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jpspencer(at)cableone.net
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 Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:09 pm Post subject: Bunny hop/First flight |
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>A lot of very good info here. How about a little first flight advice?
| Quote: | First landing, flaps or no flaps.
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| Quote: | First landing speed. (I know I want to be on the fast side).
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Right, lots of good advice. A few more points to consider...
The approach speed you decide on should obviously be based on what IAS your bird stalls at...so before landing it stall it a few times before to get the speed. Common sense, right? The IAS at stall can vary wildly among different homemade planes of the same type, while the TAS is close.
As some wise soul said before...forget the slow approach speeds for a while. The FAA standard of 1.3 x VSO = 36mph on a plane that stalls at 28. Way too slow for a while. 1.7 x stall IAS seems about right on my plane, for ordinary non STOL ops. If it stalls at 35 no flaps that works out to 60 approach speed. You get the idea, I'm sure. Airwork before landing, if it's running ok, of course. And right over the strip. If it isn't running too good, fly fast but not so fast as to risk getting the nosewheel. Common sense again.
Power required depends a lot on how you have configured your plane. If it is the stock, to the plans version with slats and round struts, the power requirement will be more than if you have the VG and streamlined strut plane. The cleaned up plane doesn't sink nearly as much as the plans version. Mine does just fine at 60 no flaps and 50 with one notch of flaps and idle power, with plenty of speed there for flare and landing w/o adding power, but it is cleaned up a lot. I used power to touchdown at first, as others have advised, before doing my mods.
Try not to get too busy with the power on approach. The prop blows on the tail thru the slot between the wing roots, and will vary the lift that the tail/elevator produces, possibly causing pitch excursions, which you won't find very helpful while already chewing up the seat cushion
Flare height may be more critical than on other planes you have flown, depending. It is so light and draggy that it will fall out from you if handled a little clumsily in the flare. The old WAG of flare a wingspan high is too high, unless adding power, which will upset the whole landing. About a half wingspan high seems about right, again depending on how your bird is configured and what speed/power you are using, and your personal technique. The cleaned up ones are much more forgiving here, in my experience. The gear is strong, but it will bend. I know. First hand.
In the airlines, a stable approach is required, and that works on the little birds too...if you can get it setup out there on final with the flaps where you want them, on power, glidepath and speed, and stablized til flaring at the proper height and gradually reducing the power til touchdown...it will go well for you. Simple, huh? Right. Especially on a first flight.
There really is a lot to know about the 701. As already mentioned by some experienced 701 driver, there are a lot of ways to land it, and it will challenge you to learn to do all that the little plane is capable of. It can be quite a handful to fly really well at the slow speeds it is capable of. That's the fun of it.
Have fun. Be careful
Joe
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bobkat
Joined: 07 Sep 2008
Posts: 143
Location: Bismarck, ND
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| Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:47 am Post subject: Bunny hop/First flight |
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Yes, I'd second what both Joe and Rick have said. If I were doing first flights again I'd take off and climb up 2 - 3 K feet AGL. Try some gentle turns and a bit of slow flight, but as JG says on his website - just "nibble at the stall" Deep stalls and exploring the envelope comes later.
Set up a nice LONG stabilized final at around 50 - 60 (my instructor 35 years ago kept drilling into my thick head "the product of a good approach is a good landing!") and carry a bit of power almost to the ground, even during the flare. Don't get too slow or flare too high and the plane will land itself.
Good luck - you'll find the plane is really idiot proof and loads of fun once you get the hang of landing it.
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Curt.Thompson(at)verizon.
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| Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:13 am Post subject: Bunny hop/First flight |
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See US DOT Advisory Circular 90-89A, “AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT AND ULTRALIGHT FLIGHT TESTING HANDBOOK”.
http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/media/ac90-89a.pdf
Section 5 has some good info on first flight procedures.
But this is all academic for me as I am still building (but thinking about that first flight).
Curt
Plans building CH701
Redmond, WA, USA
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arno7452(at)bellsouth.net
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| Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:56 am Post subject: Bunny hop/First flight |
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Joe,
This is the best description related to landing the CH701 that I have read. I have had two CFIs that could not land it properly. As you point out, come in at about 60mph and do not cut the power to idle. Keep some power on until the wheels are in contact. Too slow creates control problems if there is any cross wind.
Regards,
Ken
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Mike Hoffman
Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:45 am Post subject: Re: Bunny hop/First flight |
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Thanks to everyone for your first flight information and suggestions.
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