Highlander inflated floats Testflight VIDEO

[Dave Krall CFII]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4CoPrE_Zo0

Finishing up 40 hours flying after initial Airworthiness Certificate issuance on straight 1650 floats. Turbo-Intercooled-Injected STOL Highlander will have tundra tires bolted back on outside floats after 40 hours are flown off.

Business and family commitments prevent me flying this aircraft as much as it should be flown, so am also looking for a pilot to fly it regularly out of North Seattle, a current CFI or trainee preferred.

 

[Henning]

Excellent Dave! Great to see it flying. I wouldn't mind putting a few hours of float time on it. How is that Suzuki doing for you?

 

[alaskaflyer]

What's the high-pitched whine? At first I thought it was some electronic stall warning signal though as I watched you leave ground effect I was hoping not :wink2:

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Excellent Dave! Great to see it flying. I wouldn't mind putting a few hours of float time on it. How is that Suzuki doing for you?

Thank you, Henning, good to hear from you.

I was thinking more about someone flying it more regularly than just a few hours, like somebody wanting to build a few hundred hours PIC time over six months or so in a complex/HP on amphib/floats but, if we get the chance to fly, every little bit helps.

The remote, Mustang style cooling array under the cockpit has proven well for CG purposes as intended, for oil, engine radiator fluid, and intercooler air but, it was a big challenge to get the engine heat right. Not uncommon when routinely pushing an engine at 5900 RPM or so, with cruise at around 5200 and culminating through the belted reduction drive to ~2400 on the 3 adjustable Warpdrive blades.

Turbo boost right now is electronically controlled by push button scramble settings to use for max T.O and routine being only about 6.5 #.

Fuel flow at full power is 3.9 gal/hr of unleaded high test @ ~$3.50-4.00 /gal. Haven't tried 100 LL yet and probably won't until ready for very long cross country flights.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

What's the high-pitched whine? At first I thought it was some electronic stall warning signal though as I watched you leave ground effect I was hoping not :wink2:

High pitched whine in the aircraft? I'm just a damn good pilot, I don't know what makes them go!

It's probably the bearings' sound at high RPM in the no-doubt titanium alloy wheel, upon which the highly caffinated team of mutant hamsters run wildly to power the ship. One mechanic type guy once said it was turbine whine....

 

[AdamZ]

Dave great to hear from you. The highlander has come a heck of a long way since I saw it under construction several yeas ago.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Dave great to hear from you. The highlander has come a heck of a long way since I saw it under construction several yeas ago.

Thank you, Adam. All from out of a car-port tent....

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

What's the high-pitched whine? At first I thought it was some electronic stall warning signal though as I watched you leave ground effect I was hoping not :wink2:

Hardly noticeable with headsets, turns out that whine was from the primary of two identical fuel pumps, the secondary being for emergency use.

They're not insulated to facilitate cooling and are in one corner of the floor of the cargo bay, which acts as a megaphone towards the camera mic in that particular mounting position. That is their normal sound.