Congrats Jerry! How do you like flying the Solitaire?

Great posts James.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, bugs and all.
Looking forward to having some similar times, hopefully without NTS fails, in another week or so.
How dramatic was the yaw/drag with the prop windmilling unfeathered?
That's some crazy groundspeed...

Not a crazy groundspeed at all when you have a 72 knot tailwind. Hitting 400 kts GS is when things get really cool in the MU-2, but when you really smile is when you have that 100 kt headwind and STILL have a 200 knot ground speed while some King Airs are slowed down to the point they are doing 150kts GS!

Here's the video of the second time we shut down the right engine confirming the NTS wasn't working properly. Forgive the poor camera operation. The main part to notice is the yaw when the engine is shut down. Keep in mind that we had set the power to zero thrust on the right engine and already and trimmed the plane for OEI flight. At that time I moved the RCS switch to STOP shutting off the fuel at the engine. Immediately, you can hear the prop go to flat pitch in the video at the same time the yaw and roll forces are seen. We were in clean configuration at about 160 knots. I don't think the plane would have been controllable had we lost the engine at or right after take off. The condition lever would have to be pulled to emergency stop in one second or less to maintain control in that situation is my guess. It was a lot to handle in optimum circumstances.

http://youtu.be/q319QBK7mCo

Reece Howell-

"I'm satisfied that ain't working"

Hahaha, glad it's nothing serious. Gotta love Reece.

If the simulator is any indication, I would say yes, you have a second or two to get the engine feathered with an NTS failure on initial climb.

You had the master with you! There is not much that will shake him up.

Particularly below 150 KIAS.

I do wonder how faithful the sim is to real life. How did they test this? For one thing, when you get 170 KIAS or higher, the engine failure with NTS failure is rather more docile than I would expect, which makes me wonder if the model is not quite right.

It should be noted that there has been no documented occurrence of engine failure AND NTS failure occurring at the same time in the entire history of the MU2. I suspect this is true for other types using the TPE331 as well. The odds are very low.

There have been a number of NTS systems which have passed the startup check, but failed in the air, like this one. This suggests doing flight NTS checks periodically might be a good thing. NTS not operational is definitely a no go item!

Mike C.

I did a test flight to check the NTS on a Merlin II, one side failed, twas an eye opener.

Yesterday I had an instructor lined up to fly the MU2 from TN to Houston to pick me up and fly me back to complete the training. I was really looking forward to actually flying my plane somewhere rather than just doing training flights. The plan was for him to shut down the right engine after departure to be sure the NTS functioned properly and then continue to Houston if everything worked. It didn't work so the plane is back on the ground for round two of the trouble shooting.

A word to the wise, anyone considering a Garrett TPE331 powered aircraft should require that the pre buy test flight consist of in flight shut downs on both engines to be sure the NTS is functioning properly. Ground checks DO NOT CONFIRM that the system is working properly. This should be standard operating procedure for a pre buy but as I have learned, it is not.

Well that sucketh. Waiting for more write-ups on your transition training and cool new MU2 stories.

Peace,
Don

Can you tell us the indications you experienced on the failure for in-flight NTS test?
Disregard, saw the video. Full fledged NDG.

James, Which mx facility are you using for this issue?

James, really sorry to hear about this, from everything I have heard problems like this seems to be a real anomaly in MU2 ownership. Hopefully the fix is cheap and quick!

Hilgard

What a bummer!

I do appreciate that you are posting your experience. It got me to do I fight shutdowns on both my Commander engines.

Happily everything checked out ok.

Sorry to hear this, but same as Steve, I'm planning in flight test of the NTS when I fly my turbo commander for the first time next week. I'm not sure whether this was done during the pre-buy, and I'd prefer to know if it isn't working.
James, hope it gets sorted quickly and without too much cost.