Test Flight: 5
Date: Saturday February 6th 2021
Hobbs Start: 6.7 Hobbs End: 8.1
Description: A shorter flight than the previous trying to get back before the gusting cross-wind picked up into the 20s (I made it back when it was still 10kt right cross). With a little more trust in the autopilot, flew most of the flight via the Garmin. 1) I was able to get a nice slow mixture lean in order to gather another set of data before I start swapping on injector sizes. 2) I got some decent numbers at 4500 for 60% power LOP and 75% power ROP. I wanted to grab those numbers because I am going to start putting the wheel pants on. 3) I finally remembered to calibrate the pitch offset on the PFD. 4) I calibrated two of the AoA settings (viewable and caution). The controllers were busy all around, good job guys.
Objectives: Fuel topoff, preflight and run-up of the aircraft, normal take off with 0 degree flaps, depart the pattern for engine break in, auto pilot deployment, engine leaning data gathering, pitch offset calibration, AoA calibration, return to base, normal full flap landing.
Airplane Start Condition: 60 gallons of fuel, 9 qts of oil as read on the dip stick, 50lbs of ballast in the baggage compartment, single pilot (150lbs)
Airplane End Condition: 39.4 gallons of fuel, 8.75 qts of oil as read on the dip stick (probably .25 on the belly), 50lbs of ballast in the baggage compartment, single pilot (150lbs)
Test Flight Track Log:
Pilot Notes:
- Autopilot was pretty rock solid. Heading, Nav, Alt, IAS, VS mode all functioned well
- AoA calibration will need to be dialed in more as well as the actual Stall run needs to be calibrated yet.
- 9qts of oil is still too much for that sump. A fair bit of oil on the belly and post flight checks verify that is all coming from the crank case vent.
- Heat vents are pretty difficult to push open (yes, I thought I was being smart and installed them as a push rather than pull to open). Once at airpseed, there may just be too much force to have this in a push configuration, it feels like it is going to bend the push pull cable. That said, heat works well.
- Left tank fuel vent is much better. I pulled it up further to the top of the tank as it was pissing fuel when the fuel trucks were filling to the bottom of the filler neck.
- There is an odd behavior with what I think is mono/stereo on the audio panel. Either my audio recording works and the "alert" noises have a little static, or my phone wont pick up the transmissions but the audio alerts sound perfect.
Open Squawks:
5) While the charging system is stable, I would still like to see if I can get the 0.2v differential out of the x-feed contactor. That is, my AUX bus when the alternator is on runs at a voltage 0.2v lower than MAIN. It is not that surprising given the number of connectors between the two busses. In order for the AUX battery to get alternator voltage it has to get through terminals on the MAIN contactor, X-FEED contactor, and then the AUX contactor. One or more of those terminal to terminal connections needs to be cleaned.
Verified Closed Squawks:
N/A
