IN-FLIGHT RESTARTS
One of the attractive features of the Lazair is its ability to soar with the engines off, and then fly home with its engines restarted. However, restarting these engines in flight is a technique to be practised and learned only after the basic skills of flying the Lazair have been mastered. As was suggested in the first of these update letters, your first attempt to restart in flight should be made at an altitude of at least 1000 feet. It should also be made In an area where you can glide to a safe landing should your restart be unsuccessful.
Although a restart looks easy when you’re on the ground watching someone else do it, you may find it’s a bit different when you’re up In the air trying it yourself. First of all, it’s necessary to lean forward to grasp the pull cord – this can be a difficult reach for a short-armed pilot. Leaning forward will change the trim and put the aircraft into a nose down attitude. This can be compensated for by a slight back pressure on the stick, but applying back pressure as you lean forward may not be as easy at first as you might expect.
In addition to this, you will probably experience more difficulty starting the right engine because this requires operating the control column with your left hand. This is not necessarily easy – especially if you’ve never done it before.
Above all, remember one thing – Fly the Airplane. Regardless of what the engines are doing, your number one priority is to maintain some semblance of straight and level flight. When you’re starting an engine, don’t look at it – watch where you’re going. And one other word of advice – don’t forget to turn on the magneto switch. This may sound ridiculous, but even a very experienced pilot will forget occasionally.