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From: Bulent Aliev <atlasyts@bellsouth.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] N11XD First Flight report
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 20:01:31 -0500
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>

Congratulations james on your first flight and very detailed report. =20
Good Luck with the rest of the testing.
Bulent "Buly" Aliev
FXE Ft lauderdale, FL
  http://tinyurl.com/dcy36


On Nov 20, 2006, at 1:30 PM, James Maher wrote:

> On Saturday Nov 18,2006 around 2:00PM Dyke Delta N11XD finally took =20=

> 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 =20
> about 1000 fpm. Once reaching the planned altitude of 3000 feet the =20=

> aircraft was leveled off and throttle reduced to about 5000 RPM =20
> (about =BD throttle) which allowed an easy slow cruise at 120-130MPH. =20=

> This was all with the IVO in-flight adjustable prop set to about 80 =20=

> inches of pitch and 5 deg of T-tail setting. It was amazing to see =20
> all of the instruments come to life and be working just as they =20
> were expected to. Especially the gyro instruments, which are driven =20=

> by a Venturi, and therefore not tested before flight. Gentle turns =20
> were performed to keep the aircraft above the airport and within =20
> reach of its 9000 and 5000 foot runways. First 10 degrees of bank =20
> then 20 degrees. The engine ran smooth as silk with all temps and =20
> pressures in the green. After several circles around the airport =20
> the T-tail was set to the neutral position and the nose did drop =20
> noticeably requiring a bit of retrimming of the elevons. The =20
> aircraft flew straight and level with no tendency to change heading =20=

> or pitch on its own (just like the other Deltas I have flown). The =20
> next test was some slow flight to see just what happens as the =20
> aircraft slows down. This was performed by reducing the power and =20
> 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 =20=

> to 95 the controls required a bit more movement but it was easy to =20
> hold level flight at this speed. The aircraft did not feel as =20
> though it was on the verge of a stall or get mushy or show any =20
> tendency to descend. This told me that it would not be an issue to =20
> 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 =20
> airplane into a descent at 120 MPH. I was descending at 1000 FPM =20
> and reached 3000 feet before even being able to turn base! Good =20
> thing I was still at 3000 feet. As I discovered, that throttle =20
> setting would not work. So, I pushed the throttle back in and =20
> climbed back to 4000 feet for another try. Back on simulated =20
> downwind abeam the numbers again, the throttle reduced to 4300 RPM =20
> this time. At this point the rate of descent was a much more =20
> acceptable 500 FPM at 120 MPH. I turned simulated base at about =20
> 3700 feet and turned simulated final at about 3500 feet. This felt =20
> much better except that I turned base too soon and no sooner than I =20=

> 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 =20
> 4000 feet to 3000 feet I felt comfortable enough with the settings =20
> that I could make a landing successfully. Since I had been flying =20
> for almost an hour and it was cold up there and the sun was =20
> beginning to set it was time to come back down. I called the tower =20
> and informed them that I wished to enter the downwind for Runway 2 =20
> 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, =20=

> at 500 FPM, to be at the pattern altitude of 1300 feet, I was =20
> treated to watch a pair of A10=92s return from their war-games and =20
> land below me. Downwind was entered and flown at 120 MPH. Just like =20=

> I practiced above, power was reduced abeam the numbers to setup 500 =20=

> FPM descent at 120 MPH. This time I waited the right amount of time =20=

> and distance before turning base. (The pattern looks a bit =20
> different at 4000 feet than it does at 1000 agl. This was much more =20=

> comfortable.) Base was turned at about 1000 feet (700agl) and then =20
> the turn to final at about 750 (500agl) feet and a call to the =20
> tower. Every thing happens quick at 120 MPH but it all felt so =20
> 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 =20=

> 500 fpm. Once the right glide was established and the runway looked =20=

> like it was close enough the throttle was reduced back to about the =20=

> setting it was before turning final. I began to flare and just as I =20=

> did the ground effect cushion kicked in and the aircraft ballooned =20
> up a few feet. So, I just kept gently pulling back on the stick as =20
> 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 =20=

> first and the nose came down as I continued to pull back on the =20
> stick, trying to keep the nose light. I was down in 2000-3000 feet =20
> and then had to taxi another =BD mile to exit the runway at its mid =20=

> point so I did not even need to use the brakes until reaching the =20
> taxiway turn off. I taxied back to the hangar, to my anxiously =20
> awaiting friends who first congratulated me and then asked why I =20
> took so long to come back down. I was just having so much fun I =20
> didn=92t want to come down. The flight could not have gone any better =20=

> and the aircraft and engine could not have performed more =20
> 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 =20
> it was better than I ever imagined. Although I did the vast =20
> majority of the work myself I could not have built and flown this =20
> airplane alone. I was fortunate to have the help and motivation of =20
> many friends and fellow aviators to sustain my efforts over the =20
> many years. A few of them were there to support my first flight =20
> effort as well and this was immensely helpful to me. My only regret =20=

> is that the project took so long that some of those who helped, did =20=

> not live long enough to witness this flight. I=92m sure that they =20
> were watching over me from a bit higher altitude. I hope I can =20
> encourage those who are still building to keep up with their =20
> effort. It is all worth it in the end. I am looking forward to many =20=

> more hours of uneventful flying.
>
> Jim Maher
> Dyke Delta N11XD (1 hour)
> Atkins 13b rotary and short intake, with RWS EC2 and Ross PRSU.
>
> p.s.
> 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 =20
> left.
> Thanks,
> Jim