Drag racing an M7

Discuss topics related to technique, procedures, and idiosyncrasies of Maule aircraft.
Post Reply
Paul Amstutz
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:17 am
Location: Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Contact:

Drag racing an M7

Post by Paul Amstutz »

Hi all,

I got tickets to the High Sierra Fly in, October 17-20

Thought I would try the STOL drag race.

M7260B, ABW strong standard gear, 29" tires

Any tips from you guys about how our plane would be best flown for this?

thanks, paul

User avatar
Mog
100+ Posts
Posts: 973
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 8:01 pm
Location: Dallas, TX
Contact:

Post by Mog »

Will be interesting to see how a Maule does at STOL Drag. All I can tell is get up quick and then throw it into a forward slip to slow back down and land short so you can turn around and do it again. Maule slows down pretty quick, might do well.

User avatar
montana maule
100+ Posts
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:27 am
Contact:

Post by montana maule »

For the uninformed please explain what a STOL drag is.

User avatar
Chris in Milwaukee
100+ Posts
Posts: 463
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2016 10:24 am
Location: Wisconsin
Contact:

Post by Chris in Milwaukee »

Probably the finest new form of aircraft entertainment since the modern air show, methinks :)

http://www.stoldrag.com/
Christopher Owens
1993 MX-7-180A
Members: AOPA EAA VAA

Paul Amstutz
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:17 am
Location: Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Contact:

Drag racing an M7

Post by Paul Amstutz »

Did a little practice on take off this AM. Negative flaps. A little pitch down from take off pitch. Seemed to let the plane accelerate with weight on wheels for longer with an easier transition to flight-doesn't want to jump into the air as usual. Pretty easy to control in ground effect.

The rationale is to not generate unneeded induced drag. Obviously this is not the way to do a short take off, but this is not the goal in this sort of thing.

Plane flies the pattern just fine with negative flaps. Never had reason to try that before.

Cool morning, around 66 here in SLC, so no problem climbing with negative flaps with half mains full and just me on board.

Going to determine what speed I get to at 3000' of take off, (the course is 3/4 mile long=4,000') and then try some landings. Over the ground in ground effect before the runway, U42/16. Approach at (3000' speed), negative flaps, at end of runway throttle to zero gently (for now), level flight at 20agl, slowing to 80, ease full flaps on (will try this first at a higher elevation but so far seems like the plane tolerates it without major unsettling), in this configuration I know the Maule drops quickly, now it is just a power off full flap landing which in my plane I can still flare at 45-50 if I am not descending quickly, and touch down and even with a bounce it won't fly again. Flaps off as quick as possible and brake when things are stable.

Once I practice this a little, I'll be off to the Tule Valley Hardpan (Ibex) and set up some cones. I have learned that landing on a featureless flat white surface takes a little getting used to.

Any other suggestions?

User avatar
DeltaRomeo
100+ Posts
Posts: 410
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 3:05 am
Contact:

Post by DeltaRomeo »

Your negative flap setting is a novel idea, but to me it seems counterintuitive since this is a speed event. Short take offs and landings eat up less space and will ultimately be faster. The trick to me is when to impose the side slip so that you don’t induce a float from high speed, and budgeting just enough flyable airspeed to land short at the turn around line. Landing in 200 ft verses 600 (because of speed at touch down) will give you a much faster turn around. Your horsepower vs aircraft weight will give you a competitive edge, too. Best of luck to you and looking forward to seeing a Maule do well at the event!
M5

Paul Amstutz
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:17 am
Location: Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Contact:

M7 STOL Drag

Post by Paul Amstutz »

thanks for the replies.

There doesn't appear to be a requirement that you get off the ground quickly.

So I figure that if I can set the plane up to stay on the mains for a while there will be less induced drag (than weight on the tires rolling resistance) and hence more power available for acceleration.

Negative or no flaps should enable me to keep the plane in level attitude until a higher air speed is reached before she flies.

When in the air, staying in ground effect will help.

Might be simpler just to use no flaps-first notch up from negative- with some elevator down pitch to begin with to achieve the rolling/flying transition a little smoother. As it is with one notch the plane wants to bolt off the ground quickly and is hard to keep low and steady.

Will do a little experimenting to see how fast I am going at 3000-3500' , might have to cut throttle and side slip a little to get down to 80mph-flap extension speed. This transition will require some practice.

Once below 80mph, throttle at full off, full flaps, the three bladed prop driving the engine, 260RH drops like a stone. Not sure I have the skills to add in a forward slip to that mix to any great benefit. But that is something I can go to altitude and try out and time how long it takes to decelerate from 80-45 without/with a side slip and see if I can keep it straight and level in the process.

I agree that getting the plane stopped quickly is where the money is.

But having a M7 Turbine wouldn't hurt either :D

User avatar
Hottshot
100+ Posts
Posts: 995
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 1:41 pm
Location: 4S3
Contact:

Post by Hottshot »

I be there to cheer ya on!! I would leave the neg flaps out and just run as hard as you can

Paul Amstutz
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:17 am
Location: Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Contact:

STOL DRAG RACE

Post by Paul Amstutz »

Thanks, Wup,

I will do my best to show what a Maule can do.

I will try to find you and say Hi

paul

User avatar
HeavyLoad
100+ Posts
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2017 9:46 pm
Location: Battle Ground, WA
Contact:

Post by HeavyLoad »

I'll see ya there. weather pending!
===========
M5-210C
RV6

User avatar
DeltaRomeo
100+ Posts
Posts: 410
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 3:05 am
Contact:

Post by DeltaRomeo »

Well?
M5

Paul Amstutz
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:17 am
Location: Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Contact:

STOL Drag racing an M7

Post by Paul Amstutz »

Sorry to let your guys down.
I didn't go.
Went and practiced at the Tule Valley Hardpan (Ibex) for a couple of days and learned a lot.
Practiced a forward slip at altitude, and the most I could force the Maule to do didn't seem to really slow her down very quickly.
My old Taylorcraft would go into a radical slip, but the Maule not so much. With flaps/without, didn't seem to work well

Wound up with:

flaps at one notch
trip wheel set to one screw head forward of "takeoff"
prop set to 2600 rpm (2700 wasn't better, maybe slightly worse)
brakes full
power full
release brakes with yoke back for 50 feet
with full propwash over rudder directional control is fine
let tail come up when it wants at around 40mph (I though rolling on the ground would be better acceleration than flying/induced drag)

plane lifts off fairly level attitude, needs a little forward pitch control to stay close to ground in ground effect

pull throttle at 3/4 distance (out of 3/4 mile course, laid out a track on the lake bed with 5 gallon Home Depot orange buckets with rocks in them)

Would be at 105-110mph

start pulling on flaps, plants wants to rise, pitch down
used pressure on flap handle to judge how much flap I could pull, and pulled pretty hard

gained a little elevation which helped slow the plane, and let me pull more flaps

aimed for a point 200 feet ahead of line to try to flare at 60-65 and then release the flaps to help lower to ground just across the line

Didn't use specific notches in the flaps, just pressure, and then used release of flaps to lower plane, worked pretty well

at touchdown, dumped flaps to negative 7, yoke back full and hard on the brakes, could actually slide the tires on the dry lake bed

(put some old 8.5's on, 14psi, lowers the angle of attack on the ground, less pitching moment while braking, also bolted 20 pounds of lead to the tailwheel :)

Was all set to go, but the weather from SLC to Dead Cow was multiple rainstorms and lots of wind gradient, and I didn't want to subject my wife to that so I didn't go
:cry: :cry:

So, I will have to try again another time

Of note, I learned a lot about flying close to the ground with a lot of control input and a lot of practice with engine out landings, so it was worth while

Also, every time I cut the power, the engine backfired, and when I got to looking it had blown a hole through the airfilter.

And I need new brake pads

Oh well

User avatar
Mog
100+ Posts
Posts: 973
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 8:01 pm
Location: Dallas, TX
Contact:

Post by Mog »

I’m not positive a forward slip is the best option in a Maule, they just don’t really respond very dramatically to a slip. After some recent experience I believe a shallow pitch angle is a possible option for experimental aircraft or possibly via 337. My plane feels like you tossed out an anchor when I push the prop knob full forward. This could take some of the hazard of a forward slip out of the STOL drag competition. But it’s only a matter of time until someone builds an experimental with big air brake slats so... guess we will see how the sport progresses, but I bet the fwd slip is old news in a couple years.

Paul Amstutz
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:17 am
Location: Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Contact:

STOLDragging an M7

Post by Paul Amstutz »

My experimenting with forward slip slowing the M7 didn't seem to dramatically slow the plane. Not as well as just easing hard into the flaps by feel, with a shallow climb at 105mph, more flaps as slowing.

I agree it won't be long before someone builds an experimental with air brakes like some of the old dive bombers.

I actually daydreamed about putting some little wings on my Ducati...…..

No rules yet about how well the "plane" has to fly.

Sooner or later someone will also have electric wheels. Good application for that I think. wouldn't need much, if any, more battery. Only needed for a few seconds at a time.

User avatar
Mog
100+ Posts
Posts: 973
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 8:01 pm
Location: Dallas, TX
Contact:

Post by Mog »

Or just an electric airplane. Perfect application for this as you only need a few seconds of flight time.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests