N302RM First Flight!

MikeyDale · #1 05-20-2015, 06:56 AM

I finally made my first flight in my RV-7 Friday.

I have logged 9 hours since. The flight went well other than me being really nervous! I realized later, I had not flown a plane solo in 2.5 years. Two squawks, CHT on #1 cylinder hit 400* before I got 800' in the air. I am working on getting CHT's more manageable now. The second thing rattled me the most, I added 20 deg of flaps and the plane yaw'd hard to the left and my left rudder pedal came up against my left foot! Needless to say I had to make the first landing with no flaps. I later found out the left rudder cable was caught under the nut on the flap control rod.

I must have pulled my rudder pedals back when I put my carpet back in after the inspection and created slack that sagged down and caught the nut. I should have operated my flaps before take off and I would have caught it! I got three landings out of the first flight (see video below) but I'm doing much better now and I am really falling in love with this airplane! I want to thank VAF and all the people that has helped me! I really believe it couldn't have been done without VAF!

Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqgxhWH3pqA

Palamedes · #2 05-20-2015, 07:18 AM

Flew like a champ! .. and on what looked like a fairly windy day too.. Great job..

Dundee Downunder · #3 05-20-2015, 07:57 AM

Congratulations on your first flight ... well done!
That flap rod bolt is in backwards (refer DWG 33, A5). But even with the head of the bolt on the outside it can still catch. This is why my AP insisted
on a length of conduit, small enough diameter to fit inside the snap bushings and just long enough for this bay. Easy to fit now .... simply slit the conduit, feed it over the rudder cable and inside the snap bushings at both ends, then
gaffe tape end to end. Main difficulty is finding conduit which is non-flammable, non toxic etc. Maybe someone could advise if a length of 3/8"
aluminium tubing is a possibility.
By the way, the only way to reverse that bolt is to unbolt the entire flap weldment.
However I, (like just about every other one I have seen), prefer it the
way you have it as it makes disconnecting the flap so much easier. Otherwise with the bolt in according to the plans, to remove the flap you have to undo the bolt into the flap and I don't know how many times you can do that without interfering with the integrity of the platenut inside the flap.
To each his own!
May your Phase 1 go quickly.
Cheers,
Rob,
RV-7A Hobbs 1.2 hours VH-MyRV

Mark Dickens · #4 05-20-2015, 08:24 AM

An AN525 washer head screw may also be a good idea with the head towards the side of the cable

TS Flightlines · #5 05-20-2015, 08:38 AM

Great job Mike! Very proud of you!!!!
Be safe.
Tom

Veetail88 · #6 05-20-2015, 09:12 AM

Great job Mike! Congratulations!

We have something in common besides RVs. MY wife Nancy puts up with my obsession too!

AndyRV7 · #7 05-20-2015, 09:52 AM

Congratulations!! Enjoy!

RV7Guy · #8 05-20-2015, 05:41 PM

Congrats Mickey. If things were exciting enough, you added to it. Nice job of keeping cool.

John Courte · #9 05-20-2015, 05:44 PM

Congratulations on your first flight!

dave4754 · #10 05-20-2015, 06:16 PM

Congrats on first flight!

2.5 years since solo and to have a yaw like that appear on first flight while applying flaps ?...... tells me you must be a helluva pilot!

I will look to installing some kind of conduit at whatever weight cost or penalty to avoid this. Funny never heard of it before this.

Dave C.