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Subject: [dykedelta] first taxi
From: Ernest Christley <echristley@nc.rr.com>
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>,dykedelta@yahoogroups.com
CC: If flyin' is half as fun as taxi testing, I'm going to get arrested.  Ain't no way that having this much fun can be legal.

http://www.1114.eaachapter.org/apps/photos/album?albumid=13527255

I gave a hour and a half talk explaining how rotary engines work and then talking about what I've done with my installation to the local EAA chapter, then we went outside, fired that puppy up and ran up and down the field a few times until I was pushing the temps more that I prefer.

The Delta handles much better than I expected.  My modification to tie the nose wheel to the rudder pedals needs some adjustment so that I can make tighter turns.  That's just a matter of a couple 1/4" holes in the steering ears.

The Matco heavy-duty brakes are TOO good.  I know.  Ain't such a think as brakes that work to well, but my first pull on the lever has me skidding on the dry grass.  Definitely can't be yanking on it.  I'll probably shorten the lever, but will still have to use nice, gentle tug on it.

I'm pleasantly surprised at the performance of my homemade prop.  I was only shooting for 30mph, then immediately cutting power.  I was hitting that in about 300ft.  I think.  Lots of stuff going on at once, so I haven't isolated the various parts and tried to nail specific numbers down yet.  But I do know for sure, the initial acceleration was rather soft, but as it picked up a little speed it quickly pushed me back into the seat.  Not a lot of time to get a good idea, because just as it was getting good, it was time to pull that stupid brake lever  8*)

I will have much better numbers in a week or two.  I'm ordering a bluetooth-to-serial adapter that will allow me to monitor and record the engine numbers on my tablet.  I will also get GPS location data and info from the tablet's accelerometer recorded at the same time into the log files.  All of that engine data recorded on the same graphs as what it is doing to the airplane.  I'm psyched about that.

The airplane spent it's first night away from home last night.  I'm renting an open-face hangar at Cox Airfield.  The rest of the work I have to do will be less convenient now, but I have room to finish the wings in my workshop.  I'm almost there.

BTW, Ed, have you visited EAA1114 in Cary?  I got a comment from one of the members.  He was telling me that he was surprised at how quiet my engine was compared to a guy from Charlotte that visited the chapter a while back.  I figured that must be you.