As most of you will know, the first flight of my CH801 was in July of last year. I was hoping that everything would be peachy keen by then - well, NOT SO.
I should qualify that. The performance of the STOL is absolutely fabulous! The photo shows the aircraft climbing out at 20mph!! The normal climb-out speed as per factory is supposed to be 40 to 60 mph, but having 230 ponies up front makes quite a difference. I have not been able to stall the plane yet. In a power off stall attempt the airplane will simply start to mush into a wings level descent. I am anxious to see how she will behave with another 200 lbs. ballast in the right seat. Cruise speed (110mph) and climb rate (1000 fpm at our elev.) are pretty much as advertised by Zenith.
When you do an auto-conversion, you really have an "EXPERIMENTAL" aircraft. The one major engineering feat that has to be accomplished with an auto-conversion is the COOLING system. The placement of the radiator, the size of the radiator, the air scoops as well as the hot air discharge. My Subie is still running hotter than I would like to see it. At present in excess of 200 degrees. I will have to tweak the cooling system until I get a constant of no more than 190 degrees. I have moved the radiator from outside the fuselage to inside, because rad location is immaterial. Routing and volume of the intake and exhaust air is the crux of the system.
Not being a heating or cooling engineer, it's pretty much this scenario: modify something, put your butt into the pilot's seat and fly it! Keep your eye on the gauge and come home when things get too hot and go back to the drawing board.
Anyone with experience and suggestions in this field, I would like to talk to you.
I have about 8 hours on the plane by now and other than the cooling problem, encountered no other problems and the aircraft performs well and beyond my expectations.
Update: Haiko tells us that he found the engine had a warped head and is now flying without cooling problems.
Haiko