Third Cross Country Test flight

September 29/16 I made another cross country test flight in C-GMBK and once again it was to Red Deer Alberta.  On this flight my primary test was to check out the MGL V6 radio since getting new settings advice from MGL and from a forum group.  The new settings worked perfect and have eliminated my excessive background static type noise. Both groups informed me I needed to set my mic. Gain to -10.5db and one other setting change.   MGL and the forum also informed I needed to set my radio to VOX and not VOG if using a ANR type headset.  The VOG is a proprietary setting offering many adjustments for “Voice Automatic Gain Control”  and is used primarily to give passive headsets the ability to have quieter sound as found in ANR headsets.  The changes recommended have totally cleared all background noise I was encountering.  The sound was actually engine and cockpit noise amplified in the “Sidetone” circuit creating high ambient noise.  I still have a snapping noise that has been isolated to the magnetos and is likely the capacitors in the magneto, cost $300.00 for two.  My plan is to put that money toward installing a electronic ignition.

Now to  the flight, it was outbound at 6500 ft and I found my groundspeed up at 145mph.  This was due to a 15mph tailwind which was giving me a push.  The engine ran like a charm and I was very pleased to see all engine parameters staying once again within normal ranges.  Not like the last flight which was a clear day, this day had a solid cloud layer at about 7000ft.  I really enjoy the cloud cover as I don’t get the greenhouse effect in the cockpit which can make it a bit to warm at times.  Air ventilation is working fine and because this test flight was at 11 degrees “C”,  I had to close off the eyeball vents.  I can feel some cool air coming in through the open spaces around my canopy frame and these will be closed with weather stripping soon.   This airplane is so much fun to fly, it fly’s hands off and needs only light finger tip control on the center stick.  This is so much fun and a great reward for the three years rebuilding CGMBK.  The bonus is, I now have the pleasure of cleaning bugs of my own airplane.

Track my plane at:  http://aprs.fi/cgmbk

Web page:  http://calvinthorne.blogspot.ca

Second Cross Country Trip

On September 14/16 I flew my Q2 C-GMBK for its second cross country trip.  This time each leg was a bit longer than the last trip which had three legs.  This time we headed from Springbank (CYBW)  to Red Deer Alberta (CYQR), the flight to get there was 42 minutes flying time.  The airport elevation is 2970 ft and we used the 3400 ft runway.  Alan in his RV6a was kind enough to accompany me on this flight as my safety aircraft.  We went for a lunch at the "Hangar Pub" which is only 2 blocks from the airport tower and then did the return trip home.  Flight outbound was at 6500 ft. and my airspeed seems to be at a pretty constant 125-135 mph.  Power was at full most of the time showing 3000-3050 rpm but I reduced to 2800 rpm at times.  Temperatures and pressures were steady and in the normal ranges.  Visibility out of my new canopy provided a spectacular viewing platform and I had more time to look out and enjoy it this time. The aircraft is flying hands off with only fingertip control required on the centre stick.  There is no tendency to roll and the roll trim mechanism into the stick works great.  Pitch trim is controlled from the T-tail trim and this is working fantastic, I can control climb, decent and minor cruise pitch changes with small amounts of twist into the vernier control (my design).  Landings are good and I am now trying to make them shorter.  I am still enduring background static on my MGL V6 radio but have just received some good advice on changing settings from a Forum and from MGL.  I will relay any improvements in a later posting.
 Flight tracker at:  http://aprs.fi/cgmbk

Below are aircraft from Airspray Firefighting and Buffalo Airways Maintenance facility at Red Deer airport Alberta.

First Cross Country Trip

September 3/16
It's official I finally got away for my first cross country trip.  A friend in his Cozy Mk 4  and another friend in his RV3 joined me as safety aircraft for the trip.  This flight was just a short one departing our home airport of Springbank CYBW and going to Olds/Didsbury then Three Hills then returning home to Springbank.  We all made a stop at each airport so I could check my engine compartment for any oil leaks.  At Three Hills we were lucky to have arrived for their monthly coffee and muffins and stayed for a couple of hours.  We chatted about lots of airplane stuff and received a tour from Dennis Fox of his brand new RV8 that just came back with a beautiful paint job.  Thanks to everyone!

The plane ran like a charm and there were no oil leaks at all.  First leg I kept power off a bit an saw 125 mph.  Later on I let it have full power and saw 135 mph and a rpm of 2950-3000.  All temperatures and pressures were normal.  My two friends had to really pull back on their power because they are much faster than the Quickie Q2 with its small Revmaster engine.

Total distance on the trip was 130 miles and I logged 2.1 hours in the air.  What a great day this was for me finally.  The time spent on this project has been all worthwhile.  This is the second 100% rebuild of this Canadian aircraft.