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Stall testing seems to show airspeed about 32 to 33 mph. The AS indicator goes to zero in the mid thirties. I plan to change my AS to a gauge that has lower readings. I did power on stalls with full flaps in three directions using my gps. I do not get a break, just a slight right wing drop off. The deck angle is a little lower than the Pacer at stall. The shortwing Pacer did have a break but, only in power on stalls and the airspeed was reading 38 mph.
Stephen, Looks great and sounds like it is flying great as well. Have you had any surprises during testing? Your fuselage stretch really looks good, without the normal angle changes that happen when not paying attention to the big picture. Great job. Hope to hook up one of these summers in the Idaho back country. Now I'll have to change my screen name, cause you really do have the "SuperPacer"!!
Stephen, Looks great and sounds like it is flying great as well. Have you had any surprises during testing? Your fuselage stretch really looks good, without the normal angle changes that happen when not paying attention to the big picture. Great job. Hope to hook up one of these summers in the Idaho back country. Now I'll have to change my screen name, cause you really do have the "SuperPacer"!!
John
Arizona Pacer
Thanks John, your plane is also very impressive. The main changes are getting used to making very slow approaches. 45 to 50 mph is fine. Also, finding stalls so benign, I expected a clean break. Flying in turbulence is about the same maybe, I don't get quite the sharp wing drop.
Don't change your screen name! Heck, I labeled mine a Super Pacer long before I did this stretch project. Mainly to niggle the "Super" Cub owners. Our Pacers are Super. It is interesting how the developer of this mod called the certified version a Super Pacer and the experimental version the Bushmaster. The Bushmaster name is better known.
I am very pleased with the performance, my friend Jerry Burr says I need a leading edge cuff next. Hmm, we'll see. Keeping the longerons straight is not completely possible without a stretched jig and replacing the longerons full length which would require almost a complete fuselage rebuild. Mine has a bit of an hour glass look, not as dramatic as some airplanes. I think it looks fine.
I am off to Sullivan Lake in NE Washington next week then, Smiley Creek during then Solar Eclipse. I look forward to meeting up again.
Pictures from the Concrete Fly In, two weekends ago.
Just returned from a 600 mile camping trip in eastern Washington.
Notes:
The plane is definately more stable and flys hands off for much longer periods of time than my short wing Pacer.
I flew with a friend who flew a Murphy Rebel, we cruised in the low 2300's rpm burning 7.2 gph and cruising in the 90's mph.
This stretched plane flys much better "on the step" at lower speeds then my short wing Pacer.
This plane is also more stable at high altitudes, we were at 10 to 11 thousand crossing the North Cascades. The short wing Pacer felt more like it was sitting on a pin ready to fall off.
In turbulance is reacts more slowly which is nice in that I don't get the abrupt wing drop but, it is slower to lift the wing.
Looking good Stephen.
Went to the Concrete Fly-In While Son was stationed in Bremerton. One hell of a Fly-In and those guys know how to restore Old Planes.
Concrete does put on a good fly in. I am heading to Orcas Island Fly In this weekend. I hope the smoke from the fires in BC and Eastern Washington easeoff.
Have really enjoyed this thread, thank you Stephen. I am interested in building one of these as well. A couple of questions. Have you been flying it at gross weight much? If so, what do you think of its' behavior at gross? Is the 0-320 plenty of power for it when using at gross? How much did your empty wt. cg move aft? Has the cg movement aft been an issue?
Have really enjoyed this thread, thank you Stephen. I am interested in building one of these as well. A couple of questions. Have you been flying it at gross weight much? If so, what do you think of its' behavior at gross? Is the 0-320 plenty of power for it when using at gross? How much did your empty wt. cg move aft? Has the cg movement aft been an issue?
There is no aft CG problem with this STC.
My new empty weight CG is 15.8" aft @ 1186 lbs. The acceptable range is 15.0" to 23.0" @ 1800 lbs or less. My previous empty weight CG was 11.8" aft @ 1090 lbs.
The forward weight in the stretched wings make up for the stretched fuselage. The plane has no tail heavy tendencies. The tail flies at about 36 mph, sooner than my Pacer. The plane flies on the step noticably better than it did as a Pacer at all weights, rpm settings and altitudes. I was told by a builder that this STC needed to have the engine moved forward 7 inches. He was wrong and I am glad I did not take his advice as I would have a nose heavy plane. I am also glad that I did not stretch more than the STC calls for at 22.5 inches. This plane is much more stable than the Pacer. I just got back from a 10 hour trip to Idaho flying much of the time near 8000 feet. It was vary stable flying hands off for long periods of time. My maximum weight was around 1900 lbs. it flew fine down to 40 mph approaches and got off fine at Stanley which is 6400'. I did not care for the feel of my Pacer at gross weight (2000 lbs.), this plane at 1900 lbs. the weight was hardly noticable. Obvisiouly, due to the change in lift to weight ratio. I do have an 0-320 But, it is putting out more hp than standard and I have an 82 inch prop. It cruises just over 100 mph. Take off and climb are very good.