info about dominator with viking turbo engine

Jan,

It’s nice to see you here on the forum. I’m sure there are many folks interested in your engines who will appreciate seeing you here and being able to share information.

I’m sorry about your troubles with the recession. Many people took a big hit. It was sad.

Despite my persistence with these issues, I was absolutely sincere when I said that I hope the Viking package proves to be a good alternative for the sport aviation market. It is such a beautiful package.

Here, you seem like a well-intentioned, down to earth person with your customer’s best interest in mind. Perhaps I’ll come over with the machine on Saturday, meet you and see your operation.

We’ll probably never agree on some of these points, but at least you are here to participate first hand.

Yes, he lives way up north and has only been able to get down here the two times you speak of. This is part of why it hurts so much. He incurs significant expense to come use his machine and really hasn’t been able to enjoy it.

We’ve seen at least two (maybe three) Viking equipped Dominators come through Wauchula. The one that went to the islands was really working well. You could hit the starter and it would purr. But I believe it had a different computer on it. This one, that we’re concerned about, acts completely different. It may have been right when it left your shop, but when it got to Wauchula it had problems.

It was very nice of you to work with the customer to correct the valve problem. You said you also corrected some other things that day. What else did you correct?

Even though I was present for most of the attempts to run the engine and diagnose problems, I triple checked and again was told the valve cover was never off the engine. I certainly never saw it off. I did see that there was oil leaking from the valve cover. Was there a crankcase ventilation system in the original set up of this machine?

Ernie did not answer my question. Perhaps you can. On the machine Ernie is currently working on, the gearbox is now lubricated directly from the engine crankcase. Was this done because of something related to the installation of the turbo, or is this how all future gearboxes will be lubricated?

In response to “If the machine need further work, we can do that. “ from post #34; The whole point of this thread is that the brand new machine should not have needed extra work. Thank god the machine is still here in Florida. Can you imagine the situation he would be in if he had already taken his machine home?

In response to “Here you go again? What is this mentality about free upgrades?”; I thought I covered that in item #1 of my post #26. Nobody is asking for free upgrades here. We simply want the man’s machine to run right, be safe and free of defects. These things that need fixing are not upgrades. They are necessities to make the machine run correctly and safely. It’s so simple. If the old flywheels have integrity and are safe, then why are you replacing them with a different type? This is not an upgrade. It's called a “recall”.

I really hope you can resolve these issues once and for all.
I’m really looking forward to posting something positive after the machine comes back from this third trip. If it’s right this time, I’ll be the first person in line to express my thanks.
 
Last edited:
Regards the Viking engine comments etc., I have a tandem Dominator with a Viking Engine on it that I kept at Wauchula for awhile. Then, shipped it to the islands where Dave Seace came down for 10 days and flew with me here. I have about 70 hours flight time now. The engine and the gyro have performed perfectly without problems. Both Ernie and Jan have been responsive and helpful whenever I call or ask any questions. I know that one person had some problems at Wauchula but my experience has been nothing but positive.
 
Hi Michael - would you have a jpeg photo of N495HW that you could share with the forum please - thanks.


Steve
 
Hi Steve,

Yes- this is a jpeg of the Dominator which I tried to attach

A little background-

I am an aeronautical engineer who started flying in 1994. I have a current Private Pilots License. Flying the Dominator is more fun that I've had in the air for a long time. It is so responsive and stable- a great flying machine. On a good day here, the wind is about 25 mph (tradewinds) and this gyro handles it with no problems. Landing into the wind makes for a easy no roll landing. Recently, we had a lot of flooding from Tropical Storm Cristobal so yesterday morning I flew over some of the flooded areas and sent the Go Pro video to the Public Works Department, Disaster Management and others (link included). They really appreciated the help as there are no other aircraft in the sky here.

I joined the Forum to share experiences and gather information. It is a shame that there are so many negative things going on in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGGQtun7s1Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JzYAox8ocY

Mike
 

Attachments

  • Gyro Pic.jpg
    Gyro Pic.jpg
    139.6 KB · Views: 1
thank you very much mike to share your story about the storm and the go pro video and everything
 
Hi Steve,

Yes- this is a jpeg of the Dominator which I tried to attach

A little background-

I am an aeronautical engineer who started flying in 1994. I have a current Private Pilots License. Flying the Dominator is more fun that I've had in the air for a long time. It is so responsive and stable- a great flying machine. On a good day here, the wind is about 25 mph (tradewinds) and this gyro handles it with no problems. Landing into the wind makes for a easy no roll landing. Recently, we had a lot of flooding from Tropical Storm Cristobal so yesterday morning I flew over some of the flooded areas and sent the Go Pro video to the Public Works Department, Disaster Management and others (link included). They really appreciated the help as there are no other aircraft in the sky here.

I joined the Forum to share experiences and gather information. It is a shame that there are so many negative things going on in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGGQtun7s1Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JzYAox8ocY

Mike
I know what you mean... Thousands of hours flying and gyroplanes are the best kept secret in the world.

So glad you could join us!!!
 
Mike many thanks for the photo of your Dominator - it looks a whole lot of flying fun.
 
I am the owner of the Dominator with the Viking engine that is getting so much attention on this thread. I just finished reading the thread for the first time a few minutes ago. I signed up for an account so that I can respond, clarify, and make corrections.

First, I want to thank everyone who has helped me with my gyro. I really want to thank all the members at the Wauchula gyro club (Sunstate Wing and Rotor Club). They have helped me over and over again with learning how to fly and with watching over my machine while I am away. I am proud to consider them my friends and I feel like I owe them a lot. I want to thank Ernie with making such a great machine. I think he has done a lot to make a great machine at a great cost. I highly recommend the Dominator and I would buy it again if I had to make the choice. I want to thank Jan at Viking. I think it is great that he is making an affordable engine for gyros and continues to make improvements to his engine. I have met him a couple of times and he has treated me nicely. All three are sincere gestures of thanks.

Now to history:
When the engine was operated by me for the first time in Wauchula (Bensen Days 2013), the alternator died the first hour of operation and oil was spit all over the tail of the gyro. Viking sent me a new alternator free of cost the next day and Ernie helped put it on. We tried to change the tube position and set up where the oil reservoir ventilation ended. We never stopped the oil from spitting and the engine was hard to start. I spent a lot of time during that week trying to get the machine working properly (part gyro and part engine problems). I left the machine in Florida.

I came back New Year’s week 2013 to get lessons and visit the club. My engine continued to spit oil. We determined it was leaking from the crankcase seal, valve cover and a hose coming from the oil box. The engine still did not run well (hard starting and rough) and we thought it may be from having a first generation computer. (Jan had offered to replace the computer when I met him at Bensen Days 2013.) I was not able to use my gyro very much do to the engine problems. I again returned to New Jersey without flying the machine very much.

I paid a friend to work with Jan at Viking to get the machine working before Bensen Days 2014. Again I wanted to get lessens and see my friends at the club. The machine was trailered to Viking (Jan) and it waited there for parts to arrive so upgrades could be done to it. I believe there was miscommunication on when I wanted the machine back vs waiting for the upgrades. Anyway, the engine was worked on quickly and then brought back down to Wauchula. A new computer was put on and work was done to fix the oil leaking problem. (Jan told me the oil setup had to be changed (info on his website) to minimize pressure build up and there was nothing wrong with the crankcase seal.) A different friend brought it back to Wauchula so I could use it. The engine was making a lot of bad noises and it was quickly decided that it shouldn’t be run. (It was not flown.) To the best of my knowledge, no work was done on the engine while I was away. Before I brought it back to Jan the next day, the coils were switched and spark plugs were replaced. This did not make a difference. I brought it back to Jan during the Bensen Days week (it had been at Viking two days earlier). Jan and his friend worked on it to get it working as soon as I arrived. They were very friendly and made every attempt to solve the problem. It was determined that the valve gaps were not adjusted correctly and Jan adjusted them for me. (To the best of my knowledge no one attempted to adjust the valves in Wauchula.) I brought the machine back the same day and everyone agreed that it sounded much better, but it was still hard to start. (Jan did not keep my machine overnight so he couldn’t know that it was hard to start cold. I think I only flew the gyro for two hours that week. I went home again.

I learned about this thread on Sunday afternoon and that my machine is going to go back to Jan to be fixed. I have confidence that Jan can fix his engine on my machine if he is given the time. I have no reason to believe that Jan, Ernie, or my friends in Wauchula have done anything that is not in my best interest or have done anything to my machine that I don’t know about. Jan has not charged me anything to get my engine working. I have heard stories about him, but when I meet him he treated me well. But I guess the last point is, it is a year and a half later, I have visited Florida three times and I still can’t use my machine because the engine is not running well. I believe it is not too much to expect to have an engine that works as well as every other Viking engine I have seen. I don’t think the engine has ever run well. I have faith that when the engine goes to Jan this time, and he is given the time he needs, that he will get it running well.
 
Thank you for taking the time to post here, and present the actual facts from the owner's perspective.

One bad thing about this forum is a lot of second, third, and fourth hand info(frequently wrong) is posted here.

I understand your frustration with your engine. Although it has been a long journey for you, hopefully Jan will be able to return a fully functional aircraft.

It feels to me like the fact you are an absentee owner has contributed to the delay in getting your engine repaired. Not your fault, not Jan's fault, just a situation that wasn't the best for either of you.

Good luck, and look forward to hearing your gyro adventures anew.
 
At Jan's request, we will wait and take the machine to him in late October because he is waiting on parts.
 
Don't blame the 2008 recession on Jan

Don't blame the 2008 recession on Jan

You did before too..... until you didn't.

Caveat emptor

I had NOTHING to do with the 2008 recession.
If you had been in my shoes, you would have some understanding. With no orders and two assembly hangars to pay for.

But, that is a long time ago now. Last I checked it is 2014
Plenty of companies went away, never to be heard from again.

If your rational is that because you failed you are never to try again, we would never agree on much.


Jan Eggenfellner
 
Waiting for parts

Waiting for parts

At Jan's request, we will wait and take the machine to him in late October because he is waiting on parts.

We are not waiting for parts to bring the machine to current standards. We are waiting for parts to bring the engine to 2015 standards. Since a desire to have the machine worked on one time we made the decision to do the work at the end of next month.

We are looking forward to the arrival of the Gyro so it can fly as well as the others.

We just made our latest "weekly Viking" report that I will attach. Clearly, you can see most Viking engines run great. Check the left column for 3 separate gyro related posts:

http://vikingaircraftengines.ning.com/


Jan Eggenfellner
 
To follow up:

Greg picked up Bob's Dominator a few days ago. He says it it not exhibiting the same noises and vibration we witnessed before. I didn't want to talk too long because Greg was at Ron Menzie's working on his CFI checkride. I did ask what was actually done to the aircraft. All he could remember and tell me was that Jan re-adjusted the computer, upgraded the engine to the new gearbox oiling system and found that the large pre-rotator pulley was not drilled accurately. He said Jan was able to drill a new bolt pattern and save the pulley.

All in all judging from Davie's experience dropping the gyro off and Greg's information so far on the return, it looks like we may finally have a winner. If so, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Jan for solving the problem. Maybe Jan will post here and tell us what he finally found other than what Greg has told us. Greg also said that as an extra measure of safety, he would let Ernie go through the gyro again before Bob get's back.

Many thanks to everyone who has helped.
 
Try - try - try again.....

Try - try - try again.....

... eventually all the issues will be solved! At least you have some one who knows & understands their engine (albeit a work-in progress) ... working on the problem ...UNTIL IT IS RIGHT & FULLY FUNCTIONAL!!! :peace:

There was a similar story with another brand machine a cuppla years ago! sadly the manufacturer just gave up trying to figure out the problems & out-of his depth - at wits end ...told the customer to take the (unflyable) machine home and "enjoy it"!!! :painkiller:

:first: winners ... don't quit & quitters don't win! :(
 
Well, I'm happy to be able to say that Bob's Viking seems to be doing very well. I understand that he got about twelve hours of trouble free training in last week.

So, thank you Jan for getting the engine right. And thank you Ernie for agreeing to work on whatever other small issues Greg reports.

It feels so good to know that Bob's gyro troubles seem to be over.
 
Last edited:
Happy dance for Bob!

Happy dance for Bob!

It's great :D to hear of GOOD NEWS .... in the customer satisfaction dept.! .... in THIS case!!!!! :whoo:


:rolleyes:.... as I said 2 posts ago....."Winners DON'T QUIT!!!" :boink:!!!!
 
Top