First flight in RV AND got to work on the RV-1!!!

So here I am reading everything I can about RVs. Five seconds after signing up on this site, and watching RVs on You tube I'm hooked. So what now? I see a post by Boomer (Bruce Pauley) and notice he live right next to me outside of Dallas. I email him and ask if I could get a ride. Bruce calls me "Hi Bob, can you go now? I mean now, whatcha think?" "Well Bruce it's midnight, how about I call you tomorrow?" (Now I'm joining a cult I figure...) What the heck, I like flowers and long hair, just not on me. Forward to the flight. Bruce is hangared 45 minutes from where we live but there is an airport in our town with limited hangars. Bruce "Boomer" drives to his plane and flys back to our town to take me for a ride! So now I joining a cult with a bunch of nice people.



So here we go: Take off roll was a full 5-600 feet, MAYBE. Climbing at 2000 ft per and reach 3.5 by the time I take my first breath. Holy @$#%... (Here comes the good part as if that wasn't) Boomer calls approach to get into bravo and direct to Love field and DFW then on to hicks where the RV1 is being built.
Controller: Sure, squawk blah blah and say aircraft type again.
Bruce: Vans RV7.
Controller: what speed are you showing?
Bruce: 185 air 205 ground. (MPH)
Controller: Um, what size engine do you have?
Bruce: IO360
Controller: Is it normal to get those speeds?
Bruce: Everyday, and twice on Sunday.
Dead silence...

By the way we were 24 Squared. (Cult of nice guys with FAST airplanes. Where do I sign?)
We get over to Hicks. Some crazy guy starts taking pictures of us like we are rock stars. Crazy man turns out to be another super nice cult member Ernie from Houston (RV8). Not sure but I think Ernie takes all the pics you see of the work on the RV1. Never saw him without his camera.




Here is Boomer and Ernie discussing the wing we are about to put on the RV1 in Jay's nice shop. (RV1 is just between them)


Got to work with Jay Pratt on the RV1 and Walt Aronow on another plane. (Just watched Walt) These are two very smart people, sorry, no pic.

We start heading back to Rockwall. A twin took off in front of us, we had to be careful not to run him over, no lie. Boomer let me fly all the way back, which didn't help my wives ears because I haven't stopped talking about it since. Probably not going to help my pocket book any either. (BTW when Boomer left for home, he took off and stood that plane on it's tail and kept climbing. Let's see you do that in a cessna...)

I got to fly in the fastest prop I have ever been in and work on an aircraft that's going into a museum. Not bad for a Saturday. I wonder what the non pilots did that day... Who cares. I'm a new cult member...

It isn't hard to get hooked!

Bob, sounds like a day for the journal. What a blast. Thanks for telling us about it - it makes me want to get going right now on my plane!

Sounds like you need to start selling a lot of sandwiches -----

Bob, your writing is infectious and your enthusiasm contagious. Together that makes you a biohazard, even for those of us who already joined the cult. I had a stink of a day (came home this afternoon to a fresh-water plumbing leak buried in a finished basement ceiling), a day that's just finishing up now, two hours into tomorrow, and I checked into VAF for a psychological night-cap before turning in. Your story was the perfect remedy for all that ailed me, and I predict I'll enjoy it again, and even more, when it's front page material in a few hours once DR sees it.

Please start your project soon, so that you can put those storytelling skills to use by bringing us along on this journey of a lifetime.

Thank you! Welcome to the cult.

--
Stephen

WOW, What a nice write up

As anyone can see Bruce's plane is not typical. I know Bruce and Earnie and I have raced against Bruce - really good ambasador's for the RV community - you never had a chance! I have seen Bruce's plane up close and I think the big "P" on the tail stands for pretty - there is a lot of thoughtful work and TLC that went into that beauty.

Bob Axsom

What a great write-up!

It warms my heart to think of how many new folks we're sucked in to the cult just with the RV-1 alone....that sort of makes the project worthwhile all by itself!

Bob,

Great write up.
You have a lot of friends at GPM now with the cookie load
you gave me.
I had to adjust CG because of the cookies.

Can't wait for Flight #2 show I can show you the turning
capabilities of the craft.

Glad you enjoyed it now write that check. Your wife
will love it.

The climbout Solo and cookies was great. I thought
you might like it.

Call anytime,
Boomer

I'm hurt...

Bruce,

When you came by to visit, you made no mention of cookies.

I'm probably better of for it as my personal gross weight has been increasing since the holidays.

Welcome aboard Bob!!! If you build at GPM, you will find help and tools. Looking forward to meeting you at GPM or better yet, Stephenville for BBQ.

Subwaybob said:

....when Boomer left for home, he took off and stood that plane on it's tail and kept climbing. Let's see you do that in a cessna....

Click to expand...

Sure, no problem. Come to Longmont, LMO, in Colorado, and come for a ride with me. The field is at about 5,050 feet and I don't really care how hot it is outside. My Cessna 180 will do that any day you would like. No problem.

The thing is, some will and some won't. This one will, like most early Cessna 180s and nearly all the Cessna 185s. And pretty easily cruise in the 160s (mph), too, with a considerable load.

Dave

David Paule said:

Sure, no problem. Come to Longmont, LMO, in Colorado, and come for a ride with me. The field is at about 5,050 feet and I don't really care how hot it is outside. My Cessna 180 will do that any day you would like. No problem.

The thing is, some will and some won't. This one will, like most early Cessna 180s and nearly all the Cessna 185s. And pretty easily cruise in the 160s (mph), too, with a considerable load.

Dave

Click to expand...

Hmmm, will it do that burning 7.5 gallons/hour?

Welcome SubwayBob.....

Sorry your first RV day was so disappointing. But, you'll come around!

N363RV said:

Bruce,

When you came by to visit, you made no mention of cookies.

I'm probably better of for it as my personal gross weight has been increasing since the holidays.

Welcome aboard Bob!!! If you build at GPM, you will find help and tools. Looking forward to meeting you at GPM or better yet, Stephenville for BBQ.

Click to expand...

Rooster and the gang with my help enjoyed em.
Didn't want to offer crumbs when I saw you two.

Next time.
Boomer

RVbySDI said:

Hmmm, will it do that burning 7.5 gallons/hour?

Click to expand...

No, but it'll do it with four people aboard and 10.5 gph.

Dave

Different Airplanes .....

Totally different aircraft, flew a 185 for 6 years and I know it will do some things others don't and won't, like 1000 lbs of people and bags and do a 500 nautical mile trip.... in comfort.

My IO-550 EVO F1 will have a different attitude all together but I am sure I will love it too!!

They are all airplanes folks, I like em all!!! Particularly fond of a DC-3... go figure!

Greg

All Airplanes

Lets not fall into the RV is THE 'only, best' airplane out there.
I challenge all to have a back up. Pick a Super Cub or a Cessna 180. One airplane does not do it all. Some do it better than others.

Define the mission.

I agree Jay..

Jay... your right. There is certainly no one best airplane. The 18x series have a special mission. I enjoyed mine for about 12 years. I hauled people, bags, stuff, tile, tools and trees in mine. I miss it, but not the expenses associated with a second airplane. The citation X is another favorite. It has pretty good peformance too. These days, it is mostly just me and Amanda. 193 mph at 8 gal hour works for me. I fly alot between gpm and colorado and I am very happy with the non stop flying time of ~3 hours. Poor Bob. We know you meant a 172... of any horse power.

Bruce said:

Bob,

Great write up.
You have a lot of friends at GPM now with the cookie load
you gave me.
I had to adjust CG because of the cookies.

Can't wait for Flight #2 show I can show you the turning
capabilities of the craft.

Glad you enjoyed it now write that check. Your wife
will love it.

The climbout Solo and cookies was great. I thought
you might like it.

Call anytime,
Boomer

Click to expand...

Bruce, I can't thank you enough. Great planes and people!

Mel said:

Sorry your first RV day was so disappointing. But, you'll come around!

Click to expand...

Thanks Mel. I will be happy to use you for my inspections!

Thanks for the comments everyone. Someone I forgot to mention was Jay's wife. Nicest lady you would ever want to meet! So if you get over to Hicks and see the RV-1 before it leaves for it's home in Oshkosh, and be prepaired for a sweet lady walking around asking you if you want a cookie or something!

And thanks again Jay and Earnie for all the advice!!

Fun

Bob,
Carol is a pilot, learned in a Cessna 140, she has a large family and I have almost none. I am blessed to know her. She loves to travel.
I hope you can get your RV8 building soon. It is the RV of choice! Almost no one builds a RV 8 ,,,, then builds a RV6,7,9,,,, Builders build a RV 6,7 ,9 and then build a Rv8 go figure.........

Jaypratt said:

Bob,
Carol is a pilot, learned in a Cessna 140, she has a large family and I have almost none. I am blessed to know her. She loves to travel.
I hope you can get your RV8 building soon. It is the RV of choice! Almost no one builds a RV 8 ,,,, then builds a RV6,7,9,,,, Builders build a RV 6,7 ,9 and then build a Rv8 go figure.........

Click to expand...

I would love to build an 8 Jay. We are going to travel quite a bit and I don't think there is enough room for shi... stuff. Plus the wife wants to sit next to me. Guess I'll build my 7 then my 8 then my 10.... And I'll come over and work for you for free so you can fill my head with good stuff!