Good points Gary:
I find myself o take N730AL to Shelbyville for the fly-in, but am skeptical
that I would be able to complete all of my flight testing in time.
Better to stay safe and hitch a ride.
Jim!
On 8/25/08, GARY PENNINGTON <pennington@q.com> wrote:
>
> Good morning everyone!
>
> I just read the responses from Buz and Nick concerning the first 40 hours
> of flight in a newly built aircraft and I believe their opinions are
> extremely valid. I say that because, after building two other airplanes,
> (not Lightnings), they required more than 50 hours of flight time to
> determine the "V" speeds, *and more importantly*, to "work the bugs out".
> Only then did I feel comfortable flying them on longer distances.
>
> I sometimes find myself becoming too anxious to *fly *and tempted to skip
> the details. It is then I must remind myself that guys like Buz and Nick,
> and the folks at the FAA, are much more knowledgeable and skilled pilots
> than I will ever be and how *very *important it is to follow time tested
> rules and procedures .
>
> Fly safe.
>
> Gary Pennington
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> *From:* flylightning <info@flylightning.net>
> *To:* lightning-list@matronics.com
> *Sent:* Monday, August 25, 2008 6:19 AM
> *Subject:* RE: I flew, I flew!!!
>
>
> Jim,
>
>
> Congrats on your solo I am glad to hear your piloting your own jet.... Jim,
> and all in the group take note of the flight testing suggestions, all to
> often builders fly around in circles for 40 hours and don't do much, heck I
> just met a gentleman this weekend that had 60 hours on a bird (not going to
> mention the design but it wasn't a lightning) and he had not even stalled
> the aircraft, important to know don't ya think. Any ways when you get into a
> Cessna or piper they have come up with all the info, but now you have. Fuel
> burns at different power settings, approach speeds based on your aircrafts
> performance in stalls and such ( remember each system is different and
> you're ASI might be different than your friends). Well you get my point, but
> if your are doing your job as new experimental pilot you should never be
> bored and it should take all 40 hours to get a good feel of your Jet and
> what it does.
>
>
> nick
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *From:* owner-lightning-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:
> owner-lightning-list-server@matronics.com] *On Behalf Of *N1BZRich@aol.com
> *Sent:* Sunday, August 24, 2008 12:49 PM
> *To:* lightning-list@matronics.com
> *Subject:* Re: I flew, I flew!!!
>
>
> In a message dated 8/24/2008 12:52:40 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> clive.james@uk.bp.com writes:
>
> 40 hours must be a real pain,
> Has the EAA never tried to get it reduced? 40 hours is a
> lot of flying just for the sake of it. Even if you do some creative
> accounting......
>
> Two points:
>
>
> First, if you are using a certified prop and a certified engine it is just
> 25 hours. The current 40 hours (or 25) is down from the original 50 hours.
> Can't remember when that changed, but that is what I had to fly off on my
> homebuilt Pitts even with a certified prop and engine back in 1977 - yes, I
> am an old fart.
>
>
> Second, if you actually fly all the test profiles that should be flown to
> determine all needed data points for your airplane, it will take quite a few
> flights and hours to complete the testing. It took me close to 30 hours of
> actual test flying time on the Esqual to complete everything that should be
> done. The other 10 hours (to get to 40 total) were well spent learning all
> the neat things that my Grand Rapids EFIS was capable of doing - such as
> highway in the sky steering to a simulated instrument approach to any runway
> that is in the GPS data. Really neat.
>
>
> Too many builders just fly off the 40 hours and never really know their
> specific airplanes. They can get away with this because most have built
> airplanes that have been around for a long time and they just use the data
> that others have come up with, but they really don't know the actual data
> points for their airplanes. What is the real Vx, Vy, best glide (flaps and
> no flaps) for your airplane. What is your best fuel burn at different
> altitudes for different airspeeds or rpm?. What EGTs should you be seeing
> at various power settings? What is the best prop for your airplane? I
> could go on and on with examples, but hope everyone gets the point. It
> really does take about 40 hours to complete all the needed test profiles for
> your airplane. Without knowing these things how do you come up with a
> useful aircraft flight manual (pilot's operating handbook) for your airplane
> - as required by regulations?
>
>
> The FAA regulations on this (FAR 21 and 91) as well as FAA Advisory
> Circular 90-89A are pretty specific as to what you should be doing. They
> call the 40 hours (or 25) phase one testing. The EAA also has some good
> information on flight testing that is available through the EAA Flight
> Advisor Program. I encourage all of you to go to these sources and check
> with your friendly EAA flight advisor before you start your flight testing.
> Accidents on first flights have greatly decreased since the EAA Flight
> Advisor program has been in effect.
>
>
> For my own use, I have divided the FAA 40 hours (phase one testing) into a
> 5 phase program that I have used successfully on several different
> aircraft. The five phases that I have broken the 40 hours down to are:
>
> -phase 1 - Initial flight plus two others
>
> -phase 2 - Build data on aircraft and engine performance
>
> -phase 3 - Determine all V speeds
>
> -phase 4 - Structural and Stability tests
>
> -phase 5 - Max gross weight and CG test
>
> I have specific profile objectives for each phase and specific flight
> profiles for the first flights and then later flight profiles are developed
> based on data gathered to that point.
>
>
> It really does take close to 40 hours if you do all that should be done.
> You really need a plan for each flight in order to be efficient with the
> time that you have. You also need a good way to record flight data that you
> will use to develop such things as performance graphs. I use a digital
> recorder with a lapel mic that I put into one of my ear phone cups. With a
> voice operated intercom I just say the data that I want recorded and the
> mic picks up me talking and saves it for future playback on the recorder.
> Also, many of the new EFIS set ups have a way to record flight data for
> later download which is also useful.
>
>
> Bottom line, have a specific plan for each flight, follow that plan, record
> your data after the flight, and then plan the next flight based on what you
> learn on the previous flight and what you need to accomplish on the next
> flight.
>
> Blue Skies,
>
> Buz
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> It's only a deal if it's where *you* want to go. Find your travel deal *
> here* <http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047>.
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> **
>
> **
>
> **
>
> **
>
> **
>
> **
>
> **
>
> *http://www.matronics.com/contribution*
>
> * *
>
> *
>
> title=http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Lightning-List href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Lightning-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Lightning-List
> href="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com
> href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/c*
>
> *
>
> *
>
>
