"Watson Flight" departed Sunday afternoon around 3pm for a short test flight. "Georgetown ground, Experimental RV 4822C with information Papa is ready to taxi to departure eastbound. This is a beagle hound test flight, we may be right back with you." "RV 22C, Roger, taxi to 18 via Alpha." ...is exactly how the initial radio transmissions went.
Of course, never to be left out, a fellow RVer had to get into the conversation. At the run-up pad, he noted, "Wow, that is an attractive passenger you've got there. Oh, and the wife is pretty, too." We'll see if he ever gets another invitation to dinner, or another cookie.
Departure power was curtailed to 2200 rpm for large floppy ear considerations. The foam ear plugs only lasted to top of climb at 3500'. A beagle knows just how to shake the head to ensure that whatever is bother him is smartly ejected. The fact that my face was red from getting slapped with said, floppy ears convinced me to not try to reinsert them. The noise seemed to be of no concern for him, then again, he doesn't even flinch anymore when the air compressor starts its convulsions. The air was very smooth above 2500', which it better have been after two days of stable air kept us firmly planted on the ground with overcast at IFR levels and questionable visibility. Scott started with some 1/2 standard rate turns and 350 fpm climbs and descents. No major concern was detected - just some on-and-off shaking, which subsided as the maneuvering progressed. Watson was most interested in looking out the window from my lap where he was riding. I wanted him at hand for the first flight to have the best chance of observing his behavior to see if he was in panic mode. Next test flight will be to see how he handles a crate in the baggage area. At times, I swear he was begging me to let him hang his head out the window to experience all the smells of this new universe, but we suggested otherwise. The air coming in the vent would have to suffice. About 40 minutes into the flight, the beagle hound's floppy ears starting hanging low and he dropped onto my lap for a little snooze.
"Watson Flight" maneuvered for 50 minutes and entered an eventful, long (due to 2-weekend days of IFR at a normally busy field), conga line, #3 behind a Cessna, with notice that "two more stacked up on 4 mile final". Scott turned right base (as instructed) at 2mi and saw the rest of the traffic out the left window. OK, this isn't good..."RV 22C, left 360 please." As Scott started to roll out on what was then a 3.2mi downwind, he asked the controller where he wanted him. The tower responded with "Well..." Scott didn't give him a chance to fully formulate the thought before he informed him he'd fly downwind until he found the end of the conga line. "Roger, 22C the last aircraft now in sequence is a Bonanza that is 4.8mi final, you are #5 to land behind the Bonanza." Oky, doky, no problem, safe and sound. Our tower needs RADAR!
Oh, this was "Watson Flight" in progress... Scott did a very flat stabilized approach with a subdued decent rate. We touched down with no beagle issues, even with unplanned pattern maneuvering. All went well except for the heavily accelerated ejection of dog hair into the cockpit. The flying dog hair got thick pretty quick, and I was nominated to vacuum and wiped down the cockpit after landing. Happy dog all the way.
Of course, never to be left out, a fellow RVer had to get into the conversation. At the run-up pad, he noted, "Wow, that is an attractive passenger you've got there. Oh, and the wife is pretty, too." We'll see if he ever gets another invitation to dinner, or another cookie.
Departure power was curtailed to 2200 rpm for large floppy ear considerations. The foam ear plugs only lasted to top of climb at 3500'. A beagle knows just how to shake the head to ensure that whatever is bother him is smartly ejected. The fact that my face was red from getting slapped with said, floppy ears convinced me to not try to reinsert them. The noise seemed to be of no concern for him, then again, he doesn't even flinch anymore when the air compressor starts its convulsions. The air was very smooth above 2500', which it better have been after two days of stable air kept us firmly planted on the ground with overcast at IFR levels and questionable visibility. Scott started with some 1/2 standard rate turns and 350 fpm climbs and descents. No major concern was detected - just some on-and-off shaking, which subsided as the maneuvering progressed. Watson was most interested in looking out the window from my lap where he was riding. I wanted him at hand for the first flight to have the best chance of observing his behavior to see if he was in panic mode. Next test flight will be to see how he handles a crate in the baggage area. At times, I swear he was begging me to let him hang his head out the window to experience all the smells of this new universe, but we suggested otherwise. The air coming in the vent would have to suffice. About 40 minutes into the flight, the beagle hound's floppy ears starting hanging low and he dropped onto my lap for a little snooze.
"Watson Flight" maneuvered for 50 minutes and entered an eventful, long (due to 2-weekend days of IFR at a normally busy field), conga line, #3 behind a Cessna, with notice that "two more stacked up on 4 mile final". Scott turned right base (as instructed) at 2mi and saw the rest of the traffic out the left window. OK, this isn't good..."RV 22C, left 360 please." As Scott started to roll out on what was then a 3.2mi downwind, he asked the controller where he wanted him. The tower responded with "Well..." Scott didn't give him a chance to fully formulate the thought before he informed him he'd fly downwind until he found the end of the conga line. "Roger, 22C the last aircraft now in sequence is a Bonanza that is 4.8mi final, you are #5 to land behind the Bonanza." Oky, doky, no problem, safe and sound. Our tower needs RADAR!
Oh, this was "Watson Flight" in progress... Scott did a very flat stabilized approach with a subdued decent rate. We touched down with no beagle issues, even with unplanned pattern maneuvering. All went well except for the heavily accelerated ejection of dog hair into the cockpit. The flying dog hair got thick pretty quick, and I was nominated to vacuum and wiped down the cockpit after landing. Happy dog all the way.
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