FIRST FLIGHT: Did you (or will you) hire a test pilot?

[cattflight]

Hey gang,
As a future RV Builder, and having followed discussions on another board regarding a high speed taxi test of an Exerimental in Idaho gone terribly awry, (story here: http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/s...1b05d66e5.html) I was wondering:

When it came time for your ship's first flight, did you hire a test pilot or fly it yourself? What was your philosophy behind the decision and, in hindsight, would you do it the same if to do it over again?

And for those of you yet to perform your first flight, which way are you thinking you'll go and why?

I know the circumstances of the aforementioned unfortunate accident are remarkably different than the typical RV first flight - for more reasons than we can list here - but it made me wonder why some decide to perform their own flight tests. I suspect the answers will be as diverse as the Builders.

Thanks!

[prkaye]

do a search and you'll find this topic has been discussed at length in other threads. Lots of high-time guys say it's foolish for a low-time pilot to do their own first flight. Some low-time pilots will say they've done it without incident. Not sure how many low-time pilots are unable to post their opinions because their maiden-flight met with disaster, but I doubt it's a significant number.
I'd be interested in getting some stats on this... how many pilots with under 200 hours did their own first flight. How many first-flight accidents in RVs have there been, and of these how many were by low-time pilots?

[N8RV]

Sometimes it's a pretty easy decision. My thought process went something like this:

1) I hadn't flown anything in over a decade while building; my test pilot flies for a living

2) The majority of my flight experience was in one airplane; my test pilot had owned and flown many types of aircraft

3) I put the plane together as a totally new learning experience, having never built anything remotely as challenging; my test pilot has years of experience with things mechanical and had already built an RV-8

4) My first flight would have no frame of reference; my test pilot has over 1,000 hours on his RV-8, so he knows what "normal" is for an RV-8

5) Unbeknownst to me, the first flight had no EFIS information, inaccurate altitude info and the pitch trim was reversed -- I would've likely panicked, or at least have abandoned the flight; my test pilot knew that the engine was running strong and knew that it would fly fine without airspeed/altitude accuracy

6) My test pilot flies for food.

Once we fixed the first-flight glitches, he made the second flight and expanded the envelope a bit more. By the time I got current again and got my tailwheel endorsement, I was able to make MY first flight in Smokey without having to worry if it would track straight, if it would fly solidly or if the wings would fall off. THAT, my friends, is PRICELESS.

That's just my take on your question. Hope it helps. I'm glad I had a friend with his qualifications willing to make those first two flights.

[DeltaRomeo]

FWIW, I did not do the first flight on my RV-6.

And I'd do it again that way.

Now I know what they are supposed to feel like, but back then I didn't, and think it was a wise move for me.

b,
dr

[Jeff Vaughan]

Ditto what Doug said exactly.

[tinman]

My decision was more emotional than practical. I am a very low time pilot. When I first flew my RV, I had around 150 hours of which 25 were tailwheel. My thinking was that I would have a very difficult time living with myself if the airplane that I built ended up hurting another pilot who was on my payroll. I know that a hired gun assumes the risk, but that would not help how I would feel about a tragic outcome. Once this decision was made, the key was to get my skills up to snuff.
Every hour that I spent renting towards the end of the project was spent doing simulated engine out landings and what-ifs. Right before first flight, I took 10 hours of transition training in a RV-6 and did over 60 landings over a period of four days. Two of those days were in spring weather with horrible cross winds and so forth...

For the first flight, I wore nomex, a 'chute and a helmet. The flight was a great experience.

Now for the not so good news...
I am not skillful enough at the controls to fly the exact profiles required for accurate test flying. I am having a great time trying, though. My operating manual will in a constant state of improving and revision as my skills grow and I am able to hold her in more precise flight and extract meaningful results.
I also have to SLOWLY move the CG aft as I expand my test flying. This is probably not such a big deal to the side-by-side drivers, but it makes a BIG difference with the tandems. A more experienced pilot could run through the CG range much more efficiently than I am able to...the great thing is that there is no big rush and I can take as long as I need!

[rbibb]

I did my RV-4 in 1997. I'd do it again. But YMMV.

[lucaperazzolli]

I can't imagine to let fly my 8 to another pilot, I think that nobody else knows my RV better that me. Btw I did other test flight, I've a lot of taildraggers in my 800 hours. I'll let you know

[Chino Tom]

In 1998 when my RV-6 was completed, I had several thousand flight hours but only 10 or so in RV's and only 20 hours in the past year. I choose to have a very experienced RV pilot make my first flight. He circled the airport for 30 minutes. After a complete going over, I made the first official flight
Zip forward 11 years and 800+ hours later in the RV-6, the decision to make
the first flight in my RV-8A was very easy.

[Jamie]

My experience:

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ghlight=flight

Would you take an RV up the altitude, kill the engine and dead stick it? If not, you are not ready for the first flight.