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Gig Giacona
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: El Dorado Arkansas USA
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 Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:22 am Post subject: First Flight Procedures. (LONG) |
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Congratulations to all that have completed first flight. You have done something that few people will ever do, Build and fly an airplane that you built yourself. As I draw nearer this point in the process I read with ever growing anticipation of the day I want to do it.
There is one thing I've noticed in many of the "First Flight Reports' though. It seems that many people aren't following the procedures out lined in AC 90-89A. While this AC lays out a complete test program for your aircraft and I think we would all be well advised to read it all and use all of its procedures the first flight procedures I think are even more important so I'm going to post them them below.
AC 90-89A is available on the EAA site and a hard copy can be ordered from the FAA or your local FSDO.
1. OBJECTIVE. To perform a series of tests to develop data that will ensure a safe landing.
a. The First Test Flight.
(1) After take-off, climb to 3,000 feet above ground level (AGL) and level off. Reduce power slowly. Complete the cruise checklist items. Following the FLIGHT TEST PLAN, circle the airport or emergency field as the engine performance is being monitored.
(2) Limit the cruise speed to no more than 1.5 the predicted stall speed of the aircraft. This will reduce the chances of flutter. If the engine appears to be operating smoothly, try testing the flight controls.
(3) With the airspeed being monitored, each control input should be gentle and small. Start with the rudder first. Yaw the nose of the aircraft 5 degrees left and right. Note the response. Raise the aircraft's nose 3 degrees up, note the response. After the aircraft is stabilized, level off and try three degrees nose down, trim, and note the response. Try a gentle bank of no more than 5 degrees to the left, then one to the right. If the aircraft is stable and is operating smoothly, try a few 90 degree clearing turns, followed by two 360 degree turns: one to the left and one to the right at a bank angle of 10 degrees.
(4) If the aircraft is responding to the prescribed specifications, increase the bank angle in succeeding turns to 20 degrees. If no problems are encountered, climb to 5,000 feet AGL (using the climb checklist and monitoring engine gauges), level off, fly an imaginary landing pattern, and test the flaps. Do not forget to announce every 5 to 10 minutes the aircraft's location, altitude, and intentions. Practice approach to landing by descending to 4,000 feet AGL first, then to 3,000 feet. Remember, use the descent checklist.
(5) During these maneuvers, control pressures should increase in proportion to control deflection. If control pressure remains the same as control deflection increases or if stick forces become lighter as control deflection increases, the aircraft may have a stability problem. Avoid large control movements and land as soon as possible.
(6) Remember to keep informing the tower/UNICOM/chase plane of what is happening. For 10 minutes of anticipated flight time, plan a brief rest period for the pilot. Fly straight and level, monitor the gauges, and enjoy the experience.
(7) At low cruise power setting, straight and level, observe how the aircraft trims out. Do the "fixed" trim tabs on the rudder and aileron need adjustment? Are the adjustable aileron and elevator trim control effective? Is the control stick/yoke slightly forward of the mid-position in straight and level flight?
( Climb slowly back up to 5,000 feet. Two questions must be answered before landing:
(i) Is the aircraft controllable at low speeds?
(ii) What is the approximate stall speed?
(9) These questions can be answered with an approach to a stall maneuver. Do NOT perform a FULL STALL check at this time!
(10) The necessity for an approach to a stall check is because it will help establish a preliminary stall speed (V si ) in mph/knots so the approach speed for landing can be calculated. Also, the pilot will have knowledge of the aircraft's handling characteristics at low speed.
b. Suggested Procedure.
(1) Level off at altitude; make two clearing turns; stabilize airspeed, heading, and altitude; apply carb heat; set the flaps in the landing configuration and reduce power slowly to 900 rpm. TRIM. If, as is not uncommon on first flights, the aircraft cannot be trimmed properly, the pilot can still proceed with the check as long as the stick forces are not unusually heavy.
(2) With the aircraft airspeed approximately 1.4 mph/knots times (X) the predicted stall speed, raise the nose slowly. It is desirable for the aircraft to start decelerating slowly, about \1/2\ mph/knot a second. A 30 mph/knot deceleration at \1/2\ mph/knot per second will take only a minute.
(3) As the aircraft slows down, note all the things that happen as the speed bleeds off. Observe the changing nose attitude and how the stick force changes. Keep the turn coordinator or turn and bank "ball" in the middle.
(4) Note how much rudder it takes to keep the ball centered. Every few seconds make very small control inputs to check that the aircraft is operating in the prescribed manner. If the aircraft does not respond to small control inputs -- and it should not be expected to respond as quickly as it did at higher speeds -- make the inputs a little bit larger. Increase the amount of input progressively. Do not simultaneously put in all three control inputs. Give particular attention to the response to nose-down elevator inputs, which is necessary for recovery.
(5) Notice any changes in flight characteristics and the speeds at which they take place. Be especially alert for the onset of pre-stall buffet. Is the buffet felt through the stick? Through the airframe? Though the seat of the pants? Does the nose of the airplane want to rise or drop on its own? How strong is the buffet? Is it continuous? Would it get the pilot's attention if they were concentrating on something else?
NOTE: On some high performance aircraft and aircraft with unusual wing designs, a pre-stall buffet may not exist and the stall may be abrupt and violent with a large degree of wing drop.
(6) Keep making small control inputs at intervals to check the aircraft's responses. At approximately 5 mph/knots before the predicted stall speed, or at the first sign of a pre-stall buffet, note the airspeed and stop the test. Recover and write down the pre-stall indicated airspeed. This airspeed should be the reference stall speed for the first landing.
(7) The pre-stall recovery response should be a smooth and quick forward stick movement. This response should be enough to reduce the angle of attack to the point where the airplane is flying normally again.
( A wing drop would be unexpected so early in the approach to a stall, but if it becomes necessary to raise a low wing do it with rudder, NOT OPPOSITE AILERON. Use of ailerons at lower speed would increase the chances for a stall or a sudden departure from controlled flight.
(9) There is no need to gain more airspeed than the extra few mph/knots to fly out of a pre-stall condition. After returning to straight and level flight and using the information learned, the pilot can practice a few more recoveries from a pre-stall condition. Remember the aircraft will constantly be loosing altitude so it is necessary to climb back up to 5,000 feet AGL to continue further flight testing. Do not get so involved that the overall objective of the first flight is lost -- which is getting the pilot and aircraft safely back on the ground.
(10) The FLIGHT TEST PLAN for the first flight should call for a maximum of 1 hour of actual flight time. This is to reduce pilot fatigue and the possibility of an engine failure or airframe malfunction occurring due to vibration or construction errors.
NOTE: The pilot may elect to make several practice approaches to landing at altitude or low approaches to the active runway to get a solid understanding of the lower airspeeds, aircraft attitude, and overall feel of the aircraft in the landing configuration. Before each low approach at the airport, the tower/UNICOM/chase plane should be advised of the pilot's intentions. Avoid other traffic in the pattern, and use the landing checklist.
(11) When the pilot has completed all the tests called for by the FLIGHT TEST PLAN, notify the tower/UNICOM/chase plane of the intent to land. Complete the landing checklist before entering downwind. Keep all turns less than 20 degrees of bank, but do not cross-control by using the rudder to move the nose. This will increase the bank angle, which most pilots will correct by using opposite aileron. If allowed to continue, and with back pressure on the stick, this will result in a cross-control stall and a roll to a near vertical bank attitude at the beginning of a spin with no altitude left for recovery.
(12) On final approach, the aircraft speed should be no less than 1.3 but no more than 1.4 times the recorded "first flight" pre-stall speed. Homebuilt biplanes (high drag) should use an approach speed of 1.5 x stall speed on landings.
(13) Landings, especially the first one in an amateur-built or kit plane, are always exciting. Proceed slowly and do not over control. If the landing conditions are not ideal, be prepared to go around.
(14) The actual touchdown should take place within the first 1,000 feet with braking action being applied before the red (abort) flag marker on the runway.
(15) After taxiing in, secure the aircraft, debrief the flight with members of the team, then together perform a careful post-flight inspection of the aircraft.
NOTE: Remember to allow enough time to absorb what has been learned about the aircraft's performance and the pilot's and ground crew's responses to it.
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W.R. "Gig" Giacona
601XL Under Construction
See my progress at www.peoamerica.net/N601WR |
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DaveG601XL
Joined: 27 Oct 2006
Posts: 351
Location: Cincinnati, Oh
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| Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:03 am Post subject: Re: First Flight Procedures. (LONG) |
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Gig,
Good reminder to the board. I been following this guide and think it is about the most informative thing the FAA has ever published. Since this is a general publication meant to cover most homebuilding instances, I noticed that they quite strongly urge that you not do a full stall on the first flight, only going to pre-stall buffet. This is not bad advice by any means since it advises caution (i.e. very good advice for BD-5 builders). On the other hand, Chris Heintz does not hesitate in saying to fly his designs to stall on he first flight. (http://www.zenithair.com/kit-data/ht-86-5.html) I whole-heartedly agree and did so on my first flight last month. It is a big confidence builder to see just how tame an event they are, especially on the already stress-filled first flight.
Good luck and clear skies!
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David Gallagher
Cincinnati, OH area |
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n801bh(at)netzero.com
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| Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:54 pm Post subject: First Flight Procedures. (LONG) |
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If all goes well then that checklist is ok..... Good luck on all going well, <G>..
Ben Haas
N801BH
www.haaspowerair.com
-- "Gig Giacona" <wrgiacona(at)gmail.com> wrote:
Congratulations to all that have completed first flight. You have done something that few people will ever do, Build and fly an airplane that you built yourself. As I draw nearer this point in the process I read with ever growing anticipation of the day I want to do it.
There is one thing I've noticed in many of the "First Flight Reports' though. It seems that many people aren't following the procedures out lined in AC 90-89A. While this AC lays out a complete test program for your aircraft and I think we would all be well advised to read it all and use all of its procedures the first flight procedures I think are even more important so I'm going to post them them below.
AC 90-89A is available on the EAA site and a hard copy can be ordered from the FAA or your local FSDO.
1. OBJECTIVE. To perform a series of tests to develop data that will ensure a safe landing.
a. The First Test Flight.
(1) After take-off, climb to 3,000 feet above ground level (AGL) and level off. Reduce power slowly. Complete the cruise checklist items. Following the FLIGHT TEST PLAN, circle the airport or emergency field as the engine performance is being monitored.
(2) Limit the cruise speed to no more than 1.5 the predicted stall speed of the aircraft. This will reduce the chances of flutter. If the engine appears to be operating smoothly, try testing the flight controls.
(3) With the airspeed being monitored, each control input should be gentle and small. Start with the rudder first. Yaw the nose of the aircraft 5 degrees left and right. Note the response. Raise the aircraft's nose 3 degrees up, note the response. After the aircraft is stabilized, level off and try three degrees nose down, trim, and note the response. Try a gentle bank of no more than 5 degrees to the left, then one to the right. If the aircraft is stable and is operating smoothly, try a few 90 degree clearing turns, followed by two 360 degree turns: one to the left and one to the right at a bank angle of 10 degrees.
(4) If the aircraft is responding to the prescribed specifications, increase the bank angle in succeeding turns to 20 degrees. If no problems are encountered, climb to 5,000 feet AGL (using the climb checklist and monitoring engine gauges), level off, fly an imaginary landing pattern, and test the flaps. Do not forget to announce every 5 to 10 minutes the aircraft's location, altitude, and intentions. Practice approach to landing by descending to 4,000 feet AGL first, then to 3,000 feet. Remember, use the descent checklist.
(5) During these maneuvers, control pressures should increase in proportion to control deflection. If control pressure remains the same as control deflection increases or if stick forces become lighter as control deflection increases, the aircraft may have a stability problem. Avoid large control movements and land as soon as possible.
(6) Remember to keep informing the tower/UNICOM/chase plane of what is happening. For 10 minutes of anticipated flight time, plan a brief rest period for the pilot. Fly straight and level, monitor the gauges, and enjoy the experience.
(7) At low cruise power setting, straight and level, observe how the aircraft trims out. Do the "fixed" trim tabs on the rudder and aileron need adjustment? Are the adjustable aileron and elevator trim control effective? Is the control stick/yoke slightly forward of the mid-position in straight and level flight?
( Climb slowly back up to 5,000 feet. Two questions must be answered before landing:
(i) Is the aircraft controllable at low speeds?
(ii) What is the approximate stall speed?
(9) These questions can be answered with an approach to a stall maneuver. Do NOT perform a FULL STALL check at this time!
(10) The necessity for an approach to a stall check is because it will help establish a preliminary stall speed (V si ) in mph/knots so the approach speed for landing can be calculated. Also, the pilot will have knowledge of the aircraft's handling characteristics at low speed.
b. Suggested Procedure.
(1) Level off at altitude; make two clearing turns; stabilize airspeed, heading, and altitude; apply carb heat; set the flaps in the landing configuration and reduce power slowly to 900 rpm. TRIM. If, as is not uncommon on first flights, the aircraft cannot be trimmed properly, the pilot can still proceed with the check as long as the stick forces are not unusually heavy.
(2) With the aircraft airspeed approximately 1.4 mph/knots times (X) the predicted stall speed, raise the nose slowly. It is desirable for the aircraft to start decelerating slowly, about 1/2 mph/knot a second. A 30 mph/knot deceleration at 1/2 mph/knot per second will take only a minute
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Gig Giacona
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: El Dorado Arkansas USA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 5:43 am Post subject: Re: First Flight Procedures. (LONG) |
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Obviously if you have an in-flight problem you will in most cases have to abort the procedure and return to land. But in that case you haven't completed the objective and the flight should be repeated after correction of the problem.
With the exception of the E-LSA builders that got a whole 5 hour Phase 1 limitation the rest of us have either 25 or 40 hours where we are going to have turn gasoline into noise. It seems a pity to waste that that time with just flying around in a 25 mile circle. AC 90-89A lays out a pretty could outline that will not only let a builder check that their plane is proper operating condition but will also allow the builder to become very familiar with their aircraft.
Do we need to do everything in AC 90-89A? Of course not it was written to cover a wide range of aircraft. I plan to use it to outline a complete test period. After a few quick read throughs and allowing for some flights that are failed for one reason or another it looks like the plan will take between 30-35 hours.
Anyone that has an idea for something more worthwhile I can do during the Phase 1 period please post it.
| n801bh(at)netzero.com wrote: | If all goes well then that checklist is ok..... Good luck on all going well, <G>..
Ben Haas
N801BH
www.haaspowerair.com
|
| | - The Matronics Zenith-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?Zenith-List |
|
_________________
W.R. "Gig" Giacona
601XL Under Construction
See my progress at www.peoamerica.net/N601WR |
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