[rich1068]

Originally Posted by xenon

The worst has to be the stupid Mercedes mechanical handbrake of the 80s / 90s that you operated with your foot...

They still do don't they? The 3 year old C Class we have here has one. And my dad's old Beirut taxi had a handle sticking out of the right hand side of the dash iirc.

Peugeot/Citroen vans are a pita too. Normal handbrake but it's on the right hand side of the seat.

[xenon]

Originally Posted by rich1068

Peugeot/Citroen vans are a pita too. Normal handbrake but it's on the right hand side of the seat.

That's where it is on the Porsche. Much better there IMO.

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by xenon

I've never tried this in mine but the handbook says something along the lines of "operating the handbrake switch in motion will cause the car to brake extremely hard (emergency braking) but ABS is still active" - to imply it won't lock the wheels, but I'm not in the mood to try it....

Originally Posted by Jon D

Definitely not to be recommended, at least not in your own car
I'm sure I've tried applying the handbrake in my F10 whilst stationary, but without my foot on the brake and I seem to recall that it didn't work. I'll be going out later and will repeat the exercise and let you know.
I'll soon be taking a 640d coupé for a demo and will try it on the move, albeit at a slow speed and in an 'anticipatory' frame of mind...

My mistake entirely - no difference between manual and auto. The handbrake can be applied without operating the footbrake and whilst the car is moving.
Never having tried it before, I must have subconsciously been thinking about the interlock between the footbrake and park, drive or reverse.

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by kaishang

...I accidently hit the two big red switches and turned the entire electrical system of the whole aircraft off...

TWO big red switches? I can't think of any light aircraft which have more than ONE electrical master switch - what was the other one for?
As Ian commented, it's also guarded by a spring loaded plastic cover, which has to be consciously lifted with one digit, before it can be operated by another - must have been quite an 'accidental' operation.

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by kaishang

And I boobed by saying gravity feed for the fuel. Piper, being low wing, has an engine driven fuel pump. Cessna has a high wing and gravity feed, so you can't fly inverted

I think you'll find that all aircraft have an engine driven pump.

[kaishang]

Originally Posted by Jon D

TWO big red switches? I can't think of any light aircraft which have more than ONE electrical master switch - what was the other one for?
As Ian commented, it's also guarded by a spring loaded plastic cover, which has to be consciously lifted with one digit, before it can be operated by another - must have been quite an 'accidental' operation.

Check out the two red master switches, with no cover, here:

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by kaishang

Check out the two red master switches, with no cover, here:

What I see in that ATI stock photo is, what appears to be, a French registered Piper PA-28 Cherokee cockpit.
Regarding the TWO red master switches, with which you're obviously very familiar as an experienced pilot, I feel it incumbent of me to familiarise you with the aircraft controls. The red switch above and to the right of your (the pilot's) second knuckle on the throttle is indeed an electrical master switch, but there's only one of them. The other red thingy just by 'your' third knuckle, which you have mistakenly assumed to be a switch, is in fact the engine fuel mixture control lever.
Goodness me, so many red buttons, switches and levers - it's more than enough to confuse even the very best steely eyed birdmen of the skies.
Do a lot of flying - do you?

[merchomini]

not a fan......i think the lci model is the best looking....

[kaishang]

Originally Posted by Jon D

What I see in that ATI stock photo is, what appears to be, a French registered Piper PA-28 Cherokee cockpit.
Regarding the TWO red master switches, with which you're obviously very familiar as an experienced pilot, I feel it incumbent of me to familiarise you with the aircraft controls. The red switch above and to the right of your (the pilot's) second knuckle on the throttle is indeed an electrical master switch, but there's only one of them. The other red thingy just by 'your' third knuckle, which you have mistakenly assumed to be a switch, is in fact the engine fuel mixture control lever.
Goodness me, so many red buttons, switches and levers - it's more than enough to confuse even the very best steely eyed birdmen of the skies.
Do a lot of flying - do you?

Bzzzt. You have correctly identified the red master switch and red mixture control lever, but failed to observe the electrical master is a split switch: there are two of them. Each is half the width of the white switches next door.

[kaishang]

Next question for the armchair experts: why are there two electrical master switches and how does the airplane remain in a climb with the engine running with the electrical system switched off?

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by kaishang

Next question for the armchair experts: why are there two electrical master switches ?

Does is run 2 magnetos?

I had a go in this a few weeks back, she's a 60 year girl, but ran sweet as a nut

[kaishang]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

Does is run 2 magnetos?

Correct. Magnetos saved the day!

[kaishang]

Great pic

Can it land in snow?!? Or someone just parked it there?

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by kaishang

Great pic

Can it land in snow?!? Or someone just parked it there?

It can land in light snow and although that was taken at a Kent airstrip, the owner is often flying it to Norway and such places.

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by kaishang

Bzzzt. You have correctly identified the red master switch and red mixture control lever, but failed to observe the electrical master is a split switch: there are two of them. Each is half the width of the white switches next door.

Originally Posted by kaishang

Next question for the armchair experts: why are there two electrical master switches and how does the airplane remain in a climb with the engine running with the electrical system switched off?

OK, the master, as you correctly say, is split - one half controls the battery circuit, the other controls the alternator circuit, but do you know why? Not something I'm previously familiar with, even on dual-bus systems, so I apologise for my lack of knowledge on the Piper.
Regarding your question on electrical power failure (or even inadvertent switching off ), as 'creepy coupé' correctly said, once started, the engine is self sustaining as the ignition is dual magneto powered and the engine driven pump will provide fuel regardless of whether you have gravity or suction feed.

[kaishang]

Originally Posted by Jon D

OK, the master, as you correctly say, is split - one half controls the battery circuit, the other controls the alternator circuit, but do you know why? Not something I'm previously familiar with, even on dual-bus systems, so I apologise for my lack of knowledge on the Piper.

I haven't read up on the reasoning behind the split switch but I'm guessing it is so that if you have an alternator regulator failure which means it keeps charging the battery, you can then isolate the alternator and continue on the battery. There may be some other failure mode where the battery is discharging despite the alternator going and in that case you want to isolate the battery until you need it.

[MEGA]

Most. Off topic. Topic. Ever.

!

As an outside observer (and very tongue in cheek I might add.. ): You two seem quite disgruntled that the other knows something about planes. Are you both the local random light aircraft fact buffs for your respective pub quiz teams or anything?

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by misterS3

Here's the thread.

http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/130926-do...g-70-i-do.html

Jesus whept! As one of them said, it's good the steering lock didn't also come on !!!!!

Brake must be pressed to start engine + engine can be turned off at high speed + Brakes are electronically servo assisted = very large collection of fail. Crazy stuff.

[kaishang]

Originally Posted by MEGA

Most. Off topic. Topic. Ever.

!

The most off topic would have to be the threads where you start talking about tyres - winter tyres - and somehow it turns into a discussion about how you are related to some furry creature

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by MEGA

Most. Off topic. Topic. Ever.

I was wondering when that comment was coming

[flip4335]

Originally Posted by M3-FAST

If that is indeed the case, then how 'new' actually is this car? Or is it just an old E90 with a new front/rear end and interior?!

More like an evolution, with the increased wheelbase for more rear seating and cargo space, as well as overall dimensions approaching mid-size dimensions.

It would be a "stretch" to bolt on F30 parts to the E90...LOL

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by kaishang

I haven't read up on the reasoning behind the split switch but I'm guessing it is so that if you have an alternator regulator failure which means it keeps charging the battery, you can then isolate the alternator and continue on the battery. There may be some other failure mode where the battery is discharging despite the alternator going and in that case you want to isolate the battery until you need it.

It's primary purpose is to provide a quick reset procedure:- If you lose alternator output and neither the field nor output breakers have tripped, switch off 'ALT' for I sec then switch back on to reset the overvoltage relay.
Not that I'm an expert, but your reasoning also makes good sense.
PS: perhaps we can veer off on another tangent in order to get even further off-topic