Bluerooster
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2015
- Messages
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The paint work is 99.44% complete, just have a few touch-ups to do.
Got the annual inspection completed, and now is the time for a shakedown flight. Got to the airport, got a very thorough pre-flight done. Hopped in and fired it up. While taxiing to the run-up area, I checked the hand brake, it pulls to the right a tad. (Squawk #1) The toe brakes feel a tad mushy, but work fine (squawk #2). Run up was uneventful, did my "sweep check" and got on the runway. poured the coal to it, airspeed came alive at about 20, But never got above 45. By that time I was airborne, and climbing, AS came up to about 60, then went to zero and stayed there untill I pulled power back to ~1800 abeam the numbers. It then went to 80. I flew the rest of base to final by feel and sight picture. On short final, airspeed went to 100, and stayed there to touchdown. After touchdown it very slowly fell back to 0. I went back and parked it. (squawk#3)
I decided that it had a blockage in the static line somewhere. So I removed the static line, and sure enough it was stopped up. Went out to the pitot tube and removed the static line at that end, line is clear from end to end. leaving the static port at the pitot tube. Sure enough, it's stopped up. I called my A&P, he sez "why are you calling me? Just fix it!"
He went on with instruction on what he does in that situation. No worries, I got this. About an hour later I had the blockage removed,and it's ready for a test drive. Back to the run-up area, another uneventful run-up, sweep check, on the runway, highspeed taxi, AS works as it should, taxiback for departure RWY 34. Pour the coal to it, rotate at 60, climb at 80, VSI showing 1000fpm, speed up to 90 VSI showing 700fpm.
climb to pattern altitude, level off (as best I can in the convective turbulence) power to hold 100, and altitude, set trim. and fly one rectangular pattern around the runway. On downwind, abeam the numbers, power back to 1800, one notch of flap, pitch for 80, adjust power to hold 500fpm down. Turn crosswind, 'nother click of flap, hold 80, and 500 fpm. Turn final, last notch, slow to 75, and keep touch down point from moving up or down. When the time comes, flare, and touchdown as softly as I can. Just for the fun of it, retract flaps, add a touch of power to hold the nosewheel off and ride the mains to the other end of the runway.
Cleared the runway at the last turn-off, taxied over, and parked it for the day. All in all, a good time, and I'll be taking it to the practice area tomorrow morning when it's cool, and smooth, to put it through it's paces.
Got the annual inspection completed, and now is the time for a shakedown flight. Got to the airport, got a very thorough pre-flight done. Hopped in and fired it up. While taxiing to the run-up area, I checked the hand brake, it pulls to the right a tad. (Squawk #1) The toe brakes feel a tad mushy, but work fine (squawk #2). Run up was uneventful, did my "sweep check" and got on the runway. poured the coal to it, airspeed came alive at about 20, But never got above 45. By that time I was airborne, and climbing, AS came up to about 60, then went to zero and stayed there untill I pulled power back to ~1800 abeam the numbers. It then went to 80. I flew the rest of base to final by feel and sight picture. On short final, airspeed went to 100, and stayed there to touchdown. After touchdown it very slowly fell back to 0. I went back and parked it. (squawk#3)
I decided that it had a blockage in the static line somewhere. So I removed the static line, and sure enough it was stopped up. Went out to the pitot tube and removed the static line at that end, line is clear from end to end. leaving the static port at the pitot tube. Sure enough, it's stopped up. I called my A&P, he sez "why are you calling me? Just fix it!"
He went on with instruction on what he does in that situation. No worries, I got this. About an hour later I had the blockage removed,and it's ready for a test drive. Back to the run-up area, another uneventful run-up, sweep check, on the runway, highspeed taxi, AS works as it should, taxiback for departure RWY 34. Pour the coal to it, rotate at 60, climb at 80, VSI showing 1000fpm, speed up to 90 VSI showing 700fpm.
climb to pattern altitude, level off (as best I can in the convective turbulence) power to hold 100, and altitude, set trim. and fly one rectangular pattern around the runway. On downwind, abeam the numbers, power back to 1800, one notch of flap, pitch for 80, adjust power to hold 500fpm down. Turn crosswind, 'nother click of flap, hold 80, and 500 fpm. Turn final, last notch, slow to 75, and keep touch down point from moving up or down. When the time comes, flare, and touchdown as softly as I can. Just for the fun of it, retract flaps, add a touch of power to hold the nosewheel off and ride the mains to the other end of the runway.
Cleared the runway at the last turn-off, taxied over, and parked it for the day. All in all, a good time, and I'll be taking it to the practice area tomorrow morning when it's cool, and smooth, to put it through it's paces.
