glenmthompson
Well Known Member
Hey guys! As a pilot test flying number 15, I have a few observations and questions for the open floor. Vans is aware of all my less than flattering observations, and I am throwing these few things out for consumption and discussion. Flamers who think I am downing the 10, please stay at home quietly wioth your hands in your lap, or go and drive some more rivets..
I think it is the most awsome, smooth, best flying GA plane I have ever flown. This, coming from a professional pilot with over 12,000 hours of flying time. Nuff said.
....First, the tunnel is EXTREMELY hot! We took the rear cabin heat scat tube and blasted the rear cabin heat fresh air directly into the tunnel. I also installed some aluminumized insulation on the back of firewall in the tunnel, and under all the fuel lines. All this seemed to accomplish, was lower the fuel temp sufficiently so the engine would not vapor lock again. Before we did all this, the engine quit on me once, started right up when elec pump turned on.(IMHO, ground your 10 if the secondary pump is inop!)
Due to the high fuel flow at the cruise power setting I had set (carburated engine, MA 4), I had virtually no time to check the engine page after I got the Efis one alert of low fuel pressure. In fact, the pressure never even went below 1 psi, yet the engine quit as well.(mere seconds, but did in fact quit). The owner and his son, and a fellow pilot, have since put the front scat fresh air tube to the tunnel also, they say it makes a big difference. We now have no cabin heat now until a new cabin heat assembly is installed. But what the heck, we live in Florida!
....The highest TAS I am able to obtain is 191 MPH TAS. This is off the Efis one which appears to be right on. This is far below the Vans advertised numbers of 201. and max cruise of 211, well, just not gonna happen. This plane is 35 lbs lighter than the prototype, and Specs are as follows: Pilot 175 lbs, 20 gallons fuel, no paint, interior only seats. 8000?feet, 2300 RPM, 21.5 IMAP. Tas 191 MPH. ( I have found 2300 gives the best IAS vs 2400.
....There is definately not enough elevator authority. Any more than 1/3 flaps in the above mentioned weight catagory, one pilot, the plane cannot be trimmed to fly hands off at 85, or even 90 MPH. Aft CG will help this obviously, but, IMHO this plane will not be able to be fown with hands off in the patter and full flaps at ant weight or CG (IMHO, I am extrapolating, still testing). The good thing that I love is, the stall speed flaps up is, 69 IMPH, and full flaps 59 IMPH. Also extreme care must be taken upon landing so as not to crash the nose gear. Loss of elevator authority occurs extremely rapidly. Especially with full flaps selected! The flaps for me any way, are kind of a high lift/high drag device that I actually prefer not to use. I fly the plane 100% of the time now with flaps up, and can easily stop on our grass strip in less than 1500 feet from the end of the runway and not touch the brakes! Even to taxi!
....Unbelievable awsome flight characteristics I have observed include: Virtually no stall!, just a 600 FPM sink, that any passenger with 5 minutes of instruction could learn, and to land the plane and survive! Just stear with the rudders and hold the stick back!...Accelerated stalls are not stalls, just moderate shaking of the tail, I have yet to make with wing aggressively stall, this would almost have to be an accrobatic/violent maneouver!....I am absolutely 100% NOT worried about anybody EVER spinning this plane inadvertantly!...Heavy on the controls compared to all other RV?s, but so well balanced, who cares! Can you say stable?....Power on "stalls" (remember, basically will not stall) are a climbing event! Just watch those temps! Have a tree coming up at the end of the runway, dangerously close? Well you might not clear the tre, But, you will not stall this plane in! Awsome!.... Barely 2 Fugoids in rudder and undetectable in other two axis at any airspeed! Stable, stable, stable!....Rudder almost too effective. Turns are almost a feet on the floor manouver. Only a VERY anal pilot would notice any adverse yaw during a normal cxruise or pattern turn and no coordinated rudder.....
This plane is awsome and worth every penny! (PS ..Congratulations Jim!!)
Glen
Comments from non flamers gentlemen!!??
I think it is the most awsome, smooth, best flying GA plane I have ever flown. This, coming from a professional pilot with over 12,000 hours of flying time. Nuff said.
....First, the tunnel is EXTREMELY hot! We took the rear cabin heat scat tube and blasted the rear cabin heat fresh air directly into the tunnel. I also installed some aluminumized insulation on the back of firewall in the tunnel, and under all the fuel lines. All this seemed to accomplish, was lower the fuel temp sufficiently so the engine would not vapor lock again. Before we did all this, the engine quit on me once, started right up when elec pump turned on.(IMHO, ground your 10 if the secondary pump is inop!)
Due to the high fuel flow at the cruise power setting I had set (carburated engine, MA 4), I had virtually no time to check the engine page after I got the Efis one alert of low fuel pressure. In fact, the pressure never even went below 1 psi, yet the engine quit as well.(mere seconds, but did in fact quit). The owner and his son, and a fellow pilot, have since put the front scat fresh air tube to the tunnel also, they say it makes a big difference. We now have no cabin heat now until a new cabin heat assembly is installed. But what the heck, we live in Florida!
....The highest TAS I am able to obtain is 191 MPH TAS. This is off the Efis one which appears to be right on. This is far below the Vans advertised numbers of 201. and max cruise of 211, well, just not gonna happen. This plane is 35 lbs lighter than the prototype, and Specs are as follows: Pilot 175 lbs, 20 gallons fuel, no paint, interior only seats. 8000?feet, 2300 RPM, 21.5 IMAP. Tas 191 MPH. ( I have found 2300 gives the best IAS vs 2400.
....There is definately not enough elevator authority. Any more than 1/3 flaps in the above mentioned weight catagory, one pilot, the plane cannot be trimmed to fly hands off at 85, or even 90 MPH. Aft CG will help this obviously, but, IMHO this plane will not be able to be fown with hands off in the patter and full flaps at ant weight or CG (IMHO, I am extrapolating, still testing). The good thing that I love is, the stall speed flaps up is, 69 IMPH, and full flaps 59 IMPH. Also extreme care must be taken upon landing so as not to crash the nose gear. Loss of elevator authority occurs extremely rapidly. Especially with full flaps selected! The flaps for me any way, are kind of a high lift/high drag device that I actually prefer not to use. I fly the plane 100% of the time now with flaps up, and can easily stop on our grass strip in less than 1500 feet from the end of the runway and not touch the brakes! Even to taxi!
....Unbelievable awsome flight characteristics I have observed include: Virtually no stall!, just a 600 FPM sink, that any passenger with 5 minutes of instruction could learn, and to land the plane and survive! Just stear with the rudders and hold the stick back!...Accelerated stalls are not stalls, just moderate shaking of the tail, I have yet to make with wing aggressively stall, this would almost have to be an accrobatic/violent maneouver!....I am absolutely 100% NOT worried about anybody EVER spinning this plane inadvertantly!...Heavy on the controls compared to all other RV?s, but so well balanced, who cares! Can you say stable?....Power on "stalls" (remember, basically will not stall) are a climbing event! Just watch those temps! Have a tree coming up at the end of the runway, dangerously close? Well you might not clear the tre, But, you will not stall this plane in! Awsome!.... Barely 2 Fugoids in rudder and undetectable in other two axis at any airspeed! Stable, stable, stable!....Rudder almost too effective. Turns are almost a feet on the floor manouver. Only a VERY anal pilot would notice any adverse yaw during a normal cxruise or pattern turn and no coordinated rudder.....
This plane is awsome and worth every penny! (PS ..Congratulations Jim!!)
Glen
Comments from non flamers gentlemen!!??