I have now flown my airplane 14 times and made 20 landings while approaching 15 hrs on the Hobbs. I have flown most of the Acceptance Tests and am starting to think of my Logbook sign-off. Like most FAA Operating Limitations, mine contains the following statement:
?Following the satisfactory completion of the required number of flight hours in the flight test area, the pilot must certify in the aircraft records that the aircraft has been shown to comply with 14 CFR ? 91.319(b) with a statement that includes the following information:
?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 operating characteristics or design features, and is safe for operation. The flight test was completed under the following conditions: maximum operating weight, style/set of wing or sail, maximum demonstrated airspeed, and minimum demonstrated stall speed.?
Researching this, I note there are several similar versions of this statement in circulation, including a similar one in the FAA?s Inspector Guide. They are similar but not exactly the same. Specifically, some have the softer language:
?Compliance with ? 91.319(b) must be recorded in the aircraft records with the following, or a similarly worded, statement?
Some also have this language:
?The following aircraft operating data has been demonstrated during the flight testing: speeds Vso ______, Vx ______, and Vy ______, and the weight ______ and CG location ______ at which they were obtained.?
OK, I can live with the ?style/set of wing or sail?(?), but my problem arises with the ?Maximum operating weight.?
Since the Operating Limitations stipulate ?Pilot Only? for the Phase 1 testing, my Operating Weight (with full fuel) is about 1070 lbs, leaving me 250 lbs short of the Maximum operating weight. The only way to get to that weight (without another lard-belly in the right seat) is by adding ballast. 250 lbs equals 30 USG of water, (29.957 110 611 Gallons to be precise, without the tare of the container weight), or six of those 5 gallon red plastic Blitz gas cans mentioned in the Vans document.
One could go in the cargo area, leaving five for the passenger seat. All in all, a very impracticable situation, any way you look at it..
I do not think I can operate this airplane at Maximum Operating Weight with only the pilot. Period.
Assuming others have had this requirement statement, how have you handled this? Since nobody wants to admit to a little white lie, you can PM on this if you want. I won?t turn anybody in.
Bob Bogash
N737G
?Following the satisfactory completion of the required number of flight hours in the flight test area, the pilot must certify in the aircraft records that the aircraft has been shown to comply with 14 CFR ? 91.319(b) with a statement that includes the following information:
?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 operating characteristics or design features, and is safe for operation. The flight test was completed under the following conditions: maximum operating weight, style/set of wing or sail, maximum demonstrated airspeed, and minimum demonstrated stall speed.?
Researching this, I note there are several similar versions of this statement in circulation, including a similar one in the FAA?s Inspector Guide. They are similar but not exactly the same. Specifically, some have the softer language:
?Compliance with ? 91.319(b) must be recorded in the aircraft records with the following, or a similarly worded, statement?
Some also have this language:
?The following aircraft operating data has been demonstrated during the flight testing: speeds Vso ______, Vx ______, and Vy ______, and the weight ______ and CG location ______ at which they were obtained.?
OK, I can live with the ?style/set of wing or sail?(?), but my problem arises with the ?Maximum operating weight.?
Since the Operating Limitations stipulate ?Pilot Only? for the Phase 1 testing, my Operating Weight (with full fuel) is about 1070 lbs, leaving me 250 lbs short of the Maximum operating weight. The only way to get to that weight (without another lard-belly in the right seat) is by adding ballast. 250 lbs equals 30 USG of water, (29.957 110 611 Gallons to be precise, without the tare of the container weight), or six of those 5 gallon red plastic Blitz gas cans mentioned in the Vans document.
One could go in the cargo area, leaving five for the passenger seat. All in all, a very impracticable situation, any way you look at it..
I do not think I can operate this airplane at Maximum Operating Weight with only the pilot. Period.
Assuming others have had this requirement statement, how have you handled this? Since nobody wants to admit to a little white lie, you can PM on this if you want. I won?t turn anybody in.
Bob Bogash
N737G
