Matronics Email Lists :: View topic - Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Matronics Email Lists
Web Forum Interface to the Matronics Email Lists

Get Email Distribution Too! FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register

Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in

Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> Zenith-List

View previous topic :: View next topic

Author Message

OK2AV8(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 8:23 am Post subject: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Listers, 

  

After lurking here for 5 years or so, its time to post my 1st flight! 

  

 I have a stock Zodiac XL with a Jabiru 3300 Sensenich fixed-pitch two blade wood propeller Model W64ZK-49 (64 in diam. X 49 in Pitch) with fiberglass spinner. I have the hingeless flex ailerons with electric pitch and roll trim. I have (4) 12 gallon wing tanks with a 5 way selector valve (Andair) and a floor mounted fuel pump in addition to the engine mounted pump. The only variation from plans I made was to put screws and plate nuts on the upper forward skin for access behind the instrument panel. I have an all electric panel with a standard “6-pack” flight gages, Garmin GPS/COMM, Garmin transponder and standard VDO engine gages. The plane is unpainted but I will do some painting later leaving large areas polished. I’m a 240 hour VFR only private pilot with most of my time in Cessna 152/172's. I’m also an aerospace engineer at Boeing. If you have the new Zenith DVD, you saw me on it talking. You also saw my airplane’s nose gear in the aircraft description section. 

  

All speeds are IAS MPH uncalibrated. 

  

N360TM made its first flight Wednesday Nov 22 at Creve Coeur Airport underneath the Class B airspace of Lambert/St. Louis Airport. I stayed in the pattern but my radio faded out on the second circuit but not before hearing my ground crew saying something. Since I told them to only call if they saw something, I landed without flaps on the next circuit. I was venting a little fuel prompting them to call. Roger at Zenith confirmed their XL does the same thing when it’s full and banking - no big deal. We found a loose headphone jack responsible for the faded radio signal. A little later I took 360TM up again for another 35 minute flight going around the pattern doing 8 touch and go's. All landings were smooth and comfortable. She lifts off at 60 mph or so and accelerates to 100 very quickly. It climbs very briskly (>1000 fpm) and I get to pattern altitude before turning crosswind. I pull the throttle back on downwind to keep it under 120 mph. It doesn't like to slow down but 80 mph is the upper limit for flaps. I have been flying the base and first part of final at 80 mph decelerating to 75 then 70 or so at touchdown. The plane lands very nicely. I did currency training in an Evector SportStar that is available at St Charles Muni near here. The training – including 100 landings at Creve Coeur really paid off! I highly recommend that airplane for familiarization with the light, quick characteristics of the 601XL. I also flew with Rodger & Nick at Mexico a couple of times – also highly recommended. 

  

We went back Thursday (Thanksgiving morning!)  and flew for another .6 hour doing more pattern work. One small glitch was after the first takeoff of the day the first canopy latch let loose (there are two latches for redundancy) and the canopy opened about 1/2 inch. Not much but the airflow through the cockpit was noticeable. I came around and landed normally and relatched the canopy all the way down. Took off again and flew touch and goes for 30 minutes. I played around with various speeds, flap settings getting used to landing a little slower. I also performed a "missed approach" where I aborted the landing just before touching down. I wanted to see how it felt to punch the throttle with the flaps still down and accelerate while retracting the flaps. No problem. I also flew a short pattern simulating an engine out. Again, no problem. 

  

Friday, I flew for an hour venturing away from the pattern to the local practice area. Being under the Class B limits me to less than 2000 ft (1,500 AGL) so I don’t go too far yet. I nibbled at the stall with flaps up and down. At 44 mph I get a good rumble from the tail with the flaps down. Flaps up is cleaner at 47 or 48 mph. I did not stall the airplane. Full throttle, I saw greater than 142 mph. I was also able to trim it up with both the small elevator trim (lots of nose up) and the aileron trim (very effective, not much needed). 

  

Saturday, I flew twice going north out from under the airspace restrictions. Took her up to 4500 ft. Steep turns, high speed (155 mph in a shallow dive) and low speed trials. Did a few time to climb checks – more data later. 

  

I’m taking today off to stop, take a breath, regroup, and get organized for the remaining flight test tasks. The plane flies great! I haven’t done a bad landing yet! I’ve got that silly grin you all have heard about. Laughing out loud while flying it is not uncommon. I just have to remember to not do it while transmitting! 

  

For more info on my project, go to my website – www.flyingwithms.com. It needs updating but I’m too busy flying! 

  

Tim Garrett 

N360TM 

Zodiac XL/Jabiru 3300

n282rs(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 10:38 am Post subject: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Wow! You did that while fighting MS. Great  Job! Keep up the fight.

 

Randy Stout

San Antonio TX

www.geocities.com/r5t0ut21

n282rs at  earthlink.net 

 [quote]   

   

do not archive    

For more info on my project, go to    my website – www.flyingwithms.com.    It needs updating but I’m too busy flying!   

    

Tim Garrett   

N360TM   

Zodiac XL/Jabiru    3300 	  Quote: 	
		  



	
[b]

r5t0ut(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 10:38 am Post subject: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Wow! You did that while fighting MS. Great  Job! Keep up the fight.

 

Randy Stout

San Antonio TX

www.geocities.com/r5t0ut21

n282rs at  earthlink.net 

 [quote]   

   

do not archive    

For more info on my project, go to    my website – www.flyingwithms.com.    It needs updating but I’m too busy flying!   

    

Tim Garrett   

N360TM   

Zodiac XL/Jabiru    3300 	  Quote: 	
		  



	
[b]

craig(at)craigandjean.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 10:50 am Post subject: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Congratulations!

  

 >> I did currency training in an Evector SportStar  that is available at St Charles Muni near here.

  

 I soloed in one of the Evector SportStars at St.  Charles Flying Service. Goods folks and a nice plane (except when the canopy  popped open in flight). The SportStar is a good match to the XL but like you  I'll have to adapt to the change from a Rotax 912 to the Jabiru  3300.

  

 Training in SportStars is a little more available than  in XLs: Washington state, California (north, middle and south), Colorado,  Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and  Pennsylvania. See http://www.evektoramerica.com/wheretofly.html for  details.

  

 -- Craig

   [quote][b]

ter_turn(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 11:35 am Post subject: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Tim, Congratulations!

   

  Terry Turnquist

  601XL-Plans

  St. Peters, MO

   

  Do Not Archive



OK2AV8(at)aol.com wrote:

  [quote]    Listers,

   

  After lurking here for 5 years or so, its time to post my 1st flight!

   

   I have a stock Zodiac XL with a Jabiru 3300 Sensenich fixed-pitch two blade wood propeller Model W64ZK-49 (64 in diam. X 49 in Pitch) with fiberglass spinner. I have the hingeless flex ailerons with electric pitch and roll trim. I have (4) 12 gallon wing tanks with a 5 way selector valve (Andair) and a floor mounted fuel pump in addition to the engine mounted pump. The only variation from plans I made was to put screws and plate nuts on the upper forward skin for access behind the instrument panel. I have an all electric panel with a standard “6-pack” flight gages, Garmin GPS/COMM, Garmin transponder and standard VDO engine gages. The plane is unpainted but I will do some painting later leaving large areas polished. I’m a 240 hour VFR only private pilot with most of my time in Cessna 152/172's. I’m also an aerospace engineer at Boeing. If you have the new Zenith DVD, you saw me on it talking. You also saw my  airplane’s nose gear in the aircraft description section.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

   

  All speeds are IAS MPH uncalibrated.

   

  N360TM made its first flight Wednesday Nov 22 at <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Creve  Coeur Airport underneath the Class B airspace of Lambert/St. Louis Airport. I stayed in the pattern but my radio faded out on the second circuit but not before hearing my ground crew saying something. Since I told them to only call if they saw something, I landed without flaps on the next circuit. I was venting a little fuel prompting them to call. Roger at Zenith confirmed their XL does the same thing when it’s full and banking - no big deal. We found a loose headphone jack responsible for the faded radio signal. A little later I took 360TM up again for another 35 minute flight going around the pattern doing 8 touch and go's. All landings were smooth and comfortable. She  lifts off at 60 mph or so and accelerates to 100 very quickly. It climbs very briskly (>1000 fpm) and I get to pattern altitude before turning crosswind. I pull the throttle back on downwind to keep it under 120 mph. It doesn't like to slow down but 80 mph is the upper limit for flaps. I have been flying the base and first part of final at 80 mph decelerating to 75 then 70 or so at touchdown. The plane lands very nicely. I did currency training in an Evector SportStar that is available at St Charles Muni near here. The training – including 100 landings at Creve Coeur really paid off! I highly recommend that airplane for familiarization with the light, quick characteristics of the 601XL. I also flew with Rodger & Nick at Mexico a couple of times – also highly  recommended.

   

  We went back Thursday (Thanksgiving morning!)  and flew for another .6 hour doing more pattern work. One small glitch was after the first takeoff of the day the first canopy latch let loose (there are two latches for redundancy) and the canopy opened about 1/2 inch. Not much but the airflow through the cockpit was noticeable. I came around and landed normally and relatched the canopy all the way down. Took off again and flew touch and goes for 30 minutes. I played around with various speeds, flap settings getting used to landing a little slower. I also performed a "missed approach" where I aborted the landing just before touching down. I wanted to see how it  felt to punch the throttle with the flaps still down and accelerate while retracting the flaps. No problem. I also flew a short pattern simulating an engine out. Again, no problem.

   

  Friday, I flew for an hour venturing away from the pattern to the local practice area. Being under the Class B limits me to less than 2000 ft (1,500 AGL) so I don’t go too far yet. I nibbled at the stall with flaps up and down. At 44 mph I get a good rumble from the tail with the flaps down. Flaps up is cleaner at 47 or 48 mph. I did not stall the airplane. Full throttle, I saw greater than 142 mph. I was also able to trim it up with both the small elevator trim (lots of nose up) and the aileron trim (very effective, not much  needed).

   

  Saturday, I flew twice going north out from under the airspace restrictions. Took her up to 4500 ft. Steep turns, high speed (155 mph in a shallow dive) and low speed trials. Did a few time to climb checks – more data later.

   

  I’m taking today off to stop, take a breath, regroup, and get organized for the remaining flight test tasks. The plane flies great! I haven’t done a bad landing yet! I’ve got that silly grin you all have heard about. Laughing out loud  while flying it is not uncommon. I just have to remember to not do it while transmitting!

   

  For more info on my project, go to my website – www.flyingwithms.com. It needs updating but I’m too busy flying!

   

  Tim Garrett

  N360TM

amyvega2005(at)earthlink.
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 11:54 am Post subject: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

congrads!  I have been on your website, and your site is what instilled me to buy the kit!  Now it is giving me the kick in the tail to finish.

Juan



--

n801bh(at)netzero.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 2:38 pm Post subject: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Congrats to you Tim... It will take several weeks to get that big grin off your face too.. 

do not archive

Ben Haas

N801BH

www.haaspowerair.com



-- OK2AV8(at)aol.com wrote:

 

Listers, 

  

After lurking here for 5 years or so, its time to post my 1st flight! 

  

 I have a stock Zodiac XL with a Jabiru 3300 Sensenich fixed-pitch two blade wood propeller Model W64ZK-49 (64 in diam. X 49 in Pitch) with fiberglass spinner. I have the hingeless flex ailerons with electric pitch and roll trim. I have (4) 12 gallon wing tanks with a 5 way selector valve (Andair) and a floor mounted fuel pump in addition to the engine mounted pump. The only variation from plans I made was to put screws and plate nuts on the upper forward skin for access behind the instrument panel. I have an all electric panel with a standard “6-pack” flight gages, Garmin GPS/COMM, Garmin transponder and standard VDO engine gages. The plane is unpainted but I will do some painting later leaving large areas polished. I’m a 240 hour VFR only private pilot with most of my time in Cessna 152/172's. I’m also an aerospace engineer at Boeing. If you have the new Zenith DVD, you saw me on it talking. You also saw my airplane’s nose gear in the aircraft description section.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> 

  

All speeds are IAS MPH uncalibrated. 

  

N360TM made its first flight Wednesday Nov 22 at <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Creve Coeur Airport underneath the Class B airspace of Lambert/St. Louis Airport. I stayed in the pattern but my radio faded out on the second circuit but not before hearing my ground crew saying something. Since I told them to only call if they saw something, I landed without flaps on the next circuit. I was venting a little fuel prompting them to call. Roger at Zenith confirmed their XL does the same thing when it’s full and banking - no big deal. We found a loose headphone jack responsible for the faded radio signal. A little later I took 360TM up again for another 35 minute flight going around the pattern doing 8 touch and go's. All landings were smooth and comfortable. She lifts off at 60 mph or so and accelerates to 100 very quickly. It climbs very briskly (>1000 fpm) and I get to pattern altitude before turning crosswind. I pull the throttle back on downwind to keep it under 120 mph. It doesn't like to slow down but 80 mph is the upper limit for flaps. I have been flying the base and first part of final at 80 mph decelerating to 75 then 70 or so at touchdown. The plane lands very nicely. I did currency training in an Evector SportStar that is available at St Charles Muni near here. The training – including 100 landings at Creve Coeur really paid off! I highly recommend that airplane for familiarization with the light, quick characteristics of the 601XL. I also flew with Rodger & Nick at Mexico a couple of times – also highly recommended. 

  

We went back Thursday (Thanksgiving morning!)  and flew for another .6 hour doing more pattern work. One small glitch was after the first takeoff of the day the first canopy latch let loose (there are two latches for redundancy) and the canopy opened about 1/2 inch. Not much but the airflow through the cockpit was noticeable. I came around and landed normally and relatched the canopy all the way down. Took off again and flew touch and goes for 30 minutes. I played around with various speeds, flap settings getting used to landing a little slower. I also performed a "missed approach" where I aborted the landing just before touching down. I wanted to see how it felt to punch the throttle with the flaps still down and accelerate while retracting the flaps. No problem. I also flew a short pattern simulating an engine out. Again, no problem. 

  

Friday, I flew for an hour venturing away from the pattern to the local practice area. Being under the Class B limits me to less than 2000 ft (1,500 AGL) so I don’t go too far yet. I nibbled at the stall with flaps up and down. At 44 mph I get a good rumble from the tail with the flaps down. Flaps up is cleaner at 47 or 48 mph. I did not stall the airplane. Full throttle, I saw greater than 142 mph. I was also able to trim it up with both the small elevator trim (lots of nose up) and the aileron trim (very effective, not much needed). 

  

Saturday, I flew twice going north out from under the airspace restrictions. Took her up to 4500 ft. Steep turns, high speed (155 mph in a shallow dive) and low speed trials. Did a few time to climb checks – more data later. 

  

I’m taking today off to stop, take a breath, regroup, and get organized for the remaining flight test tasks. The plane flies great! I haven’t done a bad landing yet! I’ve got that silly grin you all have heard about. Laughing out loud while flying it is not uncommon. I just have to remember to not do it while transmitting! 

  

For more info on my project, go to my website – www.flyingwithms.com. It needs updating but I’m too busy flying! 

  

Tim Garrett 

N360TM 

Zodiac XL/Jabiru 3300[quote]



====================================

roelectric.com

com/">www.buildersbooks.com

kitlog.com

homebuilthelp.com

www.matronics.com/contribution

====================================

">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Zenith-List

====================================



[b]

Gig Giacona

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: El Dorado Arkansas USA

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 4:39 pm Post subject: Re: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Congrats on the first flights and what looks like well built craft. I've been waivering back and fourth between the Sensenich prop and the Warp Drive.



You seem to be getting great speed and climb out of the Sensenich.

_________________
W.R. "Gig" Giacona
601XL Under Construction
See my progress at www.peoamerica.net/N601WR

craig(at)craigandjean.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 5:09 pm Post subject: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

 	  Quote: 	
		  > I've been waivering back and fourth between the Sensenich prop and the

Warp Drive.
	




Don't forget the new carbon fiber prop from Sensenich. Jabiru USA did a lot

of flight testing of it on the 3300. Not cheap at $1300 ($1400 with nickel

leading edge) though:



www.sensenichprop.com/sen_html/carbon_faq-6-061306.pdf

www.sensenichprop.com/sen_html/comp-ac-cf-rev-1.pdf



-- Craig

purplemoon99(at)bellsouth
Guest

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 5:18 pm Post subject: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Have you Though about a Prince P" tip  ?                    Joe N101HD

---

TxDave

Joined: 22 Jul 2006
Posts: 168
Location: Temple, TX

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 1:15 am Post subject: Re: Too busy flying to post my First Flight!

Way to go Tim! You're a true inspiration. I remember you from the ZAC video and had been wondering how you were doing.



do not archive

Dave Clay

Temple, TX

http://www.daves601xl.com

Display posts from previous:

	Matronics Email Lists Forum Index -> Zenith-List	All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

Jump to:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum