Hello everyone,
I had the honor last Sunday to put the first flight on Lancair 235/320 N32KT.  This airplane has some history as it was kit serial number 076 and has had 5 owners before it finally flew.  The present owners did a nice job of finishing the airplane and they asked me to do the test flying.  After a two week work-up, I flew the airplane for 18 minutes.  Unlike most first flights that I have done, we had virtually no engine issues with good temperatures and pressures.

We did have an issue with the elevator and pitch trim system (small tail).  The airplane is equipped with a MAC servo operated trim tab on the left elevator, not the spring system.  With the gear down, 1/2 flaps and 100kts (verifed by chase plane), I could not trim the airplane for level flight even with full nose up trim.  In fact, it took about 5 or 6 pound pull to maintain level flight with full up trim.  After flying around for a few minutes, I raised the flaps which reduced the stick pull to about 1/2 what it was before but I still could not get hands off trim.

The CG was about 1/2 inch forward to the center of the envelope.  I abandoned the test plan and let the fuel burn down in the header tank to see if that would help and then returned to the airport for a no flaps landing.  The chase plane reported that with the flaps at 1/2, the top of the elevator balance horn was at the bottom of the cutout (up elevator).  With the flaps up, the top of the balance horn was about 1/2 way down in the cutout.

I am new to this maillist and I have been scanning through the messages.  I have seen some references to not having enough trim authority and discussions on the pitch trim topic.  This was my first time to fly a Lancair so I don't have any references.  Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Our immediate plans are to re-verify the stab incidence angle.  We are also considering enlarging the trim tab.  Another option would be to install the original spring based pitch trim.  If we do put in the spring system, I would like some advice on whether or not we can make it electric.

Thanks in advance,


Rick Pellicciotti, Chief Pilot
Belle Aire Aviation
Aerial Sightseeing / Biplane Rides
http://www.belleaireaviation.com