Ed Anderson wrote:

Hard to say how much ground testing time is enough. It probably depends

on a

number of factors.  Like are you sort of copying another successful

design

or are you trying some radical excursions?   I mounted my engine, PSRU

and

all systems going into the aircraft on a test stand and ran the engine

there

for 40 hours.  Thats the same amoung of time the FAA would keep me in

the

test area.  I then installed it in the aircraft and ran it another

10 -15

hours. Any time I made a significant change or encountered a problem

that

was more ground time running.  So that is why my engine TAC reads 256

hours

but my flight time is 185 hours.  I have had several things

malfunction -

but, fortunately always on the ground (or reasonably close to it). Too

much

ground testing? - probably so, but seems to have been a good thing in my
case.  That has been my experience.

I also planned my first flight to be 5 trips around the traffic pattern

to

give me time to get the feel of the aircraft.  I am glad I planned it

that

way as it became clear as I made the first turn for the pattern that the

oil

temperature was a significant problem.  At pattern altitude the oil temp

was

still way above my red line of 220F  so I decided to land.  Entire first
flight lasted 4 1/2 minutes - very glad I decided to stay in the pattern

and

could land before perhaps doing damage to the engine, aircraft and

self..

Also fortunate I was flying an RV which did not require any great

piloting

skill and lands relatively slowly.

Ed Anderson

Ed,
Could you contact me direct, off the ACRE site, I wish to ask you some
question perculiar to your installation.
George (down under) lendich@hypermax.net.au

 
The AirCraft Rotary Engine NewsLetter.  Powered by Linux.
ACRE NL web site. http://home.earthlink.net/~rotaryeng/            
Copyright 1998-2002 All world wide rights reserved.