First flight Safety: split from Warwick Crash

[Guest woxman1]

*New thread created from Warwick incident discussion by Mod*

 

I see from (the Warick thread) that no one has discussed planning of first flights......not just the flying component, but ensuring that the aircraft is airworthy (assembly & independent inspections carried out, W&B), airstrip selection, weather conditions, pilot currency, flight test plan (build up approach - low speed and high speed taxi tests, "knock-it" off criteria, emergency procedures etc). There are a lot of things that can kill you on a first flight, not just the just the location of a fuel tank.

 

Some good guidance for first flights can be found in FAA Airworthiness Circular AC 90-89A. You can find it at http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/media/ac90-89a.pdf......and by the way it is also found on the RA-Aus website.

 

It would be interesting to hear everyones thoughts?

 

Wazza

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

*New thread created from Warwick incident discussion by Mod*I see from (the Warick thread) that no one has discussed planning of first flights......not just the flying component, but ensuring that the aircraft is airworthy (assembly & independent inspections carried out, W&B), airstrip selection, weather conditions, pilot currency, flight test plan (build up approach - low speed and high speed taxi tests, "knock-it" off criteria, emergency procedures etc). There are a lot of things that can kill you on a first flight, not just the just the location of a fuel tank.

 

Some good guidance for first flights can be found in FAA Airworthiness Circular AC 90-89A. You can find it at http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/media/ac90-89a.pdf......and by the way it is also found on the RA-Aus website.

 

It would be interesting to hear everyones thoughts?

 

Wazza

Hi Wazza

 

About to do it! what we have done is take the Faa documant and written a specific shedule the intention of which is to make sure that emotion and excitement don't take over .... see the attached ....

 

cheers

 

Martin

 

test schedule.pdf

 

test schedule.pdf

 

test schedule.pdf

[motzartmerv]

I have done a little bit of test flying. Enough to make me want to take up fishing...lol...

 

The five p's really gain extra importance. I would make the recommendation that the aircraft NOT be flown first time by the builder. Someone with experience, on type preferably, but who is not emotionally attached to the build.

 

Some of my more exiting moments have been during test flying a homebuilt. ;)

 

Mods. Perhaps the Homebuilt section would be a better place for this thread??

 

 

[youngster]

I've read a build log the other day where a bloke built a single seat something-or-other from scratch, and managed to destroy it before even its first official flight. He was just doing some high speed taxiing because the weather wasn't great for test flying, he hit a bump, went airborne, didn't have enough space to bring it down and come to a stop, so he tried to power up and do a circuit, but didn't clear the trees, and turned his new baby into a pile of kindling. Twas a sad and abrupt end to his build log, but fortunately not his life.

 

 

[poteroo]

I have done a little bit of test flying. Enough to make me want to take up fishing...lol...The five p's really gain extra importance. I would make the recommendation that the aircraft NOT be flown first time by the builder. Someone with experience, on type preferably, but who is not emotionally attached to the build.

Some of my more exiting moments have been during test flying a homebuilt. ;)

 

Mods. Perhaps the Homebuilt section would be a better place for this thread??

Agree with you Motz. Get a professional to do the test work - and this includes most of the Phase 1 'fly-off' hours...in which you are required to establish stability and stall speeds in all configurations. If you are licenced, then you can accompany the test pilot as a 'scribe' to aid in recording. A safe and smart way to see how your 'baby' handles. It's amazing what you encounter in this work!!

 

happy days,

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Howdy Potts. The problem there is the 25 hour rule. No dual for 25 hours. Not sure if thats just an amateur built RAA thing.

 

 

[facthunter]

If you don't have a fair bit of flying across a broad band of different aircraft, you shouldn't TEST fly anything. A TEST flight has unpredictable events, as a real possibility. so get someone you trust to do it. There is a lot at stake . Some aircraft might not be an attractive proposition to test fly, so you might have a bit of a problem finding someone, but there might be a message there somewhere.

 

Just about every authorative article on this is against the owner/builder doing the first flight. I do not believe that this should be considered an absolute thing, because it depends on very differing circumstances. You could build a case the other way around with unconventional aircraft.( That the builder is the ONLY one who understands it). The fact that you have been putting ALL your time and money into the plane might mean that you are not doing ANY/ Much flying either.

 

Years ago test flying was required to be performed much more than it is now. (Economic pressures?)..

 

Any how, I can't recall any test flight that I have done where something didn't go wrong. The more work done on it, and the newer it was the more problems. This is with everyone concerned being licenced and not back yard stuff. Have been involved with U/L's too and they are more so but that is to be expected. This is the point I'm trying to make..

 

WHY the test flying is done, is to sort this out over the hours required and keep checking that everything is OK Aircraft are not mass produced like cars. Quality assurance is built in with checks/inspections etc. The more "proving" hours and adjustments/checks, the more you can come to trust your aircraft.

 

An individually built (and designed) aircraft is about as far from the uniformity of the production line as you can imagine..

 

Extensive preflight inspection is a must, particularly with control function, not just with correct sense, but with controls loaded, and verification of CofG. The rigging of the plane should be double checked. If you have an experimental engine,( something not in wide use ) you are testing the engine , the fuel supply and the plane, ( build and design) and your versatility at reacting to unknowns, all at the same time.

 

Consideration of suitable landing areas near the field is important. To be able to put it down quickly.

 

It pays to have an observer on the ground, in radio contact for the first few flights at least. Can report something that you mightn't be able to see.

 

Don't rush the first flight. IF the plane has problems or the weather is not really right, put it off. This would be the hard part, but you spend years building it, what's another day or two? Nev

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Iggy, unfortunately, experience can't be learned in conversation. Luckily for you, you are years away from building anything, enough time to gain enough experience. Even if its just enough to know you don't have the experience to do it...;)

 

 

[blueshed]

Motz, would this possibly depend on the quality of the conversation?

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Haha. Can you learn to ride a bike by someone telling you how to do it?. Regardless of how well you have been told how to do it, your still going to end up on ya bum...

 

 

[blueshed]

Got it wrong again! thought we were referring to Aeroplanes!

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Lol. Ok, I will state it simpler for you. A zero hour pilot can have 1000 hours of discussion with the worlds greatest instructor, and still will not have 1 hour of flying experience. He would not have the skills passed on to him to fly the aeroplane.

 

Dig it?

 

 

[HEON]

The FAA Instruction is still sent to new 19- rego aircraft owners by RAA I think. It is very detailed and invaluable.

 

Very important that overseas ready to fly aircraft are tested when reassembled by someone who knows/has flown the aircraft. I still start with taxi and strip runs in the one I import...and the first flights are REALLY close to the runway just in case.

 

 

[blueshed]

You mean I need a shovel now!

 

 

[Guest woxman1]

Hi Martin, had a look at your test card. What CG condition and loading will you be at for your first flight?

 

 

[kgwilson]

I have a fair amount of experience on several types from Hang Gliders to GA but I have no experience in test flying. When I've completed building my Sierra the only thing I am prepared to do is low speed taxi checks. I am most likely to take a 3 hour drive to Taree, Sierra in tow and ask the designer/kit supplier to go over the A/C with a fine tooth comb as well as the initial test flights. Bending my new pride and joy and/or myself is not on my priority list. The FAA Advisory Circular 90-89A should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating building an aircraft either from a kit or from scratch.

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

Hi Woxman

 

did our first flight on Friday after several high speed tail up runs (that found a fuel feed problem for us). We were looking at a forward CG, but nothing specific ..... our KR2 is very care free for loading with my weight plus 57 litres of fuel putting us at the forward CG limit. I guess we had between 40 and 45 litres on board for first flight.

 

Interesting comment too, KG.

 

First flights are not for everyone, and in fact I believe that Mick Poole is of the opinion that they are best done by someone other than the builder .... Not breaking it into matchwood was very much in my mind as well prior to that first take off. In fact, after taxiing back to the head of the runway after a tail up run, I conciously thought "will I won't I?" ..... "Well, the aircraft is ready, am I ready? ..... All my fast taxi runs have been sort of ok ...... not particulalrly tidy at times, but all without leaving the confines of the runway, so .....yes I probably am ready ...not perfect but good enough" and so the final decision was made. All of this after some very deliberate reviewing of the FAA advisory, creation and thought about our specific test schedule, planning in my mind what we were going to do, selecting a first flight airfield that had long runways with excellent under and overshoot paddocks waiting for the possible but not wanted engine failure and waiting for the weather (very light winds) and minimum airfield traffic.

 

 

[Ballpoint 246niner]

Haha. Can you learn to ride a bike by someone telling you how to do it?. Regardless of how well you have been told how to do it, your still going to end up on ya bum...

Damn!!- I watched Days of Thunder and Cole Trickle learnt to drive NASCAR this way watching CNN- better can the shuttle launch and disconnect Nat Geo seeeing it's not going to work.:big_grin:

 

 

[motzartmerv]

...I ended up in hospital when i was 6 because i watched the boy who could fly......alass...hollywood is full of:work: ...