Experimenter

March 2013

Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.

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The Ellipse was initially showing about 145 mph cruise, but it improved after Scott worked on the rigging and got the ailerons to fly in trail with the flaps. Scott said that turned out to be a rather complicated process, which didn't yield the desired results until after 70 hours of flight time. "Every time I would make an adjustment, I would go out and fly for 15 minutes to see if it needed more adjustment or if I had to take out what I'd just put in. One control adjustment might change three other items in the handling of the aircraft, and you wouldn't know it until you went up to test-fly it." Landings took a little while to finesse because Scott was used to flying his tandem Beryl, and the sight picture was different in the side-by-side Ellipse. He typically does a full-stall landing since pitch control is a bit sensitive for wheel landings. "I do have an angle of attack indicator that has been a help for landing approaches. And I've found that as soon as I touch down for wheel landings, with those big tires and bungee cord shock absorbers, I want to make sure to give it a little bit of down elevator, or else the airplane tends to bounce back in the air." the windshield from a piece of Lexan. "Visibility out of the airplane is fantastic," he said, "and I decided to add a skylight above the front seats, which also makes the cabin feel even roomier." Young Eagles Scott loves flying his Ellipse and likes to share that joy with others. "I've flown many Young Eagle flights with EAA Chapter 39," he said. "I can fly three at a time; and it's a neat experience because young children are always asking questions that you don't expect, and they really enjoy the flying." Perhaps that's especially true when they have the opportunity to fly in such a unique airplane. Sparky Barnes Sargent, EAA 499838, holds a commercial glider certificate with private single engine land and sea ratings, and she personally restored her 1948 Piper Vagabond. He added, "It will slow flight in ground effect so nicely with those long wings! Overall, I'm very pleased with the Ellipse and its handling characteristics. It burns anywhere from 8.5 to 9.5 gallons an hour while cruising anywhere from 140 to 145 mph, for around 4 hours of flight time plus reserve." Thoughtfully Designed Features Scott said, "The control system design is excellent; there's extreme use of adjustable rod ends and push-pull controls. Plus, every aspect is adjustable—you can bring the rudder pedals closer to you if necessary, and you can move the seats fore and aft within a 4-inch range." Scott says the 12-foot faps are extremely efective. Another nice system is the spring-loaded elevator. "Whenever you change the electrically operated trim on the stabilizer, your stick pressures are always the same, and that is just fantastic," Scott said. "I didn't want a mechanical trim indicator, so I adapted a flap position indicator with a gauge on the instrument panel." The Ellipse is a sweet combination of form and function, especially with its large cargo area behind the rear seats. "I'm sure you could carry all the camping gear you'd ever want, and I can easily carry over 800 pounds in the airplane," Scott said. He enjoys camping with his airplane at Oshkosh. Visibility is another enhanced feature of the Ellipse. Scott fabricated nice large windows from Plexiglas, and Lots of room for baggage. Useful load is 800 pounds. Photography by Jim Raeder and courtesy Scott Christiansen EAA Experimenter 25

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