T-28A Pilot/PPI report

I am flying to JAX this Tues to ferry the plane home (while receiving dual) on Wednesday 18 Dec. This all depends greatly on the wx, of course. It's about 850 miles (straight down I-10, it happens) and she cruises about 180 kts, but I am sure we will be fighting headwinds as you all know.

It's been fun sharing the experience with the AvChat folks.

And no, I will NOT be naming the plane or putting nose art, although my daughter suggested 'Spider-pig' (from the Simpsons movie).

Wish us luck!
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In a 20 year tradition, N8089H will be referred to by the same name as both of my previous airplanes by the clever moniker, 'the plane', or sometimes, 'the #$%! plane'. On some more formal occaisions, we use the more proper '!@#$%^&*!@#$ plane'.

 

Hwdy from JAX. Flew in today and began my check-out training. Started with a walk-around. Wow - so much more complicated than an SNJ! It's like NAA discovered electricity or something.
Since I have not been around it for about 2 months, it still really struck me how doggone HUGE this thing is - WAY bigger than a T-6. I remember when the SNJ's size seem intimidating when I first flew it - but nothing like this!

BUT, when you get in the front - WOW - what a view!

Practiced starting the engine, what all the switches do, etc. We then taxied out and took off, did some basic airwork, then back into the pattern for some landings. I've always read how the T-28 is 'ridiculously easy to land'..well, I don't know about ridiculous, but the first landings were not bad at all, which must reflect on the plane and not any inate skill I have -- just dial in the airspeed with power and trim, come around the corner base to final at 100, reach out for the ground with the long skinny legs, pull the power over the threshold at 90 and you're rolling down the runway. Amazing. Just fly the plane.

Off for San Antonio tomorrow if the wx looks ok.

 

Hooray - we are home. The plane flew beautifully - 28" at 2200 rpm + 180 knots at 6000 feet burning in the mid-low 30s gph.
We did notice a very high oil burn on this first x/c on this 30 smoh engine - 5 gallons in 1.5 - 2 hrs! A bit high, even for a new engine. We had great power and the exhausts were clean, but it was obvious that it was throwing oil from the exhausts. We limited legs to 1.5 hrs and did fine coming home. Tentetive diagnosis is a stuck crankcase breather valve - will check it these next 2 weeks after the holidays.

She flies great and lands easy. It's so noticibly faster and more comfy than a t-6 and is as light and nimble.

More as I learn to fly her better!

 

Just back in town after spending the holidays with family.
We're looking at a couple of crankcase breather valves tomorrow as the source of the oil blow-by. All covered by the engine warranty - yea!

Several nationally known T-28 guys such as Linc Dexter and Jaimie Trudeau are tele-consulting. Great folks.

Hope to be airborne this weekend to work on pattern stuff and building familiarity.
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Many thanks...and which is why I bought a small pressure washer and some Zep degreaser today... to keep it that way.

There are a couple of projects I will be tackling, though. One of the first will be to replace all of the hoses behind the instrument panels.

I also have a small bug to re-paint in the future, but for now will be focusing on learning how to fly it acceptably well.