I'm still feeling the Grin, its been 8 years and 11 months.......and it's just starting.
I can't say enough about the VAF community, it wouldn't have been possible for me without you guys.
I was so nervous at lunchtime I wasn't sure that I was ready, plane was ready but I was shaky. I've studied a lot about first flights and if you the builder are ready or not. I'm about a 2000ish hour pilot, 1500 ish dual given, 5 year 35 hour tailwheel pilot without a lot of recent experience. I spent about 7 hours 6 months ago in the back seat of a Citabria giving my first tailwheel endorsement. I am lucky enough to have received 6 great hours of instruction from the GustBusterGuy last month, Thanks so much Loal! Yesterday's forecasted winds for today were 360 @ 15G19. I would've cancelled for tomorrow except Doug (local RV6 builder/pilot) offered to give me some time in his 6 today shooting T&G's. winds ended up being 12 knts right down RWY35 and after bouncing Doug's 6 several times down the runway I knew I was as ready as I would ever be. A lot of anxiety/excitement happens on the first flight and I'm very thankful that I was prepared to do the first flight. Use the advice on VAF to help prepare yourself to do or not to do your own first flight. Pic of Doug and I..
Originally I was not going to do any high speed taxi test. After discussing this (and after transitions training) I decided a high speed taxi test was a good decision. Temp was 18 on the gnd but preheat before start had Oil and CHT's at 80. Startup, taxi and runup was perfect.
The only item not preflight checked was the handheld radio with the headset adapter, it had a hot mic and I decided to unplug the headset and use it that way. In flight I could transmit but not hear. In retrospect I should have shutdown and I could've trouble shot and used the headset and PTT on the radio and not the stick.
I pulled on the runway and slowly added about 1/3 throttle, airspeed came alive and rotated the tail off and pulled power to idle at 40knts and let the tail settle back down. I think it was important to establish basic airspeed readings and control inputs and gear tracking in this scenario.
I taxied back and went for the takeoff. Very easy 5 second count to full power, gauges green and I was up and away. Both tailwheel RV's I had previously flown were Hartzells so my Pfactor and climb with the Catto were less. 2CHTs were at 405/410, the others were around 390. I added some nose down trim and climbed at 125-130 IAS. Temps all fell below 390 after leveling off at 3000 for 15 min leaving WOT. Engine ran Great, I unconsciously kept climbing and averaged 151 knts IAS (160 TAS) 4-6000 without wheel/leg fairings and 15.2 GPH. Basic maneuvers as described in AC 90-89A for 40 min as well as an approach to stall to 55 IAS. Everything felt right with the airspeeds, but if I would have fixed the radio I could have verified with the chase plane.
I started my descent in the same extended left hand pattern over the airport, and made my first approach to landing. I anticipated my fixed pitch coasting more power off but I was still high on my first approach, I could've made the landing but the second time I heard that little voice in my head say "Your high, it's the first flight, a good landing starts on downwind and You've seen lots of ugly landings but never an ugly go around" I went around at about 400 AGL.
Next approach I compensated by pulling more power and had an excellent approach followed by a perfect 3 point a tad fast, small ballooning and bobbling between the 3 wheels. I think 3 landings on my first but all acceptable in my book.
After all the grinning and sighs of relief (my wife was so nervous she lost part of her lunch) we rolled her back in the hanger and pulled the top cowl.
Only item we found was some blue spatter on the cowl under #3 intake tube. A little finger running found the source around the intake tube, its not fuel/oil but our best guess is preservative oil. My instinct is to pull the intake tube and replace the gasket. Other wisdom says to wipe up the drip, check for intake leaks while running and fly again and see if the dribble re-appears. We'll see.
I also had a slightly heavy left wing, seemed balanced at 90 knts but I would guesstimate 1 lb right pressure at 150 IAS. Ball was almost centered, right foot resting on the right pedal centered it in cruise. I know the wing incidence/sweep, aileron/tooling holes, wingtip to aileron alignment is very close and the tail is very close, I suspect the left flap. During final assembly I shortened the left flap pushrod several turns to align it better with the neutral aileron. I need to check the flap positions and lower aileron pivot points reference the wings next.
The fun continues!