Test pilot or Not

Wanted to get an idea how many of you flew the first flight yourself and how many used a test pilot.

B

Did my own.

As a Flight Advisor I try to help pilots evaluate and prepare themselves for the JOB of Phase One. There's nothing wrong with handing the keys over to somebody who has "been there done that," but my philosophy is that you DESERVE to take part in the incredible experience of the first flight...firsthand. And imho, that means getting YOU ready for the task. You just absolutely have to be in the right mindframe to do the job. It's not a joyride...it's focussed & needs to be brutally objective. My 2 cents -- do whatever it takes to get your mind and your skills in that place, so you can make your own first flight.

If you don't feel it's the best option, then don't push it!! No pressure!! Enlist the help of somebody you trust.

There's no right or wrong answer here.

I flew mine.

I first got 3 hours of transition training to make sure that the type of plane would not surprise me.
I had a friend to fly chase plane and my flight advisor also played flight engineer with guidance over the radio. All I needed to do was fly the plane and talk on the radio. My engineer recorded information and computed numbers for me.
The chase plane synced up with my plane to compare alt and speed numbers.

Nothing wrong with letting someone else do this flight if you aren't quite up to it.

The way that I looked at it, I would have to many chances to be the test pilot in a new plane. So I spent the effort to make sure that I was up to the task and then went and had the time of my life.

Kent

I agree with Dan, you owe it to yourself to take that flight! However, I also agree that it is a personal decision and you have to be prepared. I had a lot of tailwheel time but still got an hour of transition training from Mike Seager a month before I took the flight. After that hour, he signed my log book and told me to go fly my airplane. I did.
As suggested, have an experienced chase plane pilot, or two, and have them walk you through everything. Just fly and try to enjoy the experience while they walk you through the check lists and procedures.
Of all of the experiences that was one that I would never trade and once it is done, that chance is lost forever. Man, I was a ball of nerves though, so not really sure I would call it fun, until it was over.
Nobody was going to fly my airplane except me, even if it killed me!
As one of my RV8 neighbors said before he flew the first flight "this could be one of the greatest days of my life, or the worst". It was one of the greatest for him, and was for me too.

Test Pilot

Did my own too, but "Sharpie" is totally correct in what it takes.

You have to be first of all, a competent pilot then, completely current in an RV. Not that they are at all hard to fly and land, it's that they're probably a lot different than what you're used to flying.

Get with a good RV check pilot and get current and signed off.

If you have ANY HESITATION AT ALL, there is no shame in having a competent test pilot make your first flights. It shows me that you have enough common sense not to let false bravado put you in a scary situation or worse yet, bend your freshly minted RV.

JonJay said:

As suggested, have an experienced chase plane pilot, or two, and have them walk you through everything.

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AS A FLIGHT ADVISOR,
I never recommend more than one chase plane. And that chase pilot MUST be experienced and have a good relationship with the test pilot. The test pilot must trust the chase pilot completely and should not need to know where he is. It's the job of the chase pilot to 1/Stay out of the way and 2/Check out the test plane. It's the job of the test pilot to test the plane and not be concerned about anything else.

Having NOT flown for the last 2yrs of the 3.5 year building, I was very rusty. Received ~9.5 hours of transition training in a 180hp 7A with CFI/EAA flight advisor. The last 1.5 hours was on the same day just prior to my first flight. Actual first flight was anticlimatic at best/worst. All I did differently in my 9A from the 7A was to convert the approach/landing speed from 80kts in 7A to 80mph in 9A and the landing was almost identical. Yes I was a little unsure if I wanted to make first flight myself but after a few hours transition that went away. As Dan said, YOU need to decide if your ready or not. A flight advisor will help with that decission.

Mel said:

AS A FLIGHT ADVISOR,
I never recommend more than one chase plane. And that chase pilot MUST be experienced and have a good relationship with the test pilot. The test pilot must trust the chase pilot completely and should not need to know where he is. It's the job of the chase pilot to 1/Stay out of the way and 2/Check out the test plane. It's the job of the test pilot to test the plane and not be concerned about anything else.

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Sound advice. Poorly written by me. I was recommending one plane, two pilots. My one chase plain had two good pilots. One flying, one reading off the check lists

Most

It appears that most of the guys that come down here for 3-5 hours of Transition training do their own first flights with a few exceptions. By the third hour, most of the guys have settled down and have a good feel for the sensitive controls and slippery design....a little longer to slow down than most GA airplanes.

Regards,

test pilot

I send all the people I know down to Pierre and let him do the transition training..... I've seen Kahuna do a bunch of test flights... I'm all about the second set of eyes... My suggestion... if it's a nosedragger... and you feel comfortable, and the transition trainer says you are ready... sure... if it's a tail dragger... why not let an experienced tailwheel pilot that does those regularly do it... We underestimate mother nature... and she can do some strange things.... so I let "the breadmaker make the bread" if you know what I mean....

Best
Brian

I did my own, and it was one of the greatest joys of my life. It was very anti-climactic, just like it should be. I did three hours in 7 w/CS, somewhat different from my 9A FP. But I figured if I could handle the tailwheel well, the A was going to be easier. It was. The only thing I didn't handle as well as I should have is landing distance. I planned on landing long, but landed probably 500 feet further down the runway than planned. I still had 3000' to stop, so no big deal.

For about six months I also stayed away from the Tomahawk I kept current in (flew a Cub during that time) just for the experience of getting into something unfamiliar. That was good practice. Had that not gone as well as it did, I would have had someone else do the 1st flight, and I would have regretted it.

Bob Kelly

Did my own. Got about 60 hours on a Grumman Tiger starting a few months before flying my 6A as these have similar qualities. Flew the Tiger the day before my 6A hop to be as fresh as possible.

I knew the RV would fly but the Subaru engine, turbo system, engine mount, fuel system and IVO prop were very experimental. I did not feel comfortable asking someone more experienced deal with the way different systems on my airplane.

Dan is right, there is no other feeling like the first flight in the plane you built and I'll double the satisfaction and pucker factor when you design the engine installation and assemble, weld and fabricate all those other pieces firewall forward.

BTW I did the nicest landing I have ever done in my 6A that flight. I kept asking myself when the thing was going to touch down. It was already down! It was that smooth. My landings have rarely been that smooth since.

Be current, be unrushed, don't fly until everything on the plane is 100% and the conditions are ideal.

I would like to make the first flight in the plane that I built but plan on building my tail dragger experience in a local Cub or Champ and then taking as many hours of transition training in an RV6 or 7 as needed. Without being too crass it seems to me that using a test pilot would be a bit like taking a stand-in on honeymoon - however safety first!

On a related subject the field (1B8) where I will finish assembly is 2,200' long. I know of one other RV6 that was built and flown there several years ago very successfully. Does anyone have advice on test flying from a shortish grass strip?

Currency is key

There is a line from the motion picture "Tin Cup" in which our hero says "You define the moment or the moment defines you."
When the time came, I chose to decline the services of a test pilot. I knew there was no way I was ever going to let the airplane I handbuilt over 4-1/2 years go aloft on its maiden flight while I watched from the ground. I fully recognize such a decision is a uniquely personal one and can be fraught with as many emotional elements as is rational and deliberate thought.

My airport (M71) located outside St. Louis is not the easiest place to fly into. Check its stats at Airnav for a good laugh. Hilly, it sports 3 windsocks and all can be pointing in a different direction at any given time. Its runway has a serious grade......30 feet of elevation difference from one end of its narrow 3200' to the other. A hangar juts out uncomfortably close to the runway margin. Though proficient and current for many years, 95% of my experience was logged in my C-150. As long as the winds are reasonable, we local pilots routinely take off downhill and land uphill.

In Spring of '05 I drove down to near Dallas and received 4 hours of RV transition training one hot Saturday afternoon....and met our host Doug Reeves at a local RV gathering during the day long process. A few days later back at home, I picked an early morning time when there were no witnesses around. I didn't want the added drama and pressure of people hanging around potentially offering up distracting freewheeling conversation, personal expectations, and cameras at the ready.

All alone and with nothing left to do but advance the throttle, I did so with a combination of fear, fascination, and fatalism. Unlike the long lumbering rollout of my C-150, the RV seemed to almost jump into the air. I circled the field for one full hour, its throttle wide open to help break in the brand new engine. It was at times an almost spiritual experience. When time to land, I forced myself to shout out loud, "IF YOU HAVE TO GO AROUND, GO AROUND!" I did so because in all honesty, up to that time I never experienced a go around because of a botched approach. Well, the fact is that time I did have to go around, so unused to the speeds I was. Still, I settled down and the second approach worked out much better. As I taxied back to the hangar, I was simply ecstatic....and could only share that famous RV grin with myself. That was okay. Later that day, I shared my thoughts right here. Truly, one of life's defining moments. That one flight evoked a flood of exhilarating emotion rivaling that of first solo and I'll never forget it. Priceless.

I test flew both the planes I built, a SeaRey and my 7A. Like advocated, make sure you are competent, comfortable and received adequate transition training. It is the Crowning Jewel of building your airplane and it can be the proudest moment. Just make sure you know you are ready. Put it off if you must. Most accidents happen because of poor preparation.

Roberta

I didn't do the first flight. I went back and forth on it for a long time prior to the glorious first flight day. My advisor (and repeat RV builder) had offered. I felt that I could handle the flight if everything went as expected. It was the unexpected I wasn't sure about. I had only 7 hours of RV time and wasn't sure how quickly I would recognize any quirks. With age has come the wisdom of better judgement that has prevented many of the broken bones of my youth.

I was probably more nervous watching than flying. I had a good friend flying a plane I built in the garage wearing a parachute I had packed.

There was nothing unexpected on the first flight and 500 hours later still nothing unexpected.

I made a decision based on my best judgement at the time so ... no regrets.

Besides, it gave a friend the opportunity to demonstrate how much he trusted me ... priceless.

Rob Herndon - Nampa, ID

jsharkey said:

Does anyone have advice on test flying from a shortish grass strip?

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Don't. Using runways surrounded by trees and terrain gives you few options if something goes wrong as does a short strip. I can think of three instances where this ended in tears and one of these was fatal (very experienced former military pilot).

Test fly from the best field you can find close to home base. Might be a bit inconvenient but better than sweeping pieces up.

You''ll have plenty of other things to be concerned about on the first flights. Runway length should not be added to the list IMO.

Most all of the posts above are excellent! AS a Flight Adviser, and having spent most of my career in the experimental aerospace test flying world, the best advice I can give is to talk about it one-on-one with a qualified adviser and have them help you do a good self-evaluation. The bottom line will come when you take the time for a reality check, and then ask yourself how nervous you feel.

First flights in an RV are NOT "Experimental Test Flying" like what you imagine when you think of the rocket stuff in the 50's. As long as you built the airplane to plans, built fairly normal systems, and put all the systems together, it's really "production flight test" - we know the RV will fly, and we know how. But you DO have to be totally prepared for emergencies, know how to fly the airplane with distractions, and be able to think rationally when faced with decisions which could cost you your life or a large asset.

As I said - each case is different, and deserves a thorough review with a qualified adviser. I made the Val's first flight, and wouldn't have wanted to give it to anyone else - but I was current and qualified in similar types, so I didn't have to worry about learning to fly it - just had to concentrate on looking for problems.

Paul

Some thoughts on this

I agree with Dan on most of the comments. I'm extremely safety conscious and feel that the prep is more than just a few hours of transition time. I know people that should not have made that first flight. Just because it went okay does validate that it was the best decision.

My biggest objection is the comment is the, "I built it so I deserve to fly it first." There were even comments that, "I'm going to fly it if it kills me." This type of attitude is just what gives ANY phase of aviation a bad name and it is amplified with the Experimental tag. One of the first things that the investigators are going to look at is the qualifications of the pilot in any accident. (I've been to the USC accident investigation course.)

There are just to many things that can go wrong on that 1st flight. Unless the potential pilot is 100% competent in the RV in question and confirmed by someone else, they should not be doing this flight. In many cases, (probably most), the builder has not been actively flying during the building process. A few hours is not enough for this emotionally charged event.

An experienced RV pilot is familiar with what a RV feels like, sounds like and how it will react in critical situation and should be making the test flight.

Despite having nearly 4000 hours of time, recent transition training and roughly 25 hours in a RV, I wanted someone with hundreds of hours of RV time to check everything out. I'm glad I did because the engine monitor failed 10 minutes into the flight. My test pilot was Robbie Attaway, with lots of RV time. He knew what the plane was supposed to feel like and the sound of the engine etc. The repair was simple and he flew it again for an hour or so. I was flying chase as a passenger in another RV. I can tell you the sight of my plane flying was extremely exciting and I was very happy with this decision. After all that building, the last thing you want is to have a rolled up airplane on the first flight.

After Robbie deteremined everything was fine, I got in and did MY first flight. I can tell you for me, THAT was the first flight on the plane.

This is much more than emotional decision. It should be a reality check and close look in the mirror to see if you are ready.

Trust me, if you have someone else fly it first, YOUR first flight will be a lot less stressful. When you take it over, it will feel like the first flight.

Yes you built it and deserve to make that first flight, but are you qualified and ready? Think of your family if have any doubts.

Darwin is right ON!

And as a friend of mine said, "Hey, this way I get 2 first flights. One for the airplane, and one for me!"

dan said:

There's nothing wrong with handing the keys over to somebody who has "been there done that,"

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Keys?!! I don't need no steeenkin' keys!

It's a personnal decision obviously, but it has to be a rational decision. Don't base it on the somewhat idealistic notion that the builder has to make that first flight or the whole building experience will somehow be forever tarnished. When I finished my plane I had only about 70hrs total PIC time. It was a no brainer when an experienced test pilot with over 1000 hours in my type aircraft, who had literally flown 100's of first flights, was available to do my first flight. Believe me, the first flight of your creation is a thrill regardless of who is at the controls, and your first flight in it will be just as memorable as if it were the aircrafts first flight. The plane now has 550 hours on the tach, I have 549.5 at the controls; that .5 hrs seems pretty insignificant now.

jsharkey said:

I would like to make the first flight in the plane that I built but plan on building my tail dragger experience in a local Cub or Champ and then taking as many hours of transition training in an RV6 or 7 as needed. Without being too crass it seems to me that using a test pilot would be a bit like taking a stand-in on honeymoon - however safety first!

On a related subject the field (1B8) where I will finish assembly is 2,200' long. I know of one other RV6 that was built and flown there several years ago very successfully. Does anyone have advice on test flying from a shortish grass strip?

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Our field is 2,000'. At least 8 Rv's have had their first flights off of that field. However, all have had their first, second, third.....landings at a 5,500' field about 10 miles away. After take off, we would circle the field until up at about 5,000' agl, do your air work, and head off to the other field for landing practice. Made coming back into our shorter field much more comfortable. So, hopefully you have a longer field close by to take advantage of.
I agree that there are more risks on a shorter field as you have very few options if something goes wrong on take off.
I noticed a couple posts saying that if you are nervous, dont take the first flight. I would tell you, if you aren't nervous, something is wrong. I was nervous as ****. Still one of the greatest experiences of my life and I could not imagine watching someone take that 1st flight other than me.

I was already current in the 182, but the insurance company asked for 10 hours of transition training, which I did with Mike Seager over four days. After my last flight with Mike, I sincerely asked his opinion on my flying abilities in order to do the first flight. I told him if he had the least bit of hesitancy with my plane handling and thought processes ordecision making to tell me and I'd find someone else to do the flight. He told me to fly it, that I'd be fine. I felt good about my ability to handle the plane. I went home and drove all around the airport that afternoon, planning where I'd put down in an emergency on takeoff from Rwy32. The next morning, my advisor walked me through things to pay attention to and I started up. As I taxied out to accomplish the final runup and checkouts, Bill Wallace was on the radio asking all the right questions and helping me to stay focused on the right things. Everything went off well, capped by a perfect landing. In this case, the extensive planning added to my comfort level and I felt confident of my ability to deal with an emergency. Get a flight advisor to help you ask the right questions.

JonJay said:

Our field is 2,000'. At least 8 Rv's have had their first flights off of that field. However, all have had their first, second, third.....landings at a 5,500' field about 10 miles away. After take off, we would circle the field until up at about 5,000' agl, do your air work, and head off to the other field for landing practice. Made coming back into our shorter field much more comfortable. So, hopefully you have a longer field close by to take advantage of.
I agree that there are more risks on a shorter field as you have very few options if something goes wrong on take off.
I noticed a couple posts saying that if you are nervous, dont take the first flight. I would tell you, if you aren't nervous, something is wrong. I was nervous as ****. Still one of the greatest experiences of my life and I could not imagine watching someone take that 1st flight other than me.

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THanks for the advice - DDH is about 15 miles away with 3700 feet of hard top. Could be a good place to practice. Would need two ground crews though.

I've gone both ways. Had my A&P make the first flight in my very first project (a restoration) because I wasn't tailwheel competent. 350 hours later I made my own first flight with a new tailwheel scratchbuilt. The next one I had a friend fly because he had a lot more experience in that particular make and model...so why not? He was there, he was willing, and it just made sense.

Point is, I don't think there is a hard and fast rule other than let the best available guy do the job. Same holds true for another builder's airplane. I'm scheduled to make the first flight of a friend's new project soon. I'm confident that I can fly the airplane just fine and I'm really quite excited about the opportunity. However, if somebody else comes along (1)willing, (2) trusted by the owner, and (3)with significant time in type, he would be welcome to it. No problem here.

My first RV flight was solo in a new bird with 1 hour on the hobbs. No transition, just current in lots of other stuff. I don't think it was any different compared to the true "first" flight, which the owner wanted to do himself. Good pilot, current, no issue there. What he didn't want to do was the test airwork; a stall series, rolls, whatever. It made him nervous, so he didn't think he would do a good job of it....a reasoned self analysis.

Speaking of good self-analysis, here's what I think to be a valid measure. Consider the worst common case; can you deadstick the airplane? I think a lot of first flights get done by guys who have never deadsticked anything, much less the new-to-them bird they're flying. It's a competence issue with the potential to be very serious in test flight.

jsharkey said:

THanks for the advice - DDH is about 15 miles away with 3700 feet of hard top. Could be a good place to practice. Would need two ground crews though.

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Map out your emergency fields along your route. Adjust your altitude to allow for more than a safe glide should something happen enroute. Not sure why you need a ground crew, just a good chase plane.

I did my own first flight. At the time I had about 150hrs TT in anything, a new tailwheel endorsement, and about 5 hours in an RV6. However, I knew my plane better than anyone, the systems are simple, the design is proven, and I had about a mile of runway with nice open fields at each end.
By the time I was lined up for the first takeoff, I felt as though it were just another airplane and the outcome of the flight was never in question.
I am not a risk taker and if something doesn't feel right, I don't do it.
This just felt right.