Oxford Flight/Repair
September 15 thru 18 2021
What started as an out-and-back 1-1/2 hour AirBike flight to visit friends at the Oxford, Kansas aerodrome (50K) soon became a conflict with the Huns who strafed one aircraft on the ground and shot another out of the sky. They scampered away unscathed
Tim Tong was making a Mini-Max test flight (he was unarmed) close in to the airport when the Huns jumped him using their machine gun fire to knock out part of his magneto system causing significant RPM loss. Quickly assessing the situation he realized that he couldn’t remain airborne. He attempted to return to the airfield. Initially planning to land short in a field, he soon realized that if properly managed, that maybe he could guide his wounded Mini-Max to the runway threshold. With adrenalin pumping, his senses acutely focused (and seat cushion sufficiently sucked-up), he made a successful landing on the runway numbers.
Thus began a tree-day troubleshooting and repair process. Tim set about replacing marginal magneto wire connectors with more durable ones and then addressing some related problems.
Under the direction of Chris Duncan, he and I both began troubleshooting why, my engine would stumble at 5500 RPM and then go no higher (I needed 6300 for the mag check) during a mag check.
Chris was very methodical in his troubleshooting process; working “backwards” from the spark plugs. Items in that sequence were plug caps, wires, coil connections and the coils themselves. He also checked these items against his book of “magic numbers” for various cables coming from the magneto. He did this for each spark plug starting at the aft-most one.
When Chris got to the second plug wire on the forward cylinder, he achieved the Ah-Ha moment; an extremely high-resistance plug wire. Once the wire was replaced we now had good spark. The engine would start but still stumbled at around 4500 RPM, not good enough for flight! The problem was also flooding during starting; and fuel coming out of carb the overflow tubes.
While all this work was going on during the three days, we were frequently working in the shaded hangar, but all engine testing was done in full sun and 95 degree heat on the concrete ramp. Chris was also moving between my plane and Tim’s to check on his progress and offer advice. Chris was like the doctor, and I was like the intern operating room nurse. He would do the “surgery,” and I would do the “closing.
”Christy McCormick made herself available for both moral and “lend-a-hand” support. One day I brought watermelon, ice water, and pop for refreshment. It was all consumed.
Chris check the carbs, jets, needle jets, air bleed, etc. He then repeatedly adjusted each carburetor’s floats until the flooding and overflow problems were resolved. Of course, each adjustment took time because plugs had to be removed, dried, cylinders evacuated, then everything reinstalled. During the last sequence of Airbike carb float adjustments, Tim had his Mini-Max on the ramp doing a successful run-up. His problem was solved! Mine was about to be.
Finally, my plane’s engine started quickly and ran vigorously without a hint of stumbling. Next step was to do an engine run-up and mag check. All went well and I made the decision to take off. Christy was ready and waiting to video the resulting departure.
An almost direct crosswind of about 8 MPH was my tormentor on takeoff. My maximum cross-wind component was 10 MPH. The final run-up was done on the runway; I made my radio call, and then advanced the throttle. This was a full left aileron (wind direction) on the entire takeoff roll until breaking ground. Then when 5’ off the deck, I crabbed the plane down the full runway length. Doing so allowed me the option of setting her back down from a very low altitude if something wasn’t right.
At runway’s end all was well, so I pulled the stick back and climbed for altitude. I made a 270 degree turn and flew over the hangar where the crew was watching from. I gave a wing wag and headed for Cook Field (K50) and my hangar. A quartering tailwind got my speed up to 72 MPH at 1000’ AGL. Cool!
My return flight was direct; I didn’t want to engage any Huns. Actually, this return mission was to deliver blood plasma to a field hospital where wounded soldiers returning from the Western Front were receiving care. This was a higher priority that late afternoon than settling the score with the Huns.
Approaching Cook Field and making a radio announcement I entered the pattern. My landing at Cook Field again involved a direct crosswind. I landed, bounced; and fast taxied with the tail up to the runway’s end. Another radio call upon clearing runway 19 followed by a second when crossing runway 17/35 completed my communication.
It was a short taxi to my hangar where I refuled the plane, put her away, then patted the nose cowling for a job well done (she got me home), and closed the door.
Many thanks to Tim Tong who through his connections in high places, made hangar space available; Chris Duncan for his knowledge and patience dealing with the engine trouble (and me), and Christy for her continuing support. Sometimes, a guy really needs his friends. Thanks a bunch you guys!!!
Paul D. Fiebich
a.k.a. AirBike Ace
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