First Flight; while you were sleeping

While most RVers where sleeping, Jon Clements' RV7 made it's first flight Down Under, from Little River, Victoria Australia.

Congratulations Jon,
Beautiful aircraft. It flies straight and true and proved to be faultless;
Well, except for the wrenched woman screaming "ANGLE, ANGLE" every time I reduced below 75kts.

Thank you for trusting me with your baby.

Pete.

Pleasure Pete - it suits you!

Great work Pete, Jon.

Did they give you 25 or 40 hrs to fly off ?

Congratulations Jon, great work Pete. Can't wait to see it around.
Where is the strip at Little River?

CONGRATULATIONS JON!!! How about a few more pics of your gorgeous paint scheme in flight?!?

GREAT WORK!!!

- Peter

Thanks Jamie / Andrew / Peter

Answering all in the one post...

Jamie: 25 hours test period.

Andrew: Little River is 7NM direct North of Avalon (just inside the 8 mile boundary). I own the property and it is a private strip. It is on the maps. You are welcome to visit.....2 flying RV's in the hangar (my 7 and Ken Brown's 8) and two projects under construction (Mick Haynes RV-7A and Andy McIntosh RV-10. Send me an email to [email protected] and I will forward airfield info.

Peter: I'll put the fairings and spats on for the next flight and will arrange some photos soon after. Keep an eye out for further post in the completed projects section....

Following is a superb shot of Pete James (test pilot) pre first flight......taken by Marty James (Pete's son) of Nalu Productions Australia



I'm loving it....

Cheers

Jon.

Jon Clements' first flight

Brought a tear to the eye it did, the occasion coupled with a 20 knot northerly blowing off them thar hills reducing the chill factor to less than zero, an odd thing for Melbourne.

Anyone having trouble contacting Jon by email is advised to change the name in his link to "clements" and not "cements", Jon rushes a bit when excited. A well deserved one too Jon, it was a rush for all of us.

Me next or Mick?

Pete

Jon, congratulations, it's a beautiful plane!

Can you post a photo (or even better, some dimensions) for your canopy closing guide? I can just see it there in the photo of your test pilot. I'm looking for something better for my tip-up -6, and have seen similar guides once before but nothing I could measure.

bugglesworth said:

Brought a tear to the eye it did, the occasion coupled with a 20 knot northerly blowing off them thar hills reducing the chill factor to less than zero, an odd thing for Melbourne.

Anyone having trouble contacting Jon by email is advised to change the name in his link to "clements" and not "cements", Jon rushes a bit when excited. A well deserved one too Jon, it was a rush for all of us.

Me next or Mick?

Pete

Click to expand...

Getting pretty cheeky Bug!

I edited my post and corrected my email address (thanks for noticing).....I assume you will sleep better now.

Sounds like you are you racing Mick to the finish line...?

Snowflake said:

Jon, congratulations, it's a beautiful plane!

Can you post a photo (or even better, some dimensions) for your canopy closing guide? I can just see it there in the photo of your test pilot. I'm looking for something better for my tip-up -6, and have seen similar guides once before but nothing I could measure.

Click to expand...

Hi Rob

I'll try to remember to take some shots for you when I am out at the hangar next.....i shaped them up from Nylon Blocks....pretty simple.

Cheers

Jon.