Beech 18 Important Safety Tip!

[PRB]

I've been flying the Beech 18 a lot lately, getting some hrs in the old girl prior to the upcomming race. Hadn't used the AP up to now and thought I would get it figured out.

I noticed that every now and then, seemingly at random, when adjusting the picth setting on the AP, the big black rotary knob on the right side of the AP unit, my number 1 engine RPM would go to zero! "What the...??" It happened at least once per flight. I simply "jiggled" the RPM control on my throttle quadrant, and all was back to normal.

I was about to post a question about it when I discovered the problem was me (usually the case!) The number 1 engine feathering control, the big red button, is very close to the pitch control for the AP!!

So, careful where you click!

- Paul

[fliger747]

Get an OK inflight re-start? Actually the Beech 18 is a lot of fun to fly around on one and does well as long as you manage your drag well, a lot of drag from those flaps!

[PRB]

Actually, I never shut down the engine. Seems if you hit the feather button with the engine running ok, it doesn't shut down at all. "Jiggling" the prop control on my CH throttle made everything right. Probably not entirely accurate, but it worked.

Later I experimented with actually shutting down the engine and feathering the prop. I still need some practice flying the plane under these engine-out conditions, especially with the rudder pedals!

- Paul