Creating the "Somaha"

Faceslap

Faceslap

Characteristically female, "Hell's Belle" has rejected the Holy Grail. Since the output shaft remains the same across 3 years and 4 models of the engine, the "Grail's" loose fit was not due to some Yamaha inconsistentcy. Stuck in a holding pattern once again. However, the weekend did yield other progress, namely the installation of upper her control arms, and all new rod ends. I also wiped the gear lube off my camera lens, so these pics should be a little better. ;)

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No Grail for the Belle, this is hell.

New fingers on her arms are charms, complete w/ "industry standard" keepers, this is heaven. (pics wouldn't load)

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Caught with her pants down, she cries.

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My lady in waiting, all revved up and nowhere to go.:help:
 
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Lookin' great, Brooke.
Gotta know though........where did you find those 'boots' on your pre-rotator shaft?
See you soon......
Trez
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......where did you find those 'boots' on your pre-rotator shaft?...

Thanks Trez, picked em' up at the new "Gyro's R Us" department store in Wauchula......lol. Actually, they were in an outboard marine store (steering cable boots). Same ones that Jake used on the machine he built for Jose'. Great for this application.
 
Great! I'll look for them, now that you've put me on the trail......
Want at least one for my nose gear strut.
Thanks,
Trez
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Happy Bird

Happy Bird

"Hell's Belle" accepted Racer's "Black Widow Holy Grail". Nice n tight on the taper, the hub spun perfectly true, indeed she's become a raper. Going to adjust the prop pitch to 14 degrees, then taxi her if Wauchula doesn't whip up a 20 knot breeze. All systems are "Go", with rotors mounted straight lined and fine, I should be in for an interesting show. Can't say I have no anxiety, just hope she loves me as I play with her mighty........:whip:

First run w/ the prop produced enormous thrust, she's ready to hop over the wheel chocks at 2500 rpm. Clutch engages around 1800 rpm, locked at 2500. Taxi test revealed air in the brake line.....oops, no brakes, I shut her down.

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Black Widow Holy Grail.

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Spinning true at idle.

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Cup runneth over w/ clutch.

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Mated and plated.

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3.47 to 1 redrive.

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Back in the saddle, ready to rock and roll.
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Time to iron out the bugs.
 
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"Houston, WE HAVE LIFT-OFF!"

"Houston, WE HAVE LIFT-OFF!"

After some modifications to the nose wheel and tail wheel, the prop was changed to 13 degrees for static thrust test maxing rpm at 8400. Feels and sounds like a smooth turbo prop. Spooling up the rotors on a 7" drum gave about 120 RRPM. Time to break it out on the runway. 1st pass she balanced well on the mains. 2cd pass flew the runway at 3' agl. 3rd time, the charm: my baby, pure, good, and the feeling right, like a bat out of hell we climbed 1200 fpm to 1000' with a constant RRPM of 340. Do or die, the dance of the "Belle" awesome and sweet. In a vertical descent, the 25' blades chopped at 310, and spooled to 410 in a spiral descent. Landing was different with the clutched prop, but the longer blades seemed to hold her up pretty good.

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Lowering the nose.

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Hell's Belle is now a Lead Zepplin w/ weighted extension.

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Changed the front meant changing the rear....3" tailwhell drop.

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Also reduced rock-back, but still have plenty.

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I was just about to say "I love you", but she took the words right of my mouth.....Heaven can wait, I found a ruby in a mountain of rocks. Evidently, there really IS a gyro in the bottom of a "Cracker Jack" box.

Many thanks to Todd, Jake, Ernie, Rick W., my hangar mates, Wauchula International, and the inspiraton of many to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for helping me turn a pile of nuts and bolts into a bad to the bone flying machine.....:peace:
 
Congrats man!

Your running it harder than I run mine though, I am pitched for 7800 static.
 
Congrats man! Your running it harder than I run mine though, I am pitched for 7800 static.

Thanks Ron. Only in climb out did I push it, and then I only ran it to 8000 rpm. I didn't find more necessary. The cruise speed is considerably lower, and have yet to notice the tach on that. Two initial flights and my mind was wearey, so I called it a day.

Thanks Todd, although the big smile didn't break out until I shut her down back safely at the hangar......indeed I was amazed, and perhaps a little bit in shock.....lol.

New Years for sure Mike, with a planned flight to Sebring in Jan. for the "Light Sport Expo". Avon Park is having breakfast first Sat. of the month thru May. I also want to fly with you in Valkaria with a stop in Sebastian. I greatly appreciate your support.
 
Brooke, I am not telling you you need to change anything, but what I am saying is I have my props pitch to only let the engine spool up to 7800 rpms when tied to something solid on the ground. In the air, at full power max speed it can get up to 8000 rpms. I feel that having the prop set where mine is set, properly loads the engine, at the sacrifice of a little lost HP by lack of reaching the engines redline.

If I had a trust scale that reads high enough ( several folks here on the forum have em, but none are willing to loan one to me ) I would experiment with different prop pitch settings and rpms to set how much thrust is lost or gained by the different engine speeds.

Have fun. Biggest thing to remember is if you suddenly go from little to no throttle to a large throttle opening, the prop and engine will try to roll the whole gyro in the direction opposite of the prop rotation. I can feel it in my gyro at real low airspeeds, and I feel you will really feel it in yours being a smaller and lighter machine.
 
Sweet, cannot wait to see her at Benson Days!!!
Way to go Mike!!!!!
 
Biggest thing to remember is if you suddenly go from little to no throttle to a large throttle opening, the prop and engine will try to roll the whole gyro in the direction opposite of the prop rotation. I can feel it in my gyro at real low airspeeds, and I feel you will really feel it in yours being a smaller and lighter machine.

Thanks Ron, I have no intention of hammering throttle like a top fuel dragster. Easy on, and easy off. Even from a vertical descent....easy on, and an easy back-off to the descent. I'm not going to do anything "suddenly", as that will probably get me suddenly killed. Besides, I need to keep it and myself in one piece for "All-In" at BD.....lol.
 
Brooke, It looks Great! I know you are glad to finally get her in the air!

Ron, I have a hydrualic tester from Valley Engineering, If your interested I will let you borrow it.
 
Brooke, It looks Great! I know you are glad to finally get her in the air!

Thanks Steve. Are you still flying the 23's I sent you? How's everything going with your bird? I hope you make BD this year, it will be a reunion of the parts I took off my original Soma. You have my blades, and Jake is using my old tail and brakes on a new machine he built. Of course he brought everything back to new, and may sell it before BD. Be great to see you again.
 
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