andrew phillips
Well Known Member
I have been fling for almost 50hrs now since the plane passed final late last year. I would love to write a trip review but since my only ones are around an hour I thought I would share my overall experiences so far.
My 7A QB has proven itself to be everything I hoped for and more. After installing the pants and fairings I got all the numbers Vans promised. Any minor snags that have cropped up were easily dealt with or are not an issue to safe flight so they may be dealt with at the next annual or whenever it gets warm again. The plane is kept in an insulated (not heated) hangar and plugged in all the time so it's always ready to go. I still get butterflies in my stomach on the way to the airport and I have to be careful not to get a speeding ticket on those drives.
My love it or hate it paint job has brought me nothing but joy. It gets lots of attention everywhere I go. It always brings a smile to my face when I open the hangar door and see the plane sitting there. The sharks mouth and eyes really give the plane a personality which I think it makes it less of an object and more like a friend. It makes me remember those people that flew aircraft that looked similar to this in life and death struggles. They were brave!
Mechanically, the plane is outstanding. The Superior engine is working perfectly as is the AFP injection and Lightspeed ignition. I have used mogas and 100LL without noticing any difference in performance. The flight controls are a dream and the plane goes where you think about going. I have a new respect for fighter pilots and stunt pilots who pull lots of G's. I have only done 3.5 G's but it really gives the uninitiated a sense of what those pilots must go through. I also have the full Classic Aero interior which I love and I think it really adds a level of professionalism to the inside. People are very surprised when I tell them this plane is homebuilt
The avionics are also working perfectly. I did have an issue with a transponder bought through Ebay but a local shop tuned it and that was taken care of. My AFS 3500 combo efis/ems is fantastic. It did take some getting used to vs. steam gauges but now I am right at home behind it. I love the data logging ability. I find the screen size is perfect for my needs and all the info I need is right there in one place. I still have more to learn about it though. The Trio auto pilot and Alt hold have also been great. I originally wondered if that was a waste of money. It was a sound decision. It makes flight testing a breeze when you can have the plane fly itself while you record the data, look outside and make control adjustments. On a flight to visit my father with my 5 year old son along, we were flying on a nice sunny winter day with music and the auto pilot on and my son fell asleep. The thought of a nap crossed my mind to so I checked the carbon monoxide detector to make sure all was okay and it was.
I have only been a pilot for 4 years. I think the best part of this whole flying experience is the people. I am happy to say that so far I haven't met anyone I didn't like...well...maybe one air traffic controller who was a bit short with me but that's another story. All the vendors, builders, EAA friends and others met while pursuing this dream are all top notch outstanding people. I have many more friends now that I did when I started and I hope to make many more while doing some serious cross country in the future.
If I had to find one bad thing to say it would be that the plane calls to me and takes me away from work and other obligations, but who's fault is that really. For those of you still building I will say that the end result is totally worth it. Unless you are super disciplined you will spend more on your project than you planned. Those issues, during building, that seemed so monumental will seem so trivial when completion arrives. I know people sweat the small details like whether to use a round head or countersunk screw for some application (not a safety critical application) and then on the flying bird it will mean nothing. Your plane is like an oil painting, if you get close enough you can see the individual brush strokes but when you stand back and see it as a whole then you see the masterpiece you have created. If people nit pick because you have a ding in the skin or some other small defect then you should be proud as they had to find something trivial to complain about.
This coming weekend, weather permitting, we are having a flyby over our downtown canal which is, or was, the worlds longest outdoor ice skating rink. This flyby is in celebration of the 100th anniversary of powered flight in Canada. One of the scheduled aircraft is a P-51. It has always been my dream to fly in one but now I may have the chance to fly near one which definitely will be a thrill. Thanks to my RV for this opportunity!
My 7A QB has proven itself to be everything I hoped for and more. After installing the pants and fairings I got all the numbers Vans promised. Any minor snags that have cropped up were easily dealt with or are not an issue to safe flight so they may be dealt with at the next annual or whenever it gets warm again. The plane is kept in an insulated (not heated) hangar and plugged in all the time so it's always ready to go. I still get butterflies in my stomach on the way to the airport and I have to be careful not to get a speeding ticket on those drives.
My love it or hate it paint job has brought me nothing but joy. It gets lots of attention everywhere I go. It always brings a smile to my face when I open the hangar door and see the plane sitting there. The sharks mouth and eyes really give the plane a personality which I think it makes it less of an object and more like a friend. It makes me remember those people that flew aircraft that looked similar to this in life and death struggles. They were brave!
Mechanically, the plane is outstanding. The Superior engine is working perfectly as is the AFP injection and Lightspeed ignition. I have used mogas and 100LL without noticing any difference in performance. The flight controls are a dream and the plane goes where you think about going. I have a new respect for fighter pilots and stunt pilots who pull lots of G's. I have only done 3.5 G's but it really gives the uninitiated a sense of what those pilots must go through. I also have the full Classic Aero interior which I love and I think it really adds a level of professionalism to the inside. People are very surprised when I tell them this plane is homebuilt
The avionics are also working perfectly. I did have an issue with a transponder bought through Ebay but a local shop tuned it and that was taken care of. My AFS 3500 combo efis/ems is fantastic. It did take some getting used to vs. steam gauges but now I am right at home behind it. I love the data logging ability. I find the screen size is perfect for my needs and all the info I need is right there in one place. I still have more to learn about it though. The Trio auto pilot and Alt hold have also been great. I originally wondered if that was a waste of money. It was a sound decision. It makes flight testing a breeze when you can have the plane fly itself while you record the data, look outside and make control adjustments. On a flight to visit my father with my 5 year old son along, we were flying on a nice sunny winter day with music and the auto pilot on and my son fell asleep. The thought of a nap crossed my mind to so I checked the carbon monoxide detector to make sure all was okay and it was.
I have only been a pilot for 4 years. I think the best part of this whole flying experience is the people. I am happy to say that so far I haven't met anyone I didn't like...well...maybe one air traffic controller who was a bit short with me but that's another story. All the vendors, builders, EAA friends and others met while pursuing this dream are all top notch outstanding people. I have many more friends now that I did when I started and I hope to make many more while doing some serious cross country in the future.
If I had to find one bad thing to say it would be that the plane calls to me and takes me away from work and other obligations, but who's fault is that really. For those of you still building I will say that the end result is totally worth it. Unless you are super disciplined you will spend more on your project than you planned. Those issues, during building, that seemed so monumental will seem so trivial when completion arrives. I know people sweat the small details like whether to use a round head or countersunk screw for some application (not a safety critical application) and then on the flying bird it will mean nothing. Your plane is like an oil painting, if you get close enough you can see the individual brush strokes but when you stand back and see it as a whole then you see the masterpiece you have created. If people nit pick because you have a ding in the skin or some other small defect then you should be proud as they had to find something trivial to complain about.
This coming weekend, weather permitting, we are having a flyby over our downtown canal which is, or was, the worlds longest outdoor ice skating rink. This flyby is in celebration of the 100th anniversary of powered flight in Canada. One of the scheduled aircraft is a P-51. It has always been my dream to fly in one but now I may have the chance to fly near one which definitely will be a thrill. Thanks to my RV for this opportunity!
