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First Flight on Fathers Day - 2012

ScottSchmidt

Well Known Member
On Sunday afternoon we flew the RV-12. I thought it would be great if we could do it on Fathers Day and it turned out to be a perfect afternoon. My dad and I built this plane over the past 2 years. I had the inspection the previous Wednesday and everything passed with no discrepancies (other than the nav lights were swapped on the wings before the inspection on Wednesday, no one caught this until after the flight and there were at least 20 different pilots looking at it including the DAR. I had one nav light that didn't fit completely flush and I wanted to see if it was the mounting hardware, the light or the fiberglass. I forgot to put it back.)
After the inspection, I installed a new panel on the right side that eliminates the glove box. We installed the remote oil pressure kit that moves the sensor to the firewall and everything passed on the final inspection checklist that Van's supplies
Here are some pictures of the first engine run and prep for first flight. I need to thank my brother Todd for all the cool pictures.

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I was 1500 feet over the runway on this picture making some laps. It was taken with a 400mm zoom lens.
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Back from flight.
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The RPM was a little low which is fixed with the ground adjustable prop. Other than that it flew great, has great visibility and was easy to make a perfect landing. Van's really did a great job.
Paint is scheduled for July 2nd!
 
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Couple more pictures of the panel

We will probably add a mount for an iPad or something like a 696 on the right side.

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Gorgeous pictures!

Scott, some details about your brother's camera and how he got the effects he did! Beautiful!.

BTW, my father taught me years ago, "Port" wine is red and has four letters...the same number as "Left"....Port=Left. :)

Best,
 
Way to go Scott!

I'd also like to know the details behind those pics. Very, very good photography! I know the lighting helped, but there's an unusual quality to the in-the-hangar shots especially that makes them almost surreal. Love to know how to duplicate that effect!
 
HDR

They look like tone-mapped HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging

You start with a tripod, and take at least 3 photos exactly the same except for the exposure: a normal pic which provides the basic scene, an underexposed pic which captures all the brightest bits without washing them out, and an overexposed pic which contains detail in the shadows, but with everything else blown out.

Then the HDR software combines them together into a single image that captures everything, by picking the "best" version of each pixel from each of the three images.

Tone mapping adds some algorithmic complexity, brings out color and reflection.

Lovely stuff, but very difficult to get "right." These shots must have taken some time...!

- mark
 
Scott, some details about your brother's camera and how he got the effects he did! Beautiful!.

BTW, my father taught me years ago, "Port" wine is red and has four letters...the same number as "Left"....Port=Left. :)

Best,

The main way I remember is from the movie "Airport 77" when Dean Martin said something about a bomb in the starboard can (right side).:)
 
I too was blown away by the photo quality! Had not heard of this before, there are lots of cameras that have it apparently from this list. Got to have one! http://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Digital-Cameras-Estate-Photography/lm/R12I2YLSP96OEH

They look like tone-mapped HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging

You start with a tripod, and take at least 3 photos exactly the same except for the exposure: a normal pic which provides the basic scene, an underexposed pic which captures all the brightest bits without washing them out, and an overexposed pic which contains detail in the shadows, but with everything else blown out.

Then the HDR software combines them together into a single image that captures everything, by picking the "best" version of each pixel from each of the three images.

Tone mapping adds some algorithmic complexity, brings out color and reflection.

Lovely stuff, but very difficult to get "right." These shots must have taken some time...!

- mark
 
Congratulations!

Way to go Scott! Those first pictures look more like paintings. Love the look of the -12. Now I want one.

Uh, I guess this officially makes you a repeat offender.
 
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Congrats Scott!


BTW, my father taught me years ago, "Port" wine is red and has four letters...the same number as "Left"....Port=Left. :)

Best,

Pierre,
I always remembered it in alphabetical order from the drivers seat. P comes before S, so it would be on the left if the alphabet were written in front of you.

I wish left was just left though. Stupid Sailors..:D
 
Performance in the Mountains

Congratulations on your first flight. I've been waiting for someone in the mountains to report an RV-12 flying.

So, I know this is a little early to ask, but for those of us who live at higher altitudes and near high terrain...

How is the performance at altitude? Is it comfortable at gross weight at 10,000 MSL, or does it struggle? How about on a hot day with high density altitude? Is this a plane that you'd feel comfortable flying over the mountains up to Vernal (probably requiring over 10,000 MSL)? Or down to Moab or Bryce? Or from the south to the north rim of the Grand Canyon?

I'm about done with the tail of my 9A. But knowing that I could build a 12 in far less time and probably less money makes me wonder about building a 12 instead. And it might cost less to operate, too. But I do not want to do it if flying in the mountains will be marginal.
 
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Good news Scott! No wonder we didn't read much of your travel stories recently, you've been busy building... Now get back on travel track :)
 
Photos

Thank you everyone for you kind comments.

It is as someone stated HDR (the first series) or High Dynamic Range.
Any camera that has the ability to manually control the exposure can do it although models that have a Auto Bracketing mode make it much easier and most point and shoots even come with that now days. I cant speak for how well the cameras that include HDR as a built in function (like canons new 5d Mk3) as much of the detail and image quality is a result of tweaking the images in the HDR software after capture but i'm sure they provide decent results. I used Photomatix Pro to merge the images but Photoshop will do it ans there are a bunch of other free and pay versions of software that do it as well.
HDR works really well as the name suggests when there is a wide exposure range in a image like a hangar interior in shade and a bright exterior in sunlight.
If your camera has the auto bracketing function first turn it on and set the bracketing stops to at least +1 and -1. I set mine to +2 and -2 for the shots above. What will happen is the camera will shoot one exposure that is either determined by the camera to be correct or one you told the camera is the correct exposure. I prefer to calculate the ideal exposure myself so I can underexpose a bit which helps to preserve highlight details. The next two will be either 1 or 2 or even 3 "stops" over and under to expose for the shadows or highlights. A company called Promote also makes a handy remote that I sometime use that will allow you to bracket 41 exposures at 1/3 stops if desired. However these were all shot with just three exposures using the built in auto bracketing. By the way I am shooting with a Canon 5dMk2 and most of the hangar shots were shot with a sigma 12-24 wide angel zoom. Traditionally HDR images are usually shot on a tripod because you are combing the shots and any camera movement between shots will cause ghosting as the shots will not line up. All the shots were handheld which will take some practice but can yield decent results.
The other issue you run into is that even if your camera is still if there is any movement in the shots i.e people they will also blur and double expose. To minimize this I keep the shutter speeds as high as I can for the light (I think the interior was 1/320 ISO 400 f5.6) and shot with the drive mode on my camera set to high speed so I can hold the shutter release down and shoot the three shots as quickly as possible. You get really good at judging when people are going to be still for a movement after a while and also get really good at watching your background for movement. Then I make sure to look at a single reference point in the viewfinder and try to hold the camera on it as steady as possible. Holding your breath helps during the shot.
Once you have your three images you import them into your chosen software package and go from there. There are far too many ways to tweak the images when you merge them so I wont go into that because its so different to every shot but you can get very good results from the default settings and go from there.
I believe that Photomatix offers a trial or demo version (http://www.hdrsoft.com/) that you can try with.
HDR is a fun technique that can yield results that you cannot get any other way and as I mentioned even the most basic point and shoots that allow for auto bracketing will allow you to do it. My personal favorite for a more point and shoot camera that I have found yields awesome results and allows for full manual control is Fuji's new X10. I love mine and whenever I don't have my 5dMk2 2 with me its in my pocket.
All the shots of the takeoff and landing were shot with Canon's excellent and 300mm f2.8 IS which is one of their best lenses ever in my and many others opinion. The overhead shot was also with this 300mm but with a 1.4x attached to give it a effective 420mm focal length at f3.5.
You can also see more examples of some of my HDR work at (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gx617/) to get a better idea of what you can do with it.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.

todd schmidt

also congratulations Scott, another masterpiece! I only wish you would leave it polished so it looks like a flying Airstream!!!!!!!
 
Congrats Scott! I hope the -10 doesn't get jealous!

Todd, Great pictures! I've been messing around with AEB and HDR on my 60D... and I'm thinking about buying a co-worker's 5D MK2 (because he's upgrading to a MK3).

I'm looking forward to OSH to spend a full day or three looking for good shots.
 
Ed, I would totally recommend the upgrade to the 5dmk2 as long as you don't have a bunch of ef-s lenses but only ef or L series as the ef-s won't fit. my wife shoots with a 40d and I know when we switch cameras you really appreciate the full frame sensor!
make sure if you have any glass faster than f2.8 to invest in the precision matte focusing screen for it! it makes all the difference in the world when trying to focus a lens like the 50mm 1.2 l (one of my favorites) or even canons best deal in lenses out there the 135 f2.0 and it's under $40.00, probabally the cheapest canon accessory you will ever buy.
you wont regret the upgrade and the prices are so good on 5dmk 2 right now with the mk 3 out that its agreat time. I've played with the mk3 and I know someone shooting with one and it a great camera but It's not worth the upgrade to me when for the price difference you could get another great lens!
 
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