Ted Radclyffe
Active Member
On the 11th month 1999 the box for Rough Red's tail arrived.
Before my 65th birthday (1st September 2006) "Rough Red" became an aircraft.
It is not the world's best kept secret but at this moment we still await the final C of A "Blessing"... so only very high speed taxi tests have been undertaken....enough to put 2500 feet between the wheels and the runway!
Rough red looks as the name implies; with rough red painted fibreglass work and in matt finish two part silver epoxy paint on the aluminium. Retro some people call it. One either loves or hates it.
Judging by those who want to photo it and its "flying red wine bottle" on the nose, the 1930's image has been achieved.
Basically it is fit for IFR with vacuum instruments, vans "steam" gauges Sl30 comms/nav with ILS and Sl50 GPS. TruTrak wing leveller in place of bat and ball. All about as standard as one can achieve (Glass cockpit comes much later)
Prop is Hartzell CS with O-320 standard Lyc from Van.
Battery is the small concord.
Why this configuration? Well I knew that RV-6's were a bit tail heavy and I wanted to lift me,the wife, and a dog. Well aboout 60 LBS of luggage.
It officially weighed in at 1067 lbs with a Cof G at 69.97" so we have achieved the objective.
Without the wheel pants we cruised on 75% power at over 160Kts IAS.
It is too early to know if I have a heavy wing nor whether I need to put a trim tab on the tail. The Guru who flew me on its maiden flight reckons I have a fast true aircraft and to leave it just as it is for the next 25 hours.
It might look a bit rough round the edges but it flies well so what more can one ask for?
So how do I feel? I think I am still up there.
The C of A inspection is on Monday but I simply could no longer wait to say something.
Just a small addendum.... This web site has sustained me over the last 6 to 7 years and though I have only put in about 15 or so posts, I have come to indirectly know many of you. Thank you Doug and the rest of the crew.
Before my 65th birthday (1st September 2006) "Rough Red" became an aircraft.
It is not the world's best kept secret but at this moment we still await the final C of A "Blessing"... so only very high speed taxi tests have been undertaken....enough to put 2500 feet between the wheels and the runway!
Rough red looks as the name implies; with rough red painted fibreglass work and in matt finish two part silver epoxy paint on the aluminium. Retro some people call it. One either loves or hates it.
Judging by those who want to photo it and its "flying red wine bottle" on the nose, the 1930's image has been achieved.
Basically it is fit for IFR with vacuum instruments, vans "steam" gauges Sl30 comms/nav with ILS and Sl50 GPS. TruTrak wing leveller in place of bat and ball. All about as standard as one can achieve (Glass cockpit comes much later)
Prop is Hartzell CS with O-320 standard Lyc from Van.
Battery is the small concord.
Why this configuration? Well I knew that RV-6's were a bit tail heavy and I wanted to lift me,the wife, and a dog. Well aboout 60 LBS of luggage.
It officially weighed in at 1067 lbs with a Cof G at 69.97" so we have achieved the objective.
Without the wheel pants we cruised on 75% power at over 160Kts IAS.
It is too early to know if I have a heavy wing nor whether I need to put a trim tab on the tail. The Guru who flew me on its maiden flight reckons I have a fast true aircraft and to leave it just as it is for the next 25 hours.
It might look a bit rough round the edges but it flies well so what more can one ask for?
So how do I feel? I think I am still up there.
The C of A inspection is on Monday but I simply could no longer wait to say something.
Just a small addendum.... This web site has sustained me over the last 6 to 7 years and though I have only put in about 15 or so posts, I have come to indirectly know many of you. Thank you Doug and the rest of the crew.
![completedplane008hf6.jpg](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg156.imageshack.us%2Fimg156%2F4470%2Fcompletedplane008hf6.jpg&hash=307d0b5396e7dee8ca938e42e44927e9)