Several of you have asked about the new plane. Here's the first video.

Fantastic Rich! The airplane looks cool, tell us more about it. Short wings? So how does it do on the high end and low end? Glad you got a new ride so soon. The smash burgers look awesome!

Kurt

Rich,


Very cool video and congratulations on the new experimental Maule. It looks badass and I am so stoked that you got back in the air so quickly. I look forward to hearing more about this airplane and the performance features. I am curious why the wing was made so much shorter and how it effects the performance.



Josh

Woo Hoo Rich, back in the saddle (or should I say on the kitchen stool) again! Watching the video, it seems like your approach was pretty hot. Do the shorter wings change pattern speeds, or was that portion of the video just sped up a tad to get to the cooking sooner? Either way, it looks like you are already comfortable with the new ride. Good on ya'.

Flyhound wrote:Woo Hoo Rich, back in the saddle (or should I say on the kitchen stool) again! Watching the video, it seems like your approach was pretty hot. Do the shorter wings change pattern speeds, or was that portion of the video just sped up a tad to get to the cooking sooner? Either way, it looks like you are already comfortable with the new ride. Good on ya'.

It was spicy hot, for sure. Three reasons.

1) This plane actually stalls, unlike 2TF that basically just turned to mush but never dropped a wing
2) I'm not used to this plane yet, so a fudge factor
3) Winds were swirling 270 degrees. So needed to be fast enough over the ground to keep flying when a 20kt headwind turned into a 20kt tailwind

Between them all, I was *very* fast over the fence. I'm guessing maybe 65-70kt. Plenty to get launched back in the air multiple times by the multiple rolls in the runway. I think my ADM was sound, but I sure did use up a lot of runway considering I was landing something that mostly looks like a Maule!

Kurt and Josh,

The shortened wings don't seem to help much in cruise speed. I'm still waiting for a nice smooth day to really crunch some numbers, but it feels like only a few knots better.

It's a bit smoother, presumably because of the heavier wing loading.

It's much faster on approach. I think when I really get dialed in it's probably a 55kt touchdown. My factory Maule was still flying at more like 45kt. So it isn't as short on landing for sure. It takes off in about the same distance thanks to a much more powerful 300hp engine.

Once you get dialed into her you are going to have a blast! I think she will suit you well over the years. Glad you are back at it.

Kurt