When I rode a motorcycle, I appreciated that my ability to out-accelerate problems could sometimes help me get out of developing situations. I recently had a similar experience in the 9A.
I was taking off from an uncontrolled airport at a quiet, residential airpark. The preferred runway for calm or low wind is 27 - it's about 1% uphill. We're in the desert southwest, and the density altitude was maybe 8000, and the wind was slight and out of the east.
I listened on CTAF during taxi, announced my intentions on CTAF, and looked around before departing. On takeoff roll, with my nosewheel a few inches above the runway and still a few seconds before lifting off, I thought I saw something heading toward me, but I couldn't be sure. A couple seconds later, I saw an aircraft about 20 AGL heading the opposite direction.
The runway is only about 30' wide, I have only 15 or so hours in the 9A, I was probably going 55 kt, and I didn't know if the oncoming aircraft was taking off or landing...so I didn't abort the takeoff but continued, lifted off, and made an immediate jog to the right away from the centerline. The oncoming gyrocopter passed me within 2-3 seconds and made a radio call, "traffic now in sight." My guess is that the other pilot heard my call, ".....departing 27, northbound departure...." and assumed I had already taken off and was already turning to the north.
Now I know I might have departed on 9 if I were in a 172, but I would have been in even more of a bind if another, also unseen airplane were landing 27. Being in an RV instead of a 172, I lifted off considerably sooner than I would have and was able to make a controlled evasive maneuver. It was a dangerous situation, but I know the RV's performance helped me do what I needed to do.
I was taking off from an uncontrolled airport at a quiet, residential airpark. The preferred runway for calm or low wind is 27 - it's about 1% uphill. We're in the desert southwest, and the density altitude was maybe 8000, and the wind was slight and out of the east.
I listened on CTAF during taxi, announced my intentions on CTAF, and looked around before departing. On takeoff roll, with my nosewheel a few inches above the runway and still a few seconds before lifting off, I thought I saw something heading toward me, but I couldn't be sure. A couple seconds later, I saw an aircraft about 20 AGL heading the opposite direction.
The runway is only about 30' wide, I have only 15 or so hours in the 9A, I was probably going 55 kt, and I didn't know if the oncoming aircraft was taking off or landing...so I didn't abort the takeoff but continued, lifted off, and made an immediate jog to the right away from the centerline. The oncoming gyrocopter passed me within 2-3 seconds and made a radio call, "traffic now in sight." My guess is that the other pilot heard my call, ".....departing 27, northbound departure...." and assumed I had already taken off and was already turning to the north.
Now I know I might have departed on 9 if I were in a 172, but I would have been in even more of a bind if another, also unseen airplane were landing 27. Being in an RV instead of a 172, I lifted off considerably sooner than I would have and was able to make a controlled evasive maneuver. It was a dangerous situation, but I know the RV's performance helped me do what I needed to do.