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Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 04:23:44 +0000 (UTC)
From: hoursaway1@comcast.net
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
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Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] At long last, First Flight
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Congrats Tracy on the first flight, we should be close behind you (as long =
as you keep the 8 at 1/2 throttle).=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0David R. Cook=
=C2=A0 RV6A Rotary=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Tracy Crook" <tracy@rotaryaviation.com>=20
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>=20
Sent: Sunday, September 6, 2009 9:03:04 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern=20
Subject: [FlyRotary] At long last, First Flight=20

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

=C2=A0Very 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.=C2=A0=
=C2=A0 Installed the radio and transponder in the panel (which for some rea=
son I had neglected to do until this morning) and they both worked with no =
problems, which is always a surprise.=C2=A0=20

High speed taxi tests had already been completed and the P-factor was no wo=
rse than the RV-4, in fact I think it has less.=C2=A0 This may be premature=
 because I haven't done a full throttle takeoff yet.=C2=A0 The RV-8 has 1.2=
5 degrees right offset which I think helps a lot.=C2=A0 The RV-4 has no off=
set.=C2=A0 First flight was done without wheel pants or main gear intersect=
ion fairings.=20

Just to make sure there were no surprises, takeoff was done at the same fue=
l flow as the RV-4 at WOT.=C2=A0 I didn't note the manifold pressure but th=
e throttle quadrant was barely over 1/2 throttle.=C2=A0 Ground run on the -=
8 feels more stable than the -4 with considerably more rudder authority (it=
's physically bigger so no surprise).=C2=A0=C2=A0 The plane broke ground at=
 about the same point as the -4 but it feels like it levitates off rather t=
han rotates off.=C2=A0 Probably due to the higher wing incidence on the gro=
und than the -4 with the short gear legs but also due to the longer wing.=
=C2=A0 I had extended both wings by about 18" so the wing loading and span =
loading are less than on the -4.=C2=A0=C2=A0 It has about 13% more wing are=
a than stock.=C2=A0 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.=20

Airspeed was increasing rapidly after lift off but the ASI was not matching=
 the visual ques.=C2=A0=C2=A0 Normally I expect to see 120 mph at the end o=
f the runway but ASI shows only 80. Too late to abort but the airplane is c=
limbing & sounding very nice.=C2=A0=C2=A0 I had been doing a lot of seat-of=
-the pants takeoff and simulated dead stick landings (in the -4) in anticip=
ation of today's tests so I would feel comfortable in the event of partial =
or complete panel failure=C2=A0 (Blue Mountain EFIS1 with only a standard A=
SI for backup).=C2=A0 Climb to 1000 feet felt effortless even after throttl=
ing back to 8 GPH.=C2=A0 I notice that I'm hunting for information and not =
absorbing much due to the very different instrument panel.=C2=A0=C2=A0 Reme=
mbering 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.=C2=A0 The EM2 shows the same a=
irspeed as the steam gauge, now about 100 MPH.=C2=A0 First squawk of the fl=
ight and this means I will do the first landing sans airspeed indicator.=C2=
=A0 I can't seem to locate the GPS ground speed on the display either.=C2=
=A0 Glad I did all that practice.=20

Time to settle in and start evaluating engine performance.=C2=A0 I had take=
n off with the engine fairly warm so I was not surprised to see oil & water=
 temps nearing 190 F after climbout.=C2=A0=C2=A0 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. =C2=A0 Very disappoin=
ting, since they had been well below this on the ground when at the same fu=
el flow I was currently flying at (I had backed it down to 5.75 gph by this=
 time).=20

The plane itself is flying beautifully.=C2=A0 The aileron trim is able to t=
rim out a very slight left wing heavy tendency and the ship feels like it i=
s gliding through the air effortlessly.=C2=A0 Again, no surprise, the plane=
 feels just like an RV (Magnificent!).=C2=A0 At this speed (guessing about =
135 mph) the roll response=C2=A0 is only slightly slower than the -4.=C2=A0=
 The ailerons were extended with the wing so the RV feel has been preserved=
.=C2=A0 I've completed a wide circuit of the pattern and in position to mak=
e an approach so I throttle back and I can immediately tell that the glide =
ratio is significantly higher than the -4.=C2=A0=C2=A0 The longer wing is h=
aving more effect than I thought it would even with the heavier engine.=C2=
=A0 This -8 with a 20B ended up weighing about 70 pounds more than the aver=
age 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.=C2=A0 All the atte=
ntion to weight control has paid off.=C2=A0 I throttle up for a go around a=
nd the FBW throttle responds well, no detectable throttle lag at all.=20

The higher than expected oil and water temps are distracting me from data g=
athering (Rats, I haven't had time to replace the EM2 with a data logging E=
M3 yet) so I make a few more circuits of the field and setup for an approac=
h.=C2=A0 I crank in more flaps early to kill off the airspeed and excess gl=
ide ratio and intentionally do not look at the ASI to avoid being confused.=
=C2=A0 Wheel landing touchdown is perfect and now I glance at the ASI and s=
ee 40 MPH.=C2=A0 Obviously wrong.=20

All in all, a great first flight.=C2=A0 The RV-8 is going to be exactly the=
 airplane I was hoping for. =C2=A0 Still a lot of testing and tweaking to d=
o.=20

Tracy =C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0=20

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<html><head><style type=3D'text/css'>p { margin: 0; }</style></head><body><=
div style=3D'font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000'>Congrats =
Tracy on the first flight, we should be close behind you (as long as you ke=
ep the 8 at 1/2 throttle).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;David R. Cook&nbsp; RV6A=
 Rotary <BR>----- Original Message -----<BR>From: "Tracy Crook" &lt;tracy@r=
otaryaviation.com&gt;<BR>To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" &lt;flyrotary@lanc=
aironline.net&gt;<BR>Sent: Sunday, September 6, 2009 9:03:04 PM GMT -05:00 =
US/Canada Eastern<BR>Subject: [FlyRotary] At long last, First Flight<BR><BR=
>Today there was nothing left to do on the RV-8 but flight test it. <BR><BR=
>&nbsp;Very hot day (93 F and high humidity) but ground tests of the coolin=
g system had gone so well that I was confident of cooling in flight.&nbsp;&=
nbsp; Installed the radio and transponder in the panel (which for some reas=
on I had neglected to do until this morning) and they both worked with no p=
roblems, which is always a surprise.&nbsp; <BR><BR>High speed taxi tests ha=
d already been completed and the P-factor was no worse than the RV-4, in fa=
ct I think it has less.&nbsp; This may be premature because I haven't done =
a full throttle takeoff yet.&nbsp; The RV-8 has 1.25 degrees right offset w=
hich I think helps a lot.&nbsp; The RV-4 has no offset.&nbsp; First flight =
was done without wheel pants or main gear intersection fairings.<BR><BR>Jus=
t to make sure there were no surprises, takeoff was done at the same fuel f=
low as the RV-4 at WOT.&nbsp; I didn't note the manifold pressure but the t=
hrottle quadrant was barely over 1/2 throttle.&nbsp; Ground run on the -8 f=
eels more stable than the -4 with considerably more rudder authority (it's =
physically bigger so no surprise).&nbsp;&nbsp; The plane broke ground at ab=
out the same point as the -4 but it feels like it levitates off rather than=
 rotates off.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp=
; I had extended both wings by about 18" so the wing loading and span loadi=
ng are less than on the -4.&nbsp;&nbsp; It has about 13% more wing area tha=
n stock.&nbsp; This was actually the second time the -8 had air under the t=
ires since it had floated off ground about a foot once before during a high=
 speed taxi test.<BR><BR>Airspeed was increasing rapidly after lift off but=
 the ASI was not matching the visual ques.&nbsp;&nbsp; Normally I expect to=
 see 120 mph at the end of the runway but ASI shows only 80. Too late to ab=
ort but the airplane is climbing &amp; sounding very nice.&nbsp;&nbsp; I ha=
d been doing a lot of seat-of-the pants takeoff and simulated dead stick la=
ndings (in the -4) in anticipation of today's tests so I would feel comfort=
able in the event of partial or complete panel failure&nbsp; (Blue Mountain=
 EFIS1 with only a standard ASI for backup).&nbsp; Climb to 1000 feet felt =
effortless even after throttling back to 8 GPH.&nbsp; I notice that I'm hun=
ting for information and not absorbing much due to the very different instr=
ument panel.&nbsp;&nbsp; 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.&n=
bsp; The EM2 shows the same airspeed as the steam gauge, now about 100 MPH.=
&nbsp; First squawk of the flight and this means I will do the first landin=
g sans airspeed indicator.&nbsp; I can't seem to locate the GPS ground spee=
d on the display either.&nbsp; Glad I did all that practice. <BR><BR>Time t=
o settle in and start evaluating engine performance.&nbsp; I had taken off =
with the engine fairly warm so I was not surprised to see oil &amp; water t=
emps nearing 190 F after climbout.&nbsp;&nbsp; I continue collecting data h=
oping the temps will start coming down but it is soon apparent that they ar=
e stabilizing at about 200 on both oil and coolant. &nbsp; Very disappointi=
ng, 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 t=
ime).<BR><BR>The plane itself is flying beautifully.&nbsp; The aileron trim=
 is able to trim out a very slight left wing heavy tendency and the ship fe=
els like it is gliding through the air effortlessly.&nbsp; Again, no surpri=
se, the plane feels just like an RV (Magnificent!).&nbsp; At this speed (gu=
essing about 135 mph) the roll response&nbsp; is only slightly slower than =
the -4.&nbsp; The ailerons were extended with the wing so the RV feel has b=
een preserved.&nbsp; I've completed a wide circuit of the pattern and in po=
sition to make an approach so I throttle back and I can immediately tell th=
at the glide ratio is significantly higher than the -4.&nbsp;&nbsp; The lon=
ger wing is having more effect than I thought it would even with the heavie=
r engine.&nbsp; This -8 with a 20B ended up weighing about 70 pounds more t=
han 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.&nbsp; =
All the attention to weight control has paid off.&nbsp; I throttle up for a=
 go around and the FBW throttle responds well, no detectable throttle lag a=
t all.<BR><BR>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.&nbsp; 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 b=
eing confused.&nbsp; Wheel landing touchdown is perfect and now I glance at=
 the ASI and see 40 MPH.&nbsp; Obviously wrong.<BR><BR>All in all, a great =
first flight.&nbsp; The RV-8 is going to be exactly the airplane I was hopi=
ng for. &nbsp; Still a lot of testing and tweaking to do.<BR><BR>Tracy &nbs=
p;&nbsp; &nbsp; <BR></div></body></html>
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