The morning started out with Greg taking to the sky.
Ron’s Lightning is ready to be taxied. Greg says that a plane has to able to maneuver well on the ground before going up. So, it is taxi time!
I decided to get ready to take the runway pictures; then I had an idea to take pictures of the taxi from a different perspective - in the left seat and straight out there is the runway, but first a few checks.
I turned on my head set and it worked well. Greg check the engine and stuff.
We headed out to the runway, turned to the closest end and did a 360 degree turn. This is more fun then standing in the dust taking the pictures. There it lays before us. Acceleration is exciting!
…and here is the other end.
A turn…
…and back we go. This seems to loose a bit in the telling. After another turn the engine is heating up so, it is time to take it in.
Ron’s instruments show the cool down. The EIS is showing the number changes as the cooling is electronically reported. Instruments all working well.
Engine Break-in
Break-in oil is use for the first 25 hours of operation. This break-in oil does for the cylinders what a fine sanding does for the final clear coat on the body of the plane. This honing of the engine prepares it for a long smooth operation life. I was thinking that the engine needed to be run carefully during the break-in period. Not so, Greg said that it is important to keep the rpms changing and to work it hard…no babying it!
Check of Another System
Last Friday before Bob and Al went home for the weekend, I was happy to see two excited builders. When our builders see the paint on their plane they get excited, but there is another moment that creates excitement.
Al hooks up the power to his panel.
Bob clicks on the controls and…there was two screens and … wait for it…
then there was three screens!
What a beautiful thing when it all comes together and lights up. Bob’s plane even knows where home will be soon. First they all get to go through more system checks –one of these is the taxi.
Lightning Blogger out
