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First Flight Prep-Lost Engine?

dbuds2

dbuds2

Well Known Member
To all that have gone before me, that have more experience and probably more skill, I'd like to ask the VAF family for comments and review on an idea,

The FAA declared N88ZP is airworthy, transition training says I'm RV airworthy. I read and reread AC90-89, studied as many VAF posting as I can find, I've created first flight test card and most importantly I want to bring this father/husband/RV8 home for many more sunrises.

Here is a diagram of my airport, I plan to use runway 13 with no winds. I've estimated I'll be at ~500ft crossing 8R-26L. The question is what would you think of taking a heading of ~160(30deg more westerly) to provide both runways for the worst case engine out scenario? If it happened before 200ft, straight back to 13. If before 500 ft, ~80 deg left turn to 8L. After that the best available straight ahead turf.

f45diagram.jpg
f45overhead.jpg
 
Sounds to me you did all you can to be well prepared. If you trust yourself to fly that machine you build and know you did the best you could....
Go for it!!!
Think about the roads below you. Pick a time of day where you can expect the least traffic. Stay close to them and away from the power lines.
Other then that...altitude is your best friend. Get up to gliding distance to a good landing site.
Good luck and many happy landings
 
Hi,
Well, I thought this pic may (or may not) be useful to you. This is a google earth snapshot of my first flight
firstflight.jpg


I have a 200hp IO360 with a constant speed prop. So, this is a climb profile of an inexperienced pilot on a 4000 ft runway. It looks like I am about 500 ft at 3000 ft of runway in this picture... The winds were light (<5)..and straight down the runway. As I recall, I was at circuit height when I was turning crosswind, and rapidly climbing above circuit height on the downwind leg...where I was busy throttling back and going this climbs fast'.....

BTW, This was -my- first flight. Kevin Horton did the first 5 hours, so I knew the airplane could fly.... I was seeing if I could (also transition trained)
 
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Looking at the pictures you posted, and assuming calm winds, I might be tempted to takeoff on 26L and make a right turn to 310. Then, at pattern altitude, a left turn to a downwind for 8R. I'm not sure if it's practical at your airport, but the geometry seems like it would work.

As others have said, be prepared for the climb rate. I have a 180HP, constant speed, RV-8A. I have to worry about blowing through the floor of class C by the departure end of a 5000' runway runway (cool day solo).:D

Paige
 
CONGRATS!

Bud - CONGRATS in being signed off!

If you want a chase ship or a review of your test plan and procedures let me know I'd be happy to fly over and help.

Regards,

Ken

PS You have my email
 
Another idea

It is an interesting choice to turn 30 degrees westerly from runway 13. I would think you would turn 60 degree easterly and then be on downwind for the other runway. I think you might want to take a spam can up to 3000 feet over the end of runway 13 and pull the power back to idle and see what the various options look like in real life. Being high over the end of the runway gives you plenty of time, but makes for interesting choices in an emergency since you are heading away from the airport.
 
Congrats!!

dbuds2 said:
The FAA declared N88ZP is airworthy, transition training says I'm RV airworthy.
Click to expand...

Congratulations on the dual airworthy endorsments:D

Your plan seems to be fine, at least from the perspective of someone a on the other side of the country, who has never been to your airport.

I would suggest you run the idea past the oldest CFI you can find that flys out of there.
 
johnny stick said:
It is an interesting choice to turn 30 degrees westerly from runway 13. I would think you would turn 60 degree easterly and then be on downwind for the other runway. I think you might want to take a spam can up to 3000 feet over the end of runway 13 and pull the power back to idle and see what the various options look like in real life. Being high over the end of the runway gives you plenty of time, but makes for interesting choices in an emergency since you are heading away from the airport.
Click to expand...

In real life, the RV will drop like a rock if you compare it to a Warrior. If you are at 1000ft. AGL, you will be on the ground in just over a minute. If you make it to 3000ft, you have many options at that airport, and your chance of success is good.
 
Bud, I did the first flight on my 8 couple of year ago. take a look to my video, I've a Catto 3 blades with 2100 rpm @ take-off and a runway with 3000 ft.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZOeyudUWs&feature=plcp

this is my test flight airport : http://www.rv8.it/vansairforce/rv8loop.jpg

I think, regarding your questions, that you're totally right mind focused about your goal : a safety first flight.

So, if you feel confident with your airplane + your skill and you FEEL ready : go for it. You've plenty of options B scenario in your airport.

If not, don't esitate, let somebody else do this for you BUT this person MUST be a confident RV pilot with proved experience in test work.

my 2c
 
Hi Bud,

What a great post - there are a lot of folks that don't do this kind of planning before a first flight, and simply depend on fate to make it work out. The good news is, most of the time, it works out.

Your plan looks reasonably good to me - with an airport that size, and numerous runway options, you should be able to put the airplane down on a prepared surface from just about any reasonable point of failure.

The nest best thing you can do to make SURE that your first flight is as boring as possible ....go find a buddy with an RV and do some engine-out practice - see for sure what the sink rate looks like from a 200' cut, or a 500' cut - see what you can an can't realistically reach. In other words, train for the first flight - not just for flying an RV. Practice the first flight profile, call out your landing options as you hit each altitude mark, and make it familiar.

Have a great time - your thought process in advance will serve you well.

Paul
 
Congrats, Bud!

If I were you, I would take of on 8R. If you have a problem right after running out of runway, you can turn 45 degrees and land on the Beeline Highway. If the engine quits after turning right crosswind for 8R, you could make the turn back to runway 31. If everything is still looking good, enter right downwind for 8R. From there, climb and circle.
 
runway or roads

With 6 runways, why would anyone chose a road? Roads are dangerous, and from the NTSB reports, don't always work out so well. JMHO
 
johnny stick said:
With 6 runways, why would anyone chose a road? Roads are dangerous, and from the NTSB reports, don't always work out so well. JMHO
Click to expand...
Because it is right off the end of the runway, and you are not tempted to try the "impossible turn." Plus, roads are less dangerous than trees and swamps. BTW, this is a four-lane divided highway with a fairly low amount of traffic.
 
Thanks Guys

Chris how do you do that cool google flight profile?

Did some slow taxi, mag testing and full speed engine runs yesterday. So feeling more and more confident about the power and fuel systems.

Ken, I haven't picked a day or time, but I'll drop you a note when I'm close. I should be in the hanger most of the day. BTW, did your field get paved?
 
FloridaJohn said:
Because it is right off the end of the runway, and you are not tempted to try the "impossible turn." Plus, roads are less dangerous than trees and swamps. BTW, this is a four-lane divided highway with a fairly low amount of traffic.
Click to expand...

F45 is my home field and this is my plan for first flight. Bee-line looks like a great supplement to the runway arrangement.
 
I have not flown out of F45 but looking at the sectional I would think RWY 13 would put you too close to C airspace with a 1200'shelf. I personally would prefer to get altitude by staying away from C and use 31. This also gets you closer to a few private strips to the North. Asking for forgiveness after an emergency is easier that using a road. This also gives you a quick turn back to 8L or 8R if needed. This is all on a no wind day.
 
Bud,

That's also my local airfield. I've thought about the same scenario and considered 8R an option which gives you Beeline Hwy straight ahead and southerly and 31 on the RH pattern turn. If you can and haven't, take an RV ride (there's a particularly nice Rv8 on that airfield - :)) off the optional runways and see how high you are at the intersections etc. I think by the end of either runway you'll be 800ft Plus with several return to ground options.

My concern with 13 and westerly is that no 'firm' surface options are available until you get to North lake Blvd which is quite a bit south of the pattern.
 
class c

If class C is a concern just pick a quiet period and call Palm Beach tower on the phone and get a class C clearance within one mile radius for a specified period of time.
 
More time to plan

Thanks guys all good input and under consideration. With the crummy weather expected over the next week, I have extra time to think, plan and test.
 
Grinning and Feeling Pretty Good!

:):):):):)
So today was the day. Perfect light breeze right down 31. Cool 70 degree morning for south Florida, excellent family and friend support (Have you ever seen a Toyota Tundra doing 40 knots right behind a nervous RV8 owner/pilot,Go Rhino).
Didn't grease it, but here I am writing, drinking more champagne and can't wait to do it again!!!! And the mechanical stuff was perfect (thank God). Not much to squawk about.

WOW!

Pictures and video to follow
 
Video From 1st Flight

November 3, 2012, West Palm North County Airport, F45, on a perfect south Florida fall day our RV-8 kissed the sky for the first time. Over 6 years of building on the weekends, enjoying almost all of the construction and problem solving, I'm very happy to be a pilot again.

All slow build, pretty obvious huh, one kit at a time, saving for the engine/electronics while funding college, and getting incredible support from Van's and the RV family. VAF, SteinAir, ECI, America's Aircraft Engines, and many more helped make this all possible. My wife Sandra and daughter Nina bucked a few rivets, lifted wings, allowed me to spend time and our money on something they don't understand, but they know I loved doing. Thank You!

Stock RV-8, ECI IO360, dual PMags, 10" Skyview with GPS, autopilot and mode S, IFR legal, and as many good ideas as I could copy and/or invent.

Here is a very short video of the big moment.
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/7233/eb9kjllmunisxnnyhkttfn.mp4
 
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