tamoell

tamoell

Member
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/first_flight_n426kf.htm
 
Last edited:
Pass my congrats to Kevin!

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
 
Last edited:
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 don't forget Sandy....

Bob Collins said:
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.
Click to expand...

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. :)
 
I am sure Kevin will see your congrats.

RV-10Drmr said:
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
Click to expand...

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.... :)
 
Thanks everybody!

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!
 
Congratulations

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
 
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.
 
Sure looks like he was alone to me!

VETE76 (I do wish folks would use a name!), I agree with you 100% that RV first flights should be solo - and I bet Kevin does as well, cause the pictures of the unpainted RV in the gallery appear to me to be of the "first flight" aircraft. I'm guessing the painted airplanes were friends and /or chase planes.

Congratulations to Kevin a first flight!
 
VETE76 said:
The pictures make me believe that the 1st flight was with 2 people! Please tell me that is not true! ...
Click to expand...
Although the accident you mention was tragic, Kevin's RV did fly solo on the first flight. If you look through all the pictures, you will realize his is the unpainted RV, not the yellow or black one on the web page the link takes you to.

Congrats Kevin!
 
First Impressions

First thing I thought was, "Wow! What a nice paint job for a test flight!" Second thing I thought was "Wow! There's two people in that plane!"
 
The unpainted RV-7 belongs to Kevin. The dark green with gold RV-6 belongs to Mike Howard and the Yellow RV-7 is Jerry Ronk's (but he still has access to it).

Bob
RV-10 #40105
 
Just noticed that my prior post got some words dropped (got interrupted when writing it). Jerry sold his RV-7 but still has access to it.

Bob
 
N941WR said:
Although the accident you mention was tragic, Kevin's RV did fly solo on the first flight. If you look through all the pictures, you will realize his is the unpainted RV, not the yellow or black one on the web page the link takes you to.

Congrats Kevin!
Click to expand...

OK sorry to go off. Glad he was alone. and real happy he enjoyed the 1st flight. I just got my wing kit yesterday. currently own a 1976 172. it flys toooooooooooo slow. lol
can't wait un til my 1st flight of my rv7a. butterflys and all!
 
Details on Chase RV-7

flydjd said:
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
Click to expand...

I don't have any additional information on the "yellow" a.k.a Chase Aircraft. All I can tell you is that it was fast and what little time I spent in it, was a thrill to ride in. Maybe one of the people on this forum that knows Jerry can offer more details on the aircraft.

P.S.: I am working on being the slowest builder over on this side of the pond (or at least in Nebraska).
 
Last edited:
Can't add too much about Jerry's RV-7 except that it has a 200HP lycoming and a CS prop. He's got a dual GRT setup on the panel. I've never flown with him but it's housed in the hangar next to me at MLE so I've been able to drool on it regularly.

Bob
RV-10 #40105
 
You must log in or register to reply here.