Eagle's Nest (EN-3) / Inaugural Flight

[Special Delivery]

It was a big day for the PLTW Aerospace Engineering students at League City's Clear Springs High School -
It was the day the Eagle's Nest RV-12 they spent the past 7-1/2 months building was going to fly!

In attendance were 30+ student-builders, aerospace engineering instructor, Mr. Roger Elder, assistant school principal, Mr. Troy Scott, City Council representative, Mrs. Heidi Thiess, ABC Channel-13, and numerous other news reporters. Nighthawk banner towing circled the field during the event with a message congratulating the student-builders for their outstanding accomplishment and Bruce Bohannon & Rick Carr made several precision formation passes with smoke-on to set the stage. Project mentor and airline Captain, Mr. David Grover, performed the honors of the inaugural flight with student-builder, Sam Pritchett, in the right seat performing his duties as student-pilot. Rain was on the horizon, but before it arrived Mr. Grover had time to take five of the student-builders to the skies in the airplane they crafted with their own hands. It was far more than a good day - it was a spectacular day!

Special thanks go out to the members of the Lone Star Squadron for their support and assistance in making this event a huge success, to Mr. David Grover for his untiring efforts and expertise mentoring the project, to Mike Harris for generously opening his home at Pearland Regional Airport and for providing the outstanding venue, and to Mr. Roger Elder and the entire staff at Clear Springs High School for their confidence and support of Eagle's Nest. EN-3 (The Elder One) went to GLO Custom today for paint and Clear Springs will begin their second Eagle's Nest Project in the Fall.

As more stories and photos come in, you'll see it here first... on VAF! Thank you Doug Reeves for your generous support of Eagle's Nest Projects!!!

ADDED 6/4/13 - (Article & Photos) >>> Galveston Daily News
Photos by: Kevin M. Cox/The Daily News

ADDED 6/5/13- (Event Video) >>> CCISD Video
(c) Clear Creek ISD

ADDED 6/6/13 - (Article & Photos) >>> The Friendswood Journal
(c) Friendswood Journal

ADDED 6/20/13 - (Article & Photos) >>> Houston Chronicle

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Drawing Straws - Who gets the first ride ......Students atop the tower for a birds-eye view


. . .
David Grover, Pilot/Mentor............................Back on the ground.. Safe & Sound
Sam Pritchett, Student-Builder

[flytoday]

The students will never forget the experience of building an airplane. Great job to Ernie and the entire team.

Carl

[Pablo]

Well done EN-3 team! Fantastic . . .

[Vlad]

Ernie,
Your project is a great motivator! I am assisting a friend on a similar machine and we got kind of slow. I am going to work on it TONIGHT!

[TThurston]

Congratulations!

I'm probably confused but It looks like there are two people sitting in the plane in that photo that I assume is from the first flight. I thought that first flights were generally done with only a single test pilot aboard.

Please enlighten me.

[Special Delivery]

Originally Posted by TThurston

Congratulations!
I'm probably confused but It looks like there are two people sitting in the plane in that photo that I assume is from the first flight. I thought that first flights were generally done with only a single test pilot aboard.
Please enlighten me.

This was EN-3's "inaugural" flight... its public unveiling if you will. All flight testing was completed single pilot (3-different test pilots) and all appropriate logbook entries were made prior to the event. Hope this helps.

[kbehrent]

Congratulations EN3!

EN4 is finishing riveting the top wings skins and will start on fuselage in a couple of weeks when the kit arrives. The kids are motivated to work through the summer and get EN4 in the air.

Kevin

[videobobk]

Motivation is what it s all about! We started out to motivate kids and find that we are motivating adults as well. I watch as mentors show up day after day, never seeming to tire of the tasks that once seemed almost endless. As EN-2 readies for a first flight, I find myself motivated all over again. I don't believe we have had a single mentor drop out of any project.

It would appear we are motivating not only individuals, but companies and organizations as well. In the past two days I have called eight companies and gained eight supporters, some who had never even heard of ENP. Eagle's Nest is working to give others the chance to be a part of something we have all come to love--giving back through the education experience. There are real opportunities available between now and Oshkosh. Contact either Ernie or I.

There is nothing like the aviation community. Help kids join it now!

Bob Kelly
Founder, ENP

[Special Delivery]

Just in... (link also added to original post)

Outstanding video of EN-3's "inaugural" flight >>> HERE
Produced and copyrighted by CCISD

[Special Delivery]

Just in... (link also added to original post)

Story & Photos from the Friendswood Journal >>> HERE