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Flight test area

G

g zero

Well Known Member
Getting prepped for my DAR inspection , he said we will come up with the testing area when he inspects . What radius from your airport did you get ?
I live on the coast so my test area is a little different .Maybe someone from Spruce Creek or New Smyrna will chime in .
 
Test area

g zero said:
Getting prepped for my DAR inspection , he said we will come up with the testing area when he inspects . What radius from your airport did you get ?
I live on the coast so my test area is a little different .Maybe someone from Spruce Creek or New Smyrna will chime in .
Click to expand...

I'm not even close but have had this discussion with my Tech Counselor. He suggests to builders, they request not just a circle around the home airport but also a corridor to at least one or two nearby airports. This allows the builder to go somewhere besides flying around in circles. It also allows, in my case, flight over more non populated areas. Others hopefully will chime in with their recommendations from real experience.
 
I did not have a "radius" as such, but after talking to my friendly FAA inspector and explaining things, he OK'd me for pretty much all of Calif central valley north of Sacramento to Redding. Had to stay away from SMF and Beal AFB, and away from the mountains to the east and west.

My justification was based on the availability of small airports in the area, and the speed of the airplane.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.5303227,-121.5018828,314102m/data=!3m1!1e3
 
My DAR allowed me to pick an airport within 50 NM of the airport where I final assembled and hangered my plane, as long as it was in a rural area. He then gave me a 50 NM radius around THAT airport as my Phase one area. This was very convenient for me as I had a second hanger where our lake house is at 96 NM from the airport I was hangering at for Phase 1. I was able to keep the plane at either airport depending on where I was hanging my hat at that week and have a common testing area. YMMV though on your DAR.
 
You will find a very wide range across the country. My FSDO/MIDO gives me quite a lot of latitude as long as I keep it reasonable.

Typically I give a 75 nautical mile radius plus 1 or 2 airports in the 100-125 mile range for most RVs. 50 miles plus for the RV-12.
This radius does NOT have to be centered on the home airport.

This is a starting point. I can adjust depending on closely located Class B and/or restricted areas.

I did have one request for a corridor from Sulphur Springs, TX. to California for a Cub Replica. That one got rejected.
 
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When I was doing the phase 1 I was based at KPOU. As you may know, it is close to the "VLAD Class B" in the NYC area and I was given a radius of 35 miles around KPOU.

I had plenty of airports within that area and a lot of farm land.

Looks like another "triple 6er" will be flying soon! I expect a visit!
 
I would ask for a radius of 50 to 75 miles from Palatka or Keystone Heights. That would get you a nice wide range. You could even come to X35. Ours usually gives us 50 Nm after the first 5 hours, and it is 10 Nm for the first 5 hours.
 
My inspector was from the Orlando FSDO. I asked for 50 miles. He gave me a 40 mile radius from my home airport in Titusville, FL. It was not specified as nautical or statute, but I assumed nautical.

This was quite adequate even with Orlando Class B to the west and NASA airspace to the east.

Don
 
In MS (lots or rural territory) the FSDO has (in the past) given quite large areas, with wording that basically says to stay away from towered airspace that's not the home airport. I've had them give close to half the state.

Perhaps an offer to avoid towered space would get you more territory.

FWIW,

Charlie
 
When I first flew I was giving a 50 NM radius, based on my home airport. The problem was that most of that airspace was taken up by Charlotte's Class Bravo.

When I replaced the engine and was given a new test area, I requested the same 50 NM radius but moved it east by 25 miles. This allowed me to fly out of my home airport but do some straight speed runs without running into the Class Bravo. (and it allowed me to fly to my favorite BBQ restaurant.)

If you can work out something like that, you will be in good shape.
 
Instead of a radius I asked for a geographical square boxed in by major roads minus class B and C airspace. A 50 mile radius for me would've been very limiting due to class B on one side and no airports on the other. It was also easier for me to stay in the box with major roads as landmarks and the larger area gave me more options for weather and airports.
 
Hint, ask for more. Be reasonable and have a sensible "narrative" and you might get it. Not "asking" for it guarantees you'll be stuck in a little box. Worst that can happen is you'll be told no.
 
It would be really cool if there was a way to highlight all of the flight test areas on a shared Google map. I know that my FSDO in San Diego uses a set area for Phase 1 out of Ramona which was fairly big (KRNM to Jacumba down on the border with Mexico, then a ~45 mile arc centered on KRNM all the way up to Mt. San Jacinto near KPSP and back to KRNM). The FSDO up in the Inland Empire (Riverside?) has a much smaller area for Phase 1 out of Corona near Lake Skinner by Temecula, yet they practically overlap. Another RV builder was trying to get a larger area out of Corona and was unable to even though everything east of his Phase 1 area was approved as my Phase 1 area near Ramona.
 
100 nm

A friend at my same airport Used a DAR and got 100 nm. But the person that did my inspection from the local midol office wouldn't have it.

Michael
 
A guy I know got this for a test area.

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Hey G,
I received 40 nm for the first 10hrs and then a radius of 75 nm.
Not bad but a little limiting at RV speeds since I was also breaking in a new engine.

I have learned a little from my experience and this thread.
I would ask for an area to be considered before the inspection. My DAR already had the paper work done when we met so a change would have been a problem.
Ask for what you want and as long as it is reasonable you will probably get it.
As recommended and since you are close to the coast, ask for a radius from an airport to your West.
If I were you I would ask for 100nm from 28J Palatka.
Reasoning for 100nm would be the RV speeds.
 
Test area

Thanks for the info ( everybody ) . I think I'll propose my test area when I email him my paperwork before the physical inspection .
Will report back , Tom
 
g zero said:
I think I'll propose my test area when I email him my paperwork before the physical inspection .
Click to expand...

Dont forget to include justification for the non standard area request. Safety is usually a good reason to request stuff out of the norm.
 
Most of us in Reno have had 100 nm radius circles. Ask what the other locals have gotten and you should be able to get at least that amount. Our rationale (right or wrong but it has worked) has been that 1) breaking in engines requires lower altitude, thus the nearest low-altitude spot is in CA, other side of the mountains and almost 100 miles away; and 2) RV speeds require decent sized test area to truly calibrate airspeed etc.

Greg
 
100

I too was given 100 miles for the 40 hours. Frank gave me that without me even asking, saying less would be too restrictive with the speed of my plane.
I then gave myself personal limits, expanded as testing progressed.
100 miles gave me the coast, nice from a plane built myself. :)
 
I have been following this closely, since someday I will have an area assigned to me as well.
I am hoping for a long and narrow area, I am at an ADIZ Mexican border, so South is not a good direction, I have towered airports directly to my right and left, leaving nothing much except going north. That is fine with me if I can go far enough north to be practical, and of course this is Texas, so to my north is LOTS of open and uninhabited area..
 
Several of you have mentioned "Towered" airports. There is nothing against flying phase I into or out of towered airports. Many aircraft are based at towered airports during phase I.
The only restriction is Class B airspace.
 
Test area

I asked for more but got a 25 mile radius from a inland airport . My airport is on the edge of the test area . Oh well .
 
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