Return-Path: <13brv3@bellsouth.net> Received: from imf22aec.mail.bellsouth.net ([205.152.59.70] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2b3) with ESMTP id 3222339 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sat, 08 May 2004 22:09:50 -0400 Received: from rad ([65.6.194.9]) by imf22aec.mail.bellsouth.net (InterMail vM.5.01.06.08 201-253-122-130-108-20031117) with ESMTP id <20040509020947.UEK1249.imf22aec.mail.bellsouth.net@rad> for ; Sat, 8 May 2004 22:09:47 -0400 From: "Russell Duffy" <13brv3@bellsouth.net> To: "Flyrotary List" Subject: first flight Tracy's old prop. Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 21:09:48 -0500 Message-ID: <00a301c4356a$b4b569d0$6001a8c0@rad> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00A4_01C43540.CBDF61D0" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.4510 Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00A4_01C43540.CBDF61D0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable For those of you with trouble sleeping, here's today's flight log. = Gotta get serious about building intake #3. =20 =20 Rusty (I hear the grill calling...) =20 =20 =20 Flew with Tracy's old prop for the first time. This was also the first flight for the wheel pants and gear leg fairings. The results were = about as expected, which is to say not as good as I had hoped. The good news is = that there are still no issues with anything leaking, breaking, falling off, = or being cooked by the heat. This is a pleasant change from Rev-1. I = didn't notice any shimmying from the gear legs today either, despite my best attempts to cause it. =20 =20 Temps are too low, even on an 85 degree day so I'll be closing up the = cowl cheeks to see if that brings it in line. The max I saw in climb was 180 = for oil, and 165 for water. In steady cruise, at full throttle, oil was = 168, and water was 134. =20 =20 There was a vibration on climbout, which I later found to be caused by loading the airframe some. I'm sure something is touching the cowl, and transferring vibration to the airframe, because I can make is start and = stop by pulling a slightly positive G's. It's not the prop, since it's = smooth as glass when unloaded to 0 G's. I can't understand why this is so = noticeable now, since I haven't changed anything under the cowl. The only = explanation I can come up with is that the wood prop is smoother than my old Warp, = and I just didn't notice the vibration over the prop vibration. =20 =20 Climb remains a disappointment. 100 mph gave 4700 rpm, and 1000 fpm. = 120 mph gave 4900 rpm, and 1300 fpm. This will improve if I can figure out = why I'm not making the power that I should be (intake sucks). At least the = best climb rate speed is back up where it should be for an RV. The wheel = pants must have done this. =20 =20 Speaking of wheel pants, there's no doubt that they work. I also = suspect the prop is producing more thrust at idle. I'm used to making all my landings without flaps, since the plane used to drop like a rock when = you pulled the power. Well, not any more. I "practiced" a go around when I = was still about 50 ft high, half way down the runway, and at about 100 mph. = The second approach wasn't much better, and I had to use full flaps, as well = as a slip to get down. On rollout, I had to look down at the rpm to make = sure I wasn't still at half throttle. This is really like the RV-8 used to = be, so I'll get used to it quickly. =20 =20 My speed run was at 4000 ft, due to a layer of clouds above, and my = dismal climb rate. Full throttle gave 5500 rpm, 26.5 MAP, and 180 mph TAS. Scottie, I need more power!!! =20 =20 Finally, I made a note to check the ball in cruise flight to see where = it was. AT 5000 rpm, and 170 mph, it's at 5 degrees on my inclinometer, = which measures 3.8" to the left of center. It take a LOT of left rudder to = center this. This may very well be good news for the C drive. The tail of the plane was build by the original builder, and I'm starting to think = there's some offset built into the vertical stab. Just looking at it, I can't = tell, but I was very surprised to need that much rudder in cruise, when I = already have a left offset in the mount. The only reference I have is my old = RV-8, which had a right offset in the mount, and required no rudder in cruise = (no vert stab offset either). =20 ------=_NextPart_000_00A4_01C43540.CBDF61D0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Message

For those of you with trouble sleeping, = here's today's=20 flight log.  Gotta get serious about building intake #3. =20

 

Rusty (I hear the grill = calling...)

 

 

 

Flew with Tracy’s old prop for = the first=20 time.  This was also the = first=20 flight for the wheel pants and gear leg fairings.  The results were about as = expected,=20 which is to say not as good as I had hoped.  The good news is that there = are still no=20 issues with anything leaking, breaking, falling off, or being cooked by = the=20 heat.   This is a = pleasant=20 change from Rev-1.  I = didn’t notice=20 any shimmying from the gear legs today either, despite my best attempts = to cause=20 it. 

 

Temps are too low, even on an 85 degree day so = I’ll be=20 closing up the cowl cheeks to see if that brings it in line.  The max I saw in climb was 180 = for oil,=20 and 165 for water.  In = steady=20 cruise, at full throttle, oil was 168, and water was 134. 

 

There was a vibration on climbout, which I = later found to=20 be caused by loading the airframe some. =20 I’m sure something is touching the cowl, and transferring = vibration to=20 the airframe, because I can make is start and stop by pulling a slightly = positive G’s.  = It’s not the prop,=20 since it’s smooth as glass when unloaded to 0 G’s.  I can’t understand why = this is so=20 noticeable now, since I haven’t changed anything under the = cowl.  The only explanation I can = come up with=20 is that the wood prop is smoother than my old Warp, and I just = didn’t notice the=20 vibration over the prop vibration.  =20

 

Climb remains a disappointment.  100 mph gave 4700 rpm, and = 1000=20 fpm.  120 mph gave 4900 = rpm, and=20 1300 fpm.  This will = improve if I=20 can figure out why I’m not making the power that I should be = (intake=20 sucks).  At least the best = climb=20 rate speed is back up where it should be for an RV.  The wheel pants must have done = this. 

 

Speaking of wheel pants, there’s no doubt = that they=20 work.  I also suspect the = prop is=20 producing more thrust at idle.  = I’m=20 used to making all my landings without flaps, since the plane used to = drop like=20 a rock when you pulled the power. =20 Well, not any more.  = I=20 “practiced” a go around when I was still about 50 ft high, = half way down the=20 runway, and at about 100 mph.  = The=20 second approach wasn’t much better, and I had to use full flaps, = as well as a=20 slip to get down.  On = rollout, I had=20 to look down at the rpm to make sure I wasn’t still at half = throttle.  This is really like the RV-8 = used to be,=20 so I’ll get used to it quickly. =20

 

My speed run was at 4000 ft, due to a layer of = clouds=20 above, and my dismal climb rate.  = Full throttle gave 5500 rpm, 26.5 MAP, and 180 mph TAS.  Scottie, I need more = power!!! 

 

Finally,=20 I made a note to check the ball in cruise flight to see where it = was.  AT 5000 rpm, and 170 mph, = it’s at 5=20 degrees on my inclinometer, which measures 3.8” to the left of = center.  It take a = LOT=20 of left rudder to center this.  = This=20 may very well be good news for the C drive.  The tail of the plane was = build by the=20 original builder, and I’m starting to think there’s some = offset built into the=20 vertical stab.  Just = looking at it,=20 I can’t tell, but I was very surprised to need that much rudder in = cruise, when=20 I already have a left offset in the mount. =20 The only reference I have is my old RV-8, which had a right = offset in the=20 mount, and required no rudder in cruise (no vert stab offset = either).  =
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