X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from QMTA15.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net ([76.96.27.228] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.16) with ESMTP id 3839496 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:31:08 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=76.96.27.228; envelope-from=gregw@onestopdesign.biz Received: from OMTA10.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net ([76.96.30.28]) by QMTA15.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net with comcast id dd8b1c0050cQ2SLAFdWb9j; Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:30:35 +0000 Received: from osd1 ([24.6.75.252]) by OMTA10.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net with comcast id ddWb1c0025ScAtC8WdWbY7; Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:30:35 +0000 Message-ID: <7D18F940845E443BB44CC8B45DB01D4E@yosemite.onestopdesign.biz> From: "Greg Ward" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" References: Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] At long last, First Flight Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2009 18:45:34 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_01DF_01CA2F22.37A7FC70" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.5843 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_01DF_01CA2F22.37A7FC70 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Way to go Tracy!!! It's been a long road. Regards; Greg Ward ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Tracy Crook=20 To: Rotary motors in aircraft=20 Sent: Sunday, September 06, 2009 6:03 PM Subject: [FlyRotary] At long last, First Flight Today there was nothing left to do on the RV-8 but flight test it.=20 Very hot day (93 F and high humidity) but ground tests of the cooling = system had gone so well that I was confident of cooling in flight. = Installed the radio and transponder in the panel (which for some reason = I had neglected to do until this morning) and they both worked with no = problems, which is always a surprise. =20 High speed taxi tests had already been completed and the P-factor was = no worse than the RV-4, in fact I think it has less. This may be = premature because I haven't done a full throttle takeoff yet. The RV-8 = has 1.25 degrees right offset which I think helps a lot. The RV-4 has = no offset. First flight was done without wheel pants or main gear = intersection fairings. Just to make sure there were no surprises, takeoff was done at the = same fuel flow as the RV-4 at WOT. I didn't note the manifold pressure = but the throttle quadrant was barely over 1/2 throttle. Ground run on = the -8 feels more stable than the -4 with considerably more rudder = authority (it's physically bigger so no surprise). The plane broke = ground at about the same point as the -4 but it feels like it levitates = off rather than rotates off. Probably due to the higher wing incidence = on the ground than the -4 with the short gear legs but also due to the = longer wing. I had extended both wings by about 18" so the wing loading = and span loading are less than on the -4. It has about 13% more wing = area than stock. This was actually the second time the -8 had air under = the tires since it had floated off ground about a foot once before = during a high speed taxi test. Airspeed was increasing rapidly after lift off but the ASI was not = matching the visual ques. Normally I expect to see 120 mph at the end = of the runway but ASI shows only 80. Too late to abort but the airplane = is climbing & sounding very nice. I had been doing a lot of = seat-of-the pants takeoff and simulated dead stick landings (in the -4) = in anticipation of today's tests so I would feel comfortable in the = event of partial or complete panel failure (Blue Mountain EFIS1 with = only a standard ASI for backup). Climb to 1000 feet felt effortless = even after throttling back to 8 GPH. I notice that I'm hunting for = information and not absorbing much due to the very different instrument = panel. Remembering that the EFIS1 has the primary ASI in a speed = ribbon format I hunt for it and see 0 MPH when I finally find it. The = EM2 shows the same airspeed as the steam gauge, now about 100 MPH. = First squawk of the flight and this means I will do the first landing = sans airspeed indicator. I can't seem to locate the GPS ground speed on = the display either. Glad I did all that practice.=20 Time to settle in and start evaluating engine performance. I had = taken off with the engine fairly warm so I was not surprised to see oil = & water temps nearing 190 F after climbout. I continue collecting data = hoping the temps will start coming down but it is soon apparent that = they are stabilizing at about 200 on both oil and coolant. Very = disappointing, since they had been well below this on the ground when at = the same fuel flow I was currently flying at (I had backed it down to = 5.75 gph by this time). The plane itself is flying beautifully. The aileron trim is able to = trim out a very slight left wing heavy tendency and the ship feels like = it is gliding through the air effortlessly. Again, no surprise, the = plane feels just like an RV (Magnificent!). At this speed (guessing = about 135 mph) the roll response is only slightly slower than the -4. = The ailerons were extended with the wing so the RV feel has been = preserved. I've completed a wide circuit of the pattern and in position = to make an approach so I throttle back and I can immediately tell that = the glide ratio is significantly higher than the -4. The longer wing = is having more effect than I thought it would even with the heavier = engine. This -8 with a 20B ended up weighing about 70 pounds more than = the average one equipped with an 0 - 360 and fixed pitch prop and about = the same as one equipped with an IO - 360 with constant speed prop. All = the attention to weight control has paid off. I throttle up for a go = around and the FBW throttle responds well, no detectable throttle lag at = all. The higher than expected oil and water temps are distracting me from = data gathering (Rats, I haven't had time to replace the EM2 with a data = logging EM3 yet) so I make a few more circuits of the field and setup = for an approach. I crank in more flaps early to kill off the airspeed = and excess glide ratio and intentionally do not look at the ASI to avoid = being confused. Wheel landing touchdown is perfect and now I glance at = the ASI and see 40 MPH. Obviously wrong. All in all, a great first flight. The RV-8 is going to be exactly the = airplane I was hoping for. Still a lot of testing and tweaking to do. Tracy =20 ------=_NextPart_000_01DF_01CA2F22.37A7FC70 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Way to go Tracy!!!  It's been a long=20 road.
Regards;
Greg Ward
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Tracy=20 Crook
Sent: Sunday, September 06, = 2009 6:03=20 PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] At long = last, First=20 Flight

Today there was nothing left to do on the RV-8 but = flight test=20 it.

 Very hot day (93 F and high humidity) but ground = tests of=20 the cooling system had gone so well that I was confident of cooling in = flight.   Installed the radio and transponder in the panel = (which=20 for some reason I had neglected to do until this morning) and they = both worked=20 with no problems, which is always a surprise. 

High speed = taxi=20 tests had already been completed and the P-factor was no worse than = the RV-4,=20 in fact I think it has less.  This may be premature because I = haven't=20 done a full throttle takeoff yet.  The RV-8 has 1.25 degrees = right offset=20 which I think helps a lot.  The RV-4 has no offset.  First = flight=20 was done without wheel pants or main gear intersection = fairings.

Just=20 to make sure there were no surprises, takeoff was done at the same = fuel flow=20 as the RV-4 at WOT.  I didn't note the manifold pressure but the = throttle=20 quadrant was barely over 1/2 throttle.  Ground run on the -8 = feels more=20 stable than the -4 with considerably more rudder authority (it's = physically=20 bigger so no surprise).   The plane broke ground at about = the same=20 point as the -4 but it feels like it levitates off rather than rotates = off.  Probably due to the higher wing incidence on the ground = than the -4=20 with the short gear legs but also due to the longer wing.  I had = extended=20 both wings by about 18" so the wing loading and span loading are less = than on=20 the -4.   It has about 13% more wing area than stock.  = This was=20 actually the second time the -8 had air under the tires since it had = floated=20 off ground about a foot once before during a high speed taxi=20 test.

Airspeed was increasing rapidly after lift off but the = ASI was=20 not matching the visual ques.   Normally I expect to see 120 = mph at=20 the end of the runway but ASI shows only 80. Too late to abort but the = airplane is climbing & sounding very nice.   I had been = doing a=20 lot of seat-of-the pants takeoff and simulated dead stick landings (in = the -4)=20 in anticipation of today's tests so I would feel comfortable in the = event of=20 partial or complete panel failure  (Blue Mountain EFIS1 with only = a=20 standard ASI for backup).  Climb to 1000 feet felt effortless = even after=20 throttling back to 8 GPH.  I notice that I'm hunting for = information and=20 not absorbing much due to the very different instrument = panel.  =20 Remembering that the EFIS1 has the primary ASI in a speed ribbon = format I hunt=20 for it and see 0 MPH when I finally find it.  The EM2 shows the = same=20 airspeed as the steam gauge, now about 100 MPH.  First squawk of = the=20 flight and this means I will do the first landing sans airspeed=20 indicator.  I can't seem to locate the GPS ground speed on the = display=20 either.  Glad I did all that practice.

Time to settle in = and=20 start evaluating engine performance.  I had taken off with the = engine=20 fairly warm so I was not surprised to see oil & water temps = nearing 190 F=20 after climbout.   I continue collecting data hoping the = temps will=20 start coming down but it is soon apparent that they are stabilizing at = about=20 200 on both oil and coolant.   Very disappointing, since they had = been=20 well below this on the ground when at the same fuel flow I was = currently=20 flying at (I had backed it down to 5.75 gph by this time).

The = plane=20 itself is flying beautifully.  The aileron trim is able to trim = out a=20 very slight left wing heavy tendency and the ship feels like it is = gliding=20 through the air effortlessly.  Again, no surprise, the plane = feels just=20 like an RV (Magnificent!).  At this speed (guessing about 135 = mph) the=20 roll response  is only slightly slower than the -4.  The = ailerons=20 were extended with the wing so the RV feel has been preserved.  = I've=20 completed a wide circuit of the pattern and in position to make an = approach so=20 I throttle back and I can immediately tell that the glide ratio is=20 significantly higher than the -4.   The longer wing is = having more=20 effect than I thought it would even with the heavier engine.  = This -8=20 with a 20B ended up weighing about 70 pounds more than the average one = equipped with an 0 - 360 and fixed pitch prop and about the same as = one=20 equipped with an IO - 360 with constant speed prop.  All the = attention to=20 weight control has paid off.  I throttle up for a go around and = the FBW=20 throttle responds well, no detectable throttle lag at all.

The = higher=20 than expected oil and water temps are distracting me from data = gathering=20 (Rats, I haven't had time to replace the EM2 with a data logging EM3 = yet) so I=20 make a few more circuits of the field and setup for an approach.  = I crank=20 in more flaps early to kill off the airspeed and excess glide ratio = and=20 intentionally do not look at the ASI to avoid being confused.  = Wheel=20 landing touchdown is perfect and now I glance at the ASI and see 40 = MPH. =20 Obviously wrong.

All in all, a great first flight.  The = RV-8 is=20 going to be exactly the airplane I was hoping for.   Still a lot = of=20 testing and tweaking to do.

Tracy     =20
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