Engine Start without wings on?

[2johns]

Originally Posted by Gagarin737

I tied the plane to the car:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRMHWbpxsPc

Very dangerous if you are a senoir citizen. In my case I'd probably jump in the car and go for a cup of coffee.

[DanH]

True story for your amusement (or horror).

We had a local gent who was syncing the carbs on his 912-powered Rans S12, with the wings off. Following a cable check he left it at WOT, forgot about it, and later hit the start button. Luckily he was leaning into the cockpit and the gear leg knocked him down when it jumped the chocks, so the Warp Drive missed his head. No, it wasn't tied.

Anyway, the wingless Rans went straight up the hangar row, gaining speed like a prop-powered drag racer. It was running at least 100 mph when it hit the old line of pine trees at the north end of 08A, almost exactly 1/4 mile from the starting line. The nose wheel hooked the berm, and it flipped up to go in prop first, like the big tree saws used around power lines. The Warp actually cut through a bunch of saplings and a 6" pine before failing two blades in some 8" and 10" trunks. We were impressed!

I suppose the moral of this story is obvious enough

[snopercod]

I taxi tested my LNC2 for a short distance without the wings. It scared the **** out of me because there was no rotational mass about the vertical axis and the aircraft wanted to careen left and right. Even now that it's been flying for three years, the plane can be squirrely on the runway with no fuel in the wings. (The ourboard wings only weigh 50 lbs. empty)

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by DanH

True story for your amusement (or horror)...

I suppose the moral of this story is obvious enough

Imagine what would have happened if the wings had been on? It might still be flying.

[waterboy2110]

I put the wings on for the first start. After that I ran it several times without the wings (too much trouble putting them on and off). It's a non issue. It's not going to rotate or vibrate or go anywhere - unless you drive it down to taco bell

[Aggie78]

Originally Posted by scottmillhouse

With most all done he is itching to....

Verbiage that has preceded many unexpected, unintended and usually regretted outcomes.

For my fellow Southerner's, another way of saying "Hold my beer and watch this...."

[RFSchaller]

I did my first run with the wings off and just held the brakes. I had no issues except that it crept forward at high RPM because the brake pads hadn't been conditioned.

[scottmillhouse]

To come to closure, we ran the 12 today without the wings with no problems. First engine run in 5 years with all engine and full system updates and carbs rebuilt. Of course carbs still need synced and there are minor issues like the fuel pressure sensor is grounded, one EGT is open and the Dynon backup battery needs replaced. A shoutout to Lockwood for their carb work- fired up immediately and idled smoothly at about 1650 rpm.