flion
Well Known Member
I just got back from KFLG after doing the first start of my engine. It wasn't flawless but it was pretty good. I hope to be able to put up a video soon.
Naturally, last night I slept poorly so I was not at my best this morning. I got to the airport an hour before my helpers were scheduled to arrive so I could be sure to get everything set up. Good idea, but I still missed a couple of things. I cleaned up the aircraft and rolled it out of the hangar, set it perpendicular to the hangar row so that it wouldn't blow back into any hangars, and chocked the mains. Since I had not tested the brakes yet, I also pulled my Tacoma behind it and ran a chain from the tail tie-down to the hitch mount on the truck.
With the plane in place, I lowered the hangar door and ran a battery tender out to the aircraft so I could check systems. This allowed me to verify that my transponder antenna issue was resolved (I could see activity on the transponder) and do some other system checks. Then I got a hand-held COMM and a fire extinguisher as my help began to arrive. The first to arrive were a couple of fellow pilots, so they checked out my engine installation while waiting for my wife (the videographer) to arrive. Once she arrived, I gave a briefing of what to expect and we began.
Up to this point, things had been going well but I now had to overcome my stress and lack of rest. The first thing we did was a radio check. I could hear my help, but they couldn't hear me. I was so used to using the intercom while building that I was forgetting to hold down the PTT to transmit. That brain fart overcome, I moved to start. CBs for ignition in, fuel pump on ... no key. Oh, well. Once the key was delivered, I started again. The engine turned over but no start. Once again, same result. Engage brain: oh, right, fuel selector to on. Now I got a good start.
Running the starter causes the BMA EFIS to reboot, so I ran low rpm until it came up and then got the engine instruments up. There was a momentary failure (which I will need to watch to see if it recurs) and then I got all the instruments except RPM. Oh, well, I can guess and at least monitor the rest. So I ran the engine up and cycled the prop but nothing happened. Back down and then up again and this time the prop cycled. My crew signaled that everything was fine but the hand-held was not sending (probably low battery) so I was unable to interpret signals from them. NOTE TO OTHERS: make up some kind of signals. I tried to follow directions but it was difficult and without RPM it was pointless to try idle or see full power anyway. Just as I was about to let the engine run hard for a few minutes, I got a cut-off signal from my crew; oil was leaking.
After shutting down, we looked the engine over. Other than the lack of RPM indication and the oil leak, the engine had run fine and strong. The leak appears to be at the base of the filler tube; the tube is not tight. I am still tired, so I will wait to re-tighten the filler and safety it until tomorrow and I will also inspect to be sure the oil is not coming from elsewhere. I will also recheck the connections for the RPM from the Lightspeed and verify the software settings on the EFIS. I relearned that it is difficult to do anything tired and that mistakes will crop up but, on the whole, I am elated that the startup went so well and am looking forward to the first flight in a few weeks.
No, I will not be the test pilot.
Naturally, last night I slept poorly so I was not at my best this morning. I got to the airport an hour before my helpers were scheduled to arrive so I could be sure to get everything set up. Good idea, but I still missed a couple of things. I cleaned up the aircraft and rolled it out of the hangar, set it perpendicular to the hangar row so that it wouldn't blow back into any hangars, and chocked the mains. Since I had not tested the brakes yet, I also pulled my Tacoma behind it and ran a chain from the tail tie-down to the hitch mount on the truck.
With the plane in place, I lowered the hangar door and ran a battery tender out to the aircraft so I could check systems. This allowed me to verify that my transponder antenna issue was resolved (I could see activity on the transponder) and do some other system checks. Then I got a hand-held COMM and a fire extinguisher as my help began to arrive. The first to arrive were a couple of fellow pilots, so they checked out my engine installation while waiting for my wife (the videographer) to arrive. Once she arrived, I gave a briefing of what to expect and we began.
Up to this point, things had been going well but I now had to overcome my stress and lack of rest. The first thing we did was a radio check. I could hear my help, but they couldn't hear me. I was so used to using the intercom while building that I was forgetting to hold down the PTT to transmit. That brain fart overcome, I moved to start. CBs for ignition in, fuel pump on ... no key. Oh, well. Once the key was delivered, I started again. The engine turned over but no start. Once again, same result. Engage brain: oh, right, fuel selector to on. Now I got a good start.
Running the starter causes the BMA EFIS to reboot, so I ran low rpm until it came up and then got the engine instruments up. There was a momentary failure (which I will need to watch to see if it recurs) and then I got all the instruments except RPM. Oh, well, I can guess and at least monitor the rest. So I ran the engine up and cycled the prop but nothing happened. Back down and then up again and this time the prop cycled. My crew signaled that everything was fine but the hand-held was not sending (probably low battery) so I was unable to interpret signals from them. NOTE TO OTHERS: make up some kind of signals. I tried to follow directions but it was difficult and without RPM it was pointless to try idle or see full power anyway. Just as I was about to let the engine run hard for a few minutes, I got a cut-off signal from my crew; oil was leaking.
After shutting down, we looked the engine over. Other than the lack of RPM indication and the oil leak, the engine had run fine and strong. The leak appears to be at the base of the filler tube; the tube is not tight. I am still tired, so I will wait to re-tighten the filler and safety it until tomorrow and I will also inspect to be sure the oil is not coming from elsewhere. I will also recheck the connections for the RPM from the Lightspeed and verify the software settings on the EFIS. I relearned that it is difficult to do anything tired and that mistakes will crop up but, on the whole, I am elated that the startup went so well and am looking forward to the first flight in a few weeks.
No, I will not be the test pilot.
