Test flew the Magni M24 yesterday

[XXavier]

Taking-off with a M24/914 requires lots of right pedal and prudence with the throttle. I've never tried the M24/915, but I believe one has to be even more prudent with the throttle...

 

[All_In]

It has been over a year since my original post. I went with the Magni M24 with the 915 engine. While waiting for my gyro to arrive, Dayton was kind enough to let me keep his gyro in my hangar in Utah, and fly it as much as I wanted. I think I put around 50 hours on his gyro. The power difference between the 914 and the 915 is huge. Climb rates are double. But the power comes with a price. The p-factor and push to the left on takeoff is as bad in the Magni with the 915 as I had experience in the Tercel and Taurus. It turns out that the problem I was having with the Tercel was not the rudders, but the p-factor from the more powerful engines in the Trendak gyros. I like my Magni a lot, but I strongly recommend that low time pilots stick to gyros with the less powerful 912 or 914 engine to minimize the chance of going off the left side of the runway on take off. I started a thread on this subject in the pilot technique/accident section of the forum.

One easy old school solution would be to attach a trim tab on the HS.

 

[j4flyer]

The way to over come the p factor effect when adding power is to bring it in slowly. Another technique is to limit the RPMs you use on takeoff. If you like the 914 determine what RPM will give you the same HP as a 914. Feed in the additional RPM after you break ground.

 

[Vance]

The 914 powered M24 I flew in Florida had plenty of rudder and I was taking off with a strong cross wind from the left.

At the CFI's/DPE's instruction I left the nose on the ground till we were ready to lift off.

This is not my normal takeoff technique.

Everything worked out fine.

I found the aircraft very docile and easy to control.

I am puzzled at the difficulty some people are reporting.

I don’t recall a need for much right pedal at all.

I would have to experience it to help someone correct it.

I can’t imagine a reason to go to full power at low indicated air speed.

She was off in 800 feet even with my cautious approach to takeoff trying to get a feel for the controls.

Based on my experience I use a trim tab to manage the rudder at cruise power.

In my opinion if I a adjusted the trim tab for the takeoff roll it would not be adjusted well for cruise speed.

 

[DavePA11]

Vance - Any idea on expected cruise speed if prop pitched correctly?

 

[XXavier]

I've performed some gliding tests with the M24/914, and the results show a maximum endurance speed of 80kmh. That means a maximum range speed of 105kmh. Max. range speeds are usually rather low for comfort, and after Carson's criterion, a good cruise would be 140km/h.

 

[Vance]

Vance - Any idea on expected cruise speed if prop pitched correctly?

I don’t know what the cruise speed is with the prop pitched correctly.

I flew the M24 for an hour in ugly winds.

I slowdown for turbulence.