 years, as an instructor. Your engine might be a bit different but with the ones I operate, such as the PT6A-27/-34 , I believe any starting temperature above 850 C is a bit unusual and should be investigated for cause. One thing that helps is , waiting for the NG to stabilize then introduce fuel, getting above the minimum you stated of 13% is important, but waiting till it reaches its full potential before introducing fuel , allows for more air to keep the engine cooler. On our planes we have a minimum starting voltage of 24 volts, but even at 23.4 on yours, I was surprised it manages to get the NG to an acceptable figure for start. All the best!

[@austinmeyer]

Yah those batteries were a bit old, and I might have put in fuel a bit earlier than I could have... those things resulted in the higher ITT.

[@yayaya1193able]

@@austinmeyer holy fuck m8 😂😂 literally did the two things your not supposed to in a TP 🤣🤣☠️☠️ how did she not damage

[@austinmeyer]

@@yayaya1193able Damage above 1000 C. We saw 911. That's fine.

[@simio1337]

Cool vid, what camera did you use for the outside shots? Good cinematography!

[@austinmeyer]

Dunno what kind but it was the same camera crew I used to film the patent scam.

[@classicjetsims]

Just curious as to how the battery starts charging when NG reaches 11.% and before the engine lights. Is the battery just recovering on it's own once the initial load to crank the engine diminishes?

[@austinmeyer]

Wait I think that the battery is NOT charging until I turn on the generators AFTER the ITT has stabilized (cause the air con and generator drag the little turbine down, so I like to spin it up good before I load it up with stuff like that)

[@tomskellern6128]

I want one

[@RedHairdo]

Inb4 lawsuit regarding a patent that tells the method for filming a jet that is on land with its blades in movement.

[@austinmeyer]

I need to patent a method for pushing patent trolls into the prop!

[@atr1212]

@@austinmeyer ah ah great one

[@tropicthndr]

So now that Eldridge has bailed from Evolution and the insurance companies have had enough of all the electrical problems, windshields blowing out in flight, landing gear failures ext.ext. what are you going to do with this boat anchor without any factory support.

[@austinmeyer]

Not a boat anchor! I have 400 hours in it, flying about 100 hours per year! The company shutting down or slowing down has had ZERO impact on my use of the airplane. It has literally not cost me single flight, dollar, or minute, except for the two minutes spent typing this reply!

[@gabejasonjackson]

which PT6 is this? the ITTs seem a bit high compared to what I see on a PC12 during startup.

[@austinmeyer]

-42. That is the 850 hp variant. Yah my ITT's do seem to run a little bit high compared to some other PT6s... might be my ITT probes are not perfectly calibrated or something.

[@NeemaAssemi]

When it's time to change battery(s), look into something with a little more juice. A Meridian we used to fly with the -42 would hit high 700s on a standard temp sea level start and mid 850s after a quick turn. We also keep our planes on battery tenders (if that works in your hangar situation). Gives us a strong mid 25v when we turn the master on. You have a beautiful plane sir. Love your videos

[@stephenyoungblood3683]

Don’t you mean the turbine turns the prop?

[@DavidBrown-dv9rt]

Why do some PT-6 starts and overall sound have a different sound than say a PC-12 or a King Air sound?

[@austinmeyer]

Dunno, unless it is resonance with the airframe or something. A Kingair has a big metal airframe reflecting the sound around, but my little carbon-fiber Evo does not....maybe that makes a difference. NONE of the PT6s have any sort of muffler at all, of any sort.

[@Stargate-oy9st]

because pt6 engines come in different versions, with more or less hp depending on the plane they come with. then you got other factors influencing the startup. for example, a new and strong battery will spool up the engine faster which sounds different. the props come in different sizes and shapes, making different noise. oh, and i am sure the microphones make a difference too

[@pjt]

So Im quessing then the wife wouldn't let you get the Viper jet?

[@andiCNH]

NO ASSPLOSHUNS HERE

[@austinmeyer]

NOT YET! But with a little experimental bird like this, and a sound like that, I find myself wondering on every single engine start! :-P

[@jojojorisjhjosef]

seems like that app isnt sitting ducks.

[@TheOriginalCoda]

If only you could put some 30mm cannon on it and send it back to 1940 in a time machine...

[@daytonasixty-eight1354]

That composite airframe would get destroyed by the old warbirds and flak guns.

[@austinmeyer]

More than once in the traffic pattern or even enroute as I wind up behind someone, I have though the exact same thing...