Scott Will
Well Known Member
first flight! the day finally came!
Woke up to the clearest skies we've seen in a long time knowing that the DAR would be at my hangar at 11AM. So as I'm busy cleaning the hangar and putting the finishing touches on the plane, lo and behold the DAR shows up at 1030A. After about 2 mins of actually looking at the plane, the paperwork starts coming my way and in a little while later I had my pink slip!!! Score one for the home team.
Things are starting to buzz. Got Kahuna and Speedy coming around 430p-5p ish after they leave the reality of the day job. The fuel truck came as I hauled her out of the hangar into the beautiful fresh fall air. 24 gals on board - should be good to go. Put the cowl and ready for launch.
I turn my baby, whom I've cared for for the past 2 years and 1 month over to one of the most experienced and nicest RVers - Kahuna. I hop into Speedy's plane, a fast RV-6. Before I know it, we're ACTUALLY taxiing out to Rwy 25 at LZU. Could it be real? The feeling inside was very strange - almost like when I was at the hospital watching my real baby (girl) being born.
Kahuna (aka Mike Stewart) quickly finds that the transmit functionality of the SL-30 was not working, at least on the ground. He could hear but not talk. That's OK - we take control of the radios and head out as a flight of two. It's a GREAT thing I had two experienced formation guys around for the first flight. It was almost like the COM being inop was not that big of a deal (later on Mike could talk to us in the air... might have been the belly mounted antenna?)
After waiting behind a student pilot to get his IFR clearance for a practice flight (the guy in the Gulfstream behind us must have REALLY being going bonkers), we line up and... we're off!! Watching her climb out was truly neat - she climbed like nothing I've seen before.
In no time, we were doing circuits at 3500' watching as Mike put her through her paces. (And if you know Kahuna, you know what I mean) My airplane was in very capable hands. About 40 mins into the flight Mike chimes in on company freq with the list of squaks... oh boy, I thought, here we go. We already knew about the com, what else could be wrong? It all looked great from various formations around my plane (over, under, left, right, you name it).
After about an hour we make our way down and did the obligatory overhead break
I noticed Mike kept her nice and high on final... wondering if that was a precaution or because it's a fixed pitch prop that doesn't like to slow down. He slips her in and safely executes the flare. Wooohooo, first flight complete!!
Taxi back and enjoy the moment.
COULD NOT have done it without the great RV folk from around the country and especially right here at home. I noted to Speedy (AKA Danny) That I chose the right plane - not because of the flying qualities or kit but because of the outstanding people you meet.
Sure I have my to-do list... and I won't be flying immediately after. But I guess that's to be expected. Biggest concerns are the COM and the front seal on the engine (and engine temps).
Again thank you to everyone for the help, time, encouragement and everything else.
(Now taking donations for fuel!, hahaa)
Woke up to the clearest skies we've seen in a long time knowing that the DAR would be at my hangar at 11AM. So as I'm busy cleaning the hangar and putting the finishing touches on the plane, lo and behold the DAR shows up at 1030A. After about 2 mins of actually looking at the plane, the paperwork starts coming my way and in a little while later I had my pink slip!!! Score one for the home team.
Things are starting to buzz. Got Kahuna and Speedy coming around 430p-5p ish after they leave the reality of the day job. The fuel truck came as I hauled her out of the hangar into the beautiful fresh fall air. 24 gals on board - should be good to go. Put the cowl and ready for launch.
I turn my baby, whom I've cared for for the past 2 years and 1 month over to one of the most experienced and nicest RVers - Kahuna. I hop into Speedy's plane, a fast RV-6. Before I know it, we're ACTUALLY taxiing out to Rwy 25 at LZU. Could it be real? The feeling inside was very strange - almost like when I was at the hospital watching my real baby (girl) being born.
Kahuna (aka Mike Stewart) quickly finds that the transmit functionality of the SL-30 was not working, at least on the ground. He could hear but not talk. That's OK - we take control of the radios and head out as a flight of two. It's a GREAT thing I had two experienced formation guys around for the first flight. It was almost like the COM being inop was not that big of a deal (later on Mike could talk to us in the air... might have been the belly mounted antenna?)
After waiting behind a student pilot to get his IFR clearance for a practice flight (the guy in the Gulfstream behind us must have REALLY being going bonkers), we line up and... we're off!! Watching her climb out was truly neat - she climbed like nothing I've seen before.
In no time, we were doing circuits at 3500' watching as Mike put her through her paces. (And if you know Kahuna, you know what I mean) My airplane was in very capable hands. About 40 mins into the flight Mike chimes in on company freq with the list of squaks... oh boy, I thought, here we go. We already knew about the com, what else could be wrong? It all looked great from various formations around my plane (over, under, left, right, you name it).
After about an hour we make our way down and did the obligatory overhead break
I noticed Mike kept her nice and high on final... wondering if that was a precaution or because it's a fixed pitch prop that doesn't like to slow down. He slips her in and safely executes the flare. Wooohooo, first flight complete!!Taxi back and enjoy the moment.
COULD NOT have done it without the great RV folk from around the country and especially right here at home. I noted to Speedy (AKA Danny) That I chose the right plane - not because of the flying qualities or kit but because of the outstanding people you meet.
Sure I have my to-do list... and I won't be flying immediately after. But I guess that's to be expected. Biggest concerns are the COM and the front seal on the engine (and engine temps).
Again thank you to everyone for the help, time, encouragement and everything else.
(Now taking donations for fuel!, hahaa)
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