---------------------------------------------------------- Zenith601-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Sat 06/02/12: 3 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 04:28 AM - Flight test report - N773PM (Paul Mulwitz) 2. 08:55 AM - Re: Flight test report - N773PM (hallert) 3. 09:22 AM - Re: Re: Flight test report - N773PM (Paul Mulwitz) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 04:28:39 AM PST US From: Paul Mulwitz Subject: Zenith601-List: Flight test report - N773PM I just finished writing a short summary of the flight characteristics and my normal piloting practices for my Zodiac XL - N773PM. I did this after considering the preliminary NTSB report about E-AB accidents and comments on other email lists about people trying to learn to fly a purchased experimental plane without an AFM or Pilot's Handbook. Perhaps a short write-up like this one will help anyone who wants to learn to fly my plane or even me if my memory gets any worse. Paul Camas, WA Here it is: *Flight Test Report - N773PM* By Paul Mulwitz -- June 2, 2012 As phase I flight test nears its end I wanted to record some of the things learned about this airplane. The information presented here is not very official, but it might help me or some new pilot have an easy time flying the plane in the future. Basic flight performance of this Zodiac XL is relatively tame. It has plenty of power and cruises easily over 110 KIAS. With a heavy throttle it will exceed 120. It has very little or no stability - especially in the yaw domain. There is electric roll and pitch trim but this does a poor job of making it a stable flying airplane. The pilot must pay attention all the time to keep it flying straight and level. Takeoff is normal. With no flaps the ground roll is relatively short and performance is OK. I prefer using 1/2 flaps until clear of any obstacles. This produces a quicker departure from the ground. Full flaps on takeoff is a poor choice. It lifts off before there is good response to the flight controls. Flap setting is judged by the relative position of the flaps and ailerons. Initial climb at 70 KIAS works well. At 500 feet AGL I start to think about turning crosswind or exiting the pattern and reducing power. Initial cruise at 2500 RPM works well and gives around 100 KIAS. Maneuvering speed, Va, is 90 KIAS. Stalls are uneventful. The only thing I have been able to produce is a deep mush. My preferred setup for the Dynon based panel is to display HSI on the pilot's EFIS along with the flight instruments. RPM is displayed on this display from the EMS. Right seat display varies with the desires of the occupant from completely engine information to a full instrument panel with reduced engine information. HSI navigation data source can be either the GPS or VOR. Selection of the source and setting of various bugs and track information is done with the HS-34 knobs just below the pilot's display. The knobs also act as push button switches to sync the bugs. Like all low wing planes, fuel must be drawn from only one tank at a time. My common practice is to use 1/2 hour fuel from one tank and then to switch to the other one. This keeps the fuel load somewhat balanced. When approaching an airport for landing I like to reduce speed to 70 KIAS before reaching the traffic pattern. 2000 RPM is a good power setting for level flight at 70. I continue downwind at 70 and reduce power to idle when opposite the numbers. A glide is set up with speed at 60 KIAS. This is a good speed for the remainder of the approach. While on base leg I judge the approach height and apply full flaps if there is enough altitude. Landings can be made with any flap setting but full flaps give a nicer touchdown speed and attitude. One strange characteristic of the Jabiru engine is it will not start while windmilling. If it stops firing in flight the only way to get it going again is by engaging the starter motor. Similarly, it is claimed it will not fire from moving the propeller by hand on the ground. Carb heat is available but I have never used it in flight. The relatively warm position of the carburetor in the engine compartment suggests it is really not needed. I check that it is working when running up the engine before flight along with a quick magneto check. All three checks show only a minimal reduction in RPM from the 1800 test power setting. There is no vacuum system for instrumentation. ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 08:55:44 AM PST US Subject: Zenith601-List: Re: Flight test report - N773PM From: "hallert" Paul, Always find you posts useful! Just a couple of comments from a 300 hr on AMD 601 XLB driver: 1) Do you really want to reduce pwr at 500 ft? Why not wait till safe 180 deg return altitude as many engine problems occur with change of settings. 2) Why not drop flaps before entering pattern to allow more time to check wind, look for traffic, etc. 3) Puzzled by yaw instability comment. Notice nothing unusual in mine based on flying Cesnas, Pipers, Mooneys, T-Craft, Gliders. 4) You engine produces at least 6 kts. more than I get with the O-200. Ted Haller Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=374538#374538 ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 09:22:59 AM PST US From: Paul Mulwitz Subject: Re: Zenith601-List: Re: Flight test report - N773PM Hi Ted, I agree with you about engine failures. My point was to not touch the engine controls before 500 AGL rather than suggesting it was necessary at that point. The Jabiru likes to climb at full power in all cases. This gives a richer mixture for improved engine cooling. Keep in mind the Jabiru doesn't have mixture control but instead has a self controlling carburetor - much like the Rotax. I like to fly without flaps unless they are called for. I think you can get a better glide with no flaps if needed to reach the runway without adding power. This is just a style point, and I don't see anything really wrong with using flaps before reaching base leg. I do think it is a great idea to slow down before entering the pattern to avoid running over Champs, Cubs, and other planes that can't go 100 knots. The yaw stability problem has plagued me for a while now. I think it is inherent in the XL design. If you are flying straight and kick the nose to either side a little bit (less than 11 degrees) I think you will find it doesn't return to center. It just stays where you leave it and flies a bit sideways. It doesn't surprise me my Jabiru powered XL is faster than a Continental O-200 powered AMD XL. This is true even though I don't have wheel pants and you probably do. The Jabiru weighs about 100 pounds less than the Continental as installed and produces about 30 percent more power. I also don't have much of an interior - no insulation. I'd rather pay for Bose headphones than carry the weight of all that insulation to reduce noise. (On the other hand, if you need engine maintenance on the road you will find it a lot easier to get experienced mechanics and parts than I will.) I'm glad I decided to publish my little pilot's information page. I think it helps us all. Paul On 6/2/2012 8:55 AM, hallert wrote: > --> Zenith601-List message posted by: "hallert" > > Paul, > Always find you posts useful! Just a couple of comments from a 300 hr on AMD 601 XLB driver: > 1) Do you really want to reduce pwr at 500 ft? Why not wait till safe 180 deg return altitude as many engine problems occur with change of settings. > 2) Why not drop flaps before entering pattern to allow more time to check wind, look for traffic, etc. > 3) Puzzled by yaw instability comment. Notice nothing unusual in mine based on flying Cesnas, Pipers, Mooneys, T-Craft, Gliders. > 4) You engine produces at least 6 kts. more than I get with the O-200. > > Ted Haller > > > Read this topic online here: > > http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=374538#374538 > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message zenith601-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Zenith601-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/zenith601-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/zenith601-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.