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...it's getting, how do I put this...tedious? I'm down to 2.9 hours to go to my 40, and it's REALLY getting hard to find stuff to do to finish it out. I flew last night after work (FINALLY have enough light to do so!), and spent ten minutes trying to make myself sick. Almost worked. I had to fly for twenty minutes straight and level to get over a small bout of noxious feelings. I checked out a controlled burn of some field brush, said hi to some guys on one of the lakes, checked out the windmills...again.

I'm not complaining, but when it gets to this point of being so close...it's seems SO FAR. A couple more flights, and my leash will be cut!!

Awesome Chad,
your feathers are almost grown from being clipped. To be free.

take care,
Mike Balzer

You are getting real close Chad, those last few hours will be gone soon enough.

If you have a handheld radio, give it a try from various distances to a ground station to see how well it will work as a backup (if you think you will carry one and haven't done it already that is, just something else to use the time for).

Go out and fly the perimeter of your test area. Do this however many times it takes to fly the hours off. I'm still only at 10 hours and with another Pacific storm rolling in... I envy you.

svanarts wrote:Go out and fly the perimeter of your test area.

That's something I haven't done Scott! I just may do that...414 miles would take me almost up to my 40!

2.9hrs.. I can only dream of such a day. 13.8 for me and the box is awful small. I got 50miles, but unless I want to fly over wilderness or hop over mountain ranges to other valleys I am really restricted. Plus our weather sux this winter...snowing here again today

Get'r done Chad.

So where are you going for your first flight out of the box?

Probably take my wife to Rick's Boat House for lunch in Indy...

Sent from Chad's iPhone
Submitted via email

Cool. Welcome mat is always out at MNM

I flew my circle with the tracking on the 496 leaving a line, and could see it for most of my 40. It self erased after a while, kinda neat to see.

The last few hours were the worst, and I even had my dad fly some, and a buddy do some. I did about 30 of the 40 myself.

So all the test flights are done ? Flying it at both ends of the CG limits.
All the Acro and Acrobatic entry speeds tested ? Vx/Vy's are done ? How about accelerated stalls in both directions, how about with and without flaps ? How about Gross weight flights near the aft CG. ? How high have you flown her so far, and how was the climb rate after passing through 10,000 feet ?

I'm not saying you haven't done all that already, but just thought I'd throw that out there .

I too have a little less than 3 hours to go, but dammit, the weather has been crappy all week so far.

Good questions Dave!

Took Bill's plane to 13,500' over KBOS last weekend and were still seeing over 500' per minute climb. That little Ed Sterba wooden airscrew is probably the best value in props EVER!

We were seeing 209 knots ground speed with a good healthy tailwind. Nice little mexican place on Parlin Field! Dos Enchiladas!!!

(good thing the RV's are drafty in flight!)

CJ

Wicked Stick wrote:So all the test flights are done ?

99% Done.

Wicked Stick wrote:Flying it at both ends of the CG limits.

Yes.

Wicked Stick wrote:All the Acro and Acrobatic entry speeds tested?

This is the one percent that I won't get done in initial Phase I...I just don't have enough experience is this arena to feel safe about testing it alone. I've been upside-down tho.

Wicked Stick wrote:Vx/Vy's are done ?

Yes.

Wicked Stick wrote:How about accelerated stalls in both directions, how about with and without flaps ?

Yes.

Wicked Stick wrote:How about Gross weight flights near the aft CG. ?

Yes.

Wicked Stick wrote:How high have you flown her so far,

11,500

Wicked Stick wrote:and how was the climb rate after passing through 10,000 feet ?

~800fpm

Wicked Stick wrote:I'm not saying you haven't done all that already, but just thought I'd throw that out there .

I too have a little less than 3 hours to go, but dammit, the weather has been crappy all week so far.

Thanks Dave! Always good to have someone watching your back! Yeah...that's been my major issue, time when the weather is good. I can't get them to match up very often.

Hope you get done soon Dave. I need a ride

That's really Awesome Chad, cause I figure about 1/2 of the phase one's out there, probably aren't anywhere near as thorough as we are .

I have 2 more hours to go, still tweaking the Vx & Vy numbers a little.
I also have a little spin testing to do, but couldn't do that the other day due to low ceilings and snow showers.

I'd be happy to help with the Acro for ya .

CJ. Not bad climb rate for fix pitch... but.. can't compare to constant speed. I did a climb test about a week ago, and she was still climbing at 1,000+ fpm through 10,000 to 12,500. At about 12,500 it was closer to 950 fpm. I was full fuel, but solo with about 50lbs of baggage.
Would liked to have gone higher, but need to borrow someone's oxygen next time. I guess I'll just have to take Van's word for the service ceiling numbers.

N155RE wrote:Hope you get done soon Dave. I need a ride

You bet Rob, already have a ticket with your number on it...
Tickets 1 through 3 are already taken though, but your still in my top ten list .

Dave, you can go higher than 12,500' without oxygen.

As I recall, you can stay up there for 30 minutes during the day. Climb for 15 minutes and see what she does!

CJ

Hi CJ,

Yes, I realize I could have gone up to 14,000 without Oxy for 30 minutes.
Since I was still climbing at 950+ fpm at 12,500, I figured it would have easily made the 14,000 feet so I saw no need to go to 14,000 that day. I'll do a climb to 18,000 once I get around to buying or borrowing an oxygen kit. .