First Flight

[jsharkey]

RV6 N959JS took to the air for the first time from Chapin Field (1B8) in Cambridge NY on this perfect north eastern USA summer evening, Friday July 10th 2009 at 5 pm EST, almost exactly nine years after drilling out the first holes and setting the first rivets in the center elevator bearing bracket - remember that? The 20 minute flight was uneventful apart from noticing that the field disappeared behind and below faster than normally experienced in the Cambridge Valley Flying Club's C172s.

N959JS is a tip-up with a YO360-A1A Lycoming, Sensenich 72/85 prop, Dynon D100 EFIS, ICOM A210 and Garmin GTX-327 & GPS-496. I now need to learn how to use all these gizmos!

Thanks to my ever supportive wife and family, to Van's for the best handing plane that I have ever flown - mind you this is the first one that wasn't an antique - and to those supportive friends and colleagues who never quite believed me when I told them that I was spending all these years building a plane just in case I ever had to leave town in a hurry

Jim Sharkey

 

[Mark Burns]

Congratulations!

Jim,
That's great news! Feels great doesn't it!

Good luck with phase 1.

We need photos, a video would be good too.

Mark

 

[Ironflight]

Congratulations Jim! I am always in awe of you guys that started these kits long before the internet became the builders "crutch" that makes so many completions possible.

Enjoy the airplane, learn it first...learning the gizmos will come soon enough!

Paul

 

[fstringham7a]

RE: Congrats.....

Jim

Congrats on that first flight. I just love to here the good news of those builders that see the project to the end with the great big RV GRIN!!!!!

Congratulations Jim! I am always in awe of you guys that started these kits long before the internet became the builders "crutch" that makes so many completions possible.

Paul, I represent your comment above........."crutch"......

Those folks, like Jim, that did it the old fashioned way have my highest admiration!!!!

Frank @ 1L8 ...RV7A... ready for that first flight!!!!

 

[jsharkey]

Thanks - and I appreciate the sentiments....

....but even although I did take 9 years and do live in Vermont I'd just like to emphasize that we do have electricity and in-door plumbing out here in the woods

Jim

Congrats on that first flight. I just love to here the good news of those builders that see the project to the end with the great big RV GRIN!!!!!

Congratulations Jim! I am always in awe of you guys that started these kits long before the internet became the builders "crutch" that makes so many completions possible.

Paul, I represent your comment above........."crutch"......

Those folks, like Jim, that did it the old fashioned way have my highest admiration!!!!

Frank @ 1L8 ...RV7A... ready for that first flight!!!!

 

[Vlad]

Congratulations Jim!

Nine years, looks like you extended the fun

 

[flion]

You built it sooo fast! I'm jealous; the only reason I got done first was I started a few years earlier...

Enjoy it. I'm finding this stage of the project is almost as much fun as the building.

 

[David-aviator]

Good work, Jim.

You've crossed over and entered an exclusive flying club, and it doesn't matter if you have running water and electricity or not.

(ex 19 year northwest CT resident - we had water and electricity most of the time)

 

[Frank Smidler]

Congradulation

Jim,

Way to go. When you get some flight time you will know that the long build time was well worth it.

 

[NYTOM]

Good for you Jim

As a long time builder myself I'm interested to know how long your RV Grin lasted. There's nothing in the instructions about seeing a Doctor if the Grin lasts over 4 hours like some equally satisfying products out there.
Be careful testing and fly safe.
I told some fellow employees who live way up there in Cambridge to be on the lookout for a fast little silver UFO zipping out of Chapin field one of these days.
Way to go Jim!

 

[newtech]

Congratulations

Congratulations. Really neat seeing all of the first flight notices. Nine years isn't anything. Mine was eight years of pay as you go. Now that I have a whole 9.7 hours TTAE I know what all of you guys have been talking about. Man this is cool.

Hope you are enjoying yours as much as I am mine.

 

[frankh]

reat news Jim

and the RV grin never really goes away when you drop the hammer..

Frank

 

[gvgoff99]

It was a LOT OF WORK!

Great job, I admire anyone who can do the tasks to complete an airplane. Great job! Enjoy the flying.

 

[Guy Prevost]

Congratulations! Now enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Guy

 

[rv8guy]

excellent! congratulations

let the fun continue

 

[JonJay]

Congrats!!

Another 6 added continuing it's legacy as the most popular model in the fleet. You will absolutely love your airplane.

 

[jsharkey]

Thanks Everyone

Looking forward to getting to know the plane and carefully expanding its and my envelope. Travelling on business in Taiwan just now so it'll all have to wait till I get home after this weekend.
Jim Sharkey