Old Video - Subaru Q2
|
Jon Finley
I recently stumbled onto some old video footage of my Q2. It is not very good - from before the time of good digital equipment and know how. Regardless, I found it memory stirring and thought it might be interesting to a few others so I decided to see if modern technology could improve it a bit. I do think it is better than original but still not up to modern standards. Nonetheless, hope you enjoy!
Sam: Given how bad the wheelpant and wing root airflow was on my airplane, would be interesting to see yours. Given your speeds, I bet it is massively better! https://youtu.be/wKgrYV3ZRGo Jon Finley Somewhere in the Southwest flying an RV-4 |
|
|
|
Kevin Boddicker
Nice Jon.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
There is a Q2 within ten miles of my home for sale! YOU TOO can enjoy the flight of a Q!!!! Again.
Kevin Boddicker
TriQ 200 N7868B 515 hrs Luana, IA.
|
|
|
|
ryan goodman
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
|
|
|
|
Jon Finley
Ha!! Yes... that could be a possibility! :-)
Jon Finley Somewhere in the Southwest flying an RV-4 |
|
|
|
Thanks Jon,
Good to see your old Q movies. I will try some tuft testing on mine, once I get all the fairings on. I appreciate the encouragement and the hints. Hope to see you in the not-too-distant future.
Cheers, Jay
From: main@Q-List.groups.io <main@Q-List.groups.io> On Behalf Of Jon Finley
I recently stumbled onto some old video footage of my Q2. It is not very good - from before the time of good digital equipment and know how. Regardless, I found it memory stirring and thought it might be interesting to a few others so I decided to see if modern technology could improve it a bit. I do think it is better than original but still not up to modern standards. Nonetheless, hope you enjoy! |
|
|
|
Hi Jon,
|
|
|
|
Jon Finley
That is always a tough question to answer Ryan.
The final configuration performed fine - much better than a Revmaster, maybe approaching a Q200. However; that does not tell the real story. It required thousands of hours to get it to work (yes, thousands, plural), the cost, and the limitations that existed after all that effort were absolutely not worth it. I fly behind a Lycoming now - ya, big old ugly dinosaur. I fly whenever and wherever I want - including some places most pilots avoid. I pull the cowling off once every six months or so just cause it feels like a should. The reliability and resulting peace of mind cannot be understated. The cost of an aircraft engine (Lycoming/Continental) and bad-mouthing "ancient tech" are the basic tenants of those desiring an "alternative engine".- they are lies we tell ourselves. If you want to fly (soon & reliably) - fork out the dollars at the front end and install an O-200. If you want to spend years tinkering, troubleshooting, scaring yourself to death, increasing your risk of significant injury or death, and spending MORE $$$ than an O-200 costs - go with an alternative engine. Btw, having flown with a HAPI VW and Revmaster (and Rotax 503), I put them in the 'alternative engine' category. Not sure it matters but my opinions are based on twenty years of working on alternative engines and ten years flying behind aircraft engines. So, not exactly an opinion based on a couple articles that I read. Jon Finley Somewhere in the Southwest flying an RV-4 |
|
|
|
Jon Finley
Thanks Jim!! I appreciate that very much!
Yea, I got a call shortly after the accident occurred. They were flying in the late afternoon in early May. As I recall, density altitude at that time was around 7,500'-8,000'. He relayed to me that THEY (at or over gross) managed to slam it on the runway TWICE at Belen (BRG) - he said "we hit very hard and went around" (both times). That resulted in something breaking which caused the elevator to freeze. They then flew it to ABQ to finish it off. Given what I saw in the picture, I wondered if the canard/elevator were broken during those first two hits. If so, it is amazing that it held together for the 30 mile flight to ABQ.  Based on what I was told, both were from back east near sea level and had no experience with mountain/high density altitude. I tried to talk him into trailing it home and learning to fly it in a familiar environment. Jon Finley Somewhere in the Southwest flying an RV-4 |
|
|
|
Yep. They were from New Jersey and low time pilots. I also encouraged them both to trailer it as well but they knew better. “It’s a simple airplane and it should be simple to fly”. Get another Q and come on back!
Jim😊
N46JP Q200
Sent from Outer Space
From: main@Q-List.groups.io <main@Q-List.groups.io> on behalf of Jon Finley <jd@...>
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2020 8:24:54 AM To: main@Q-List.groups.io <main@Q-List.groups.io> Subject: Re: [Q-List] Old Video - Subaru Q2 Thanks Jim!! I appreciate that very much!
Yea, I got a call shortly after the accident occurred. They were flying in the late afternoon in early May. As I recall, density altitude at that time was around 7,500'-8,000'. He relayed to me that THEY (at or over gross) managed to slam it on the runway TWICE at Belen (BRG) - he said "we hit very hard and went around" (both times). That resulted in something breaking which caused the elevator to freeze. They then flew it to ABQ to finish it off. Given what I saw in the picture, I wondered if the canard/elevator were broken during those first two hits. If so, it is amazing that it held together for the 30 mile flight to ABQ.  Based on what I was told, both were from back east near sea level and had no experience with mountain/high density altitude. I tried to talk him into trailing it home and learning to fly it in a familiar environment. Jon Finley Somewhere in the Southwest flying an RV-4 |
|
|
|
Dave Dugas
Hi Jon…Great video, thank you. Hope to see you this fall at FOD. Dave D.
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: Jon Finley
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2020 11:02 AM To: main@Q-List.groups.io Subject: Re: [Q-List] Old Video - Subaru Q2
That is always a tough question to answer Ryan.
|
|
|
|
Joe Hood <joe.hood@...>
Great video! Really handy to know that my high speed taxis are not much different from another. The ribbon hanging videos are interesting: Both areas with bad aerodynamics areas (wheel pants and base of the canard) were mentioned in the last Zoom meeting (but it's nice to see actual testing).
|
|
|
|
Jon Finley
Thanks Joe! Wing root is another place for improvement. Both wing and canard to fuselage intersections are tough due to the diverging angles. I think it was Bob Farnum that took some interesting photos of the bellies of several jets at OSH (long ago). I suspect the secret to a few kts might exist in those photos. Several of us also did some oil flow testing. I'm sure (??) Sam did so on his speedy machine. Mine were horrible, as already shown, but that (oil) is another way to get some fairly good info - particularly if you don't have someone to fly and video for you. It is messy though!! :-)
Jon Finley Somewhere in the Southwest flying an RV-4 
|
|
|
|
Jon Finley
Thanks Dave!! I'm planning on FOD again this year and hope to hear about your latest paddling exploits!! My governor told me that it is unsafe for me to be out in my kayak so I'm suffering a bit, but at least I'm safe. Hope you drag Rodney along again too!
Jon Finley Somewhere in the Southwest flying an RV-4 |
|
|
|
Joe Hood <joe.hood@...>
I forgot to ask: Is that the radiator, P-51 style, hanging from the belly, behind the pilot? On Fri, Jun 19, 2020 at 9:00 AM Jon Finley <jd@...> wrote: I recently stumbled onto some old video footage of my Q2. It is not very good - from before the time of good digital equipment and know how. Regardless, I found it memory stirring and thought it might be interesting to a few others so I decided to see if modern technology could improve it a bit. I do think it is better than original but still not up to modern standards. Nonetheless, hope you enjoy! |
|
|
|
Jon Finley
Yes indeed, that is a radiator. Here's a photo of the ducting for it that was in the tailcone.
Now that I'm looking at this stuff again, I'm starting to understand why people looked at me kinda strange, shook their head, and walked away!! :-) Jon Finley Somewhere in the Southwest flying an RV-4 
|
|
|
|
Kevin Boddicker
I did! I did!
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
|
|
|
|
ryan goodman
Of course it matters. I do think we have better "alternative" development happening now than ever before. But I think they has more to do with advances in engine management technology than some magic dust that suddenly made non aircraft engines better for this application. But the good thing in my opinion, is that those advances are also available for retrofit to proper aircraft engines now. So you can have a Conti or lyc with the electronic management systems, injection etc.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
|
|
|