Finished my first build

[Mhalc]

Finished my first build in 12/2019 (EAB) Arion Lightning with a Gen.4 3300. With 80 hrs. complete, all was going as plan, until the COVID shutdown everything. Still plan CA->KS->FL->VA->NY->AZ->CA cross country this summer/fall.

[red750]

Welcome to the forum Mhalc. I take it from your crosscountry flight plan that home is California? Although it is a dot com, this is an Australian based forum with worldwide membership.

[Flightrite]

Welcome from afar? The tyranny of distance shall not contain mankinds desire to spread his wings?

[marshallarts]

Congratulations, great achievement. Care to post some performance figures, weights, fuel burn etc?

[Mhalc]

Congratulations, great achievement. Care to post some performance figures, weights, fuel burn etc?

Not sure how much detail you would like, but here are the basic’s:

Empty Weight: 926lbs - this is FAT for a classic Lightning build, with most in the 840-875 range.

Gross Weight 1650lbs - Me, Wife, 50lbs baggage, full fuel -> 1590 and with in the CG range :)

Fuel Burn: 5-6gal/hr - I tend to run at the top end of the cruise settings

Cruise: 150 mph - I expected slightly more, but FAT empty weight may be the contributing factor.

Stall Landing Config - 45 mph

CHT’s tend to run in the 250-260 deg F range - here in Southern CA you need to climb ~8000’ to go anywhere.

EGT’s well balanced and with HACman 1350 deg F easy to maintain

Oil Temp’s 190-200 deg F

 

Some build notes:

Electronics: dual EFIS (GRT), iPad, VerticalPower circuit breakers, AP (GRT)

LSA style landing gear

The heavy panel, and LSA style landing gear added most of the extra weight.

Arion just changed the wing spar’s from composite to carbon fiber which reduces kit weight by more than 40lbs.

 

Future additions:

Considering Airmaster CS prop

Engine Modifications - more to come once the test stand engine modifications are complete

[Mhalc]

Welcome to the forum Mhalc. I take it from your crosscountry flight plan that home is California? Although it is a dot com, this is an Australian based forum with worldwide membership.

Thanks for the welcome, and yes CA is our home base for now. Over the years my flying friends have all scattered as we reached retirement age and forums, blogs, and email have become methods of keeping connected between the prized in person visits! :). I have been a anonymous viewer of your forum throughout my build process.

 

Marc

[Bruce Tuncks]

Congratulations Mhalc! A wonderful achievement and I reckon you have a good engine choice.

[planedriver]

Congratulations! Look forward to seeing a few photos of the end result of all your hard work.

[marshallarts]

Thanks for all the details above, sounds great. Happy flying!

[Yenn]

Another build is allways good. I shall have to get out the maps and see where all those states are/ Mu USA geography is a bit hazy It looks like a big round trip, missing Texas.

Is the Hackman as good as they say and is it still going?

[onetrack]

An interesting crash-landing report below, involving a Lightning. The aircraft structure appears to be very durable, having incurred minimal damage in a landing in some pretty rugged terrain.

 

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2019/09/loss-of-engine-power-partial-arion.html

[Mhalc]

An interesting crash-landing report below, involving a Lightning. The aircraft structure appears to be very durable, having incurred minimal damage in a landing in some pretty rugged terrain.

 

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2019/09/loss-of-engine-power-partial-arion.html

This was a friend of mine, and he walked away from the off-airport-landing :) without a scratch. In the end, both the builder & insurance company declared the aircraft a total loss. BTW he just finished building his 2nd lightning and should get its 1st flight in soon.

[marshallarts]

Boy, if that's not a demonstration of confidence in the Lightning airframe, I don't know what is!

[Mhalc]

Another build is allways good. I shall have to get out the maps and see where all those states are/ Mu USA geography is a bit hazy It looks like a big round trip, missing Texas.

Is the Hackman as good as they say and is it still going?

Yes still in business, and the new product has been upgraded. (Plastic parts are now brass/stainless). As for the performance, where I fly in the western US, cruising altitudes are 7500’ to 12500’ for me. I have found it to be very effective at these altitudes. (Yes on the portable OX).

Marc

[Akromaster]

Empty Weight: 926lbs - this is FAT for a classic Lightning build

That is a fat bird. Couple that I know are in the 370-380kg (815-840lb) mark.

 

I assume the picture in your avatar is yours? She looks real pretty!

 

Ak

Ps: welcome to the forum!

[onetrack]

One thing that really impresses me about the Lightning is the interior design and finish. The instrument panel design is impressive in its professional-looking shape and appearance.

The lined finish in the cockpit goes a long way to making it look like the aircraft has had a lot of thought put into pilot and passenger comfort, and it must reduce noise levels as well.

[danny_galaga]

I'm very jealous! I'm struggling through a much simpler rag and tube type build. Well done! Some beautiful coastline along CA to fly along :)

[APenNameAndThatA]

That is a fat bird. Couple that I know are in the 370-380kg (815-840lb) mark.

 

I assume the picture in your avatar is yours? She looks real pretty!

 

Ak

Ps: welcome to the forum!

 

Wikipedia says that the Sling 2 weighs 370 kg empty. It seems that if you use a lot of smooth it makes the aircraft more heavy. Aeroprakt A32 weighs 320 empty and cruise is 115 kt instead of 120, and does not come as a kit in the US anyway. My mighty Foxbat A22LS weights 345 kg (with parachute, big wheels and fuel injection) and cruises at a massive 80 kt. According to Aeroprakt, the A32 with big wheels is not faster than the A22LS, and big wheels are not approved for use with the A32. Air is funny stuff.

Edited June 2, 2020 by APenNameAndThatA

[Mhalc]

Wikipedia says that the Sling 2 weighs 370 kg empty. It seems that if you use a lot of smooth it makes the aircraft more heavy. Aeroprakt A32 weighs 320 empty and cruise is 115 kt instead of 120, and does not come as a kit in the US anyway. My mighty Foxbat A22LS weights 345 kg (with parachute, big wheels and fuel injection) and cruises at a massive 80 kt. According to Aeroprakt, the A32 with big wheels is not faster than the A22LS, and big wheels are not approved for use with the A32. Air is funny stuff.

Not sure why my kit was as fat as it turned out, equipment and landing gear selection is part of it. I should have weight the kit components prior to building.

 

As for the Sling 2, I flew one to get current and was one of the aircraft I considered while doing my initial research. As with most performance numbers the Sling routinely max cruised at 110kts (125mph), and operating with the LSA weight limit could only carry 16gal of fuel, no baggage. The EAB version helped but would not carry 2 people, baggage and full fuel. The Sling flew very nice, just did not meet my mission. The Esqual is similar to the Lightning and is ~100lbs lighter (typical build). As you can see from the above “Off Airport Landing (crash)” the Lightning airframe is quite durable, my friend walked away without a scratch and the desire to build a 2nd Lightning.

 

BTW the new carbon fiber airframes from Europe look to be both very strong, and light. I am looking forward to seeing one first hand!