First flight.
Klik here for video of first flight
I drove with my dad to the airport, we both were very nervous. The plane is ready for her first flight. At 11:00 am, our test pilot should be there. He did a check together with us. It was not the first time he saw her, because during the building he visited us.
Because it was the first time Joop flew a KR2S we had a plan. An other KR2S (the PH-MIJ) would be coming in at 12:00 AM, so our test pilot could make a few landings so he can adjust to a KR2S. Due to low cloud base they were delayed. They arrived at 13:00PM. So we had some spare time. We did a few taxi runs in the PH-TDB. The last run we accelerate slowly to about 30kts, and suddenly the nose rises slowly....my reaction was “it works”.
He said what do you think....I have seen enough it feels good!
Joop (our test pilot) did a few touch and goes. With the first one he had a bit of self induced oscillation, the second time it was oke, The third was perfect and made a full stop.
And ACTION............. Last briefing
Two very nervous men...
The minute was here, our little baby will be airborne soon.
Me, my mom and dad
First lift off.
It flies
No need for explanation.
First landing.
Briefing from first flight.
The two guys on the captain side are the owners and builder from the PH-MIJ aircraft.
The result of the first test flight.
Oil temp to high in climb, so it needs to be fixed (in level flight the temp drops)
It looks like there is no trim needed, on ailerons or rudder the plane flies straight. But the plane wants to go nose down, the trim is not enough to get the nose up. I am sure the weight and balance is oke. The guys from the PH-MIJ had about the same problem, they made their trim tap asymmetric so it will travel more down and less up.
I already always thought the unbalanced elevator was to heavy (to much paint) So we are sure our trimtap is not big enough. So we have to make a temporary extra fixed trimtab. The only solution, for a next flight, is extra weight on board to create a more aft W&B. That extra weight was ....... me!!
Checking the engine and fuel.
Ready for the second flight.
There we go! After take off I was still very nervous and had only eyes for the engine instruments. Joop gave me the controls, but I get direct in the self induced oscillation modes. He took the controls back and the plane was ok again. I was to nervous and to obsessed with the engine instruments that I was not able to fly the plane. So the decision to ask Joop to fly her on the first flight, was the best ever.
We made a perfect landing.
My first flight in my own plane.
Afterbriefing.
Engine temp is in straight and level flight high but acceptable. (in flight I could check the engine management with my tablet)
The trimtab was almost ok. But still not enough.......despite the (heavy) change in W&B
We have the idea that the engine is very powerfull in take off. It looks like a very good propeller / engine combination.
Time for my dad.
Erik Wildenbeest in the chase plane. He took the photographer Niels Borcharding with him, in his RV6
Thanks Erik and Niels
After about 15 landings and about 5 hours testing, together with Joop, I was ready for my first solo with my own plane.
Two hours later I was ready to pickup my dad. So we had the day of our life.....
At this moment the plane is flying straight, no trim taps needed at the ailerons and rudder. At the elevator we installed a temp fixed trimtab, for this moment it works good, in the future I will look for another solution.
Engine temperatuur is still to high, I am busy to realize more suction in the cowling just below the oil cooler.
My conclusion is that it worked for me perfect to have a (test) pilot to do the first few flights. With my second flight we changed already from positions, so I was in the captains seat. From that moment I was trying to fly the plane. But every time I get in the self induced oscillation. Joop told me he would check the engine instruments...I had to fly the plane. From that moment I was the captain of the plane. Did the landings and Joop was the safety pilot. So we where for this period a perfect team.
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