SD-1 Fly-In 2022, ep.1 - Engine Fail, D-MTDC going down - or how to fail sucessfully

[@MonstroLab]

Magnificent editing, narration, and flying. the Erik Satie melody at the end was great too. Subscribed

[@TheMorayMosstrooper]

Well done, Chris. An excellent outcome due to good planning.

[@TDCflyer]

Thanks, Mike. This kind of acknowledgement coming from a seasoned Pilot means a lot. However, I believe there was a great amount of luck involved as well.

[@TheMorayMosstrooper]

@@TDCflyer No, not luck. You had decided on your course of action with plenty of time to modify it if something changed...like the engine picking up again. My thoughts on that as a non-instructor? Once committed (which you weren't), secure the engine if there's time so your final approach to maybe the only field isn't spoilt by an unexpected engine pick-up. Yours happened at a time that gave you extended options, but a recent local accident here taught me this. A successful forced landing of a C152 was carried out in very inhospitable terrain, only to have the engine regain power during the roll out. No room to get airborne, but enough to accelerate into a stone wall and down into a ravine. Aircraft total loss, so went from 100% success to 100% fail in 5 seconds. A very good decision, I think, for you and your wingman to trailer out from a strip with marginal conditions. So many people I know would be tempted to fly out if they were able, so congratulations to your wingman on his discipline - and for following you in to help. Great teamwork (I saw him circling). A pity that your SD-1 gathering didn't happen for you, but you can always go next year with an aeroplane that you didn't wrap around a tree trying to get there this time.

[@TDCflyer]

@@TheMorayMosstrooper hehehe, what makes you think the gathering didn't happen for me? 'twas nothing a little elbow grease and dedication couldn't fix within a night. Just wait for the next episode ...🤣 🛫 Also, Michael is indeed the best wingman any pilot could ask for. With more years of flying experience than I have even been alive this plucky old chap approaching 78 years of age will give any young hotshot a run for his money!

[@Hyperious_in_the_air]

Always wanted one of these great little planes in the US. What's the empty weight? Would it qualify as an ultralight here under the 120kg total airframe weight limit?

[@TDCflyer]

Hello Hyperlouis, the empty weight of the SD1 can be kept under 120kg if you religiously stick to the plans. The D-MTDC weighs in at around 130kg because all skins are reinforced with glassfiber, giving it a very durable surface finish. As far as I know the SD1 does not qualify as legal ultralight under FAR Part 103 in the US, it is too fast and has too high a wing load. However, it can of course be flown as an experimental.

[@Hollasus]

You handled the situation well and I'm glad everything turned out well! :-)

[@TDCflyer]

same here. If it hadn't turned out well there'd be no more new videos on this channel...😉

[@Hollasus]

@@TDCflyer And we don't want that! :-D Good luck with your next flying and I am curious how the problems will be solved. My friends had a problem with loss of power when their petrol filter got dirty. You couldn't see that it was clogged, but a thin layer of fuel components clogged the holes. Since then we change the fuel filter once a year.

[@thomaspluss4784]

Gut gemacht, landung und video👍

[@Pilot_Alex]

Sehr spannend das ganze 👍

[@bushflyer6345]

Hallo Chris, sehr professionell und sauber gelöst die Situation 👍. Kannst Du uns die Ursache für den Motorausfall noch schildern bitte ?

[@TDCflyer]

Ist eigentlich im Video zu sehen: Hauptdüsen rausgefallen, Vergaser abgesoffen, aber darüber hinaus hat wohl auch der Schwimmer geklemmt weil eben doch ein kleiner Alu-Span in der Schwimmerkammer war. Der Motor ist einfach viel zu fett gelaufen bis die Zündkerzen völlig zu waren. Die wollten, aber sie konnten nicht mehr zünden. Ich darf dabei anmerken das ich den Vergaser vorher nie geöffnet hatte.

[@bushflyer6345]

@@TDCflyer Danke Dir und much more many happy landings 👍 ( hab den gleichen Vergaser )

[@christofferniemonen8872]

Your accent is pretty OK