N117TR takes flight!

Last year I told everyone I was hoping to fly this summer, but I wouldn't be disappointed if it wasn't till Christmas. It's almost Christmas and I sure wasn't disappointed!!! Slight heavy left wing, a smudge of preservative oil on the cowl and 160 knts true (18!degrees OAT on the ground) without wheelpants or fairings. Engine Ran very well, and airspeed/altimeter was right on.



Thanks to Ray and Doug my chase planes. Special thanks to Doug for takin me up in his RV6 and giving me a confidence booster right before my first flight.

YYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many congrats and a painless Phase 1.

v/r,
dr

Congrats Andy!

As cold as it was Im sure you were sweating a little when you poured the coals to it for the first time!

And hey! You better make a post and get off that triple 6 tng

Next summer...me too...

Congrats. I'm close enough that I've started telling people I'm flying next summer. Hopefully, it's not next Christmas.

Michael-

Congratulations!

That was fast Andy you compressed the time. Happy testing!!

Congrats Andy!

Congratulations!!

Excellent!!! Congratulations.

You're tougher than me. I went out to preflight this afternoon and decided to put it back in the hangar until next week when the temp gets back above 30.

I'll be listening for you on the radio.




Dave
RV-6

Congrats Andy!!!!!!!!!! You couldn't have picked a colder day for a first flight. That is the first time I can remember where the Density Altitude at KIXD was -2100. Your airplane should be pretty fast because I was running 2450 RPM and 23" to stay with you today during your first flight. And you don't have gearlegs or wheel pants on yet. I was burning 14.5 GPH in my IO-540 versus your 15 GPH in your O360, so that made me fell a little better.

Anyway, enjoy the rest of your fly-off period and come meet me for lunch at K81 when you feel comfortable in move a little further from home base.


Thanks

Ray
N519RV (40250)

Andy,

Big day, I'm happy for you. Good job! You might need a little ramp for that #2 cylinder. Stay warm.

Thanks again Ray for all the help over the past 8 and something years, and to make you feel even better it was 15.2 GPH. Very comforting to have you along for the first ride. I'm looking forward to figuring out the slight left wing heavy, breaking in the engine, adding my wheel fairings and see what she'll really do! Looking forward to lunch, I'll buy!
Pat, my CHT's 3 and 4 were 405 and 410 with #1&2 in the 390's climbing at 125. I did spend more time taxiing and playing with radios than I would've liked. CHT's were up to 380 after runup and short tail up fast taxi before TO. Leveling off at 3000 brought everything below 400. 30 minutes in when i snapped he pic, crazy how much cooler the #2 is though. my #2 EGT red x'ed a couple days ago so I unhooked it and labeled it inop. I swapped leads with the #4 probe and the red X moved from # 2 to # 4. I also couldn't establish continuity between the yellow wire and the probe body. now that I'm coming down from the first flight high it's odd that its reading 900 and not a red X with the probe unhooked and the terminals covered with heat shrink. I foresee more troubleshooting with the g3Xpert! Ah, the joys of FLYING!

Oh yeah...... thanks to DR and all the VAF people for all the help. I don't think I ever would have made it to my first flight without you guys.

P.S. my cockpit was very well sealed and draft free even in the teens thanks to posts and advice from The Late Race 71, Pat Hatch and Bob Mills!

Andy, yeah, I just noticed that your #2 CHT was lower than the rest, later on you might want to tweak this with a little blocker baffle in front of #2--something you can play with during phase I. Glad to hear the canopy seal worked out for you--it shows up prominently in your photo. Who's that adorable little girl?

That little girl is Andy's daughter Hope, which was also my co-pilot in the RV-10 for Andy's first flight. Hope did much better then her younger sister Mya who fell asleep in the back of the RV-10 10 minutes into the flight.


Thanks

Ray
N519RV(40250)

Yep, that's my oldest of three daughters. My 3 month old was in the terminal with my wife who was so nervous she lost part of her lunch
My parents were also able to be there. A former student and future RV'R and his daughter videoed what they could, the camera kept shutting off because it was too cold! It still hasn't sunk in that I have an airplane, an RV airplane I can fly whenever I want and no Hobbs meter......I know the expense is going to be more but it's a whole new outlook on flying!

congratulations Andy !

I really like the first picture - "dad" looks really happy and daughter looks like she'll be a great copilot in 41 hours !

Way to go Andy!!!

Congratulation!!!