Sonex 1534S FIRST FLIGHT!!

[WaiexN143NM]

Great job Dana!! I can't imagine scratch building! Hope to see u at OSH!

N143NM
Michael RADTKE
Jab 3300
Dynon glass
Rotec TBI

[142YX]

Congrats Dana!

[MichaelFarley56]

I'm thrilled to hear about your successful first flight Dana!! Congrats!!

[Gripdana]

I had a late start at work today. So I went a did a second flight for an hour to confirm everything from the first flight. Every thing preformed as expected CHT and EGT's were all in the green. It was a beautiful sun rise today and calm winds. This weekend is the air show so I won't be flying. Just sitting by my plane enjoying the show.
STILL SMILING.

[Gripdana]

Just curious. I have flown 3 hours testing engine and airframe. All has performed as expected. I have done all the flights over the airport at 5,500 MSL (3,300 AGL). What criteria will tell me I can go further away to test (out of glide distance from the airport)? It is all desert and straight country roads in my test area. I can't find any information on this anywhere.

[Sonex1517]

I am certain others have specifics and much more experience in this, but my understanding is that you decide this.

The guidelines are fairly vague for this.


Robbie Culver
Sonex 1517
Chicagoland
Tails and Wings complete - finishing fuselage.
N1517S reserved

[n982sx]

I don't know of any published or recommended check offs that say, OK, you can leave the nest. I just felt like after three hours with no problems of any kind, I was confident in being able to leave the glide back range.

I think it just takes some confidence that the test flight data all looks normal and that there is nothing that you need to adjust. You'll know when you know.

[MichaelFarley56]

The only applicable rules in this case are found in your Operating Limitations which specify where your Phase 1 testing must occur. As long as you stay in your test area you can do whatever you'd like.

For obvious reasons, it's probably not a good idea to venture far from your home base until you're confident in the airframe and engine's reliability. How long this ultimately takes will be up to you. I've heard of some people needing only 3-4 flights before they venture out while others stay overhead for 10 or more hours. For me personally, I generally stayed over the airport for the first 7-8 hours then stayed within visual sight (5 miles away or less) until I had nearly 20 hours on the airplane. That's what I was comfortable with!

Best of luck Dana! How's the airplane behaving?

[Gripdana]

Thanks for the help with the testing. The airframe and engine is performing very well. I have the Aeroinjector adjusted right where it should be according to the manual. The ignitions are almost the same when checked on the ground, I changed to a side throttle today. I did not really like taking my hands off the stick while flying and Sonex suggested I do the change. Now everything is on the left just like the citabra I did my tailwheel training. I will be putting an iPad mount in the center where the throttle was.The photos make the flap handle look very close but it has plenty of room. I sat in the plane and clamped the throttle on the vertical angle where it is shown in the plans and where it is shown in the photos. It is out of the way of the canopy, trim,flap, and break handles. After I installed it I tied the plane down to the fence and did a static test. Now I am ready to fly tomorrow morning.