Third Cross Country Test flight

September 29/16 I made another cross country test flight in C-GMBK and once again it was to Red Deer Alberta.  On this flight my primary test was to check out the MGL V6 radio since getting new settings advice from MGL and from a forum group.  The new settings worked perfect and have eliminated my excessive background static type noise. Both groups informed me I needed to set my mic. Gain to -10.5db and one other setting change.   MGL and the forum also informed I needed to set my radio to VOX and not VOG if using a ANR type headset.  The VOG is a proprietary setting offering many adjustments for “Voice Automatic Gain Control”  and is used primarily to give passive headsets the ability to have quieter sound as found in ANR headsets.  The changes recommended have totally cleared all background noise I was encountering.  The sound was actually engine and cockpit noise amplified in the “Sidetone” circuit creating high ambient noise.  I still have a snapping noise that has been isolated to the magnetos and is likely the capacitors in the magneto, cost $300.00 for two.  My plan is to put that money toward installing a electronic ignition.

Now to  the flight, it was outbound at 6500 ft and I found my groundspeed up at 145mph.  This was due to a 15mph tailwind which was giving me a push.  The engine ran like a charm and I was very pleased to see all engine parameters staying once again within normal ranges.  Not like the last flight which was a clear day, this day had a solid cloud layer at about 7000ft.  I really enjoy the cloud cover as I don’t get the greenhouse effect in the cockpit which can make it a bit to warm at times.  Air ventilation is working fine and because this test flight was at 11 degrees “C”,  I had to close off the eyeball vents.  I can feel some cool air coming in through the open spaces around my canopy frame and these will be closed with weather stripping soon.   This airplane is so much fun to fly, it fly’s hands off and needs only light finger tip control on the center stick.  This is so much fun and a great reward for the three years rebuilding CGMBK.  The bonus is, I now have the pleasure of cleaning bugs of my own airplane.

Track my plane at:  http://aprs.fi/cgmbk

Web page:  http://calvinthorne.blogspot.ca