First Flight C-FGAH

Alan Hepburn · Post by **Alan Hepburn** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:42 am

I have the 4" elevator spades, and pitch sensitivity was just about right,
I'd say. Pitch stability was neutral, i.e. if you raise the nose, it pretty
well stays put. Certainly no immediate tendency to return to the trimmed
attitude. Much better than the one I flew in Pa. which was distinctly
divergent in pitch. Roll stability was very slightly divergent from a 20*
bank. Yaw stability was positive. All this applies to the aircraft on
Montana 2200 amphibs.

There's a pic in the archives (Elite Completed Aircraft section).

Al

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Alan Hepburn · Post by **Alan Hepburn** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:42 am

Thanks for all the congrats, guys.

Replies to a couple of other questions:

The engine is an Aerosport Power O360 with low compression jugs and
LightSpeed Plasma 2 Plus on one side. Prop is a Sensenich 76EM8S8-0-56.

Performance reports to follow.

One comment - I tried to write down too much data on the initial flight.
Would have been better to radio it to somebody in the ground, or record it.

I was concerned about engine cooling. I have Van's baffles, oil cooler on
the firewall with a 3" scat hose feeding it. Tapered plenum on top of the
cooler. Lip at the rear exit of the cowl. No fairing on the firewall as
yet. The highest oil temp. I saw in the climb to 3,000' at 25C ambient was
85C. Limit is 118C, so things look positive so far in that area.

Al

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Wayne G. O'Shea · Post by **Wayne G. O'Shea** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:42 am

I had to come out of hidding just to say "CONGRATULATIONS"!!!!!!!! Alan !! A
day you'll never forget.

Note that an 18 minute flight is hard on a fresh rebuild, so next time
you're up..... after hunting down that oil leak...... make her 2 hours of
hard (2500RPM +) flight.

Cheers,
Wayne

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Hepburn" <ahepburn@renc.igs.net>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 12:38 PM
Subject: First Flight C-FGAH

Al Hepburn is happy to announce the first flight of Elite C-FGAH at
10:30 on June 20, '05, after a prolonged wait for decent WX. Flight
duration 0+18.

No cooling problems at 25C ambient in climb to 3,000'

Only problem encountered was a slight oil leak, source to be
investigated.

Does 97 knots indicated with the wheels down.

Al

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Angus McKenzie · Post by **Angus McKenzie** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:42 am

Congratulations Al..........Angus

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Alan Hepburn · Post by **Alan Hepburn** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:42 am

Wayne:

Yes, that's why I want to fix this oil leak ASAP. It's at the O ring on the
takeoff for the AirWolf filter. I guess the fitting wasn't screwed far
enough into the housing. I'll blame the lack of instructions. I've
adjusted the connections and will try again.

I'm also wondering about the cooling. The engine runs a bit hot at around
100C for the oil temp. I've switched to 100LL and we'll see how the
temperatures settle down on a longer flight. I imagine things will get a
little better once the engine gets run in. The manual calls for a maximum
of 118C and a "desired" of 82C. My PA30 has a normal operating point of
about 200F, or 95C on the dial. It's hard to see 82C being achievable.

The easiest fix would be to enlarge the scat on the oil cooler from 3" to
4". That provides almost 100% more duct area, but I don't know where to get
4" flanges. Might have to weld them up. Any ideas, anybody? Next fix that
occurs to me would be an external scoop connected direct to the cooler.

Al

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Bob Patterson · Post by **Bob Patterson** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:43 am

Hi Al !

Don't worry about it !! You are still in a safe range, and,
once you have seated the rings - about 2 hours of hard running,
the temps will all drop significantly !!!

You should definitely run 100LL for at least a couple of hundred
hours, to build up a reserve in the pores of the metal. Then you can run
one tank of 100LL for every 3 (approx.) of mogas, to keep the valves
from spot-welding to the seats ! Or add valve lube .... Guess you
are/were using Shell Gold, if compression is over 9 to 1 ...

I ran 100LL in the left tank, and Shell Bronze in the right -
the old O-235 was only about 6 to 1 ... ;-)

......bobp

-------------------------------orig.-------------------------
On Wednesday 22 June 2005 10:30 pm, Alan Hepburn wrote:

Wayne:

Yes, that's why I want to fix this oil leak ASAP. It's at the O ring on the
takeoff for the AirWolf filter. I guess the fitting wasn't screwed far
enough into the housing. I'll blame the lack of instructions. I've
adjusted the connections and will try again.

I'm also wondering about the cooling. The engine runs a bit hot at around
100C for the oil temp. I've switched to 100LL and we'll see how the
temperatures settle down on a longer flight. I imagine things will get a
little better once the engine gets run in. The manual calls for a maximum
of 118C and a "desired" of 82C. My PA30 has a normal operating point of
about 200F, or 95C on the dial. It's hard to see 82C being achievable.

The easiest fix would be to enlarge the scat on the oil cooler from 3" to
4". That provides almost 100% more duct area, but I don't know where to get
4" flanges. Might have to weld them up. Any ideas, anybody? Next fix that
occurs to me would be an external scoop connected direct to the cooler.

Al

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N.Smith · Post by **N.Smith** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:43 am

Congratulations Al

Good to hear another Elite is in the air. I look forward to hearing how you
get on.

Nigel
745E

-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com]On Behalf Of
Alan Hepburn
Sent: 20 June 2005 17:39
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: First Flight C-FGAH

Al Hepburn is happy to announce the first flight of Elite C-FGAH at
10:30 on June 20, '05, after a prolonged wait for decent WX. Flight
duration 0+18.

No cooling problems at 25C ambient in climb to 3,000'

Only problem encountered was a slight oil leak, source to be
investigated.

Does 97 knots indicated with the wheels down.

Al

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Lonnie Benson · Post by **Lonnie Benson** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:43 am

Al, Congratulations.

Lonnie

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Hepburn" <ahepburn@renc.igs.net>
To: <rebel-builders@dcsol.com>
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 11:38 AM
Subject: First Flight C-FGAH

Al Hepburn is happy to announce the first flight of Elite C-FGAH at
10:30 on June 20, '05, after a prolonged wait for decent WX. Flight
duration 0+18.

No cooling problems at 25C ambient in climb to 3,000'

Only problem encountered was a slight oil leak, source to be
investigated.

Does 97 knots indicated with the wheels down.

Al

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Dale Kilbey · Post by **Dale Kilbey** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:43 am

Congratulations Al. It must be a grat feeling.
Dale

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cosmedi · Post by **cosmedi** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:43 am

Hello Al,
Congragulations on your success.

Kind regards,
Greg. Gordon. Elite 724

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Alan Hepburn · Post by **Alan Hepburn** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:43 am

Bob:

I have the low compression rings, so 87 octane is OK. However, after seeing
what it does to the fuel cap and gascolator gaskets, and to the O rings in
the drain valves, I have decided to switch to 100LL except for emergencies
in the boonies.

Al

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Bob Patterson · Post by **Bob Patterson** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:43 am

Hi Al !

Probably "a good thing"(tm) ;-) :-) Sometimes the
'saving' isn't worth it !! We always used Shell, because it
is the ONLY brand that doesn't have any alcohol in it ...
in Canada, anyway, ... for now ...

FWIW, depending on engine/prop/airframe combo,
the Lycoming O-360 has placarded "vibration ranges" -
most say something like "avoid continuous operation between 2000
and 2450 rpm" ! They really shake, because of crankshaft
harmonics ! This is always a consideration for us,
towing gliders with the 180 hp Super Cubs, as we like to
cool them gently coming down .....

Because of the vibration range, BOTH of the factory
Elites were always cruised ABOVE 2500 rpm - Robin mostly used
2,700 , and I usually used 2,600. If you weren't paying attention,
and it dropped to 2500, the vibration soon got your attention ! ;-)
These engines like to turn !

Most people seem to think that the run-in should be done
at full throttle, or varied from cruise to WOT at 5-10 minute
intervals........

I think Wayne has written about his procedure before -
might be worth a trip through the email archives.

.......bobp

-------------------------------orig.-------------------------
On Thursday 23 June 2005 09:02 pm, Alan Hepburn wrote:

Bob:

I have the low compression rings, so 87 octane is OK. However, after seeing
what it does to the fuel cap and gascolator gaskets, and to the O rings in
the drain valves, I have decided to switch to 100LL except for emergencies
in the boonies.

Al

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