early flights

Did I ever mention that it’s very inconvenient living 40 min away from the airport?  It is.  It greatly limits the amount of time I can spend taking care of the plane.

I’ve made a total of 4 flights.  Mostly just getting a feel how it handles (very well), but I’m still too distracted to do the formal fight maneuvers called out by Van’s.  Don’t worry, i’ll get it done, just not immediately.  I had planned on doing the ‘timed climb to 10,000 ft’ but got distracted trying to get flight following and I was blowing through 4500’ before I realized it.  I abandoned the “timed climb” and just enjoyed making it up to 10,000’ in about 8 mins, still briskly climbing at better that 550 fpm.

The squawk list (so far) is pretty short:

• pilot’s stick is too far left
• autopilot servos not recognized by Skyview
• winds aloft calculations very inaccurate
• pitot system leaks (probably affects winds aloft)
• weeping from front of fuel tank when > 15 gal

I still have some things to do (not squawks)

• install Angle of Attack probe
• install wheel pants
• install weather stripping

and some things I might do

• glare shield
• stabilator tips

and one thing that needs to be done

• get plane painted in August or September

 

talk to you soon.