No problem with that list, Phillip. Just some remarks
The Silver Eagle is a great airplane. It combines everything one needs (performance, climb rates, pressurization, short field pert etc – you named it). It is affordable and so a good upgrade path from a SEP. But it is not a plane for sight seeing trips like I did before (Bremen to Wangerooge island etc). If you pull it out of the hangar then for a longer trip otherwise it is too expensive.
Yes, on my first takeoff it felt like a rocket-driven truck. It has much torque and you need to really step into the right rudder on takeoff. You need to use side trim on takeoff and whenever you adjust power. This truck feeling goes away after some time. It then feels more like a Ford Mustang.
The fuel smell comes from leaks in the tanks, mostly the header feeder tanks. I had this too. After welding them it was gone. But a turbine has always a little bit of this smell. This is why people are buying this plane.
The only issues I had so far were: Welding of the tanks, igniter box, new battery. But I see these as remaining todo-items from the purchase.
Old aircraft – come on. They completely disassemble and rebuild the plane during conversion so it’s actually a new plane you get. Have a look at this Making Of Gallery
Cheshunt filmed me last Friday during landing, turbine startup and takeoff at Berlin Schönhagen (EDAZ).
Landing in morning:
Startup/takeoff in the evening:
In the meantime we were in Straubing EDMS.
Ha! That landing looked a lttle unfortunate, almost a three-pointer.
Was this merely a bad example, or is it generally difficult to land the SE nose up when one up and thus with forward CG? (I have only ever flown it “full house” and it was rather easy…)
Ahh, thank you my dear. I was waiting who of you sky heroes will detect it first. It was almost a 3-point landing, yes, but very smooth. I usually land in a flare – but I’m not perfect.
No worries Andreas…if you followed me by cam you find lots of things to be improved on.
Despite this touch down I thought the rest might be worth publishing it. This bird looks so great during approach and the sound turns me on. My first landing during training in this plane tend to be like this one because there is a slight nose up impression so you think you flare but you don’t.
That landing was perfect.