Scott & Tanya Card RV9A build log (N4822C)

I got the N numbers N4822C stuck on the side of the airplane. I didn’t fret too much about placement as this is really just temporary (6-9mo.) until they get stripped off for paint. I have been doing research into engine instrumentation parameter limits. What values are high, low, preferred for cylinder head temperature, oil temp, oil pressure, fuel pressure. There are different values in even the official lycoming documentation (overhaul manual vs. operating manual). I consumed all the data and came to numbers that made me happy, until I find otherwise. With that, I could program some alarm limits into the engine instrumentation. I defined numbers initially that are sufficiently out of bounds to not produce any false positives during the first flights but still give indication that something must be done. The last thing I need on the first flight is a bunch of engine alarms for things that really aren’t a problem. So that was at least a good 45min. of tinkering with EIS and EFIS config stuff (the fun part).
My SL40 com2 radio needed some adjustment in the side tone. Side tone is the audio you hear in the headset coming directly from your microphone input when transmitting. I’ve run across a number of people that fly certified airplanes that didn’t even know this was adjustable. Anyway, when I would transmit on that radio, my voice would come back into the headset very, very loud. There is a software configuration in the SL40 to adjust this. I turned it down to half, no change. I turned it down half again, a little change. I turned it down some more and found a spot I was much happier with.
As the sun started getting low, I loaded up my fuel cans and headed to the fuel pumps again. I pumped 10gal. of fuel and dumped it into one tank that already had a few gallons in it. This is to calibrate the fuel level senders (vans float senders). I overshot my mark as the indicator stopped increasing before I had 14gal of fuel in the tank. The tanks hold 18gal. This is an expected result. Now I know what the floats read when they are full. I just need to close in on exactly how much fuel that really is. It looks like it is about 13-14gal.. Now I’ll start draining the fuel out of this tank and put it in the other for a similar trial. I’ll close in on the real numbers there. Oh, and no leaks in the fuel tank yet! That is good news.
Another thing I worked on was configuring the fuel pressure sender in the EIS for the proper range. I hadn’t done this and was getting pressure readings of 27+psi (not real). I input the config data and now am seeing real fuel pressure in the .5-5psi range.

 

  

 

It seems to me that when the data plate goes on, it is done…

We got the weight and balance done today. Our local EAA chapter bought some nice scales a couple of years ago that are made available. Super easy. It weights 1109# empty. I’m cool with that, especially since Jim’s weighs the same :). This is fully a team operation of two RV-9A’s toward completion now.

The “short list” is just about complete. The only thing left is to calibrate the fuel level senders. Then it is just prep for airworthiness inspection. I’m off to Dallas tomorrow for transition training. My project is ready for “pre-inspection inspections” from the peanut gallery.

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

Pitot/Static & Transponders tested.

First engine start. Ran totally perfect, no squawks. We have video (I think). More later.

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

I got my P-mags back from being updated again. I started reinstalling them and was going to clear any saved timing data using the blow tube mechanism. To my surprise, the blow-in-the-tube operation didn’t produce any results. Nada, nothing happened. Hmm.. I double checked my wiring and method. Nope. After messing with this for a couple hours, I finally called Brad at Emag and got the skinny that they had “temporarily” disabled that feature while they worked through some bugs. Cool. That feature has gotten a lot of bad press and I’m perfectly happy to be without it. I happily proceeded to time them mechanically. This is software version 25.

I went and got some fuel to do a little testing:

calculated open fuel flow rate is 26.8gph which is pretty close to the indicated fuel flow sensor display of 27gph. Calculated unusable fuel is .04 gal (longeron level)! I have the Vans pre-fabricated fuel pickups in each tank.

Then on to pressurizing the closed system. No leaks so far except for a gusher at the fuel flow sensor. It has a crack in the housing at the output fitting. I must have over torqued that fitting and cracked the sensor body. Ouch, $200 to replace. A new one is on its way overnight.