Wanted to give a quick update. Visited with Matt and Jean at TAF on December 6th. I planned to take a lot more pictures and videos...but:
Once we got in the airplane, Matt pulled up the electronic checklist, and let me do everything from engine start, to taxi, run up, takeoff, and we flew for a good 45 mins.
I did three landings - two were touch and goes, one was to a full stop on the short runway (29L).
With two of us aboard, OAT was around 60F, at 115% power and the electronic prop control on T/O we climbed initially at 80 knots around 1200 FPM. The sight picture isn't good at that pitch, so we nosed over for better sight over the front, at 90-95 knots, and we reached the pattern altitude before even turning to the downwind leg after takeoff for the departure to the west.
We went out over the edge of the Pacific Ocean and flew down to Long Beach harbor - I did a few steep turns. Then we slowed back down, hung out full flaps and did a power off stall. It buffeted a little and dropped the left wing at 50 knots...The recovery was easy, it didn't have any adverse Yaw or reaction to stall recovery. Simply drop the nose and it starts flying. Add power and start climbing again.
Full power (100%) without the engine in the extra boost phase used for takeoff, we leveled out at 4000' and cruised at 126 knots IAS. TAS was 135Knots. You change the prop control to climb after you leave the pattern and it reduced RPM to 5500. We dialed the control back to cruise and the RPM came back to 5200 +/- and the fuel burn reduced to around 5 gph.
It's a very quiet engine/ airframe, reminded me of a turbo prop, or a video game. Very little engine vibration, climbs very well with just two aboard, and has distinct handling (no slop).
Landing was Similar to the Sonex, but it's hard to slow the airframe down. Flap extension speed is 85 knots. It takes full flaps to get it dirty enough to descend without gaining airspeed. I greased 2 of the 3 landings. The first one Matt had me come in pretty high over an oil refinery that's on final, and then I slipped it down about 800', on short final. The rudder has a lot of authority and reacts quickly when you bring it back around. The toe brakes that they have as an option worked very well in conjunction with the direct nose wheel steering.
Did get a few pics after we landed!
