Tipsy Nipper

Hi all,
has anyone tried air starting the veedub engine? I was chatting to an ex-RAF Chipmunk instructor and he says they just used to dive at the deck when the engine stopped and 'hey presto' it would start again!
Anyone achieved this in a Nipper?

regards

Gary T

G-AVKI

Hi Gary

Yes I have acheived this feat after it went all quiet up front at the top of a loop I carried on with the loop but without the pull out bit. ie into a Stuka dive in the hope the engine would turn over and start. I remembered reading somewhere that a bit of yaw helps so I applied a little left rudder and hey presto the engine burst into life (by the way I had closed the throttle, checked fuel and mags etc) I wouldn't recommend this as good practice as I had lost 2500ft without realizing and pulled out of the near Vne dive at 1000ft. If the engine had not started..................well it doesn't bear thiking about as I had lost all my margin for a planned forced landing . On the other hand in those early days of Nippering nobody said you won't air start a VW so i didn't know any better!.
I have not thankfully had occasion to try it again. I fitted an ellison throttle body soon after the incident as it was the float in the original carb that caused the problem (plus my botched loop )
I think best would be to practice PFL's as the Nipper has the glide characteristics of a brick (1:3.6) If you want to do aeros do them over an airfield or strip or over a field that you know you could land in the event of an engine stop. Dont be put off by this (it didn't me). the Nipper is a great little aeroplane. Enjoy

Fly safe
Stuart

Hi Stuart,
thanks for that candid and slightly hair raising reply! I hadn't realised the Nipper's glide ratio was quite so poor... I shall make sure that my next flight involves a few PFL's and will certainly ensure that I have good land out options during aero's. Still haven't managed it yet though as I'm determined to have a Pro show me the ropes before I go it alone (new to aero's and desperately trying to be responsible!).

regards

Gary T