Flight test area

[BlackRV7]

I'm scheduling my volunteer DAR inspection and would like a group response I could present for a larger test flight area.

Backgound, I will be flying a slow built, pre punched RV-7, experimental O-360 that I built up, Hartzell constant speed prop, twin slick mags, carby. All electric, no vac., I am a commercially trained (no check ride), instrument rated, private pilot with high performance and complex endorsements. In addition, I'll have my tailwheel endorsement.

Since I will be flying with new ECI jugs and will be breaking them in, I really don't want to have to fly in circles with a 25NM radius of my home airport. Plus, the way I see it, I might be able to visit ONE other airport. What is a desirable test range to ask for given the speed of these airplanes? I would really like to be able to print this thread off for my inspection so a number of replies would be appreciated.

Thanks for the help gang in getting this far, the real fun is about to begin!!

[scard]

Probably not what you wanted to hear, but...
I'm nearing the end of my phase I and have a 300nm area. I must say that about 50nm would have been plenty. I haven't spent much time just flying circles as I've been quite busy with flight testing, most within about 18mi of the home field. Some people comment that by the end of 40hrs you're board of the same box, but I didn't find this to be the case. I didn't need much space since I have spent most of my time testing flight characteristics and "reliability". Which brings up another concept. I sure didn't want to be that far from home if something didn't work out right during testing.
Just a data point from my 38hrs of phase I.

[N520TX]

Is all I was given. I requested 200nm.

From what I found out, it really depends on the DAR you are using. My next door neighbor had an FSDO rep out to do his inspection, and requested pretty much the entire state of TX for his testing - and got it, along with some cross country corridor to the middle of Mississippi.

Another DAR in my area regularly gives out a 150nm (or larger) radius with the statement that fast airplanes need lots of room to stretch their legs.

I requested 200nm radius from the DAR I used and he responded with only a 40nm one without even asking the FSDO. He just said that there's no way the FSDO would even consider it. Not so great service for the $800 bucks I dropped.

[Jamie]

Hmm...I got the 25nm radius plus one airport that's about 30nm out. There are about 6 or 7 airports in my test area though so I'm learning them well. I requested 40nm. I went with the reasonable approach and should have just thrown a red herring out there to see what would happen. DAR said it's not his fault though, the FSDO wouldn't go any larger than that. Got a 40 hour flyoff too. My autopilot's getting a good workout making all those turns!

[John C]

Dana, our local FSDO inspector had a canned map and set of coordinates for the flyoff area. They were a little more restricive that my request but perfectly ok. It was about 70 nm long but only 30 nw wide because we were squeezed between the Shennandoah mountains and the ADIZ. There were 4 or 5 airports in the area.

What is the custom in your area? Check with others, check your DAR before hand, if you don't like the answer, call the FSDO. You have speed, want to do altitude work, cruising, generate real performance numbers, lots of reasons that may interest them, etc.

He did mention that there was an extra 3 or 5 miles allowance but I don't remember his rationale, something about the airport operating area counts if the edge is in your area, perhaps. If I see him, I will ask.

He also was very pointed, he believed that outside, the insurance would not pay.

Good luck, John.

[sf3543]

I agree that it will be different, depending on the DAR you use. So, ask him/her before you hire them. I talked to several DARs before I settled on one. My issues were price, availability, knowledge on the type aircraft as well as test area and willingness to work with me on the paper work. Also, ask some of the local RVers and see who they used and what their experience was like. By the way, don't limit yourself to RV builders. There are a lot of other experimentals around who use the same DARs and they will also have a lot of input for you.

[Kyle Boatright]

I presented my DAR with a custom (non 25NM radius) test area and gave him three safety related justifications for my request:

First, I wanted numerous fields within the area, just in case my home field had adverse winds and I had to "land out" at a field with runways configured differently.

Second, I pointed out to the DAR that the 25 mile radius would put me in the pattern at Atlanta/Hartsfield and I didn't think that was appropriate.

Third, there are several other controlled fields within 25NM of my home field, but using them implies more crowded areas, and I preferred to fly off test hours over rural areas.

The DAR gave me the area I requested. I got to know it very well. ;-) In hindsight, I should have asked for a larger area.

[N908RV]

My DAR worked with the FAA to permit a 50nm test area due to the higher cruise speeds of the RV-8. 25nm probably is just fine for the shorter 25 hour sessions that some guys get with the factory Lycoming and the certified Sesenich fixed pitch prop, and if your test program goes well with few or no squawks then the 40 hours gets to be overkill.

I went through my test program fairly quickly as there were no surprises and after about 25 hours or so I was thankful that I could roam around in a larger test area and practice landing at all different types of fields.

I live in the DC area and am based just outside of the ADIZ, so I asked for my area to be centered on Culpeper, VA instead and got a 50nm ring which gave me lots of ability to stay outside the congested DC area and stay out in the country to the west. Lots of good alternate emergency fields and I can keep out of ATC's hair during the test phase.

[videobobk]

Kyle got it right. Ask for something reasonable and you'll probably get it. I had hills, MOA's and a class B south and east, so asked for more area north and west. I also asked for ALL airports in my area for landing. I had to talk that one through, but the DAR agreed. I had a one degree by one degree square (about 40 by 60 miles) of open country and was happy with it. I did get to know it AWFULLY well!

Bob Kelly

[BlackRV7]

Ok, as I read it I may be lucky to get 50, hope for 40 and just grin and bear 25.

If he gives me 50 I can get to 13 different airports, 25 and I can get to ONE other airport I'm going big and asking for the "sky"......pun intended