First Flight: RV-10 959RV

9GT · #1 12-29-2013, 01:08 PM

I started building the tail feathers of #40637 in January of 2006. I then took a 2 year hiatus to finish the Cozy MKIV I was building and had sold to a friend. After the Cozy MKIV was flying in Phase 2, my buddy came out every weekend on a Saturday to help me finish building the RV-10. The first flight was pretty accidental as I was doing final taxi testing at lower rpm settings due to how fast the RV-10 reaches take-off speed. A little too much back pressure on the stick and she was off the ground. I added full power and as I had expected from my transition training with Alex De Dominicis, 959RV started to climb like a home sick angel. The plane was WAY out of trim but once I was 2500' agl and sticking close to the airport I was able to trim it to fly pretty mush hands off. Some obvious squaks: The airspeed is not reading correctly on the G3X or Dynon screens pegging out at 36-38 knots, and the MP readings dropped to 11" although the engine ran exceptionally well. U used the GPS ground speed to fly and land the plane coming in a little hot for a safety buffer. I flew for .8 hours too feel the plane out and let the engine EGT and CHT readings stabilize. 959RV is officially in Phase 1 and there is obvious trouble shooting to keep me busy in a cold hanger.

ColoRv · #2 12-29-2013, 01:28 PM

Congrats man! I don't believe you're the first to turn a taxi test into a flight.

rleffler · #3 12-29-2013, 03:03 PM

Congrats David!

I had a fuel pump die on my first flight, so I can relate to some of the issues you experienced. You'll get things figured out. Just keep at it. I managed to finish Phase I Christmas afternoon.

Bob

Smilin' Jack · #4 12-29-2013, 03:14 PM

Congratulations David on the flight...
You'll work the bugs out, we still working on a couple after 60 hours.
Jack

majuro15 · #5 12-29-2013, 05:58 PM

Congrats on the first flight!

Pat Stewart · #6 12-29-2013, 06:43 PM

Congrats, the 10 is a wonderful airplane.

Wayne Gillispie · #7 12-29-2013, 08:15 PM

Enjoy it. We always have something to adjust, clean, inspect or repair.

spark68 · #8 12-30-2013, 08:33 AM

Congratulations David! Major milestone. And such a beautiful RV-10.

Looking forward to getting up to see it again and more RV talk.

RV8iator · #9 12-30-2013, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9GT

The first flight was pretty accidental as I was doing final taxi testing at lower rpm settings due to how fast the RV-10 reaches take-off speed. A little too much back pressure on the stick and she was off the ground. I added full power and as I had expected from my transition training with Alex De Dominicis, 959RV started to climb like a home sick angel. The plane was WAY out of trim but once I was 2500' agl and sticking close to the airport I was able to trim it to fly pretty mush hands off. Some obvious squaks: The airspeed is not reading correctly on the G3X or Dynon screens pegging out at 36-38 knots, and the MP readings dropped to 11" although the engine ran exceptionally well. U used the GPS ground speed to fly and land the plane coming in a little hot for a safety buffer. I flew for .8 hours too feel the plane out and let the engine EGT and CHT readings stabilize. 959RV is officially in Phase 1 and there is obvious trouble shooting to keep me busy in a cold hanger.

I've got to say this. This was an accident waiting to happen here. Be careful out there guys and girls.. I don't say this lightly nor to be mean. Much has been written about planning and preparing for first flights, both for the pilot and the plane.

Congratulations to you and your plane on surviving your first flight.

Wayne Gillispie · #10 12-30-2013, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV8iator

I've got to say this. This was an accident waiting to happen here. Be careful out there guys and girls.. I don't say this lightly nor to be mean. Much has been written about planning and preparing for first flights, both for the pilot and the plane.

Congratulations to you and your plane on surviving your first flight.

You may be right for those without transition training or a long gap of no flying, but not in this case. I am sure he was as prepared as I was to fly after transition training by David Maib.