First flight RV-7, VH-EWS, Hunter Valley Australia
Hi Guys,
On Monday the 16th July at about 12:30pm, Keith McGeachie my test pilot, made a successful first flight of my RV-7 after a 4 year build.
Duration was 0.4 hours, just long enough to evaluate aircraft handling, no issues where reported and engine temperatures where all in the green, take off was quick even with a fixed pitch prop, and he was off the ground before the first taxiway on 35 at Cessnock.
Static rpm check before the flight for the 72? dia x 85? pitch Sensenich was 2100 rpm, and 2350 rpm on climb out.
I have one dead EGT that we knew about, which I need to sort out.
After the flight we de-cowled and inspected the aircraft from front to rear and found no issues except for some oil that I had spilled on the bottom hinge line, which I assume the negative air pressure was helping to work its way out, this left a small mess on the forward bottom skin, about ? a teaspoons worth.
With the RV reassembled, I took it up to continue its initial run-in, 75% power for the first 2 hours and then varying between 65-70% until oil consumption drops, not sure how quickly I will be able to detect oil consumption, but at the moment after 1.7 hours I can? tell if I it has used any???
I bored holes in the sky over Cessnock airport for about 1 hour and generally got the feel of things, and then did 3 stop and go landings before calling it a day resulting in 1.3 hours of flight time.
My landing technique leaves a bit to be desired at the moment, because once I loose visibly of the runway over the nose in the 3 point attitude, I am not using my peripheral vision to gauge when to continue flaring and am over correcting a little by flaring too early, which resulted in a small bounce for each landing, practise practice practise.
Checked the belly again after pulling it into the hangar and found about 1/8 of a teaspoons worth of oil, I?ll keep an eye on this to ensure its not coming from anywhere else, engine seems dry and oil free, I will de-cowl again before next flight to check all is OK.
Without wheels spats or fairings, I am seeing about 137-140 knots at 2370-2400 rpm, I assume this is about normal.
Handling through the range, I tried 55 knots to 160 knots in a slight dive is rock solid
On climb out my CHTs are hitting about 380-390F and drop to 345-355 in cruise.
EGTs for the 3 that are working are all close at around 1250-1300 ish.
Oil temperature is cold at 165F so might need to block off the oil cooler a little.
A heavily edited version of the link to the video below;
https://fbcdn-video-a.akamaihd.net/..._=1342561056_99f0999982fe329077ec9b2f94350ea9
Or the youTube version if the above does not work;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlUVUob5lFE&sns=em
Cheers
Eddie
VAF 2012 PAID
Hi Guys,
On Monday the 16th July at about 12:30pm, Keith McGeachie my test pilot, made a successful first flight of my RV-7 after a 4 year build.
Duration was 0.4 hours, just long enough to evaluate aircraft handling, no issues where reported and engine temperatures where all in the green, take off was quick even with a fixed pitch prop, and he was off the ground before the first taxiway on 35 at Cessnock.
Static rpm check before the flight for the 72? dia x 85? pitch Sensenich was 2100 rpm, and 2350 rpm on climb out.
I have one dead EGT that we knew about, which I need to sort out.
After the flight we de-cowled and inspected the aircraft from front to rear and found no issues except for some oil that I had spilled on the bottom hinge line, which I assume the negative air pressure was helping to work its way out, this left a small mess on the forward bottom skin, about ? a teaspoons worth.
With the RV reassembled, I took it up to continue its initial run-in, 75% power for the first 2 hours and then varying between 65-70% until oil consumption drops, not sure how quickly I will be able to detect oil consumption, but at the moment after 1.7 hours I can? tell if I it has used any???
I bored holes in the sky over Cessnock airport for about 1 hour and generally got the feel of things, and then did 3 stop and go landings before calling it a day resulting in 1.3 hours of flight time.
My landing technique leaves a bit to be desired at the moment, because once I loose visibly of the runway over the nose in the 3 point attitude, I am not using my peripheral vision to gauge when to continue flaring and am over correcting a little by flaring too early, which resulted in a small bounce for each landing, practise practice practise.
Checked the belly again after pulling it into the hangar and found about 1/8 of a teaspoons worth of oil, I?ll keep an eye on this to ensure its not coming from anywhere else, engine seems dry and oil free, I will de-cowl again before next flight to check all is OK.
Without wheels spats or fairings, I am seeing about 137-140 knots at 2370-2400 rpm, I assume this is about normal.
Handling through the range, I tried 55 knots to 160 knots in a slight dive is rock solid
On climb out my CHTs are hitting about 380-390F and drop to 345-355 in cruise.
EGTs for the 3 that are working are all close at around 1250-1300 ish.
Oil temperature is cold at 165F so might need to block off the oil cooler a little.
A heavily edited version of the link to the video below;
https://fbcdn-video-a.akamaihd.net/..._=1342561056_99f0999982fe329077ec9b2f94350ea9
Or the youTube version if the above does not work;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlUVUob5lFE&sns=em
Cheers
Eddie
VAF 2012 PAID
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