Plans for Five Hour Phase 1 with new prop?

So there's lotsa stuff out there for a complete flight test program, but I'm not sure I've seen anything for a five hour Phase 1 like I'll do when I get the constant speed prop on.

The current "plan:"
* First flight is one hour near the airport, then land and check for leaks. (Yes, there will be a thorough leak check before I take off). Also check max RPM is achievable and the governor won't overspeed the prop;
* Test flight for Vx, Vy, and Vso. That should be easy as the very helpful Atlanta FSDO does not require max gross weight, only that I record gross weight and c.g. as flown. Plus, with an autopilot and digital flight data recorder on the Garmin G3X touch, I can put the autopilot in airspeed hold and should get high repeatability;
* Takeoffs and landings:
- takeoffs with different initial climb speeds (65-75 knots);
- landings with different speeds entering the flare to see how long it floats. With the fixed pitch prop, each 5 knots is worth maybe 3 seconds longer float, and that's a factor in crosswind landing speeds;
- power off traffic patterns at 60, 65, ... 80 kt, to see what those are like for short approaches;
* Cruise at 8,000 ft, plus or minus, and see what I get using 8 GPH as my de facto power setting, and the new prop does not have the 2600 RPM limit that the old one did. Eight GPH makes fuel calculations lots simpler;
* Airspeed calibration, since that was apparently not done by the original builders, and that should be easy. Instead of doing a four course airspeed profile, I can fly directly upwind and downwind. And I can let the autopilot do that in a holding pattern.

Not part of the five hours but something I'll do later on is look at how fast I can fly an ILS and when I'd need to pull the power back. The other day I did one at max speed, per ATC request, turned out to be 150 kt, and I hit one little bump that gave me 3 Gs.

That seems like a good list to me, but I've got to believe that group wisdom will point out something I've overlooked... Comments?

Actually the phase I flight testing after a mod is whatever is necessary with a "minimum of 5 hours"!

Ed- I don’t believe you are re-entering phase 1 testing. For example, there will be no requirement for any inspection or signoff at the end. All you need is a letter from your local FSDO approving of your flight test protocol proposal, which looks good to me. Your proposal should specify a test radius and a few airports that you will be using. Hereis a copy of my proposal after installing constant speed and the response from FAA- this was my last contact with the FAA On the matter, except for filing form 8130-6. Good luck- Otis

Hello Mr. Holt,

The Oakland FSDO has no objection to the purposed flight test area and minimum flight hours for Nxxxx’s recent major changes.

Please ensure you submit a revised FAA form 8130-6 in accordance with limitation #17. Limitation #17 requires you to do this because you have gone from a fixed pitch to a controllable propeller. I have attached the original copy of the 8130-6, the limitations, and a blank form for your covnenience. The revised form needs to be mailed to the FAA Aircraft Registry:

Federal Aviation Administration
Aircraft Registration Branch
P.O. Box 25504
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0504

Regards,

Justin P. Louw
Aviation Safety Inspector
FAA Flight Standards Office - Oakland
Tel: (510) 748-0122 ext. 229

-Keep ‘em safe, keep ‘em flying.



From: Otis Holt [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2018 9:02 AM
To: Louw, Justin P (FAA) <[email protected]>
Subject: Request for concurrence with flight test parameters- Otis Holt


Hello Justin- please let me know that you have received this and feel free to suggest any revisions- Otis Holt 707-9xxxxxxxx

PROPOSED FLIGHT TEST FOR MODIFICATIONS TO RV-7A Xxxxxx

Aircraft info:
Registration Number: Nxxxxx Serial Number: Xxxxx
Manufacturer and model: 2009 xxxxxxxx RV-7A
Tach hours since new: 329.2 Aircraft Home Base: KSTS
Engine: XP-O-360-B2A1, 180 HP, 8.5:1 compression, TTSN: 329.2

Registered Owner: Otis Holt,

Description of modifications:
1- Removed fixed-pitch aluminum Sensenich propellor and spacer and installed a new Hartzell constant-speed model HC-G2YR-1NWX/N7605W-2X propellor with custom Hartzell spinner and a new PCU5000-X propellor governor. All installed in adherence to detailed manufacturer’s instructions.
2- Removed right magneto and upper spark plugs and installed one Lightspeed Engineering Plasma III CDI ignition system with supplied iridium electrode spark plugs and leads and one cover for the removed magneto all per detailed manufacturer’s instructions. The stock left magneto remains in place for redundancy.

Flight test protocol and objectives:

1- The test period shall include all testing and procedures recommended by the manufacturers of all components added to the aircraft and others as deemed appropriate by the test pilot to confirm continued airworthiness.
2- Ground and flight testing will include checks of all added equipment through their full range of operation.
3- Data will be collected to establish any changes in performance or handling qualities resulting from the modifications and, if needed, make additional changes to the Pilot’s Operating Handbook as appropriate.

TEST PERIOD: The test period will continue until it is reasonably established that all modifications listed above are operating properly in a safe and reliable, and predictable manner, but shall include a minimum of six hours of actual flight time.

OPERATING REGION AND AIRPORTS INCLUDED: All flight during the flight test period shall be within a 100 statute mile radius of Sonoma County Airport, KSTS, excluding flight above any densely populated areas within that region, flight within or over congested airspace, and specifically flight within Class A, Class B,and Class C airspace . Takeoffs and landings during the test period will be limited to the following airports except during emergencies: Sonoma County(KSTS), Petaluma(O69), Cloverdale(O60), Ukiah(KUKI), and Healdsburg(KHES). These airports are all located outside of densely populated areas.

Documentation:
1- Made appropriate engine, airframe, and propellor logbook entries related to the modifications listed above.
2- Performed a new empty weight and balance for the aircraft and made appropriate changes to the aircraft’s weight and balance documentation in the Pilot’s operating handbook.
3- Amended the Pilot’s Operating handbook’s checklists, operating procedures, emergency procedures, and performance data as appropriate to reflect all anticipated changes attributable to the modifications noted above.
4- Will make appropriate entries in the aircraft logbook reflecting the beginning and conclusion of the flight test period.
5- A detailed log of all operations during the flight test period will be maintained and held as part of the aircraft’s records.

Yes, You DO re-enter Phase I for testing a new prop. The sign-off after the testing is the same as when you completed your original phase I.
Operating Limitations are pretty clear on this.

Mel said:

Yes, You DO re-enter Phase I for testing a new prop. The sign-off after the testing is the same as when you completed your original phase I.
Operating Limitations are pretty clear on this.

Click to expand...

Mel- This contradicts the information and direct instructions I received from Justin Louw, aviation safety inspector at the Oakland FSDO, and I specifically asked him if FAA or DAR inspection or signoff was required at the end of testing and was told merely to mail in a revised 8130-6 and make appropriate logbook entries specified below in the operating limitations before placing the aircraft back ito normal service. -Otis

The FAA and/or the DAR do not sign off on phase I. The builder does.

It does NOT contradict! Phase I is NOT, and has never been signed off by the FAA or a DAR

14. After incorporating a major change as described in § 21.93, the aircraft owner is required to reestablish compliance with § 91.319(b) ...............Compliance with § 91.319(b) must be recorded in the maintenance records with the following, or a similarly worded statement: “I certify that the prescribed flight test hours have been completed and the aircraft is controllable throughout its normal range of speeds and throughout all maneuvers to be executed, has no hazardous characteristics or design features, and is safe for operation.” (23)

Compliance with §91.319(b) IS Phase I.

Hartstoc said:

Ed- I don?t believe you are re-entering phase 1 testing.

Click to expand...

I just converted from fixed to constant speed a few months ago and it is very clear in the operating limitations that the aircraft will go back into Phase I testing for a minimum of 5 hours. The FAA has to approve/conquer with the flight test area and assign the flight test time required.

It is at the discretion of the FSDO (per the ops limitations) if they require more. I was asked to do 40 hrs of additional testing originally and I was able to talk with the POC down to 5.

Mel said:

It does NOT contradict! Phase I is NOT, and has never been signed off by the FAA or a DAR

14. After incorporating a major change as described in § 21.93, the aircraft owner is required to reestablish compliance with § 91.319(b) ...............Compliance with § 91.319(b) must be recorded in the maintenance records with the following, or a similarly worded statement: “I certify that the prescribed flight test hours have been completed and the aircraft is controllable throughout its normal range of speeds and throughout all maneuvers to be executed, has no hazardous characteristics or design features, and is safe for operation.” (23)

Compliance with §91.319(b) IS Phase I.

Click to expand...

Mel- thanks for the clarification! Good to know I have not been flying in violation!- Otis

Another question on the topic.

My local FSDO wants to issue me a new certificate when I asked them for concurrence on my flight test area after changing from a 2 to a 3 blade prop. I am politely pushing back explaining that this is not necessary. All I need is a letter of them concurring.

Is there any reference I can point them to to make them more comfortable with that?

Thx

Oliver

I hope this isn't construed as splitting hairs, but I question Mel's blanket statement that simply changing a prop requires a return to phase 1. Unless the regs have changed, my understanding is that only a change of *type* (ex: fixed>c/s) triggers the requirement for phase 1.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Charlie

rv7charlie said:

I hope this isn't construed as splitting hairs, but I question Mel's blanket statement that simply changing a prop requires a return to phase 1. Unless the regs have changed, my understanding is that only a change of *type* (ex: fixed>c/s) triggers the requirement for phase 1.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Charlie

Click to expand...

Any prop change requires a new phase I flight test program, unless it is the same diameter and pitch from the same manufacturer.
A major change is pretty much anything that will change the flight characteristics of the aircraft.

The difference of changing F/P to or from C/S requires that you submit a new 8130-6. This is to change the records in Oklahoma City.

The LAA in the UK specify this test schedule for newly installed CS props.

You may want to use it as a basis for your testing.