Cruisair Checkout

M

mplstim

New member
Bellanca Brethren:

I have 2 flights and 4.1 hours dual in my new Cruisair. I know I'm singing to the choir but I have to report that this bird is a fantastic airplane to fly. It climbs out strong at 1000FPM+ and handles so crisply that it feels like its on rails. I've been doing 3-point landings up to this point and the transition from flare to touchdown is so smooth and easy that it just seems to melt onto the ground. I'm amazed at the lack of pitch changes to gear or flap deployment. The Franklin roars along smoothly and starts right up everytime Giuseppe designed a real gem with this airplane - everything about it combines into a superb flying experience. I think we have the best kept secret in GA with these fine old airplanes!!

Tim Briggs
N413R
http://www.geocities.com/mplstim/Bellanca1.html
 
I have yet to log just ONE hour in 392, and just from the rebuild, I have to say it's wonderfully engineered. If it flies like it was designed and built, it ought to be at least $100,000 to buy one :D . It seems to be worth it to me anyway!

Maybe that's what we should do, just jack the prices up without intention to sell. That always seems to get the attention of those who don't know any better. I'll start mine at, say, $83,400 :wink: After all, it isn't finished yet.
 
Just bought the same as you guys from a gentlemen in Carbonsdale Il. and brought it to Montreal oct 3rd 2005. It was on the cover of Private Pilot in July 94. Now going thru it's annual inspection to give it it's canadian citizenship. Took 8.2 hrs to bring it to Montreal. This was 8.2 of the greatest hours of flying in that type of airplane I ever done. for a familly plane of that year and with these performances, I wouldn't trade it for any modern ones.
My wife and 2 year old daughter are also mazed...well especially my wife. She say it's just cuttting thru the air.

Alain. :lol:
 
Tim,
How do you find the brakes on your airplane. I have the same (bodell) and their really not good. Even if like new.

Alain.
 
I think the brakes are fine. Mine were torn down and cleaned up at annual. They do require considerable effort to get them to really grab, but I see that as a good thing. I was taught to fly/land/taxi a taildragger like it had no brakes.

Tim
 
Tim:

I was taught as you were: brakes on conventional landing gear aircraft were only there for the run-up....well....maybe for the run-up if new and PERFECTLY adjusted. Otherwise (in most cases) do a rolling run-up and hope nobody's mowed the taxiway grass lately. This is fine for most light, high wing ships with a high CG and, thus, an urge to sniff the grass or pavement.

Perhaps it's different for Cruisairs but for Cruisemasters you'll find that most have been retrofitted with double puck Clevelands. These triple tail wonders of ours have virtues, chief among them Alain mentioned: that cut-through-the-air feeling due to NO TAIL WAGGING thanks to end-plane effect provided by those outrigger tails. The downside is those same two tails help create a wind shadow over the already undersized rudder. Add the slab sided fuselage and you've got an aircraft that takes to crosswind like a duck takes to hunting season.

Though not so evident on grass, this can be a big deal, best addressed by (gasp) brakes. We've also got very short chord ailerons, making all the control corrections for wind while taxing useless. Opposite rudder and a blast of power won't do it. Again, you need (shudder) brakes.

Again, this may merely be a case of a deficiency magnified by the added weight of the Cruisemaster (2400 to 2600 pounds gross depending on type) compared to the lighter and lither Cruisair.

I'm curious to hear from other Cruisair pilots on this. For 'Master owners though, when you go flying in the big wind country, bring your brakes :)

Jonathan
 
Thanks guys, this is well explained. Mine will hold up to 1700 rpm when standing ont hem and then they start to let go.
I am not a brake rider but for crosswind I like to know they could be available in last resource in case. I'll see next season how I find them. I noticed that leaving from Carbonsdale they were not as efficient as when I arrived home after a few landings and taxi. The airplane was not used much before I took it. Maybe using them more often might have remove some oil or greasy on the friction surfaces.
 
Alain- not sure about this, but it sounds as if you have air in your brake lines. As far as I know, you bleed these just like you would any other set of brakes.
1) get a plastic hose (clear is best- Tygon?) that fits tight over the bleed nipple on the brake actuator- long enough to reach a brake fluid bottle on the floor.
2) fill the floor bottle with new brake fluid and run the hose from the nipple down into the fluid, making sure it doesn't slip out of it at any time.
3) make sure the aircraft's fluid reservoir(s) are full.
4) Get a helper to sit in the plane (they will be your "pump")
5) open the brake nipple about a half turn or so
6) have the helper pump that side's brake pedal slowly
7) Listen for air bubbles (you'll know- believe me- it's sort of a "squitch" sound)
8) DO NOT LET THE RESERVOIR GO DRY :!: Good job for the helper with a flashlight. They can pump the brake pedal by hand and watch the fluid level.
9) when you don't hear or see any more air, tighten the nipple without pulling the hose from the bottle. Have your helpr try the brake. Hopefully it will be nice and firm :D
10) Repeat for the other side 8)

Y'all let me know if I forgot anything.
 
I had the enlightening opportunity this past Tuesday to land my Cruisair in a 20 knot crosswind. Forecasted winds weren't supposed to get that strong until later, but when I returned to my home field, I found a gusting, 90 degree 18-22 knot wind. I thought I'd give it a shot but if I couldn't make it I'd divert to another field. Coming down final I was crabbed a good 60 degrees to the right and bouncing around. I left the flaps at the 2nd notch. On short final I dipped my wing and gave it FULL left rudder. Carrying some power to stop my slip induced sink rate, I was able to maintain centerline with a bit of power and set up to do a 3-point. The ailerons remained effective and I touched down soft enough on the right wheel but when the left came down as I rolled out, I started to skid left on some hard packed snow. I was a bit perplexed on what to do since I had to hold in full left rudder to keep it straight. I let off a bit on the left rudder and the nose immediately weathervaned right and I felt the tail start to swing around - back in with full left rudder, a bit of brake had me straight and back out toward the middle of the runway as I slowed down. My knees were shaking as I taxied back. It was the most challenging landing of my career.

I had been out a few days earlier practicing in a milder crosswind and liked the feel of the 3-point better than the wheel landing. They weren't kidding when they put the limit at 20 knots. The brake helped me out in this case.

Tim
 
Nice one Tim 8)
I landed a Cessna 152 on ice once with the right wheel frozen. Slush had sprayed up into the wheel faring and froze that sucker solid :shock:
When I touched down, 757UD started to go right immediately.
I'm happy to say I slid to a stop in a straight line by locking the LEFT wheel with the brake and ruddering it straight. I wonder if that's what landing on skis is like :?:
Could NOT figure out what was wrong at first. I taxied back to the ramp under alot of power and alot of left brake jabs. I was only aloft for about 30 minutes.
That was here in Huntsville at M82 during winter of 1981. Yes it DOES get cold here now and then :D Snow flurries tonight in fact... :eek:
 
I too have found that breaks are a MUST in strong crosswinds! I've taken off in 28-30 knots and had to ride the break heavly untill almost 60 mph. Same thing on landing, in very strong cross winds, good breaks are a must.
 
Thanks for the advice on brake purging Dave.
But I don't have air :( I usually use a vacuum pump.
Went up yesterday with it about 50 deg cross wind to the right at about 15 gusting. Approach was crabbed but 3 point landing was good. Thanks to the little brake I had...but enjoy each minute of the flight. gee I love this bird.
I will do like one of our member did. when spring comes, I will dismantle the cylinders and clean them as well as the brakes themself and deglaze them. I notice that when used a bit they get better. Had an oil leak too when I bought it and brought it home and it stopped with time. "No not because cylinder was empty :twisted: " but maybe seals have placed them by working a bit. Now the inspection is almost finished and only the paperwork has to be completed so I will get to fly it more and see how it goes. But I am not anticipating anything bad.

A. :roll:
 
Just to jump in on this topic, ..I have single puck cleveland's on my Cruiseair. When I bought the airplane it had the Clevelands, but with the old high volume, low pressure, brake cylinders. They didn't work too well and I was left on the runway unable to turn off on a couple of occasions. (once the friendly guy in the tower sent out a lineboy to wing walk the aircraft off the runway but the new lineboy didn't know how that was done, and with the wind howling and the engine running I couldn't make him understand that he only had to hang onto the wingtip. to make a long story a little shorter...when I shut down and got out in a 35+ wind, I forgot to latch the door. it was being pinned shut and I just didn't notice the need. I'm sure you know what happened when we pointed my lovely cruiseair down wind. Anyway... the brakes wouldn't hold for runup either so I have since replaced the cylinders with the high pressure type and a separate reservoir. End of problem. Splendid brakes to go along with an absolutly spendid aircraft
 
mplstim, let me know if you want to go flying. I have a Cruisemaster, and live only 7 miles from your airport. mark (612) 385-1863
 
Hi, McCruisair. Could you send me the 337 for your brakes and brake reservoirs? We can write about this offline if you like. My e-mail is xodix@juno.com
 
McCruisair:
FYI, you can get a copy of the FAA records on any airplane from the FAA on a CD. 8)
What's your N-number?

If you'd like to reach me, my e-mail is cruisair@hotmail.com

Thanks! :D

David Wilkie
 
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