Last Oshkosh we got a deal from a fellow builder on a new-in-the-box AFS AoA Pro system. Having flown the system in the RV-8 for a year or more, both Louise and I have grown to really like the added insight into the lift margin that you get, and decided that having it in the RV-3 would be a big plus. Moves and life changes being what they are, this week was the first opportunity I have had to get it installed ? during Tsamisyu?s condition inspection. Heck ? the tips and covers are off ? why not run something through the openings? Installation was actually quite straightforward ? building a flap limit switch was the most difficult fabrication job, and then running wires took a couple of hours. The finished product looks like it belongs there!
(BTW, that picture was taken inside a fully closed hangar- all three GPS?s locked on with lightning speed ? I guess having a wood-decked, asphalt-shingled hangar roof has advantages!)
I took the plane up for calibration runs today and boy, was that fun. Basically, you do a flaps up and flaps down run, and in each run, you have to establish Zero-G and push a button while you?re there, and then establish Stall+15% and do another button push there. The instructions do say ?have a co-pilot (with a barf bag handy) and let them do the button pushing?. Easier said than done in a single-place airplane?.
The flaps-up run was simple, with the zero-G run quite enjoyable ? climb at a steep angle, push over and get five or six seconds in which to push the button, then recover. Just like the vomit comet, only slower. The flaps down run was just about as challenging of a flight test maneuver as I have done in a long time. The flap speed on a -3 is pretty low (87 knots), so establishing the speed below that limit, then pushing over (without a lot of energy) puts you about 45 degrees nose low when you establish a steady zero-G, then when you have finished releasing the button, given reaction time, you are pointed straight down ? and accelerating?with the flaps still down! So you have to be really quick, and really precise. A wonderful challenge, and no metal was bent.
Why not just use the AoA on the G3X? Because I like Tsam?s blade pitot tube, and don?t want to change it?.besides, I really like a glareshield mount for the AoA indicator.
The only thing about adding an AoA? You find out just how much ?too fast? you have been flying your normal approaches?.
Paul
(BTW, that picture was taken inside a fully closed hangar- all three GPS?s locked on with lightning speed ? I guess having a wood-decked, asphalt-shingled hangar roof has advantages!)
I took the plane up for calibration runs today and boy, was that fun. Basically, you do a flaps up and flaps down run, and in each run, you have to establish Zero-G and push a button while you?re there, and then establish Stall+15% and do another button push there. The instructions do say ?have a co-pilot (with a barf bag handy) and let them do the button pushing?. Easier said than done in a single-place airplane?.
The flaps-up run was simple, with the zero-G run quite enjoyable ? climb at a steep angle, push over and get five or six seconds in which to push the button, then recover. Just like the vomit comet, only slower. The flaps down run was just about as challenging of a flight test maneuver as I have done in a long time. The flap speed on a -3 is pretty low (87 knots), so establishing the speed below that limit, then pushing over (without a lot of energy) puts you about 45 degrees nose low when you establish a steady zero-G, then when you have finished releasing the button, given reaction time, you are pointed straight down ? and accelerating?with the flaps still down! So you have to be really quick, and really precise. A wonderful challenge, and no metal was bent.
Why not just use the AoA on the G3X? Because I like Tsam?s blade pitot tube, and don?t want to change it?.besides, I really like a glareshield mount for the AoA indicator.
The only thing about adding an AoA? You find out just how much ?too fast? you have been flying your normal approaches?.
Paul
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