Kevin Faris First Flight RV-7

tamoell · #1 11-04-2007, 10:54 AM

Kevin's RV-7 took to the skies above Plattsmouth Nebraska on Sunday October 28th.

Kevin put in some 3400+ hours and 5+ years to complete this project and has a fantastic plane to show for it. The airplane flew great (so I have been told).

Anyway, I posted some pictures and a (high def) video of the event for those of you who know Kevin or need a little motivation.

http://www.rv7plane.com/rest_story/f...ght_n426kf.htm

AndyRV7 · #2 11-04-2007, 03:18 PM

A great success story!!

RV-10Drmr · #3 11-05-2007, 11:10 AM

Todd,
Please pass my congratulations on to Kevin and Sandy. I've been deployed for the past 9 + months, and when I made it home for two weeks of R&R at the first of August, my youngest son and I went Plattsmouth to check on Kevin's progress. He said it would be "just a few more months." For MULTIPLE reasons, to include seeing Kevin's "RV grin," I'm glad those months have gone by. I'll be home in January, so I look forward to seeing Kevin's -7 take flight in person, probably when it's a bit warmer...
After seeing the work he's put in on his RV, and having a year of keeping the dream alive by looking over all the other -7s folks have built/are building, I may require a relook at my log-on name... Can I do that, DR?

Again, my best to Kevin and Sandy.

Vr,
Gary

LettersFromFlyoverCountry · #4 11-05-2007, 11:16 AM

Don't forget Sandy Faris too. She's the other RV grin in that picture and I know she worked hard on the project as well. There aren't two finer people on Planet RV, imho.

tamoell · #5 11-05-2007, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Collins

Don't forget Sandy Faris too. She's the other RV grin in that picture and I know she worked hard on the project as well. There aren't two finer people on Planet RV, imho.

Absolutely Bob.... I caught Sandy with the RV Grin a couple of times during the day too. Kevin and Sandy stopped over at the house the other day and she was giving my wife pointers on how to survive the building process we have all decided to undertake. I know for Tami and I, this process is not just constrained to putting in my time. My wife has had to give up her free time too in order to help with those not so fun (or easy to get at) places to rivet.

tamoell · #6 11-05-2007, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV-10Drmr

Todd,
Please pass my congratulations on to Kevin and Sandy. I've been deployed for the past 9 + months, and when I made it home for two weeks of R&R at the first of August, my youngest son and I went Plattsmouth to check on Kevin's progress. He said it would be "just a few more months." For MULTIPLE reasons, to include seeing Kevin's "RV grin," I'm glad those months have gone by. I'll be home in January, so I look forward to seeing Kevin's -7 take flight in person, probably when it's a bit warmer...
After seeing the work he's put in on his RV, and having a year of keeping the dream alive by looking over all the other -7s folks have built/are building, I may require a relook at my log-on name... Can I do that, DR?

Again, my best to Kevin and Sandy.

Vr,
Gary

Gary,

I am sure that Kevin is watching the forums and will get your congrats. Maybe he will even chime in. Its not like he has rivets to bang anymore....

Chappyd · #7 11-06-2007, 03:24 AM

Congratulations Kevin!! And thanks for the motivation. A couple more years of this for me.

kevrv7 · #8 11-08-2007, 09:11 PM

Hi everyone, and thanks for all the kind words for Sandy and I. It still doesn't seem real after all this time building. Mike Howard made the third flight today. The 75% cruise speed is 194MPH at 8000'. This weekend we will do it again with the wheel pants installed. I am still doing a bit of dual to get my wheel landings down a bit better. Mike says it is quicker in roll than his RV-6. Yee Haw!

Gary..Greetings from PMV. I hope to see you and Matt back here sometime down the road. Bob, you are a real gentleman and a heck of a writer. I would be happy to help you in any way I can. My electrical system took several hundred hours to implement. I made it way complicated (because I could). It may be a bit impractical to fly up every night to your neck of the woods, it be be fun trying though. Kevin Faris RV-7 flying...wow!

flydjd · #9 11-09-2007, 05:25 AM

Kevin, well done to you both.

Todd, with reference to the link do you have any more details on the yellow RV7 shown please.

Thanks

VETE76 · #10 11-09-2007, 06:57 AM

The pictures make me believe that the 1st flight was with 2 people! Please tell me that is not true! I went to my friends 1st flight of his Lancair Legacy and he took his best friend up with him. The 540 quit on take off, 300' AGL at the end of the runway. Both were killed! Never Never Never take a pass on 1st test flight! We are not building super sophisticated aircraft! These will fly with one person on a test flight. If you don?t think you can handle it by yourself, sell it! Why risk another persons life! Or get more training! It is simply not worth it.
The pilot in this mishap was a B-52 pilot, not an inexperienced pilot like a lot of us are.