A review and analysis of the crash of my Buckeye Dragonfly.
My plan for the 07-08 Winter was to again spend January and February in Yuma
Arizona. I love to ski and snowmobile, but it's nice to take a break from the winter
at my home west of Buena Vista Colorado. Last year, ( the winter of 06-07) I spend
many hours riding with my older brother, Lyman, as a passenger in his
Powrachute 912 Airwolf, flying around Yuma. That was great, but he's got to drive
all my life. When we were kids on the farm feeding cattle in Northeast Oklahoma,
he drove - I opened the gates. So, this year, I decided to get my own machine.
After reviewing the PPC's on the market, the Buckeye Dragonfly seemed like the
best choice. I have a Commercial Pilots licence, but decided to avoid the Sport
Pilot hassle and fly under FAR 103 Ultralight rules. The 4 Stroke Generac engine
is a great idea, offering long life and fuel economy.
I called Ralph Howard at the Buckeye factory and ordered a Dragonfly kit with
delivery promised before I left on 1-10-08. The plan was to assemble the kit in Ty
Cox's shop in Yuma during January and spend February flying with several PPC
fliers that congregate in Yuma for the winter.
Arizona. I love to ski and snowmobile, but it's nice to take a break from the winter
at my home west of Buena Vista Colorado. Last year, ( the winter of 06-07) I spend
many hours riding with my older brother, Lyman, as a passenger in his
Powrachute 912 Airwolf, flying around Yuma. That was great, but he's got to drive
all my life. When we were kids on the farm feeding cattle in Northeast Oklahoma,
he drove - I opened the gates. So, this year, I decided to get my own machine.
After reviewing the PPC's on the market, the Buckeye Dragonfly seemed like the
best choice. I have a Commercial Pilots licence, but decided to avoid the Sport
Pilot hassle and fly under FAR 103 Ultralight rules. The 4 Stroke Generac engine
is a great idea, offering long life and fuel economy.
I called Ralph Howard at the Buckeye factory and ordered a Dragonfly kit with
delivery promised before I left on 1-10-08. The plan was to assemble the kit in Ty
Cox's shop in Yuma during January and spend February flying with several PPC
fliers that congregate in Yuma for the winter.
The Kit was shipped on two pallets. One got lost in shipment, just the engine arrived. The lost pallet was located and finally
arrived just in time for my departure to Yuma. An omen of things to come.
arrived just in time for my departure to Yuma. An omen of things to come.
The kit was easy to assemble. The instruction book is
complete and easy to follow. Here's Lyman, the Oklahoma
cattle rancher working on the Dragonfly.
complete and easy to follow. Here's Lyman, the Oklahoma
cattle rancher working on the Dragonfly.
The kit was shipped without the muffler and prop. These were
back ordered from Tennessee Prop and the machine shop
making the muffler brackets. Buckeye shipped them later.
back ordered from Tennessee Prop and the machine shop
making the muffler brackets. Buckeye shipped them later.
Finally complete and anxious to fly. I taxied it all around the neighbor hood, getting use to the "pull to go" throttle. Look at that
beautiful Tennessee propeller. This was a special blank with alternating dark and light laminations. My ICOM-6 radio is zip tied to
the instrument panel.
I had been further delayed because my engine would not start. It took a week to find the problem - a dead magnet on the fly wheel.
It took a second week to get a replacement. Another omen of things to come.
The weak point on the frame of the Dragonfly is in the bottom long piece of tubing just in front of the seat. Buckeye offers optional
pieces of aluminum tubing to insert into the main tube to strengthen this point. Ord Cox, Ty's father pulled the clothes rod out of
his closet and brought it out to the shop. This was a 9 foot piece of 1 7/16 inch wooden dowel rod that fits snuggly inside the
aluminum tube. We cut it into and shoved half into each bottom rail, thus reinforcing this area. This wood aluminum sandwich is
extremely strong and I recommend this modification when building the Dragonfly.
beautiful Tennessee propeller. This was a special blank with alternating dark and light laminations. My ICOM-6 radio is zip tied to
the instrument panel.
I had been further delayed because my engine would not start. It took a week to find the problem - a dead magnet on the fly wheel.
It took a second week to get a replacement. Another omen of things to come.
The weak point on the frame of the Dragonfly is in the bottom long piece of tubing just in front of the seat. Buckeye offers optional
pieces of aluminum tubing to insert into the main tube to strengthen this point. Ord Cox, Ty's father pulled the clothes rod out of
his closet and brought it out to the shop. This was a 9 foot piece of 1 7/16 inch wooden dowel rod that fits snuggly inside the
aluminum tube. We cut it into and shoved half into each bottom rail, thus reinforcing this area. This wood aluminum sandwich is
extremely strong and I recommend this modification when building the Dragonfly.
The consenus of the PPC group was that an experienced PPC pilot should attach the parachute, adjust the stearing lines and test
fly the machine. This sounded like a good idea to me. I have a lot of fixed wing time, but little experience in PPCs.
Denny Mills, volunteered for the job. He was anxious to fly the Dragonfly. He did not "N" number his two place SixChuter or get a
Sport Pilot licence. I think he was interested in buying a Dragonfly. He also wanted to add another plane to his list of 30 different
models of PPC flown. Denny sent me a EXCEL spreadsheet showing 811 hours of PPC time and listing the various models. I
think Denny was also motivated by the sincere desire to help a new and fellow pilot learn to fly.
We decided make the initial flights east of Brenda, AZ. On February 25, we met at an abandon field to make the first flights. Denny
took charge and attached the chute and adjusted the steering lines.
fly the machine. This sounded like a good idea to me. I have a lot of fixed wing time, but little experience in PPCs.
Denny Mills, volunteered for the job. He was anxious to fly the Dragonfly. He did not "N" number his two place SixChuter or get a
Sport Pilot licence. I think he was interested in buying a Dragonfly. He also wanted to add another plane to his list of 30 different
models of PPC flown. Denny sent me a EXCEL spreadsheet showing 811 hours of PPC time and listing the various models. I
think Denny was also motivated by the sincere desire to help a new and fellow pilot learn to fly.
We decided make the initial flights east of Brenda, AZ. On February 25, we met at an abandon field to make the first flights. Denny
took charge and attached the chute and adjusted the steering lines.
The Generac engine is lonesome,
setting all by itself in the trailer
setting all by itself in the trailer
Denny tied the ends of the steering lines together and sat on the excess lines in the seat. The chute kitted up easily. He took off
and made a short flight, pulling the lines through the pulleys until he thought he had the neutral position, he marked them with a
black magic marker and then landed. The wind suddenly came up and blew quite hard. We postponed flying for a couple of days
until the wind was again still.
and made a short flight, pulling the lines through the pulleys until he thought he had the neutral position, he marked them with a
black magic marker and then landed. The wind suddenly came up and blew quite hard. We postponed flying for a couple of days
until the wind was again still.
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