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Aircraft "home base" during Phase 1

Draker

Well Known Member
My newly issued operating limitations reference my requested phase 1 test area:

"This aircraft must be operated for at least 40 hours with at least 10 takeoffs and landings in this geographical area: Region bounded by the following points, [airports listed here]."

They say nothing about where my aircraft is based. Can I safely assume I can rent a hangar in any airport within my test area and do phase 1 out of that airport, and would I have to notify a FSDO or my DAR if I changed home base?
 
To my understanding, the area of operations for phase one must contain your base, but need not be centered around it. I centered mine around a different airport, with the requested radius containing my base, in order to shift the area to more favorable airspace.
 
My home base was a private strip that didn't even officially exist on paper at the time, so no way to identify it. Your base just has to be inside the test area.
 
Thanks, guys. Just wanted to gut check my reading of the limitations. I may end up moving (within my test area thankfully) before I even start test flying, and will eventually have to re-base. I guess the next obvious question is, how many hours of testing after first flight would you feel confident doing a 30-45 minute x-country to a different airport. I suppose the answer is going to be specific to the test pilot's proficiency and to how testing is currently going. I'd obviously want to get through basic testing of climbs, descents, slow flight and so on before going for it.
 
You are going to land on your first flight. What difference does it make whether it's at the same airport?
 
You are going to land on your first flight. What difference does it make whether it's at the same airport?

Typically you shouldn't venture beyond gliding distance from a runway on the first flight.
 
Just as I was about to start my test flight, we sold our house and hanger. I was able to get a one time approval for a relocation flight with a new test area from the DAR and FISDO. The requirements before the relocation flight was to have at least ten hours and to have tested and verified the flight characteristics (i.e. slow flight, stalls with/without flaps etc.). It makes sense since you should know the plane does everything it was designed to do and the engine has had time to to get past the critical first few hours of break in.
 
Thanks, guys. Just wanted to gut check my reading of the limitations. I may end up moving (within my test area thankfully) before I even start test flying, and will eventually have to re-base. I guess the next obvious question is, how many hours of testing after first flight would you feel confident doing a 30-45 minute x-country to a different airport. I suppose the answer is going to be specific to the test pilot's proficiency and to how testing is currently going. I'd obviously want to get through basic testing of climbs, descents, slow flight and so on before going for it.

I played it a bit conservative. I did my first 5-10 hours within glide of the airport. I wanted to see the inside of my oil filter and suction screen for the first time before venturing to another airport.
 
Thanks, guys. Just wanted to gut check my reading of the limitations. I may end up moving (within my test area thankfully) before I even start test flying, and will eventually have to re-base. I guess the next obvious question is, how many hours of testing after first flight would you feel confident doing a 30-45 minute x-country to a different airport. I suppose the answer is going to be specific to the test pilot's proficiency and to how testing is currently going. I'd obviously want to get through basic testing of climbs, descents, slow flight and so on before going for it.

Not being a builder I can't comment on how long is enough for comfort. Knowing where you are, I think if you climb up to 8/9K feet you can glide to 1 or more airports in the area on your way to the new home base, I'm assuming you're going into the valley somewhere.
 
…and

Climbing to those altitudes will likely prevent you from maintaining the recommended high power settings required for engine break in…
 
Typically you shouldn't venture beyond gliding distance from a runway on the first flight.

Granted. Perhaps I should have said starting with the first flight. The point is, you don’t need any special tests just to land at a different airport, barring any restrictive conditions at the airport.
 
Granted. Perhaps I should have said starting with the first flight. The point is, you don’t need any special tests just to land at a different airport, barring any restrictive conditions at the airport.

My DAR told me the first takeoff and landing HAD to be at the same airport. I'll have to reread the Ops limits when the plane comes home from Osh to verify the wording. Basically he said that I can't land at another airport because I don't know what my take off / landing numbers are, so I can't legally meet the requirements of 91.103. After the first flight, you've demonstrated a single point for TOLD info, and can legally go land at any other airport in your test area.
 
My DAR told me the first takeoff and landing HAD to be at the same airport. I'll have to reread the Ops limits when the plane comes home from Osh to verify the wording. Basically he said that I can't land at another airport because I don't know what my take off / landing numbers are, so I can't legally meet the requirements of 91.103. After the first flight, you've demonstrated a single point for TOLD info, and can legally go land at any other airport in your test area.

Never heard of this interpretation. If you don't know the landing requirements for your aircraft, then why would another airport be any different?

P.S. Nothing in the op lims referencing this.
 
I think there's a lot of reasons one airport can be different than another. My first flight airport was a 6300x100 ft runway. That seems safer than taking off on a 6300 ft runway and attempting to land on an 1800x40 ft grass strip surrounded by trees. In my case the DAR just made the bad choice explicitly illegal until I had TOLD information.
 
A DAR MAY add restrictions in the name of safety. I was simply stating that there is no rule that says the first take-off and landing must be at the same airport.

An example is that if I decided to do my first take-off from my 1500' X 20' strip, I would not be making my first landing here! Of course I have no intention of making my first take-off from here either.
 
A DAR MAY add restrictions in the name of safety. I was simply stating that there is no rule that says the first take-off and landing must be at the same airport.

An example is that if I decided to do my first take-off from my 1500' X 20' strip, I would not be making my first landing here! Of course I have no intention of making my first take-off from here either.
Hi @Mel ! You seen very knowledgeable on this matter and, if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask for some guidance. I am close to finish my project, RV-14A, and my home base is KFXE Fort Lauderdale Executive in south Florida. The vicinity of the airport is occupied by fairly populated area. In a straight line, it would be 8miles away from a non populated area. (Over Everglades or sea)

I am worried if I will be allowed to work on phase 1 out of that airport on my op limitations. Is there any regulation that would prevent me from using this airport as home base, given that it requires to overfly fairly populated area to reach the ideal flight test area?

All airports in the area are surrounded by residential areas, so I guess there might be a way to do phase 1 flights work in this scenario…

I really appreciate your feedback on this scenario. Thanks!
 
Ask your DAR or FSDO. That‘s the only answer that matters. In the past I have issued limitations operating out of there but that was a while ago. Check with FSDO. Sometimes you can write up something special such as: the first 3 hours will be directly over the airport coordinated with ATC at an agreed upon non-busy time for the airport. All subsequent flights will be coordinated with ATC to affect a climb over the airport to a safe altitude prior to departing the area.
I would offer this up if you have already assembled it at the airport. They may ask that all subsequent flights be conducted from another airport for X number of hours, so be prepared for that.
Again, ask first.
Vic
 
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Ask your DAR or FSDO. That‘s the only answer that matters. In the past I have issued limitations operating out of there but that was a while ago. Check with FSDO. Sometimes you can write up something special such as: the first 3 hours will be directly over the airport coordinated with ATC at an agreed upon non-busy time for the airport. All subsequent flights will be coordinated with ATC to affect a climb over the airport to a safe altitude prior to departing the area.
I would off this up if you have already assembled it at the airport. They may ask that all subsequent flights be conducted from another airport for X number of hours, so be prepared for that.
Again, ask first.
Vic
Thank you very much for this input Vic. This is really helpful. I am already in contact with the DAR who will help me with the process and I will ask him about using this procedure. Thanks!
 
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