Did the same about 6 months ago. Fly them empty first, give them some rudder work to see they are secure and then just fly them. I don't think they do much to stall, only a few knots to top speed. They obviously can be loaded with stuff to the tail cone and nothing in the tail cone unless something like a simple long object like a prop. The weight of them and the stuff inside them doesn't seem to be any different than loading the same things on your passenger's lap. But, I don't fly aerobatics with them on.
Observations over the last 2 decades - in a couple of off field excursions the pods have taken the brunt of the damage and saved the fuselage from more damage than it would ordinarily get when the gear is ripped off - in both occasions I'm thinking about the pods were also rebuilt quite easily afterward.
I think in theory they are like having bigger Vortilons but frankly I can't see any handling difference. Initially we found some of the screws backing out, then used lock-tight on them, then found that the aluminum pieces in the wing were turning with the screws - the solution was messy, but worked - drilled a pilot hole nearby and inserted slow epoxy to avoid it heating and damaging the blue foam.
I've flown with only one pod, just as I've flown with only one wheel pant - a slight roll trim difference, about as much as a fuel imbalance or less.
We found one tail cone floated about 2 hours in the gulf of Mexico.
Beagle
