Test flight – post the rebuild

The day finally.arrived, where the paperwork just about exceeded the weight of the aircraft and, all being duly signed, Tom my inspector handed me the clearance paper.

This had already been pre signed by the Head chap at the LAA – major repairs and new builds seem to go through a slightly escalated route to the normal annual update.

The wind on Saturday would have been fine a while back .. 8 or 9 across ..but I didn’t want wind to be a factor at all post the 12 month + rebuild and today, Sunday, it as around 4 across.

Having checked the walk-around for the umpteenth time I had pre fuelled on Saturday, with 20L in the top (holds 36) and 20L in the main (holds 40), i finally pulled her out for start up.

I started up and warmed up and took off with no problems… scooting down the runway to climb out to the North and into the 500′ circuit. The aim was to keep the first few circuits close and ‘glideable’ in case anything was to happen.

A few minutes airborne and a couple of touch and goes, and it was time to come back into the circuit and land. It’s so easy to land this aircraft 😉 so ended up doing a couple.

Leaving it to cool, I removed the top cowling to check all was well in the engine department.

On the 2nd flight I noticed that the oil temp was rising a little on full power as was CHT no 4 …. this was only when pushing the engine a bit (3,200 rpm vs cruise or 2,700) so landed to check.

There was nothing obvious but, I wondered if perhaps the TOCA, the block that prevents cold oil being pushed around the engine (until its up to temp – of 50c, after which the valve opens and lets oil flow through the matrix), had a stuck valve ?

I decided to remind myself of what the TOCA did in terms of functioning, so checked my own blog !

It was simple to remove the thermostat and refit the blanking plate. I can run without this in the summer as the engine quickly gets up to running temp anyway.

The 3rd flight – video below, was a test without the thermostat, and climbed out with a bit more confidence and climbed up to 1,000′ in a slow circling left hand turn.

Passing through about 700 the oil temp started to rise to the high 80s (max is 90 to 100) and the CHT 4 started getting up to 180 vs the 160s of the other 3 Cylinder heads.

I landed back with tickover down to a close right hand base.. keeping the engine cool.. all the way down.

This time on landing i killed the mags quickly on parking and undid straps and jumped out to check the oil feed pipes into the cooler matrix .. both pretty cold !

I parked up and let the whole lot cool down whilst I thought what it might be.