Aircraft Engine Failure.

[MAD IN NC]

Jeez Chip ..... not the way to start the year off. Glad all is OK.

 

[ChipBeck]

Any final word on what failed in the engine?

Not yet, I should find out this week.

Chip

 

[twobjshelbys]

Glad it turned out ok. Any final word on what failed in the engine?

I was gong to ask the same question, can't wait to hear the root cause.

I think this is a case of "I'd rather be good then lucky" vs "I'd rather be lucky than good". There is very clearly a skill set here and it sounds like you did everything right. Knowing your machine's capabilities is the key. This time you were truly "part of the machine".

One thing for certain, Chip's life is never boring !!!

Glad everything worked out!

 

[THamonGT]

While Sue and I learned of this mishap shortly after happening I still get COLD Chills when I think about it or hear the story. We know how you live on the edge and enjoy it but please step back a little bit in the future. Your experience and knowledge is impecible as to speed on the ground and in the air. I've even seen you backoff on the ground when things didn't look or feel right and I trust your knowledge and ability. Saying that keep playing safe so we can enjoy more Texas A&M games with Charley. Great story Chip and Tim, thank you for sharing. Wishing a safer 2013. The Lord is always flying with you and Charley. Tomy & Sue

 

[tpraceman]

Chip my hand is sweating on the mouse. I told you years ago you should have been a writer.
I heard Golf Carts can be fun... Now leave this crazy stuff up to the young guns and check out some hop up kits for a EZ-GO.

Glad your ok I have been saving up for 2 years to visit you and take you to dinner "ALIVE"...I got $86.50 saved and trust me I am driving to AZ not flying.

 

[Vince H]

Incredible display of calm under life threatening circumstances. I am relieved to hear that you and your son came out of it with nothing more than a raised heart rate. Super job.

Vince H

 

[steved57]

All I can say is WOW ! What incredible skill and experience it must take to manage an incident like this. I like some of the others mentioned have chills running up my spine from reading your story. So glad all turned out well

 

[Shelby#18]

I'm glad everything worked out for you and Charlie. Excellent results to this story. Engines seem to have something against you lately Chip.

 

[twobjshelbys]

Chip, I read it again and I am amazed. Karma was certainly with you had you had a few minutes either side, you'd have had to find a road or field. We'd have seen your name in the paper landing your plane on I10.

You the man!!!

 

[fjpikul]

I'm impressed. Since I don't know a thing about flying, at what altitude would you have to bail out at for the chutes to work?

 

[2112]

Wow, glad it ended well.........For all of those here in this thread that have had engine failure in an airplane!

 

[nota4re]

Chip, thanks for sharing and very, very happy to have such a good ending!!

 

[Fast Freddy]

Chip - how many cylinders and much horsepower does that 540 cubic inch motor have?

here is a pic of me standing next to a 1986 Cessna Citation II that flew into my airpark the other day. it seats 11 people and has a cruise speed of 460 mph :cool

 

[pe2unia]

Incredible story Chip! I believe if I were in that plane jumping/landing would have been weighing heavy on my mind (Just can't imagine the stress). I think the clean up from me blowing a seal would have been bad as well.:facepalm: Glad to hear things came out as well as it did.

 

[Button]

Chip,
Wow, what a story! Glad you are safe and things worked out the way they did.

 

[Thugboat]

Chip,

Wow, Bet Mark @ Falcon is really happy with your flying ability as well. haha Not being a pilot I had no idea that practicing emergencies was such a huge part of learning to fly! Glad it all came out OK. BAD way to see West Texas.

TPRaceman-""I heard Golf Carts can be fun... Now leave this crazy stuff up to the young guns and check out some hop up kits for a EZ-GO."

DO NOT HANG OUT WITH BEN-BBeckert! He has a golf cart with a GSSR1000 Motorcycle engine in it! Had me at 70+mph the other day with lots to spare. I am sure I had some of the same feeling Charley was experiencing.

 

[Longhorn]

Wow! Nice job keeping a cool head through that.

Glad you & your son are OK.

Jess

 

[ChipBeck]

Since I don't know a thing about flying, at what altitude would you have to bail out at for the chutes to work?

Frank,

That depends on the speed and direction the plane is going when you bail out. If the aircraft is traveling horizontally at over 100 MPH then 600 to 700 feet would work. A friend of mine bailed out 3 months ago at 800 feet after a control stick failure with his plane going straight down and he hit the ground before his chute fully opened and didn't survive. The emergency chutes we wear don't have sliders to slow the opening and reduce the opening shock so they open hard and fast. Even with a successful deployment however there is a lot of risk to a untrained non-skydiver bailing out over unknown terrain so jumping would be a last resort.

Chip - How many cylinders and much horsepower does that 540 cubic inch motor have?

Freddy,

The 540 Lycoming is a flat-opposed 6 cylinder, air cooled, engine. Mine was specially built with fuel injection, high compression pistons, and inverted fuel and oil systems so it will run upside down, straight up, straight down, or upright, and it has 330 horsepower. RPM is limited to 2750 to keep the prop tips from going supersonic which would kill their efficiency.

Chip

 

[Xcentric]

What happens to a life insurance premium when you add "stunt pilot" to the application form? :lol

 

[Fast Freddy]

Frank,

That depends on the speed and direction the plane is going when you bail out. If the aircraft is traveling horizontally at over 100 MPH then 600 to 700 feet would work. A friend of mine bailed out 3 months ago at 800 feet after a control stick failure with his plane going straight down and he hit the ground before his chute fully opened and didn't survive. The emergency chutes we wear don't have sliders to slow the opening and reduce the opening shock so they open hard and fast. Even with a successful deployment however there is a lot of risk to a untrained non-skydiver bailing out over unknown terrain so jumping would be a last resort.



Freddy,

The 540 Lycoming is a flat-opposed 6 cylinder, air cooled, engine. Mine was specially built with fuel injection, high compression pistons, and inverted fuel and oil systems so it will run upside down, straight up, straight down, or upright, and it has 330 horsepower. RPM is limited to 2750 to keep the prop tips from going supersonic which would kill their efficiency.

Chip

that sounds like a pretty tough motor you got there. i bet it makes alot of torque. it will be interesting to see what happend to the motor. in the meantime you will have to do your flying on the ground in your GT :cheers