Additional Instructions for the Use of the DG-808
In the Flight-Manual of the DG-808C you can find some useful advises,
1. Exterior starting procedure
We recommend strongly to install a starting aid socket (Option). If such socket is not installed exterior starting is possible, but extreme care must be taken to avoid damage to the aircraft and especially to avoid injuries to the persons involved in that procedure.
1.1. The positive starting aid wire should be equipped with an insulated clamp. If not, apply fabric tape to the outside of the clamp.
1.2. The exterior starting procedure should only be executed in the prescribed order, otherwise sparking may occur.
- a) Place the car or the starting aid battery behind the wing at the left hand side of the fuselage.
- b) Fix the clamps of the ground starting aid wire to the negative (-) pole of the starting aid battery and to the plate which carries the propeller brake at the rear end of the engine.
- c) Fix the clamp of the positive (+) starting aid wire to the positive pole of the starter motor. Therefore you have to lift off the pole cap from the + pole and slide it a little on the wire. Make sure that the clamp is fastened securely, so that it can't fall off, when the engine fires.
- d) The pilot should be seated in the cockpit ready for take off and pull on the wheel brake.
- e) Take the other end of the positive wire in your hand and place yourself so that there is enough safety clearance from the propeller. Now press the clamp of the positive wire to the positive pole of the starting aid battery. Pay attention, the starter motor will turn the propeller immediately. Press the clamp to the pole until the engine runs. Don't interrupt the contact with the first firing of the engine.
- Warning: Don't press the starter button during the starting procedure.
- f) Remove the clamp of the positive wire from the pole of the starting aid battery. Then remove the wire from the positive pole of the starter motor.
- g) Remove the starting aid ground wire.
- h) Put the pole cap in place again after stopping the engine. This means after the flight if you take-off immediately after engine start.
2. Emergency procedure for retraction of the power plant with the propeller brake not working
If the propeller brake has no braking effect, the retraction of the power plant is still possible using the following trick. As the compression of the engine is not strong enough to hold the propeller in the correct position during the entire retraction time, the airflow trying to rotate the propeller out of position must be reduced. This can be achieved by retracting the power plant a certain amount via the manual engine extension-retraction switch before the propeller has reached the position for retraction.
First retract the power plant on the ground so far that it is just possible to turn the propeller without hitting the engine doors. Remember this position while seated in the cockpit and looking in the rear view mirror.
After stopping the engine in the air fly so slowly that the propeller stops rotating. If necessary retract the engine a little via the manual engine extension-retraction switch. As soon as the propeller stops rotating, fly a little faster to turn the propeller over the last compression point prior to the retraction position. Shortly before the propeller comes to its vertical position reduce the airspeed and retract the engine somewhat further via the manual engine extension-retraction switch. Push down the red cover plate of the manual engine extension-retraction switch to start the automatic retraction procedure as soon as the propeller reaches the position for retraction. Practice this procedure from time to time..
Warning:
DG Flugzeugbau does not take responsibility for any damage or injury resulting from training and execution of the procedures described above.