puchacz handling guide.pdf

Pilot Handling Guide

Puchacz SZD-50-3

VH- GRI + WQX

These notes are a conversion guide only and not a substitute for the Manufacturer’s Flight Manual.

General notes on conversions .2 Basic overview .2 External features .2 Limitations .2 Cockpit features .3 Trim Ballast .3 Dual pilot loading .4 Daily inspection notes .5 Glider accessories and Storage .7 Flight characteristics .8 Controls .8 Aerotow .8 Thermalling .8 Cruising .8 Stalling .8 Spinning .9 Circuit and landing .9 Aerobatics .9 Pilot responsibilities .9 Supplementary Notes – (Puch Care) .10

2 Puchacz Pilot handling guide – July 09

General notes on conversions

1. Your conversion to a new type must be authorized by an instructor who has flown

the aircraft type.

2. He/she must outline the important features of the aircraft.

3. You should not do your first conversion in crosswind or gusty conditions.

4. Spend some time getting comfortable with the cockpit layout.

5. Get someone to lower the tail to show the takeoff and landing nose attitudes.

Basic Overview

The Puchacz SZD-50-3 is a 16.67m unflapped sailplane constructed of fibreglass manufactured by PZL

Bielsko. The aircraft is a perfect two seater for pilot training.

External Features

Airbrakes Conventional type with upper and lower surfaces

Flaps Not fitted

Wings 16.67m

Undercarrige Fixed

Tailplane Cruciform

Limitations

Vne

Max permitted speed 116 knots

Va Max manoeurvring speed 81 knots

Vra Max rough air 86 knots V

t Max aerotow speed 81 knots

Vw Max winch / autotow speed 59 knots

Max airbrake operation speed 116 knots

Min cockpit weight, including parachute (solo pilot) VH-WQX 70 kg

VH-GRI 69 kg

Max cockpit weight, including parachute (solo pilot) 110 kg


Cockpit Features

Canopy and Jettison Pull left red lever back to unlock canopy. To jettison pull open right lever as well and push canopy up. At no stage must the canopy itself or clear view side window be held to lift or close canopy. Only hold levers or canopy frame when opening or closing canopy. Always close and lock lever when leaving or ground handling glider.

Trim Ballast In front cockpit on both sides of instrument panel

Instruments Radio Vario Flarm NAV

Becker AR4201 Borgelt B40 Yes N/A

Control Column Standard type

Ventilation Silver knob on top of instrument panel

Trim Left side

Wheel Brake Black knob on left side

Tow Rope Release Conventional yellow knob

Airbrake Lever Blue handle on left side

Rudder Pedal Adjustment Brown handle in front of control column

Battery Between rear pilot’s feet

Trim Ballast

The Puchacz has provision for two ballast weights. One weight is equal to 8kg pilot weight with ONE

PILOT ONLY sitting in the front seat. Weights are held on by screwing in each ballast block to a

threaded hole either side of the instrument panel underneath the front pilot’s feet. There is a

specific shaped weight for each side. Follow placard limits for dual pilot loading.

WQX Min Pilot weight (1 Pilot) 70 kg

Max Pilot weight (1 Pilot) 110 kg

For Pilot and chute 62-69kg 1 weight

For Pilot and chute 54-61kg 2 weights

GRI Min Pilot weight (1 Pilot) 69 kg

Max Pilot weight (1 Pilot) 110 kg

For Pilot and chute 61-68kg 1 weight

For Pilot and chute 53-60kg 2 weights


Dual Pilot Loading

VH-WQX

VH-GRI


Daily Inspection Notes

In addition to the daily inspection routine: Tyre Pressures: Main Wheel: 43 psi

Tail Wheel: 20 psi Nose Wheel : 20 psi

To check the tyre pressure or pump up the front wheel the side hatch must be removed by

unscrewing the side hatch to reveal the tyre valve. The main wheel has an access hole for

the tyre valve. To line the valve up with the access hole the glider must be pushed until the

valve is visible through the access hole.

Check condition of the strap holding the canopy open.

Always check TE probe, Pitot tube and Static Ports for blockages from wasp nests.

With one person holding one control column, check the other control column for free play

between the two.

Undo the control stick boot, and examine the stick for cracks or signs of fatigue where the

control stick meets the mounting block. Report any cracking, and do not fly if found.

Check the Canopy locking pins for canopy jettisoning are fully home and the locking wire is in

good order.

Check the rudder turnbuckles in the rear cockpit next to the rear pilot’s legs and make sure

they are straight and in good condition. These can get knocked and bent causing them to

start stress fractures.

Check around the nose wheel for signs of stress cracks. This can indicated signs of the nose

wheel taking heavy hits on a ground roll.

Check both elevator halves for free play between each other

Check both elevator trim tabs for free play between each other and make sure the wire push

rod controlling them is in good order.

Check the main wheel bungees. The bungees are the only suspension system for the main

wheel. Open the centre inspection panel behind the rear seat. Check for signs of damage.

If the bungees are worn/stretched it will be shown by the fact that the retaining shaft has

moved forward in the quadrant. The gap between the front of the quadrant and the shaft

should be about 30 mm minimum. New bungees will pull the shaft fully back and as the

bungee stretches the shaft will slowly move forward. If you don’t know about this, ask

someone to show you. Another clue that the bungees may be worm or stretched is having a

look at the main wheel. The axle should easily clear the wheel fairing.

Check control rods in rear cockpit running along both sides to make sure they are both

straight. It is possible for a pilot in the rear seat to accidently step on these rods and bend

them.


Remove hatch to access

front tyre valve

Main wheel valve

access hole

T.E. Probe

Pitot Static Ports

Check trim tab

push rods

Check free-play between

elevator halves

Check canopy jettison

locking pin and lock wire

Check front AND

back turnbuckles

Check for

fatigue or

stress cracks

in control

column


Access hatch for main wheel

suspension Bungees

Check control rods on

both sides for any

bends / deformations

Wear marks

from pilot’s feet

These worn bungees

were removed far

too late and could

have damaged the

aircraft and injured

the pilot. Don’t fly

with worn bungees

The axle should easily

clear the fairing

Retaining Shaft Quadrant


Glider Accessories and Storage

GRI and WQX have a canopy cover. The cover must be installed when the glider is not in use and

make sure to attach the straps underneath also. When the glider is being flown store the cover in

the baggage compartment behind the pilots head in the cockpit. Care must taken to ensure cover is

kept clean as any dirt will scratch the canopy when cover is installed.

Always store the glider with the canopy cover on, close side windows and airbrakes unlocked to

reduce wear on the over-centre lock. Place some protective carpet and a wing weight on the

lowered wingtip and tail to prevent the glider shifting in windy conditions.

Flight Characteristics

Controls: Controls are light to the feel and are reasonably responsive. The airbrakes are very effective.

Aerotow: Set trim forward. Raise the nose and balance on main wheel when airspeed is gained ready for

takeoff.

Themalling: Recommended thermalling speed is 40-45 knots.

Cruising: The Puchacz has a 30:1 glide ratio with best LD at about 50 knots.

Stalling: The Puchacz stalls in a conventional manner with a tendency to drop a wing. Recovery is progressive forward movement of the stick until flying speed is returned. Stall speed is 31-38 knots. Stall speed (brakes open) is about 4 knots higher.

Spinning: Apart from having slightly increased nose down in attitude the Puchacz has typical spin

characteristics and recovers easily with the standard spin recovery technique. The rudder forces

required to stop rotation are high.


Circuit and Landing: Use approach speed of 47 knots (no wind) minimum cockpit load

57knots (no wind) maximum cockpit load (The standard approach speed with no wind for training flights at DDSC is 57knots)

Setup finals approach for half airbrake

Roll control is adequate for ground roll

On ground roll when below stall speed, hold tail wheel on the ground by applying back stick.

This will help with directional control and help to prevent the gliders nose wheel getting

damaged on rough runway patches.

Aerobatics

Approved Manoeuvres: Stalls, Spins, Loops, Stall Turns, Chandelles, Lazy Eights

Pilot responsibilities

Understand how to DI the glider

Understand how to operate the glider (including limitations)

Enjoy your flight in the Puchacz SZD-50-3


Supplementary Notes - Puchacz Care

Cleaning Please vacuum out the cockpits daily. The dust and mud gets into the ballast screw holes and around the rudder adjustment, other fittings and bearings, and this will increase wear.

Rudder adjustment The front seat rudder adjustment needs to be operated with care. If the adjustment is pushed hard forward, it goes past the last adjustment point and jams hard. When tall people are adjusting the rudders, ensure they engage the pin in the last hole and don’t push the pedals beyond that point. If this happens you have to place your left hand around the cross member tube at the base of the rudder pedals and give it a persuading wriggle and pull towards you until the pin locates in the first hole most (most forward hole). The rudder pedal assembly can get dirty and dry from dirt, it is a good idea to wipe this tube that the rudder pedals slide along and use some vasoline to lubricate this tube.

Tyre pressures A bit of trivia: 1 bar = 13 psi (approx)

7kpa = 1 psi (approx) The nose wheel must be checked by pushing in hard with your thumb at the centre of the tread not the side wall of the tyre. If you can push the centre of the tyre in at all it needs to be pumped up. The reason why this method is used because the side walls are very thick and if you press the side wall you may think it has pressure in the tyre. The nose wheel does a lot of work.

Main tyre wheel well clogging The main wheel has a mudguard cover over the top of the tyre that has a close tolerance between the guard and the tyre. When the aircraft is operated on muddy ground, the gap between the top of the tyre and the mudguard clogs up and severely hinders rotation of the main wheel. Please do not operate the Puch’s on muddy ground unless you want to spend hours at the end of the day’s flying cleaning it out with the high pressure hose.

Suspension Bungees The main wheel bungees must be inspected on every DI. The bungees are the only suspension system for the main wheel. Open the centre inspection panel behind the rear seat. If the bungees are worn/stretched it will be shown by the fact that the retaining shaft has moved forward in the quadrant. The gap between the front of the quadrant and the shaft should be about 30 mm minimum. If you don’t know about this, ask someone to show you.

Canopies Our Puch’s have already got quite badly scratched canopies due to lack of correct washing and rubbing the dust off without water. To correctly clean canopies, use a clean chamois or sponge, and squeeze copious amounts of water over the canopy to wash off the dust without rubbing. Once the majority of the dirt is off, use a clean chamois to wash off remaining dirt and dry. Mr Sheen can be used with a clean cotton cloth. Sometimes, static builds up after this procedure and wiping the canopy with a damp chamois can eliminate this.

puchacz handling guide.pdf

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