Scott's Sonex 1629 - N629SX

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

May 15, 2016- First Engine Start achieved!

http://youtu.be/nSGe8YJ9tTk

Started and ran the engine three times, was getting higher oil pressure alarm, so I kept the run time to a minimum...but it runs!!! All other temps in the green:

[Bryan Cotton]

Sounds great Scott!

[samiam]

Looks awesome Scott! I'm really happy you have seen this awesome build all of the way through. Looks like your first flight will be just around the corner!

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

2nd Flight was successful and got to break the engine in for an hour yesterday!

Mike Farley was also at the airfield and took a video of the takeoff:

http://youtu.be/tecUnOWtRE0

After reaching my cruising altitude was able to relax some and begin to take some data capture pictures and a selfie! Engine is running good, I could feel the rings begin to seat at about 15 mins into this flight (could feel and hear the RPM's increase). CHT's were right around 360 with EGT's a tad over 1200 at 3100 RPM at 3,500'.





Secondary ignition is too advanced so I ran with it off yesterday (was getting a 40 degree spike in CHT's with them turned on). That's on my list of items before the next ground run and flight...

[kevinh]

super cool - congrats! I look forward to future updates.

[ScottM-Sonex1629]

It's been awhile since I posted an update. Sonex 1629 (N629SX) is slowly moving along in Phase 1 flight testing. Mike Farley and I planned to go up yeaterday but alas the Low IFR kept us grounded. We did pull along side the self serve fuel pump and take a side by side photo of our two birds.



While we waited to see if the weather would improve we got a treat and were able to look at the new HondaJet and Acura NSX (the Jet was staying overnight at KMRT for Honda family festival flyover). If you look carefully you can see my Sonex framed in the background!



Returned today after the rains past and the high pressure system is blowing through. Very beautiful day but air was getting bumpy by noon. Did a few test cards for best rate / angle of climb, stalls (power on/off), and decided to climb above the broken cloud layer to find some smooth and cool at at 6,000'.




Happy pilot!


Have been trying out some different headsets. Bought and returned a pair of Clarity Aloft's (they worked but not that well for me, couldnt find a comfortable comply ear piece). Mike is letting me try an older set of QT Halo's which worked very well for me today. For the first time I played music from my iPad through the MGL V6/music input. This is a nice feature, as you can adjust the music level separate from the active frequency level. When the V6 is receiving a transmitted signal it overrides the music.

As for Phase 1 testing:
- AeroVee is performing well. AeroInjector is tuned to a good mixture setting, temperatures are all staying well into the green levels.
- CHTs staying below 400 on climb and in the 340-365 range in cruise.
- EGTs in the 1130-1220 range between cruis and climbs.
- completed the 10 hour maintenance and haven't adjusted the aerocarb since hour 5
- Fuel burn is around 5.5 gph at fast cruise, 3-4 gph when staying in the pattern doing T&G's
- was able to get 800 fpm climb at 65 mph today (best angle of climb).
- Trim is about where it needs to be for flaps, rudder, and aielrons
- Manual drum brakes are barely adequate, and the disc brakes are on the short list for future upgrades.
- Koger sunshade is worth the price, and has made the summer flights halfway comfortable.
- Polishing still sucks, but it looks great when its done!

Today marked the completion of 12.7 hours of phase 1 testing. It's taking longer than I expected but I am trying to make every flight meaningful, and fly when the time and weather cooperate.

[Sonex1462]

Thanks for sharing. Great pictures.
I can't wait to get back to Arizona to continue/start my Phase I testing. Looks like it will be another 4-6 weeks away.
Enjoy and keep sharing pictures!!

[Sonex1517]

Excellent Scott!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Darick]

Nice update.

[DCASonex]

Scott,

If still looking to find comfortable head set, try going to a hearing aid place and have a pair of ear molds made. Then just screw the Clarity aloft ear pieces into short lengths of standard hearing aid flexible tubing running into those. The molds are easy and quick to install into and and remove from ears.

David A.