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05-30-2012, 12:26 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Posts: 134
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N562E First Flight
N562E took to the skies yesterday evening. The uncontrolled airport is vacant and nobody is there to witness ? not advisable. I?m frozen at the end of the runway for almost five minutes wondering if we?re ready for this and trying to muster the courage to run up the throttle. Once we reach 55 knots and pull back on the stick, there?ll be no turning back. I?ll be committed to depending on the plane to function smoothly and on my limited skills to land us in one piece. Finally with heart racing release the brakes, ease in full throttle, pedal dance, and quickly everything happens really fast. Acceleration, pull back, and suddenly the ground is rushing away from us. Climb to 3,000 ft at 75 knots and keep telling myself to calm down. Level off. Airspeed builds rapidly to 110 knots - pull back on the throttle. Heavy wing? No, stick is centered. Adverse yaw? I don?t think so. Ball is pretty much centered with feet on the floor. Calm down! Trim tab ? oh yeah, let?s use it. Nice. Engine instruments are all in the green as we do some wide sweeping 360 degree turns to the right and left over the central Washington desert. Wonderful! Now to descend and get into the pattern. Airspeed really builds during descent - pull power back even further. On downwind now, focus on slowing down below 82 knots to extend the first notch of flaps. Attitude changes as flaps go down, but not abruptly. Trim. Nice. Turn right base - more flaps. Now final approach. Too high and a little hot. Power back to idle. Gentle slip to bleed off airspeed and altitude. Cross runway threshold at 60 knots and 30 feet AGL. A little lower than comfortable for first landing, but still manageable. Straighten her up to settle in for a light touchdown, keeping the nose high. Chirp-chirp, pedal dance. Can?t ask for anything better on the first landing from a low-time rusty pilot. This thing is like driving a small sports car compared to the rental planes. Love it and can?t wait for tonight!
Now, I finally understand that all of the hours spent building this thing are definitely worth the reward at the end. The feeling of flying your own kit plane for the first time is beyond words and will stick with me for the rest of my life.
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05-30-2012, 12:41 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 2,899
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Congrats!!!
Nice work!!! Enjoy and be safe.
__________________
Darwin N. Barrie
Chandler AZ
www.JDair.com
RV-7 N717EE-Flying (Sold)
RV-7 N717AZ Flying, in paint
EMS Bell 407,
Eurocopter 350 A-Star Driver
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05-30-2012, 12:52 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,686
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Congratulations
It is a great feeling indeed!
Congratulations on your 1st flight!
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05-30-2012, 12:55 PM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,408
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Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catbird
N562E took to the skies yesterday evening.
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Glad to hear of your successful fledging of your new bird.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catbird
Now, I finally understand that all of the hours spent building this thing are definitely worth the reward at the end. The feeling of flying your own kit plane for the first time is beyond words and will stick with me for the rest of my life.
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Yep, that it is. 
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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05-30-2012, 01:34 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Gloversville, NY
Posts: 1,587
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Congrats and thanks for the really nice write-up. Brings back memories.....
__________________
John Peck, CFII, A&P, EAA Tech Counselor, Flight Advisor.
?Master Pilot? Award, UFO Member.
RV-12 N37JP 120176 Flying since 2012.
One Week Wonder Build Team, OSH 2018.
VAF paid through 10/2019.
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05-30-2012, 01:37 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: La Feria Texas
Posts: 3,822
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Congratulations! Your description was so real I was flying right along side of you the whole trip, thanks for the ride! This rusty old pilot will have to tame a beast someday soon as well.
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05-30-2012, 02:59 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Ellsworth, ME
Posts: 842
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Outstanding PIREP on your RV12 and congratulations. I liked your write-up and hope to be right behind you in a month or so.
Enjoy your 12
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05-30-2012, 03:22 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Jesup, Iowa
Posts: 1,657
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NICE WRITE-UP - -
Felt like I was right there with you. Good job !
John Bender
383.0 hours, written today
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05-30-2012, 05:49 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Davenport, IA
Posts: 1,390
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Same here, I re-experienced my first flight via your description. The first flight is to be remembered and your words are marvelous Had the same feelings and thoughts during my first flight. Isn't the 12 an amazing machine?
Thanks for sharing.
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05-30-2012, 06:01 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Hubbard Oregon
Posts: 9,026
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Catbird
N562E took to the skies yesterday evening.
Cross runway threshold at 60 knots and 30 feet AGL. A little lower than comfortable for first landing, but still manageable.
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Nice write-up Jerry.
Congrats on your first flight.
One comment... 60 kts really shouldn't be considered too slow... even for a first flight... much faster and you would need a 7000 ft runway to get it down and stopped.
After you gain some experience you will find that if you cross the numbers at much over 50 kts (with full flaps) you will float, float, float.
Have fun learning your new airplane. |
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