O
WNER
’
S
F
LIGHT
M
ANUAL
47
46
XL
to check out your engine system thoroughly. Ground run it for an
hour or so at low to medium power. Run it with the top cowling
off and look for excessive vibration, unsafetied hardware, leaky
fuel lines, or anything else unpleasant.After this initial run-in peri-
od (or the manufacturer’s recommended run-in for new or over-
hauled engines), check everything over very carefully. Recheck the
exhaust nuts for torque, look for leaks around gaskets, loose
clamps, check fit of cowling baffles, etc. Check everything thor-
oughly before you button up the cowling to begin taxi tests. Be
sure the engine compartment is clean. Check for nuts, washers,
bits of safety wire, etc., because in a pusher everything that comes
off goes right through the prop.
Low Speed Taxi
For fixed gear aircraft, make all initial taxi/runway flights
WITH
-
OUT
wheel pants for better brake cooling.
Low speed taxi is defined as that slower than required to lift
the nose wheel off the ground - 45 knots. Spend at least a full
hour doing low speed taxi to fully familiarize yourself with the
cockpit environment and to thoroughly check the engine, brakes,
controls, landing gear, etc.
Thirty five knots is sufficient speed to evaluate rudder steering
and brake effectiveness.You may find that
EXTENSIVE TAXIING CAN
OVERHEAT THE BRAKES
.At 35 knots you will note that the sloppy feel
of the control stick is gone and airloads now provide a comfort-
able centering feel.
Now is the time for the final FAA inspection and issuance of
your airworthiness certificate. The necessary inspections by the
FAA must be done prior to any flight testing! Be sure you have
complied with all pertinent FAA regulations. Refer to FAA
Advisory Circular AC # 20-27D for the details (Display of N-
numbers, warning & ID plates, etc.) AC #20-27D is a must to
have prior to calling for an FAA inspection. Be sure all the paper
work is done!
“homebuilder syndrome”, give the only key to your bird to a close
friend (preferably one who really likes you and to whom you owe
money) and give the absolute authority to say “go” or “no go” to
your initial flight tests.With all the other things you are thinking
about, it is best to give the decision of whether the airplane is
ready to someone else. If you really get a bad case of “home-
builder syndrome”, your friendship may be strained somewhat,
but you will be able to make up after you have tested your new
bird safely.
The “homebuilder syndrome” has been a major factor in many
first-flight accidents.Typical of this problem is where an individual
spends all his time and money building his airplane, and, for several
years, lets his flying proficiency lapse.Very typically we find a fin-
ished homebuilt with the owner/pilot seriously lacking in pilot
proficiency. In one case, the pilot who tried to fly the first flight on
his homebuilt had only one flight in the last two years! Another
problem surfaces about the time the aircraft is ready to fly:
“EGO” – that is,“I built the machine, I’ll fly it.After all, who knows
more about my machine than me...I built it.” The homebuilder is
understandably proud of his creation and becomes very posses-
sive. So we find the proud builder/pilot at the end of the runway,
“ready” for takeoff, with possibly a bad case of “homebuilder syn-
drome”. But he will not know it until just after liftoff, when he
finds himself suddenly thrust into an environment he is ill pre-
pared to handle.
The best remedy for “homebuilder syndrome” is to accept
help on your flight testing from an experienced Velocity or Long
EZ pilot.Then get a good checkout from him after you meet the
currency requirements.
Ground Testing
Do not just race out and fly your airplane first thing.You will
spend a while checking out all of your systems on the ground
before you leap off on the first flight.The first order of business is
Summary of Contents for XL RG
Page 1: ......
