Hollmann HA-2M Sportster

[ironcowboy]

Good Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Well, I’ve got the Bloomington Indiana shop all set up. Only a few minor tweaks are in order, and I need to find a decent folding table to use as a portable work bench. You know those portable tables they have at church, that weigh 50 pounds, but are durable! Probably the 30 pounds of old chewing gum stuck to the underside that makes the heavy and durable!
I’ve got a few gyro parts moved over into the shop already! Nose pod, eyebrow panels, control sticks, seatbelt’s and the new fuel fitting… oh and the gascolator.

The gyro will move on Wednesday, and we should be back to work by 1 June! So I’m running ahead of my schedule, but that is OK.

My first order of business is to get that 90deg fuel elbow installed in the aux tank, and get that tank mounted down “permanently.” Then I can get the seatbelts installed and mounted down for good.

I need to figure out where to mount my gascolator, and correct me if I’m wrong, this should be below anything else as much as possible? Yes no? I don’t think I’ll be able to make it the lowest component, but it will be close. It will be below the main tanks but above the aux tank. All fuel will flow through it before it goes to the electric fuel pump.

Please chime in if you think otherwise, or chime in even of you don’t.

[All_In]

Hi Cort
Excellent progress almost ready to start building.

Yes as water is heaver than fuel you want it at the lowest point in the fuel system to collect the most water and sediment.

Look forward to your build continuing!

[ironcowboy]

I have both main tanks above the gascolator; fuel will flow from left and right tanks to the selector valve, and then down to the gascolator. From there it will go to the electric fuel and mechanical fuel pumps. I’m not sure how I want to plumb that part just yet…

My aux tank has a decent sump on it, as do both main tanks. Of course all three tanks will have drains at the lowest point on the tanks. My aux tank will flow uphill about 16 inches to the selector valve and then down to the gascolator and electric fuel pump. I’m going to install a Tee fitting off the bottom of the 90 angle fitting as seen in the attached diagram so that any extra debris and water will go down when it gets to the tee in the line. Fuel will go up. My tank sump drain will be on the bottom of that tee fitting under the exterior of the aircraft.

All three fuel tanks are inside the cabin, so there will never be “direct” rain hitting the gas caps. As I figure, any water that get inside the tanks will be either condensation or came in with the gasoline.

[ironcowboy]

Well I’m definitely going to need to shim the aux tank to increase the clearance between the keel and the bottom of the sump outlet fitting. It’s going to be a really tight fit! It may not fit! I really hope it fits! I'm 82% sure I can get it to fit with no rub or contact between the fuel fitting and the keel.

Oh, and I got the gyro moved to Bloomington yesterday

Game on!

[All_In]

Hi Cort Looking Good!!!

[ironcowboy]

Whelps good morning everyone,

Good news and bad news. Well I actually got my fuel tank fitting installed, but I don’t like how close the tank is at the top to the seat frame and at the bottom near the keel / fitting point. It just does not give me much room to wiggle with vibration, and the invariable flexing that is inherent in an aluminum gyrocopter.

I have three different options at this point; two of the options will cost time (more so) and money (a little less so), neither of which I am necessarily worried about.

My current tank is a 10 dia by 23 inch 7 gallon tank.

Option #1, remove the tank and just go with 14 gallons. (The engine burns 9 GPH)

Option #2, install a smaller diameter tank, and refabricate all the attaching hardware, or…

Option #3, Order a new tank of the exact same 10 inch diameter, but eliminate the ½ deep sump welded to the bottom exterior. I say that a sump is not needed but I’m not done explaining yet… because I’m going to have an external sump that is part of the fuel line… and the tank is a cylinder. All moisture and debris will concentrate down at the fitting / external sump by default, where it will be drained out the sump quick drain during preflight.

I like option #3, as I don’t really have to retool any tank attachment fittings, they are already installed.... I just have to disassemble and reassemble part of the gyrocopter to accomplish the task. I will still have a 7 gallon aux tank, and although I won’t have a square tank sump welded to the bottom of the tank, my fuel line tee that drops down to the quick drain will still function as a good sump. Yes this will make a smaller sump, but I feel reasonably confident that it will be OK, as the tank is under cover, and will never be exposed to any kind of direct rain. As long as the lowers point lead to the quick drain I can still easily sample and inspect for water / dirt in the fuel.

Any thoughts.



As you can see in this photo, if I eliminate the square external sump, I'll have plenty of room for fitting clearance

Any thoughts.

[JEFF TIPTON]

Just a thought. Remove the tank and tap the hole three to four turns deeper. The end of the fitting probably will not extend into the tank area.

The actual sump drain can be located at a different location for ease of access and as long as it remains lower than the tank will give you additional sump capacity.

[ironcowboy]

God I love this forum... That is a pretty good idea!

[ironcowboy]

I’ve received my “bent” washers that I need for fabrication of the push rod ends on the pilot and copilot flight control system up on the flight deck under the seats. My goal is to have this fabricated within 6 weeks. I’ll post photos shortly.

[GyroDel]

Cort,

Just finished reading the entire thread tonight, it is almost 3 AM. Once I got started couldn’t stop until I finished.

Great looking build, I really enjoyed reading it and seeing the pictures. But mostly I got a kick out of your humor.

Now I will be wondering like all the others when the next post will come, and while I’m on that subject it’s now over a month since your last post. Just saying…

Del

[ironcowboy]

I hear you… I’ve been getting some domestic issues in order, but I made two runs up to Mentone this week… on Wednesday I flew the Cessna 140 up to attend the FAA Wings meeting, and on Friday I took my Fiancé Ayana up there to see her first Gyrocopter fly.

I joined the local EAA chapter here in Bloomington, but not yet attended a meeting… and I’m starting to look for a person to weld my rudder peddle tube assembly. I refuse to weld my own parts. As I’ve said before, the metal beads ugly on me!

I think I’m going to just remove the center aux tank and go with my two 7.5 gallon seat tanks… I figure that 1 gallon is ‘unusable’ in each tank, and when I figure that my O320 burns 9 GPH, that gives me 1.0 hour of flight with a 30 minute reserve. That easily gives me a 65 mile range, depending of course on the wind, and saves me a little weight. This will also raise my total CG a tiny bit closer to centerline… not by much, but the closer the better!

I’ve been kicking the dirt like a bummed out little kid for the last month(ish), wanting a third (aux) tank, and I realized something at Mentone… I have a damn FW that has a 500 mile range! Why the hell do I need a gyro that can go 120 to 150 miles? If I really need fly somewhere in a hurry, I’ll fly Southwest ™… If I need to fly somewhere kind of fast, I’m going to take the FW… but in no case is a ‘gyro’, and ‘in a hurry’ even usable in the same sentence… nor really is ‘gyro’ and ‘long range.’

I have a three position fuel valve that can be plumed to the center position as ‘both tanks on’, or left, right, or off! By getting rid of the center tank, now I have a place to make a small storage spot when not flying, and it greatly improves my access to the seat tank mounting bolts. With the Aux tank present, it was a B!tch to get to the back inner bolts anyway.

Mentone made all my problems just melt away…

[okikuma]

Hi Cort,

Yes, you saw the light at Mentone. 90% of gyroplane pilots don't fly more than a 25 mile radius from their home airstrip and still receive 100% flying satisfaction.

To meet either a Private Pilot or Commercial Pilot Rotorcraft Gyroplane rating, the longest distance flown to meet the Gyroplane cross country requirement for dual and solo is greater than 50 NM (FAR 61.129 (d)(ii) One 2-hour cross country flight in a gyroplane in daytime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure; (4)(i) One {solo} cross-country flight with landings at a minimum of three points, with one segment consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure...). The 13 gallons useable with a 9 gph fuel burn at a 57 knots (65 mph) cruise speed, you should be able to fly that 50 NM leg very nicely with ample reserves. If you are just adding a Sport Pilot, Rotorcraft, Gyroplane endorsement to your PP-ASEL, there is no gyroplane cross country requirement to worry about.

As far as flying somewhere quickly, you must never have heard, "When you have time to spare, travel by air!"

Wayne

[GyroDel]

Cort,

You could put a plug in the bottom and get a new fitting welded into the side of the sump, keeping it as low as possible. Would not make a difference either way, fuel is being drawn out of the sump. Even if it ended up just a little higher than the bottom of the sump, flying would stir the fuel up enough to not leave any sediment in it. Besides that’s why they sell us gascolators.

[ironcowboy]

Well, dang, that is a good idea too... I have a gas colator! A fitting out the side of the sump...

humm...

I think I am still just going to eliminate the center tank completely... in review of all the pros and cons, I just honestly don't need it... I can add it back in later if I really need it... Now one reason I wanted it was to give me extra range when flying solo... I can do that by using a seat mounted spare tank if I really need to.

Right now I see more reasons to not monkey with the Aux tank than I do to keep the Aux tank. It saves me 6 pounds as well.

I've also discovered that I frequently need to pee two hours after leaving any hanger! Whats up with that!

[ironcowboy]

I took a measurement today, and discovered that I don't have clearance to install a side mounted outlet fitting on my sump... the sump is not deep enough, so that rules that out for this tank... The tank will be removed this week... Anyone one need a good never used Coyote aluminum fuel tank 7.0 Gallons?