I got in some flight testing today and also some crosswind TO & L practice. Eight to twelve mph at 60 to 90 degrees to the runway. The KR seems to handle it better than the pilot. It did everything I asked it to do without hesitation.
An eight direction speed run averaged out to 156 statute mph as measured on the GPS. I'm still running without wheel pants and pulling those 30" Diehl gear legs with 600X6 tires through the air so I guess that's respectable. That should put me in the 165 mph range with pants and that's as good as I was expecting with my raised canopy etc. On one flight I was passing over the airport at 3500 feet with the wind on my tail and the GPS was reading 190 -191-190- 191 . AWSOME !! I did get in some climb and glide test but not completed yet so I'll wait to share the results. I was disappointed at first on the climb tests as eariler test indicated a 900+ fpm rate and today I was getting 750 to 800 fpm at some speeds. It latter struck me that I was using a higher altitude today than last time. I was timing the climb from 3000 to 3500 today so I had three inches less manifold pressure then at airport elevation. I guess I need to get all the climb test in on one flight to eliminate the variables so I can chart them. I'm still impressed with the glide. With standard wings and my bird heavy, engine idle at about 700 rpm, I was getting 535 fpm decent at 70 mph indicated. It was so quite and smooth it was like suspended animation! A tip on tailwheel handling on the ground. I think I heard this somewhere before but found myself doing it without thinking about it. When you can't see over the cowl, the earth horizon will intersect the side of the cowl at some level. Early in the T O roll and on landing after the tail is down, don't try to maintain directional control by looking at anything in the first several thousand feet ahead of the airplane. Look at the horizon intersecting the cowl and you will detect any movement of the nose instantly. Keep the horizon from moving and the airplane will track straight as an arrow.
