N609HZ First Flight

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This has been a long time in coming. What with getting married, buying houses, etc didn't expect it to take 21 years. But today (Jul 22, 2017) was the day.

Didn't quite have it all put back together after taking it apart for the inspection, still needed to set the nosewheel breakout force. Stayed late at the airport last night, then up early this morning to get it done.

A guy came over from a neighboring hangar to watch, so just had two witnesses. Was glad he was there, Misa doesn't have her own airport card. Nice to have somebody who can call the fire department in English as well.

Had wanted to get up before it got hot, that didn't work out. Was 28°C (95F) by the ATIS when I took off. Running the numbers, works out to around 7000' density altitude.

Start, run up, all ran just as expected. Engine stumbled a bit on the takeoff roll, but smoothed out nicely when I enrichened the mixture. Was too busy flying to check myself, but looking at the pictures was off in well under 2000'.

First distractions was I found my trim control labeled backwards. Was adding nose down trim when I meant to add nose up. Ran it in most of the way wondering why the stick kept getting heavier. Still, stick forces easily held with one hand. Need to correct those labels.

Climb out not quite as good as when doing my type training, probably due to fixed pitch prop and density altitude. Still get to 8000 MSL in only 7:20 and that was including some clearing turns as I climbed. Way more climb than the Starduster under similar conditions

Left the class D to do my stall, flight control checks without having to talk to the tower. Flew down over the Spanish Fork/Springville airport just in case. Was the engine running a little oddly? Seemed like it in flight, doesn't sound like it watching the video. Probably just nerves.

However after doing my a stall, the engine doesn't want to run at full power. Revs up, then right back down again. Wondering if I'm going to end up landing at Spanish Fork with my first landing in this plane being a real engine out. Listening on the video it sounds like I was too rich. Too lean for takeoff and too rich at altitude. Need to work on this.

I find it runs fine around 75% of full throttle, and with the extra power I have that makes it easy to get back to Provo. Back into the pattern, fly it just as I was taught. Worried about the enigne shutting off, turn base a little early. The fixed pitch prop doesn't cause as much drag as the constant speed. Glide quite a bit better. End up touching down a bit past the 1000' markers. Still no problem making the second turn off.

Was feeling great, but when I get out of the plane find I am quite tired. Gonna rest for the remainder of today.

Need to get the engine running better, not sure if it is technique or not. But the plane flies just great. Simply easy to fly.

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Thanks to Misa for Today's pictures

Engine start

Taxiing out

Flying

Climbing out

And away.

Back

And done.

video screen capture