N316JL (CH601HDS w/912ULS) took to the air this morning.  She made one exciting trip around the circuit.  Ran out of aileron trim trying trim out a left turning tendency.  Had
fumes in the cockpit from what appeared to be oil.  Oil temps and pressure were good.  After landing inspection showed no oil
leaks.  Must be the new burning off the
exhaust system.  Landing was uneventful,
actually one of the best I’ve made.  This
was probably due to the amount of concentration I was giving to the flight at
the time.


      Thanks to Don Honabach letting me have some stick time in HDS a week ago.  Without this time the flight could have been a lot more exciting.  I was able to successfully use the speeds that Don uses on approach and takeoff.   Thanks again Don.


     This has been a 10 year 10 month adventure from the rudder the workshop to the first flight.  I’m still flying high.


Jerry

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Congrats on the "first flight".. its alway a dry mouth nervous affair.
Check the wing trim servo wiring perhaps it has the servo moving backwards to the effect you want on ailerons. In that case just reverse the switch labels and leave the wiring alone.
Thanks for the input. The aileron trim is correct. I will just need to lengthen the left aileron pushrod and shorten the right aileron pushrod a couple of turns and the best part is I have a reason to fly the plane again. The HDS has a center wing section with aft fairings. I probably don't have these exactly true?

I won't be able to fly again until Tuesday. I hope to spend a lot more time in the air this.
Congratulations! About those fumes in the cockpit........ Even if the source turns out to be manufacturing oils burning off the exhaust pipes, it proves that you have engine compartment air entering your cockpit, which is not good. As long as you have a leak free engine that is not burning, getting engine compartment air into the cockpit is not a huge deal. However, it becomes a VERY huge deal if you have noxious fumes and/or fire in the engine compartment. You do not want those things in your cockpit.

If you have a tricycle gear, I would ask if you sealed the "mail slots" where the nose wheel steering rods go through the firewall. If you do not have nosewheel steering slots, I cannot offer any suggestions for finding the leak, but find it (them) you must. Then, make it not leak. You may have several small leaks instead of one big one. The cowl area is pressurized, so even small leaks can pass a fairly large amount of undercowl air through the firewall.

Enjoy the flight test phase of homebuilding, it is fun, tedious, exciting and rewarding.
Bob,
Thanks,
I do have a tricycle landing gear airplane. I have sealed the steering rods with engine baffling material. Obviously I haven't sealed it good enough yet. This is just another thing to do during phase I testing.

What a kick the first take off was though.
Jerry
A friend of mine got me some shifter boots for my steering linkage slots. Don't know where they came from but they are a perfect fit for the job. Maybe someone else knows where to get them at? Greg
Hi Guys
These boots work great with a piece of 5/16 fuel line on the steering rods.
http://www.zenith.aero/photo/steering-boots?context=user
Phill

I have some email posts saved from the Matronics list several year backs. The builders were using boots from a Yamaha snowmobile, which is what Phill is talking about. I will dig through the matronics old postings and get the part numbers.

Larry MacFarland had a solution that keeps the fumes out of the cockpit plus will probably do a better job of keeping flames out of the cockpit.

http://www.macsmachine.com/images/controllinkages/full/steer-rod-ai...

I will do something before I go much further.
I strongly agree with Jerry-- The shift boots, rubber bellows, etc will keep fumes out but will not stop a fire. Larry MacFarland's "metal plate sliding in a cage" seals the opening from fumes and fire, both. Much better. Much safer.
Congrats on the first flight from Idaho
Mack
Congratulations from Louisiana. TEN YEARS. Glad to see you stuck with it. Its worth it. I second Pustell's comment. I made some slot boots out of fiberglass cloth and RTV spread all over it. Works very well.
Congrats, I had a rolling tendency at one point. It turned out my flaps were slightly out. Adjusted the torque tube and now everything is trimmed out.

Good Luck.

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