Ep 1 Planning & Fuel Flow Test - Task-Based Flight Test Series

[@richardturner6278]

Hi Steve, long time follower here. Something u might mention or discuss sometime is the added safety factor overall of building your own aircraft. I can't overstate this enough. It's an advantage to know and understand every system of the aircraft you are flying. Thank you for the work u are putting in to share this task based flight program. I've always thought too many builders out there have just basically flown around in circles not really testing as much as they are site seeing.

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

Oh man, that’s a great point. Careful, you might just get pinned!

[@clilesny]

25-year career FTE and Flight Test Manager in the Developmental Test (DT) test world here. Thank you for posting the Task-Based Flight Test Series. I am considering building my own plane and I have been watching the many changing regulations over the years. I agree Task-Based is a way more efficient and informative approach to the Phase I requirements and understanding the aircraft that you built. On the safety note, recommend always wearing safety glasses when dealing with pressurized fuel, ask me how I know ;-). Cheers, Cliff

[@Jason-Black]

The intro voiceovers are hilarious. Enjoying the series so far Steve!

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

Man AI is creepy, ain’t it? Let’s plan a meetup this summer!

[@Jason-Black]

@@CLEAREDDIRECT I’m in!

[@markguenin9114]

At 6:45, you said "...essentially take out your ops limitations and put in your POH." I think that's incorrect. You are issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate (SAC) for your Experimental - Amateur Built (EAB) aircraft, and the Ops Limits are a part of your SAC. The Ops Limits never go away -- they are an integral part of your SAC. Your POH is in addition to, not in place of, your Ops Limits. Your Ops Limits specify what you can and can't do during Phase 1 (the test flying stage); your Ops Limits also specify what you can and can't do during Phase 2 (normal operations after Phase 1 is done). Think of your SAC and your Ops Limits as one document. The FAA certainly does. Both need to be in the aircraft during flight. Great series, by the way; and great channel, even before this series!

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

Yeah I definitely oversimplified. I’ll look into the regs and refine my explanation if needed (sounds like it) on ep 2. Super appreciated!

[@ibgarrett]

Oh - it also would be handy if you included links to any online/downloadable documents you reference... just for click ability. :D

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

What didn’t I link? Check the intro episode description for anything I might’ve missed.

[@ibgarrett]

The AC90-89c. Again. I’m just whining. Too lazy to google. (No worries. I already went and got it. Kinda surprised I hadn’t already)

[@ibgarrett]

If you wouldn’t mind sharing the spreadsheet you used for the fuel flow test, that would be awesome. :)

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

I'm still thinking about it...I'll let you know if I do.

[@ibgarrett]

@@CLEAREDDIRECT I'm just too lazy to pause the screen and do it myself... :)

[@RobertTheFriscoSchmid]

@@CLEAREDDIRECT still thinking about it? ;-) ... Would love it too!

[@SteveN3695J]

Great "Food for Thought"..! You've increased my appetite...:)

[@jerrylittle7797]

"Warnings, Cautions and Notes"... you "shouldn't" have any warnings in your POH...hopefully...😉

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

Why?

[@jerrylittle7797]

@@CLEAREDDIRECT what we used to say about how "warings" came about..."paid for in blood".

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

@@jerrylittle7797oh gotcha. That was dark 😂

[@jerrylittle7797]

@@CLEAREDDIRECT no bad vibs for the Bogey! Loved the build series and thoroughly enjoying the testing.

[@johnwilcox2239]

Fuel test question, rather than trying to chase a static volume, did you consider, would it not be easier, more precise, to use weight. You don’t have to be exact on stopping/ volume chasing, just time start and stop, weigh ,calculate?

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

I didn’t consider it. I suppose you could if your scale can be accurate as liquid is added, potentially sloshing. I think I’d measure by volume again if I had to. Thanks for the question!

[@flynjay7178]

I am currently going through a Part 147 program to get my A&P certificates. I have also not found a good reference for maintenance entries. Maybe an organization like Savvy can create an example. This is the line from FAA-H-8083-30B, "Whenever maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, or alteration work occurs on an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part, a maintenance record entry must be created." 14 CFR 91.417 is the reference for what is required. Basically: Description of work performed, Date Completed, Person that completed work, signature (is defacto return to service for work performed).

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

Awesome, thanks for the good info! Im guessing they don’t want to “lead the witness” so to speak and encourage simple accurate entries rather than canned statements but I kinda want some examples! I’ll have to thumb through my Bonanza logs again. Good luck with the program. We need a lot more good A&Ps!

[@marceisenmann8010]

Hi Steve. What speed did you choose as V_NE on your S21 and do you have to reach or maybe exceed it during flight testing?

[@CLEAREDDIRECT]

I’m essentially going with the factory Vne of 215mph (187knots). You definitely don’t want to test that. Sure, there’s plenty of safety margin built in, but I don’t flirt with it. Absolutely zero benefit as I see it. The first thing to fail will be the windscreen or skylight.

[@marceisenmann8010]

Okay. I jut thought there might be a requirement to test it. I’m flight testing here in Germany and they make us fly V_D (10% over V_NE) as TAS. I set my V_NE for that reason much lower to 165kts CAS (operationally sufficient). I’m not very comfortable with the high V_NE that is stated in the Rans POH.