For the second flight on Sunday, I programmed the GPS for a cross-country flight to GDM-ORE-PSF. This is a total distance of about 80 miles (PSF is the western limit of my restricted area). I read the "Smart Coupler" instructions a few times, as well as the Navaid instructions, and then took off. I started west manually, turned on the Navaid, turned on the SC in "Course" mode, and put the Navaid into "Track" mode. Bingo. The plane turned to intercept the GPS course, and then hooked into it perfectly, staying within 1.25 miles of the course with no "hunting" whatsoever. It overshot at each waypoint a bit as the GPS shifted to the next waypoint, but easily intercepted the next course within a minute or two and then locked in. While all this was going on, the pitch trim system was keeping the plane at 170 mph indicated, with only a blip every now and then to keep the altitude within 50 - 100 ft of 2700 ft. Flew back the same way after an uneventful landing at PSF, and figured that it had been a pretty sucessful day.
13.7 hours and counting...... I need the weather to be good on weekends and mornings -).
There's nothing in the Flight Test Protocol for the flight to Pittsfield and back.
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