cbrown747

Active Member
I want to give special thanks to Terry kohler. I live in the Tampa bay area and he lives in Michigan. So it seems crazy that the first person that was willing to take me up on a demo flight was a RV owner from Michigan.

A while back I posted on this forum of anybody who owns a RV-9a that I might go up for a demo flight. I asked this because I plan on building one hopefully at the beginning of 2011. He responded by saying he has family down here in florida and might be able to take up my request.

Well that request came true on this cloudless morning. Terry not only spent all morning talking about what he did on his airplane but offered to take me up on a hour long flight up the coast. He also with my surprise let me take it off and land. Now I told him after the flight that this seemed unbelievable that somebody who spent nearly 2000 hours building his airplane and not knowing me more than 1 hour would let me at the controls, even if he is a CFI.

I have to say that the performance, handling and comfort of this aircraft exceeded everything I heard about the RV-9a. From the quick take off, fast rate of climb, controls that needed only slight pressure one way or the other as well as even the stalls were incredibly easy.

I am still look at building this aircraft with a little apprehension, but then again the rewards look to great to pass up.

One other thing....What Terry did was not only give me a ride and spend time talking about any questions I had, but he is an incredibly nice guy and cemented what I have been noticing already. There seems to be such a large group of passionate group of people that would be willing to bend over backwards to help you. I look forward to not only building such a nice plane, but look forward to meeting other nice people that comes with the territory.:)
 
A lot of people would not do this due to liability concerns. I am even hesitant to ask others for rides as I don't want to put them in the position of feeling they have to turn me down, not that they I will sue them, but that my survivors might (which would leave me turning in my grave). But, hey, you gotta give back sometime and I hope that when I am flying, I will be able to share my joy of flying with others in my own RV-9A.

Hope you get to start building your own dream soon. It is a daunting task, but as I near the end, it is worth all the pain.
 
Charles,....you have been bitten...

....by the typical RV experience and you'll never be the same! They're incredible machines but the relationships you'll build within this fraternity are priceless.

Just this weekend, we renewed old acquaintances, made more RV friends and enjoyed the usual camaraderie.

Welcome,
 
Met the Kohlers at PNS (Pensacola Regional) when they were down to visit their daughter who was stationed there a couple years ago (when I was instructing T-34's). They are nice folks. Glad to hear you got a ride. I started building a 10 just from the reviews and specs never flown an RV... and since I just sold my tail kit you are one up on me! :)

The folks who bought my tail kit were nice as well.. The RV community rocks!

Tom
 
Terry did the same for me about a week after Christmas while my wife and I were visiting family in Michigan. Terry got it to the runway, and got it off. Other than that it was "my airplane". I'm originally from the South, and Terry is what we call "good people".
 
I love giving demos!

I especially enjoy giving first flights to pilots who have flown only Cessnas and Pipers. Their first activity is to over-control the airplane. I just laugh! After a short time (just like mine!) they get the hang of it and realize that they only have to "think" the bird through the maneuvers. It's so much more enjoyable than flying by yourself!
 
Terry offered and gave me a ride also. He was pivotal in my decision to purchase a 9A kit. He wasn't there to brag about his project, but only to be assured that my experience was top notch; and it was.