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davistcs(at)eoni.com
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 Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:02 pm Post subject: First Flight |
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Fellow Kolbers and Kolbettes,
Well, I couldn't seem to find any more excuses not to fly it, so Firestar N66TD finally took to the air Aug 16. I've never done a first flight in a homebuilt before so the "what if" worries were all pretty big. After a few fast taxis with the tail up it was time to do it and it flew beautifully. Someone on the list used the term "sweet" to describe Kolb flying qualities and I would second that. It flies "mostly" hands off at cruise, with only a very slight left roll tendancy which is probably engine torque, a bungie trim on the stick should fix that.
I put on Joa's VG's according to John Jung's formula, 8 1/2" chord distance to the back, 2 3/4" apart in the valleys. It stalls at 32 on the airspeed (uncalibrated but close I think) with a nice definate break, power off or full power (exciting) and feels solid in turns a few mph over 32. Landings are a real non event, lots of time for a nice (but close) round out. It took me a while to get the distance from my butt to the wheels figured out but since then power at idle landings are no problem at all.
Having read all sorts of things on the list, I don't know how much of this handling ease is due to the VG's and how much is Homer Kolb, but when I get my 40 hrs flown off I'm going to remove the VG's (grey 3M tape) before possibly putting them on permanently with glue and I will fly it and see how it handles without. Should be interesting.
The really interesting thing to watch during these first 5 hr's is how the 503 has loosened up and required more pitch in the prop (60" 3 blade Powerfin) After the first half hour or so I noticed it was wanting to overrev on climbout and the EGT's were higher when I leveled out. I adjusted it coarser and it was fine for awhile but then the revs started creeping up again so the next time I really put more pitch in it. Now it seems about right but I imagine I will have to put a little more in before I'm done with it. It turns 6400 in climb, 6600 level flight with a full power EGT of 950, cruise at 58 to 6000 has a EGT of about 1070 - 1100 and CHT of 280 - 300. Just about perfect I think. The prop pitch really does control EGT after all, seeing is believing. Mid range decents at 4200 to 5400 spike the EGT up closer to 1200 pretty fast, good thing to avoid.
Future work on the squawk list includes:
Finding out where all that radio noise is coming from, seems to be multiple sources, ignition, EIS, and my NC headsets, for now I just use that wonderful visibility and turn the radio off.
A set of streamline 4130 lift struts and some side doors on the cockpit. It will do 65 (uncalibrated) full power, cruise at 60 and I would really like to see it cruise at 70. I think those 2 things will cut quite a bit of drag, and I really don't like the way those round alu lift struts shimmy around.
I want to thank everybody on the list for their help and ideas. I've been mostly a lurker to date but now I actually may learn enough to feel I have something to contribute. It's a great little plane, I wish I would have flown it sooner.
I'm going to try attaching some photos. I get the Digest over a modem and for some reason can never see attachments to any posts. Guess we will see what happens.
Terry Davis
Eastern Oregon
DO NOT ARCHIVE
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planecrazzzy
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| Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:44 am Post subject: Re: First Flight |
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Nice Looking Plane Terry,
Everything your doing sounds about right....
I noticed you went right to Hard surface runway instead of grass first.
My Prop had to be repitched a couple of times too....
Yeah, those first flight worries about "What if" can really get a person
worked up over nothin , well , as long as things go as they should...
Where was your CG at on first flight...?
I had to re-plumb my fuel to run front tank only and throw 16lbs in the
nose to get it to the "front half" of the CG range ( FAA requirement )
Gotta Fly...
Mike & "Jaz" in MN / N381PM
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Bob Dalton
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 68
Location: Manteca, Ca
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| Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:46 am Post subject: First Flight |
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Terry,
Thanks for sharing your 1st flight, sounds like it was a great one Congratulations. Also a beautiful looking Kolb thanks for sending out the pictures.
Bob D.
From: owner-kolb-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-kolb-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Terry Davis
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 11:09 PM
To: Kolb List
Subject: First Flight
Fellow Kolbers and Kolbettes,
Well, I couldn't seem to find any more excuses not to fly it, so Firestar N66TD finally took to the air Aug 16. I've never done a first flight in a homebuilt before so the "what if" worries were all pretty big. After a few fast taxis with the tail up it was time to do it and it flew beautifully. Someone on the list used the term "sweet" to describe Kolb flying qualities and I would second that. It flies "mostly" hands off at cruise, with only a very slight left roll tendancy which is probably engine torque, a bungie trim on the stick should fix that.
I put on Joa's VG's according to John Jung's formula, 8 1/2" chord distance to the back, 2 3/4" apart in the valleys. It stalls at 32 on the airspeed (uncalibrated but close I think) with a nice definate break, power off or full power (exciting) and feels solid in turns a few mph over 32. Landings are a real non event, lots of time for a nice (but close) round out. It took me a while to get the distance from my butt to the wheels figured out but since then power at idle landings are no problem at all.
Having read all sorts of things on the list, I don't know how much of this handling ease is due to the VG's and how much is Homer Kolb, but when I get my 40 hrs flown off I'm going to remove the VG's (grey 3M tape) before possibly putting them on permanently with glue and I will fly it and see how it handles without. Should be interesting.
The really interesting thing to watch during these first 5 hr's is how the 503 has loosened up and required more pitch in the prop (60" 3 blade Powerfin) After the first half hour or so I noticed it was wanting to overrev on climbout and the EGT's were higher when I leveled out. I adjusted it coarser and it was fine for awhile but then the revs started creeping up again so the next time I really put more pitch in it. Now it seems about right but I imagine I will have to put a little more in before I'm done with it. It turns 6400 in climb, 6600 level flight with a full power EGT of 950, cruise at 58 to 6000 has a EGT of about 1070 - 1100 and CHT of 280 - 300. Just about perfect I think. The prop pitch really does control EGT after all, seeing is believing. Mid range decents at 4200 to 5400 spike the EGT up closer to 1200 pretty fast, good thing to avoid.
Future work on the squawk list includes:
Finding out where all that radio noise is coming from, seems to be multiple sources, ignition, EIS, and my NC headsets, for now I just use that wonderful visibility and turn the radio off.
A set of streamline 4130 lift struts and some side doors on the cockpit. It will do 65 (uncalibrated) full power, cruise at 60 and I would really like to see it cruise at 70. I think those 2 things will cut quite a bit of drag, and I really don't like the way those round alu lift struts shimmy around.
I want to thank everybody on the list for their help and ideas. I've been mostly a lurker to date but now I actually may learn enough to feel I have something to contribute. It's a great little plane, I wish I would have flown it sooner.
I'm going to try attaching some photos. I get the Digest over a modem and for some reason can never see attachments to any posts. Guess we will see what happens.
Terry Davis
Eastern Oregon
DO NOT ARCHIVE
[quote][b]
| | - The Matronics Kolb-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List |
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_________________
Bob Dalton
Manteca, Ca.
wiserguy@comcast.net |
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biglar
Joined: 14 Jan 2006
Posts: 457
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| Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:23 am Post subject: First Flight |
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Congratulations, Terry. Sounds like a good flight, and sounds like you're well prepared. Lar. Do not Archive.
[quote] ---
| | - The Matronics Kolb-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
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_________________
Larry Bourne
Palm Springs, CA
Building Kolb Mk IIIC
"Vamoose" |
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Russ Kinne
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Posts: 182
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| Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 2:11 pm Post subject: First Flight |
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HOW BOUT THAT GREAT BIG GRIN ON YOUR FACE? -- CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP HAVING FUN Russ Kinne
do not archive
On Sep 2, 2006, at 2:09 AM, Terry Davis wrote:
[quote] Fellow Kolbers and Kolbettes,
Well, I couldn't seem to find any more excuses not to fly it, so Firestar N66TD finally took to the air Aug 16. I've never done a first flight in a homebuilt before so the "what if" worries were all pretty big. After a few fast taxis with the tail up it was time to do it and it flew beautifully. Someone on the list used the term "sweet" to describe Kolb flying qualities and I would second that. It flies "mostly" hands off at cruise, with only a very slight left roll tendancy which is probably engine torque, a bungie trim on the stick should fix that.
I put on Joa's VG's according to John Jung's formula, 8 1/2" chord distance to the back, 2 3/4" apart in the valleys. It stalls at 32 on the airspeed (uncalibrated but close I think) with a nice definate break, power off or full power (exciting) and feels solid in turns a few mph over 32. Landings are a real non event, lots of time for a nice (but close) round out. It took me a while to get the distance from my butt to the wheels figured out but since then power at idle landings are no problem at all.
Having read all sorts of things on the list, I don't know how much of this handling ease is due to the VG's and how much is Homer Kolb, but when I get my 40 hrs flown off I'm going to remove the VG's (grey 3M tape) before possibly putting them on permanently with glue and I will fly it and see how it handles without. Should be interesting.
The really interesting thing to watch during these first 5 hr's is how the 503 has loosened up and required more pitch in the prop (60" 3 blade Powerfin) After the first half hour or so I noticed it was wanting to overrev on climbout and the EGT's were higher when I leveled out. I adjusted it coarser and it was fine for awhile but then the revs started creeping up again so the next time I really put more pitch in it. Now it seems about right but I imagine I will have to put a little more in before I'm done with it. It turns 6400 in climb, 6600 level flight with a full power EGT of 950, cruise at 58 to 6000 has a EGT of about 1070 - 1100 and CHT of 280 - 300. Just about perfect I think. The prop pitch really does control EGT after all, seeing is believing. Mid range decents at 4200 to 5400 spike the EGT up closer to 1200 pretty fast, good thing to avoid.
Future work on the squawk list includes:
Finding out where all that radio noise is coming from, seems to be multiple sources, ignition, EIS, and my NC headsets, for now I just use that wonderful visibility and turn the radio off.
A set of streamline 4130 lift struts and some side doors on the cockpit. It will do 65 (uncalibrated) full power, cruise at 60 and I would really like to see it cruise at 70. I think those 2 things will cut quite a bit of drag, and I really don't like the way those round alu lift struts shimmy around.
I want to thank everybody on the list for their help and ideas. I've been mostly a lurker to date but now I actually may learn enough to feel I have something to contribute. It's a great little plane, I wish I would have flown it sooner.
I'm going to try attaching some photos. I get the Digest over a modem and for some reason can never see attachments to any posts. Guess we will see what happens.
Terry Davis
Eastern Oregon
DO NOT ARCHIVE
<FF 2 (Small).JPG>
<FF 3 (Small).JPG>
<FF 4 (Small).JPG>
[b]
| | - The Matronics Kolb-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List |
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HShack(at)aol.com
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 4:12 pm Post subject: First Flight |
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In a message dated 9/2/2006 8:04:28 AM Eastern Standard Time, davistcs(at)eoni.com writes:
| Quote: | | It turns 6400 in climb, 6600 level flight with a full power EGT of 950, cruise at 58 to 6000 has a EGT of about 1070 - 1100 and CHT of 280 - 300. Just about perfect I think. The prop pitch really does control EGT after all, seeing is believing. Mid range decents at 4200 to 5400 spike the EGT up closer to 1200 pretty fast, good thing to avoid. |
In think you need another 1/2 degree of pitch........
Howard Shackleford
FS II
SC
[quote][b]
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http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List |
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