REFLECTOR: Another Velocity in the air!

Tue Sep 19 01:44:39 CDT 2006

Chris,

Sorry it took me a bit to get back to you on the panel.  I am slowly updating the site (really little bit at at time...) with the rest of the construction details.  Once I get caught up, I will have the flight data and other tid-bits on there as well but at this point, I am up to December of 2003 in the build log.  (It will go fast once the plane move out of my shop in two more entries).

In the meantime, an entry from May 20th 2001 will give you an idea of what my panel looks like.  The photo is not the final layout as it is missing the annunciator panel and some small tid-bits but it will give you the general idea of the overall feel.  I will have a better pictures in the 2005 log.

If you want the updated one sooner, drop me a note and I will send it to you in an email.

Hiroo

________________________________
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Barber Law Firm
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 11:35 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Another Velocity in the air!

CONGRATULATIONS!  Yours is one of the projects turning into an airplane I have watched the closest due to you web presence.  I have been to your site so many times I dang near have it memorized.  If you get a chance could you post a couple of pix of your yokes.  I too started with the SUV, but added the second door, but I still have the yokes.  I built up the cut down keel a bit so to add a center throttle quadrant.  I am very curious as to the way you and others placed things in the panel with the yoke systems interfering with things.....or, since the yoke controls are more important than most panel stuff, panel stuff interfering with the yokes.  If you get a chance could you post some pix of you yoke/instrument panel?  Thanks.

Again, Congrats.

All the best,

Chris

Christopher Barber

Attorney and Counselor at Law

"Serving the needs of Senior Texans"

Barber Law Firm
10827 Tower Bridge St.

Houston, Texas 77075-5032
281-464-LAWS (5297)

CBarber at TexasAttorney.net
www.TexasAttorney.net<http://www.texasattorney.net/>

[http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/462.gif]<http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001>

-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org]On Behalf Of Hiroo Umeno
Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 12:23 PM
To: reflector at tvbf.org
Subject: REFLECTOR: Another Velocity in the air!

I jumped the gun and started posting about Franklin engines so the news is out now but just to make it "official", I will post it here.

On August 24th, at 3:04pm PST, Velocity SUV (serial 103) N21HV took off for the first time from Arlington Airport (AWO) with Steve Murphree at the controls.  The first flight lasted a short 12 minutes.  Steve reported that the aileron force was stiff (I have the yoke setup) and had the tendency to over-control.  He also noted that the oil temps were running hot as well.  Back at the hangar, we lubed the controls, ground off some fiberglass from wing - aileron gap that were rubbing, and generally loosened up things a bit.

The next morning, Chuck Harbert came out with a couple pairs of vortex generators he made for us (Thanks Chuck!).  We put those ahead of the top NACA scoops and, like magic, the oil temps came down.  Steve also noted some left leaning tendency and stuck some mixing sticks on the right rudder.  That seemed to help things a bit.

The following two days (Sat and Sun), Steve ran me through the wringer drilling me on the finer points of flying the Velocity.  Some bad habits from Cessnas I have to get rid of...

 *   On take-off, I am used to firewalling the throttle, pull the nose up and keep best climb and wait for the altimeter needle to crawl up to where I want it.  On a Velocity, as soon as I get to safe altitude (500AGL, which takes "seconds"), I need to pull the throttle back, pitch down, set climb power / prop, and get some air flowing over those cylinders.
 *   On landing, keeping the nose relatively low, instead of burying the yoke in your gut as you do on Spam Cans.

This weekend, I put another couple quality hours on the plane generally getting used to the machine and brushing up on my landings using the really long runway at Paine Field (PAE).  I am getting the plane down and stopped in about 4'000 now.

As you've all seen in my other thread, I am having issues with Frankling starting and running a bit rough.  Both of which, the consensus appears to be, is related to fouled mags from running full-rich for break-in.  Seems like I need to get out my wire-brush next time I head out to the hangar.

Some squawks and "to do"s now.

 *   Attitude indication for Chelton AHRS dropping when accelerating past 30Kts or so.
 *   Static port getting high-pressure from fuselage side / canard leading edge.
 *   Better cabin ventilation
 *   Engine primer (as discussed separatedly)

In general, I love the way the thing flies!  Every time I am in a turn or something and look over and see the wingtip, it brings a grin in my face.

Hiroo

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