Test Pilot Needed

[Allan Stern]

I have a completed RV 6A. It has been finished since December 16th and is in need of a test pilot having first flight experience with this model and clearance with my insurance company. Due to weather and various obligations either on my part or Rick Gray's whom I have been working with to come down and fly this plane we have not been able to get together and test this plane. So I want to expand my options.

Is there anyone within a couple hours flight of Ashland/Boyd county Kentucky (DWU) who would be interested/available to come up on either a Tuesday or Thursday or Saturday/Sunday if the weather is good? Would provide fuel and lunch.

Plane is a 6A slider with aerosport 0-320-D1A 160 hp with constant speed prop. Van's panel with steam gages. Insurance with Nation Air.

I do not have any transition training in this type therefore I can not take it up for the first flight nor am I current. So I thought about posting to the web site.

Call me at 304 696-3069 M-F or email me at stern@marshall.edu if you are interested and we can work out the details.

Thanks

[glider4]

Allan,
If you can't find someone local, you might consider using Dave Morss. He's not local but he is VERY experienced. And a nice guy as well. He charges $825 plus travel expenses. He also can issue the airworthyness certificate since he's a DAR if that's not done yet. I will probably be using him for my RV-8A airworthyness inspection and first flight. Here's his web site.
http://www.davemorss.com/FAAServices.html

Al Thomas
RV-8A
N880AT
Finishing kit

[pierre smith]

Originally Posted by Allan Stern

I do not have any transition training in this type therefore I can not take it up for the first flight nor am I current. So I thought about posting to the web site.


Thanks

Hi Allan,
I do quite a bit of Transition training and finished another gent yesterday. Why don't you fly or drive down to Georgia and we can knock out three hours or so in a day? $125/hour wet/dual/BFR included.

Regards,

[aelkins]

Pierre,
Of the numerous pilots that you have provided RV transistion time, what do you estimate the average time being? Of course, some pilots learn quicker than others. Just curious of an average.
I've seen other posts that ranged from 3 to 6 hours. (I think some of those were getting transistion to RVs w/ tailwheel time included)

$125 hour/wet/dual/ w/BFR sign-off seems like a great deal!
(looks like you'd have people all other the U.S. heading your way )

Have a great day Pierre !

[pierre smith]

Thanks Ande,
Yes, they've driven down from St. Louis and Wisconsin since there don't seem to be any RV transition trainers above the Mason-Dixon line listed on this site.

Three hours has been a good figure for guys who are current but one guy had to have 5 hours to suit the Insurance company since he's almost ready to fly his brand new RV 4. He has 140 hours in his Cessna 140 (a beautiful restoration) which he flew up here from South Georgia this week.

Another guy was really rusty and not nearly as "good" as he said he was and it took a little over four hours. Bear in mind that my airplane is a trike but the flight characteristics of a 6, 7 and 4 are very close.

The guys from up North had invested 7 years or more building their airplanes and they easily justified the 1000 mile/three day trip and brought the wives along.

The difficulties I see the most is a lack of enough right rudder input during takeoff roll and climb, which is substantially higher than a 150 or Skyhawk. The second is adjusting to the oh-so-responsive controls and thirdly, slowing down. After they see that 1700 RPM's will hold 110 MPH in the pattern, the rest is easy if they don't come banzai charging into the pattern at 185 MPH

Regards,
Pierre