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What did you do with your RV this weekend (April 2,3 2022)

crabandy

Well Known Member
Suppose I’ll get it started since it’s still April Fools day……..

A Co-worker’s 17 year old daughter put “Pilot” down on her list of things she might want to do for a living. Local sources for Intro flights have been really bogged down lately especially for a lack of CFI’s.
Our schedules aligned this afternoon and we did Maya’s (I also have a Mya) first small airplane flight. We spent some time on the ground going over the airplane’s control surfaces and what was displayed on the EFIS.
A few checklists and procedures and we were safely airborne with Maya on the controls, she was a natural. Pretty sure she thought all turns were done at 45*, with the RV smile of course. She was so comfortable I demonstrated a power off stall and a simulated engine out at altitude as an example of what to expect while training for her PPL. Really hoping she chases the pilot dream, her dad said she was smiling all the way home.
 

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Went flying with a young friend / just got commercial ASEL / CFI is next / airline wannabe.

Went to get gas in the RV-9A, with a planned instrument approach at one airport and then on to the next one for gas. JAX center was not cooperative, said they were too busy, and "You're not the only ones in the sky," an uncalled for condescension. They must have been busy on other frequencies...

So we canceled IFR and went straight to the other airport. My hand flying skills were not up to par, but that's why you practice. If I'd been using the autopilot, no problem!

Now the plane is full of gas for a possible Florida day trip on Monday, and I'm a whole lot less rusty than I was at the start of the flight.
 
Big day for me...

I have been grounded the last 4 months due to a broken leg. Today I was FINALLY able to take my 7 up again. Just a short snort with a bit of refresher type airwork, slo flight, steep turns, etc.

But boy was it wonderful to just get up in the air again! The 3 point landing wasn't’ bad, either. 😀

Great day for me!
 
Yellow 52F RV8's

First flight after annual and found another yellow RV8 friend out flying. Flying out of 52F and photo taken in between KAFW and KLUD.
 

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Yellow being the theme apparently, I thought I'd post. My -9A is "out of annual" as of this past Friday, so I put it away, de-cowled it, and pulled the interior. Set the carpeting and leather seats aside and texted my AP/IA to fit the condition inspection into his schedule while I'm out of town on business these next few weeks.

I just the other day got the new seats and carpeting that I ordered from Abby at Flightline Interiors about 11 months ago to replace my old seats, and when the CI is done, I'll install brand new leather seats with ConforFoam. The leather on those old seats is like new but I don't like the seat shape and the foam is 11 years old and and pretty crushed. Flightline Interiors does beautiful work and is very cost-effective, and Abby is a joy to work with. Her backlog is impressive, but she warned me when I ordered, and ultimately delivered exactly according to her timeline prediction.

Other tasks for my A&P during the CI include replacing my Red Cube (went t.u.) and installing an Anti-Splat oil cooler shutter (Minnesota winters won't let my oil temp get above 130F. My purchase of this plane was the first time it's ever been winter-flown north of St. Louis). This CI will cost me more than in the past, I'm sure, since I won't have time to pull the floor/bulkhead/inspection panels/fairings) for him. I hate paying him $100/hour to do that unskilled busy work, but it is what it is. I'm gonna retire this summer, so maybe next CI I'll have the time (and the energy).
 
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Was sick last weekend so I finally made it up for some fuel and a nice sunset flight.

Also started the learning process of how to polish. Not too shabby
 

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After 6 months of sitting in my old hangar, I finally got the RV out and moved to our new location. 7.5 hours into a headwind from CO to WA, but at least the weather cooperated in terms of the lack of clouds. Good to be in the air again.
 
After 6 months of sitting in my old hangar, I finally got the RV out and moved to our new location. 7.5 hours into a headwind from CO to WA, but at least the weather cooperated in terms of the lack of clouds. Good to be in the air again.

Congratulations Greg! We will be missing you here. Time to update your location :)
 
KORH to KOFP Hanover County Municipal Airport

My wife and I flew from the Boston area to Quantico Virginia to see our son who recently finished USMC OCS and is currently in TBS. We landed at Hanover County Municipal Airport (brand new terminal and parking area - opened on 4/1) just north of Richmond and spent a beautiful day in the capital city. We flew over the NYC area Bravo and down the coast - even had a tail wind both ways! That almost never happens (at least for me). The new engine and prop are working well. These RV's are nothing short of amazing. A 10 hour drive each way was a 2 hour enjoyable flight each way. Mother-J was reunited with her marine - so it all was good.

A nice view of JFK and the Big Apple.
 

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Location?

After 6 months of sitting in my old hangar, I finally got the RV out and moved to our new location. 7.5 hours into a headwind from CO to WA, but at least the weather cooperated in terms of the lack of clouds. Good to be in the air again.
What part of WA? Maybe I can buy you a cold one!
 
Wings bolted on for good!

A big day for Penni (RV7) today. She had her wings permanently attached with the close tolerance wing bolts! Tom stopped by to help me again today. As most know you can build most of this plane yourself but there are times a second person is really needed. Tom has built a few RV's and his rivet gun tapping method had these bolts installed and torqued in under 2 hours!

PXL_20220403_220545924.MP.jpg PXL_20220403_220735181.MP.jpg
 
Full Throttle

I spent a little time on Sunday just boring holes in the sky around my home base. But I know a few other RVs had a little fun at Shaw AFB in South Carolina on both Saturday and Sunday.
 

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What part of WA? Maybe I can buy you a cold one!

Sequim, but airplane is now based out of Port Angeles (KCLM). But I get over to Spanaway to visit friends, so Eatonville is not far. I'll take you up on the offer one day.

Vlad, have updated my signature. Come visit.
 
Continued to chip away at post-inspection reassembly. When did reassembling the cockpit become such a difficult job?! Oh yeah, I remember now. Right after I put the wings on.
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Got to fly the C-45 to the Shaw AFB Airshow with my co-pilot Quimby.:)
Burns a little more fuel than my RV's.
 

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