Did a JK05 conversion this morning
Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:42 am
Howdy guys. Had an opportunity to get a JK05 on my license so grabbed it this morning. Of course the weather was far from ideal. Very low cloud / mist hanging around so we sat around for an hour and then at around 07:00 it lifted enough to be legal. Off we went. Impressions.
1) It's no fun to get into and out of. It's very tight in the cockpit for me but once I'm in it's ok. No space to swing a cat in at all. Very reclined seating position - feels like you driving a porsche. Getting out is a mission.
2) The switches is just about out of reach for me and the choke impossible to reach once strapped in.
3) The stick has no self neutral position during taxi'ing but not much of an issue. - it's also almost difficult to read the instuments if your passenger is tall as his knees obscures the pressure and temp gauges - so the passenger becomes co-pilot for read-outs.
4) Warm up took forever - flaps Ok to set- electrical and has an indicator in the cockpit. Trim - you have no idea where it is as also electrical but no indicator as all.
5) Airborne in a hurry - obviously trim was quite a bit up as I had to fight to even try and keep her in ground effect - climbs like a homesick angel and the speed climbs quite quickly.
6) Flaps off and trim forward and she accelerates very quick. 90 mph at 4700 rpm and 105 mph at 5000 rpm no problem.
7) Stick inputs are nice and feedback OK but the amount of travel is quite small so you have to be smooth.
Requires a lot of rudder work - even more than the cheetah and you must keep an eye on that ball. Will probably improve with a lot of time in her but you can't have lazy feet.
9) Hard to slow her down in the circuit to get to flap speed so you have to throttle back quite a bit compared to the cheetah. Once settled thought the speed is easy to maintain and she was easy to fly in the circuit. Visibilty forward is great - not bad sideways and above either. Maintained just under blue line till threshold - let her settle - hold off and she floats down nicely and settles on main gear - hold the nose off and you better be awake on the rudder.
All in all a nice airplane - you must be awake near the stall - tends to start dropping a wing and the owner manual says no intentional stalls so I suggest keeping to that. It's very tight for 2 big boys in the cabin - not much packing space other than about a vanity case.
Lovely to fly but don't be napping.
Will I buy one - yes maybe if I had cash lying around spare. Still like the cheetah as I think it will handle rougher and short field better. One thing to watch out for. Man this thing has long wings - watch those hangar doors if you don't want her to pick up hangar rash all the time. This one has evidence of that being repaired on the wing tips a few times. Oh yes engine in this one - 912 Extra and 3 blade Petzke prop.
1) It's no fun to get into and out of. It's very tight in the cockpit for me but once I'm in it's ok. No space to swing a cat in at all. Very reclined seating position - feels like you driving a porsche. Getting out is a mission.
2) The switches is just about out of reach for me and the choke impossible to reach once strapped in.
3) The stick has no self neutral position during taxi'ing but not much of an issue. - it's also almost difficult to read the instuments if your passenger is tall as his knees obscures the pressure and temp gauges - so the passenger becomes co-pilot for read-outs.
4) Warm up took forever - flaps Ok to set- electrical and has an indicator in the cockpit. Trim - you have no idea where it is as also electrical but no indicator as all.
5) Airborne in a hurry - obviously trim was quite a bit up as I had to fight to even try and keep her in ground effect - climbs like a homesick angel and the speed climbs quite quickly.
6) Flaps off and trim forward and she accelerates very quick. 90 mph at 4700 rpm and 105 mph at 5000 rpm no problem.
7) Stick inputs are nice and feedback OK but the amount of travel is quite small so you have to be smooth.
Requires a lot of rudder work - even more than the cheetah and you must keep an eye on that ball. Will probably improve with a lot of time in her but you can't have lazy feet. 9) Hard to slow her down in the circuit to get to flap speed so you have to throttle back quite a bit compared to the cheetah. Once settled thought the speed is easy to maintain and she was easy to fly in the circuit. Visibilty forward is great - not bad sideways and above either. Maintained just under blue line till threshold - let her settle - hold off and she floats down nicely and settles on main gear - hold the nose off and you better be awake on the rudder.
All in all a nice airplane - you must be awake near the stall - tends to start dropping a wing and the owner manual says no intentional stalls so I suggest keeping to that. It's very tight for 2 big boys in the cabin - not much packing space other than about a vanity case.
Lovely to fly but don't be napping.
Will I buy one - yes maybe if I had cash lying around spare. Still like the cheetah as I think it will handle rougher and short field better. One thing to watch out for. Man this thing has long wings - watch those hangar doors if you don't want her to pick up hangar rash all the time. This one has evidence of that being repaired on the wing tips a few times. Oh yes engine in this one - 912 Extra and 3 blade Petzke prop.
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