Date: 8/5/2017
Time: 11:45 - 12:50 (10:45 - 11:50 GMT)
Aircraft: EuroFOX - G-UFOX
Bang-In Some Circuits.
We have spent most of the day doing a few jobs on the plane. We had to check a suspected cracked brake disc (found during annual) which turned out just to be pad marks. We also changed the starboard water radiator and a few other jobs. We had run the engine up to temperature and checked her over. The others had to leave, but I figured it would be better to have a proper flight test, keeping close to the airfield just in case I had an (unlikely) issue with the cooling.
I had also hoped to take advantage of the fact she had been warmed-up, but it is surprising how quickly she cools back down. After a re-warm-up I head out of the parking and take off from 03, keeping an eye on the temperatures - all OK and no untoward smells. I circuit round for the first touch-and-go landing which wasn't too bad and the following 4 were sequentially better. But it wasn't really putting much heat into the engine, so I decided to head up to the north to allow more full-throttle time. However, the visibility is fairly poor, so at Overton I head back for a downwind join and another reasonable landing.
Perhaps not the most adventurous, but I'm glad that I've done it - I feel happier that it has been tested.
(PS: I was remonstrated for suggesting I was going to "bang-in some circuits", hence the title)