X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from [66.219.56.248] (HELO qnsi-xch.qnsi.net) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.1.2) with ESMTP id 1586450 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Mon, 20 Nov 2006 14:00:28 -0500 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=66.219.56.248; envelope-from=bhughes@qnsi.net X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.5.6944.0 Content-class: urn:content-classes:message Return-Receipt-To: "Bobby J. Hughes" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----_=_NextPart_001_01C70CD6.0A5281E4" Disposition-Notification-To: "Bobby J. Hughes" Subject: RE: [FlyRotary] N11XD First Flight report Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:59:51 -0600 Message-ID: X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: Thread-Topic: [FlyRotary] N11XD First Flight report Thread-Index: AccM0gG3yKPZ73y7QYme8V/XO3w1JAAA+axA From: "Bobby J. Hughes" To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C70CD6.0A5281E4 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Congrat's Jim. What is the stall speed of the Delta?=20 =20 Bobby ________________________________ From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On = Behalf Of James Maher Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 12:31 PM To: Rotary motors in aircraft Subject: [FlyRotary] N11XD First Flight report On Saturday Nov 18,2006 around 2:00PM Dyke Delta N11XD finally took to = the sky at Barnes Airport in Westfield MA (KBAF). After a short takeoff roll she climbed out at 120 MPH at a rate of about = 1000 fpm. Once reaching the planned altitude of 3000 feet the aircraft = was leveled off and throttle reduced to about 5000 RPM (about =BD = throttle) which allowed an easy slow cruise at 120-130MPH. This was all = with the IVO in-flight adjustable prop set to about 80 inches of pitch = and 5 deg of T-tail setting. It was amazing to see all of the = instruments come to life and be working just as they were expected to. = Especially the gyro instruments, which are driven by a Venturi, and = therefore not tested before flight. Gentle turns were performed to keep = the aircraft above the airport and within reach of its 9000 and 5000 = foot runways. First 10 degrees of bank then 20 degrees. The engine ran = smooth as silk with all temps and pressures in the green. After several = circles around the airport the T-tail was set to the neutral position = and the nose did drop noticeably requiring a bit of retrimming of the = elevons. The aircraft flew straight and level with no tendency to change = heading or pitch on its own (just like the other Deltas I have flown). = The next test was some slow flight to see just what happens as the = aircraft slows down. This was performed by reducing the power and = airspeed in 5 MPH increments and getting a feel for the controls at each = reduced speed. I started at 120MPH and by the time it got down to 95 the = controls required a bit more movement but it was easy to hold level = flight at this speed. The aircraft did not feel as though it was on the = verge of a stall or get mushy or show any tendency to descend. This told = me that it would not be an issue to land. I then climbed to 4000 feet = and made a simulated downwind entry. When abeam the numbers I reduce = power to 3500 RPM set the airplane into a descent at 120 MPH. I was = descending at 1000 FPM and reached 3000 feet before even being able to = turn base! Good thing I was still at 3000 feet. As I discovered, that = throttle setting would not work. So, I pushed the throttle back in and = climbed back to 4000 feet for another try. Back on simulated downwind = abeam the numbers again, the throttle reduced to 4300 RPM this time. At = this point the rate of descent was a much more acceptable 500 FPM at 120 = MPH. I turned simulated base at about 3700 feet and turned simulated = final at about 3500 feet. This felt much better except that I turned = base too soon and no sooner than I turned final I was over the end of = the simulated runway... way too high. After about a half dozen of these = simulated approaches from 4000 feet to 3000 feet I felt comfortable = enough with the settings that I could make a landing successfully. Since = I had been flying for almost an hour and it was cold up there and the = sun was beginning to set it was time to come back down. I called the = tower and informed them that I wished to enter the downwind for Runway 2 = from above. I was asked to report on final for runway 2, with winds from = 330 at 6 knots. As I was gently spiraling down from 3000 feet, at 500 = FPM, to be at the pattern altitude of 1300 feet, I was treated to watch = a pair of A10's return from their war-games and land below me. Downwind = was entered and flown at 120 MPH. Just like I practiced above, power was = reduced abeam the numbers to setup 500 FPM descent at 120 MPH. This time = I waited the right amount of time and distance before turning base. (The = pattern looks a bit different at 4000 feet than it does at 1000 agl. = This was much more comfortable.) Base was turned at about 1000 feet = (700agl) and then the turn to final at about 750 (500agl) feet and a = call to the tower. Every thing happens quick at 120 MPH but it all felt = so right. On final I felt I was a bit low so a tweak of throttle was = added and speed reduced to 110MPH with the rate of descent still at 500 = fpm. Once the right glide was established and the runway looked like it = was close enough the throttle was reduced back to about the setting it = was before turning final. I began to flare and just as I did the ground = effect cushion kicked in and the aircraft ballooned up a few feet. So, I = just kept gently pulling back on the stick as I was trained, (resisting = the urge to lower the nose), and the airplane gently settled back down = and touched down on the main gear first and the nose came down as I = continued to pull back on the stick, trying to keep the nose light. I = was down in 2000-3000 feet and then had to taxi another =BD mile to exit = the runway at its mid point so I did not even need to use the brakes = until reaching the taxiway turn off. I taxied back to the hangar, to my = anxiously awaiting friends who first congratulated me and then asked why = I took so long to come back down. I was just having so much fun I didn't = want to come down. The flight could not have gone any better and the = aircraft and engine could not have performed more flawlessly than they = did. After almost 11 years in the making and over 8000 hours of building = time this was the day I dreamed of and it was better than I ever = imagined. Although I did the vast majority of the work myself I could = not have built and flown this airplane alone. I was fortunate to have = the help and motivation of many friends and fellow aviators to sustain = my efforts over the many years. A few of them were there to support my = first flight effort as well and this was immensely helpful to me. My = only regret is that the project took so long that some of those who = helped, did not live long enough to witness this flight. I'm sure that = they were watching over me from a bit higher altitude. I hope I can = encourage those who are still building to keep up with their effort. It = is all worth it in the end. I am looking forward to many more hours of = uneventful flying. =20 Jim Maher Dyke Delta N11XD (1 hour) Atkins 13b rotary and short intake, with RWS EC2 and Ross PRSU. =20 p.s.=20 Tracy, I know that I never made your on-line builder's list, but now you can put me on your "flying customers" list. I'd certainly appreciate one of those buttons too if you have any left. Thanks, Jim ------_=_NextPart_001_01C70CD6.0A5281E4 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Congrat's Jim. What is the stall speed of the = Delta?=20
 
Bobby

From: Rotary motors in aircraft=20 [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of James=20 Maher
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 12:31 PM
To: = Rotary=20 motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] N11XD First Flight=20 report

On Saturday Nov 18,2006 around 2:00PM Dyke Delta N11XD finally = took to=20 the sky at Barnes Airport in Westfield MA (KBAF).
After a short takeoff roll she climbed out at 120 MPH at a rate = of about=20 1000 fpm. Once reaching the planned altitude of 3000 feet the aircraft = was=20 leveled off and throttle reduced to about 5000 RPM (about =BD throttle) = which=20 allowed an easy slow cruise at 120-130MPH. This was all with the IVO = in-flight=20 adjustable prop set to about 80 inches of pitch and 5 deg of T-tail = setting. It=20 was amazing to see all of the instruments come to life and be working = just as=20 they were expected to. Especially the gyro instruments, which are driven = by a=20 Venturi, and therefore not tested before flight. Gentle turns were = performed to=20 keep the aircraft above the airport and within reach of its 9000 and = 5000 foot=20 runways. First 10 degrees of bank then 20 degrees. The engine ran smooth = as silk=20 with all temps and pressures in the green. After several circles around = the=20 airport the T-tail was set to the neutral position and the nose did drop = noticeably requiring a bit of retrimming of the elevons. The aircraft = flew=20 straight and level with no tendency to change heading or pitch on its = own (just=20 like the other Deltas I have flown). The next test was some slow flight = to see=20 just what happens as the aircraft slows down. This was performed by = reducing the=20 power and airspeed in 5 MPH increments and getting a feel for the = controls at=20 each reduced speed. I started at 120MPH and by the time it got down to = 95 the=20 controls required a bit more movement but it was easy to hold level = flight at=20 this speed. The aircraft did not feel as though it was on the verge of a = stall=20 or get mushy or show any tendency to descend. This told me that it would = not be=20 an issue to land. I then climbed to 4000 feet and made a simulated = downwind=20 entry. When abeam the numbers I reduce power to 3500 RPM set the = airplane into a=20 descent at 120 MPH. I was descending at 1000 FPM and reached 3000 feet = before=20 even being able to turn base! Good thing I was still at 3000 feet. As I=20 discovered, that throttle setting would not work. So, I pushed the = throttle back=20 in and climbed back to 4000 feet for another try. Back on simulated = downwind=20 abeam the numbers again, the throttle reduced to 4300 RPM this time. At = this=20 point the rate of descent was a much more acceptable 500 FPM at 120 MPH. = I=20 turned simulated base at about 3700 feet and turned simulated final at = about=20 3500 feet. This felt much better except that I turned base too soon and = no=20 sooner than I turned final I was over the end of the simulated runway=85 = way too=20 high. After about a half dozen of these simulated approaches from 4000 = feet to=20 3000 feet I felt comfortable enough with the settings that I could make = a=20 landing successfully. Since I had been flying for almost an hour and it = was cold=20 up there and the sun was beginning to set it was time to come back down. = I=20 called the tower and informed them that I wished to enter the downwind = for=20 Runway 2 from above. I was asked to report on final for runway 2, with = winds=20 from 330 at 6 knots. As I was gently spiraling down from 3000 feet, at = 500 FPM,=20 to be at the pattern altitude of 1300 feet, I was treated to watch a = pair of=20 A10=92s return from their war-games and land below me. Downwind was = entered and=20 flown at 120 MPH. Just like I practiced above, power was reduced abeam = the=20 numbers to setup 500 FPM descent at 120 MPH. This time I waited the = right amount=20 of time and distance before turning base. (The pattern looks a bit = different at=20 4000 feet than it does at 1000 agl. This was much more comfortable.) = Base was=20 turned at about 1000 feet (700agl) and then the turn to final at about = 750=20 (500agl) feet and a call to the tower. Every thing happens quick at 120 = MPH but=20 it all felt so right. On final I felt I was a bit low so a tweak of = throttle was=20 added and speed reduced to 110MPH with the rate of descent still at 500 = fpm.=20 Once the right glide was established and the runway looked like it was = close=20 enough the throttle was reduced back to about the setting it was before = turning=20 final. I began to flare and just as I did the ground effect cushion = kicked in=20 and the aircraft ballooned up a few feet. So, I just kept gently pulling = back on=20 the stick as I was trained, (resisting the urge to lower the nose), and = the=20 airplane gently settled back down and touched down on the main gear = first and=20 the nose came down as I continued to pull back on the stick, trying to = keep the=20 nose light. I was down in 2000-3000 feet and then had to taxi another = =BD mile to=20 exit the runway at its mid point so I did not even need to use the = brakes until=20 reaching the taxiway turn off. I taxied back to the hangar, to my = anxiously=20 awaiting friends who first congratulated me and then asked why I took so = long to=20 come back down. I was just having so much fun I didn=92t want to come = down. The=20 flight could not have gone any better and the aircraft and engine could = not have=20 performed more flawlessly than they did. After almost 11 years in the = making and=20 over 8000 hours of building time this was the day I dreamed of and it = was better=20 than I ever imagined. Although I did the vast majority of the work = myself I=20 could not have built and flown this airplane alone. I was fortunate to = have the=20 help and motivation of many friends and fellow aviators to sustain my = efforts=20 over the many years. A few of them were there to support my first flight = effort=20 as well and this was immensely helpful to me. My only regret is that the = project=20 took so long that some of those who helped, did not live long enough to = witness=20 this flight. I=92m sure that they were watching over me from a bit = higher=20 altitude. I hope I can encourage those who are still building to keep up = with=20 their effort. It is all worth it in the end. I am looking forward to = many more=20 hours of uneventful flying.
 
Jim Maher
Dyke Delta N11XD (1 hour)
Atkins=20 13b rotary and short intake, with RWS EC2 and Ross PRSU.
 
p.s.=20
Tracy,
I=20 know that I never made your on-line builder's list,
but=20 now you can put me on your "flying customers" list.
I'd=20 certainly appreciate one of those buttons too if you have any=20 left.
Thanks,
Jim
------_=_NextPart_001_01C70CD6.0A5281E4--