Justin's Raven

[AndyCAP]

Hey Justin whassup with FSR?

[Jean Crous]

Hey Justin whassup with FSR?

Ja-ja, ek wil ook weet

[justin.schoeman]

Hey Justin whassup with FSR?

Ja-ja, ek wil ook weet

The usual... Did some more training last weekend. First session - 1 hour, 8 approaches, 7 go arounds and 1 landing. Just too ham fisted during the hold off. Second session was a lot better - the inverse of the first. 7 landings (one really good) and 1 go around.

Slowly getting the feel of everything again - but taking much longer than expected.

No flying this weekend though. Sinuses are so stuffed, my head feels like it will explode driving up a hill - don't even want to contemplate a climb to circuit altitude!

Jonty says he has found a type rated instructor who weighs only 65kg - which would mean I can fly with him without moving the engine or anything...

Let us see what next weekend brings!

[justin.schoeman]

OK. Everybody reading this is going to chuckle to themselves, and think 'What an idiot.' But I suppose I should tell the story anyway.

This is all about the infamous fast taxi tests. Most texts about testing aircraft will tell you not to do it. It is just too dangerous, and you get very little extra information from it. While other people say that it is not really dangerous at all. I started in the former group, and slowly worked my way into the latter group.

When I started testing my plane, I set a hard limit of 40kts for taxi tests (stall speed should be around 44). I pretty much stuck to this limit until a test pilot took me for a fast taxi - letting the mains just start lifting, before closing the power and allowing it to settle back. When I saw how easy it was, and how safe it looked, I started to do this myself. Partly because it gives a good measure of the actual take-off performance, and to be honest, partly because it was just plain fun. Doh.

I was at the airfield on Saturday, doing some training on the Jabirus. The instructor finally said I was ready to go solo again, and do some consolidation, before doing my flight test.

Seeing as I was finally approaching competence again, it was time to start chasing after my conversion. So I wheeled the plane out for some ground runs, and taxi tests, to make sure everything was perfect for when I could arrange an instructor. I did a thorough preflight (this is an important rule about runway ops, that I fortunately followed - NEVER enter the runway, unless the aircraft is fully prepared for flight), then taxied off to do some ground runs. When everything checked out, I took it on to the runway for some taxi tests...

First test was OK, but I was a little slow on the rudder, so I thought I would do another one. This time I made two mistakes - first, OAT was 13C (much colder than I had done before), and second I decided to try a short field run. So full power against the brakes, and let her rip. Catch the yaw with the rudder, get her nice and stable. Head down for a quick T&P scan. Head up, and she is already hopping a bit on the mains. Close the power and relax a bit. But neutral trim is actually not quite neutral, so relax the stick pressure, and she pops straight up into the air. No problem. Check forward, line up and flare. And bounce. Try again, and bounce again. Take some power to stabilise things, line up again and close the power - but now I am going way to fast, she is not coming down at all, and the end of the runway is getting very big. No options left now, so I open the power all the way and set off for a circuit.

Naturally, at this point I am not a particularly happy camper. I was not intending to fly. I was not mentally prepared to fly. I have never flown this type before. But there are no options - the only safety is back at the other end of the runway. So I have to complete the circuit. Fortunately, my instructor saw my predicament, and joined me on the radio. Not quite the same as having someone there with you - so still scared, but at least have someone to share it with...

Fortunately, the circuit was a non-event. Shepherded her around for a nice greaser, right on the numbers. Taxied back, and invoked some very bad RT.

But things could have been horribly different. If this had happened on the earlier taxi tests, when I had not flown for two years, I would most likely not be typing this now. If conditions were not as perfect (the air was smooth as can be), or the plane was not such a beauty to fly, things could also be very different.

Even though this story had a happy ending, it could very easily not have (and a bit of research shows that many similar stories did not have a happy ending). So when you read those EAA texts on test flying, and the dangers of fast taxis, believe them. Never, ever even go near to stall speed, unless you are fully ready, and properly qualified to actually fly the plane. You may get away with it a few times, but eventually it will bite you.

And if you are still chuckling at my stupidity - go ahead, I certainly deserve it. I let a gradual growth of confidence bud into overconfidence and started to think people were wrong about it being dangerous...

[Karman]

Hi Justin ,

I have client that always says.... Its not the mistake/problem that is the issue.. its how you deal with it.

I just like to commend you on taking right actions at right time. I'm sure tons of pilots would have panicked and tried to stop.. You kept a cool head (or very sweaty) and are here to tell the tale of your mistakes, sure lots of us learned from it

All best
L:

[Boet]

Justin, that "fast taxi" is just for guys too scared to REALLY fly their own creations! And is normally the prelude to the buggerup that ensues. I have done LOTS of test flying, and the only "fast taxies" that I have done, was with aeroplanes with VW engines....... with good reason then. It is better to anchor the aircraft to the planet, start it up, warm up, gooi mielies for 5 minutes, the climbout after take-off, reduce power slightly, turning downwind and base, reduce power to idle, final and landing. If the engine did not show anything funny during this test, it is OK to go and do a real circuit. That is the SAFE way to do a "high speed taxi". These very light aeries get airborne so easily, and if you are NOT prepared to FLY, you will be in the bollies in no time flat.

Fly safe, and remember, when in doubt; DONT!!

[justin.schoeman]

Justin, that "fast taxi" is just for guys too scared to REALLY fly their own creations! And is normally the prelude to the buggerup that ensues. I have done LOTS of test flying, and the only "fast taxies" that I have done, was with aeroplanes with VW engines....... with good reason then. It is better to anchor the aircraft to the planet, start it up, warm up, gooi mielies for 5 minutes, the climbout after take-off, reduce power slightly, turning downwind and base, reduce power to idle, final and landing. If the engine did not show anything funny during this test, it is OK to go and do a real circuit. That is the SAFE way to do a "high speed taxi". These very light aeries get airborne so easily, and if you are NOT prepared to FLY, you will be in the bollies in no time flat.

Fly safe, and remember, when in doubt; DONT!!

That is the problem when you as the builder are not competent or qualified to fly the plane - we can't just do a circuit. I did the engine tests by running a full flight test profile. 5 minutes at full power, down to 22" for 15 minutes, and then gradually reduce for the landing. So far my boat anchor is doing quite well .

Anyway. Still battling to get my type conversion, so I am not sure when I will get to fly my plane properly .

[Boet]

Justin, I am just yanking your chain about the Volla engine. They are really not all that bad. The bad part of the volloksie is the hands, da "finger trouble" that ensues, when the skill to work on them is severely lacking! I have great admiration for your tenacity with this project, and wishes you well, and much safe flying and enjoyment.

[justin.schoeman]

Aiii... I wish this project didn't require 'tenacity'... I wish I could just assemble planes by magic, the way you seem to do. Sommer double compound curves in aluminium sheet for the fairings and cowl on that EAA biplane . I could only dream of doing stuff like that...

[Boet]

Hammer an much patience. We all learn. Wish I could still be your age!

[AndyCAP]

Hey Justin congrats on ending your blunder safely!! Thanks for sharing so honestly. How is the project coming on?

[justin.schoeman]

Some days, I just want to give up. I finally gave up on getting my conversion locally, and went down to WCFTC for 2 days to get my conversion with Johan Froneman. Due to typical cape weather, I never got as much flying in as I would like, but in the end Johan was happy to sign me out.

Now it gets interesting. My flight test expired at the end of June, so I have been using this bit to keep on flying:

(3) In the event of the Maintenance of Competency requirements of a PPL (Aeroplane) not
being complied with, the holder of a PPL (Aeroplane) may automatically continue to exercise the
privileges of a SPL (Aeroplane), without being subject to the requirements of flight authorisation
by a flight instructor acting at an approved Part 141 ATO.

So this afternoon I go to the CAA to file the paperwork, and they cannot do it. They cannot add a new type to my PPL, because it is not valid, and they cannot add it as an SPL, because I do not have one, and I also have the wrong paperwork...

So now I need to do my flight test first to renew my license before I can add the type. And to top it all off, DoT have just promulgated this with immediate effect:

Amendment of Regulation 61.03.7 of the Regulations
11.Regulation 61.03.7 is herewith amended by the deletion of sub-regulation (3) thereof.

So now my license is completely invalid . Will need to see on Monday if I need to get an SPL, or not, as there does not seem to be a need for solo hours anymore for the flight test...

Who knows, maybe some decade I will get a chance to fly my plane...

[AndyCAP]

Hey Justin. Whats news? Any luck with the license? I am almost to scared to ask.... My license expired end of July. Did my last flying in jan 2012.... Hope i am not in the same boat? Any furter developments withFSR?

[justin.schoeman]

Hey Justin. Whats news? Any luck with the license? I am almost to scared to ask.... My license expired end of July. Did my last flying in jan 2012.... Hope i am not in the same boat? Any furter developments withFSR?

License renewal was pretty straight forward. Just took a long time to get the bookings for the test... Fortunately, the CAA removed the requirement for solo hours for a renewal after expiry (if you renew within 36 months of expiry, you just need to do dual training, until the instructor is happy, then do the test).

Anyway. Collected my new license today. And after 2 days of phone calls, trying to get the CAA to admit that Johan's instructors license is valid (comms between CAA and RAASA don't work too well), I also received my type rating as well. And some very speedy work from Braam Hechter got me a renewed PFA as well.

So as of 3PM today, I finally have all the bits of paper together that allow me to legally fly my plane.

The plan is to go out tomorrow afternoon, and if conditions aren't too bad (10kt cross wind predicted), I will finally start my flight testing...

[AndyCAP]

Great news!!! Hope you get in the air today!

BTW so was the issue that your license had lapsed for more than 36 months?