Firebird has flown the nest.....

[Aussie_Paul]

....have a look.:rapture: :rapture:

Aussie Paul.

https://www.rotorcraft.com.au/index...emid=235&topic=1179.msg8190;topicseen#msg8190

 

[scottessex]

Cool!!!!!!!

 

[Timchick]

Congratulations, Paul. I couldn't log in to see the photos. Can you post some here?

 

[barnstorm2]

Congratulations!

I don't remember my sign it for that site, I would like to second Tim's request for a local posting here.

 

[enewbold]

Congratulations, Paul. I couldn't log in to see the photos. Can you post some here?

I just pulled them from his site with my login. I hope he doesn't mind, so here they are:

 

[dragonflyerthom]

PB

That really looks great. Glad to see her flying. I bet you are proud. Let the enterprise begin. Yea

 

[Mayfield]

Congratulations Paul. I wish you every success with the project.

Jim

 

[Brent_Brown]

Good now get one over here and show it off.

 

[Vance]

Gongratulations Paul! Progress is a beautiful thing.

Thank you, Vance

 

[Harry_S.]

Congratulations, Paul B.

After a few adjustments, the testing shall now begin...


Cheers

 

[Aussie_Paul]

I can see ya white knuckles from here.............what about that stick shake, is it you or the blades shakin. Russ


Russ, no stick shake :whoo: so it must have been me, and yes a certain amount of pressure. I am using the Rob P Oz Revolution 30' rotors that have the VR7 high performance helio airfoil over the last 4' near the blade tip.

Lots of little things to tidy up today like adjust the rudder to nose wheel to pedals, and the pitch trim spring needs a little more tension etc. Engine wanted to over rev with 12 degrees. I had it set at 14 but I thought she was bogging down. That was not the case, it was the inlet manifold butterflys on one side, which I had forgotten about, that were closed that made one side run extremelly rich. It took 2 pressure days to find the problem.

Once I am happy with the Firebird set up I have to conduct 25 hours of trouble free operations that include the performance, fuel burn, take off figures etc. to formulate a flight manual.

Thanks everyone for your posts of support, most appreciated. It has been a long time since I mentioned Firebird. :lol:

It is 2 years to the day that I was suspended for 12 months. I have gone from nothing, due to my NZ mate pulling the pin and leaving me high and dry, to the first Firebird flights in just 2 years, so I have to be happy with that.:rapture: :rapture:

I hope Alan from NZ gets his gyro going soon.

Aussie Paul.

 

[Mike Schallmann]

Paul--I really wish you the best of luck -- but for the life of me I cant figuire out how you could call this a CLT or even a NCLT ---- Id really like to see some pictures of a double hang test to verify the CG's relation to the propellor thrust line. My only other comment is that its good to see that you have a horizontal stab --but why didnt you move it up into the prop slip stream where you would get a better benefit?

I realize that you may consider this harsh criticism -- but now that you've got a marketable product --you need to defend your design --the customer has a right to know ---

 

[rtfm]

Hi,
Well done Paul. She certainly looks the part. Now I'm looking forward to the flight test results, as is everyone else, I suspect.

Regards,
Duncan

 

[StanFoster]

Paul: Congratulations.....I bet you are proud to be at this stage. Best wishes to many sales for you.



Stan

 

[Rick Martin]

I'm happy for you Paul. She's real purdy!

 

[birdy]

.................

 

[Friendly]

Also,
The pictures are far away but I know you must be happy to "git er dun."

 

[RockyMeLad]

And one more. . .
Atta Boy ! :first:

Yes, I too would love to see double-hang test pictures of the new bird. If I remember right, you showed pictures of the process when I was getting started in gyros.

 

[Aussie_Paul]

Paul--I really wish you the best of luck -- but for the life of me I cant figuire out how you could call this a CLT or even a NCLT ---- Id really like to see some pictures of a double hang test to verify the CG's relation to the propellor thrust line. My only other comment is that its good to see that you have a horizontal stab --but why didnt you move it up into the prop slip stream where you would get a better benefit?

I realize that you may consider this harsh criticism -- but now that you've got a marketable product --you need to defend your design --the customer has a right to know ---

Time will tell Mike. I hope the last 5 or 6 years of my testing experience in this area have helped me get it right.. My gut feeling is that it is slightly LTL and I hope to be able to cut 4" out of the mast.

You are correct Mike, it certainly has to be proven I have achieved what I said I was aiming for. That is a stable, user friendly, and reasonably aesthetic side by side two place fully enclosed gyroplane.

Some time during the next few days we will get the CoM pics taken.

I will have to sack the photographer after this one.

Aussie Paul.

 

[Aussie_Paul]

I have been thinking about your "harsh criticism" Mike. It probably was a little harsh considering my experience with gyro stability, but I take all criticism on board and then sort the wheat from the chaff critics. I appreciate all input, even if I get a little disgruntled at times.:lol:

The way I test for CoM to thrust offset is to fly the machine without the h/stab and see how it responds to power on and power off while trimmed s/level stick free and stick locked. That is easier than the 2 pic method BUT it does not supply documented evidence.

Firebird has only conducted 3 hops down the runway so far, so there is much more to do before I start mouthing off.:lol:

Nice day for some testing so I better get out there and do it. Hopefully I will be happy enough to fly without the stabs by this evening. I need to conduct this test for my own eveluation of what I need to do conducting the fine tuning of FB

Aussie Paul.