After two years of building, four months of testing, and six weeks in the paint shop, Louise and I are happy to introduce “Tsamsiyu” – the RV-3 formerly known as “Junior”.
While we were building, we suspected that this airplane was going to be something different, but it wasn’t until we had flown that we were sure – it isn’t just different, it is amazing! Have you ever flown like a bird? I mean…being so free in the sky, maneuvering so effortlessly, going wherever you want to go – like a bird? Flying the RV-3 is as close as I have ever come to being a flying creature – the handling qualities are so natural that you simply think about what you want to do, and the airplane does it.
The minute we slip into the cockpit of this intensely personal airplane, we feel connected – hands fall naturally to the important controls, the seat provides a comfortable cocoon, and the visibility invites you to believe that you are one with the sky. Control forces are perfectly balanced, and movements are almost immeasurable – the pleasure of flight invites a grin and a longing to remain in the sky. The feeling reminded us both of a movie from a couple of years ago – a movie of a fictional place and time, a movie that stirs the emotions and leaves one longing to soar.
“Tsamsiyu” means “warrior” in the Navi language (created for the movie Avatar by linguist Paul Frommer) and the image we wanted to create is that of the Ikran – the flying mount of the Navi warriors. Imagine the freedom of swooping down the side of a towering cumulous….yeah, that’s the feeling! Now aircraft paint schemes are a very personal thing – no matter what you choose to do, some will like it, some will hate it. That’s the nature of art, whether it be visual, audio, performance – or written. But even if the colors and design are not to taste, the skill of the artist can be acknowledged. Tsamsiyu’s (we’ll probably refer top her as “Tsam”) paint is the product of GLO Custom in Fort Worth, Texas.
Grady painted my RV-8 about six years ago, and I still enjoy seeing it every time I open the hangar door – the true test of a paint design. For Tsam, Grady enlisted the aid of an incredible artist – Scott “Shark” Draper. Shark has a portfolio of airbrush art that left our jaws on the floor. He quickly understood the feelings we were trying to invoke, and did his magic on our bird after Grady and Brandon had cleaned up the fiberglass and laid down a beautiful base coat. Grady followed up with the clear coat over the airbrush work, and a shadow of the upper surfaces on the belly to create a piece of art that moves in three dimensions. The prep work for Shark took about htree weeks, the air brush time another three, and finishing about a week and a half. We couldn’t be happier with the result – and the detail has to be seen to be believed.
We’re excited to have Tsam back in operation – “Junior” no more! It’s a good thing that Louise and I have worked out the sharing of the airplane in advance (I get to fly it when she isn’t….), because this is definitely the one to take when you want that perfect feeling of flight!
Paul and Louise
MANY thanks to our Fearless Leader Doug Reeves who braved sitting backwards in Danny King's "Beautiful Doll" this morning (in the low level bumps of North texas) to get the air to air shots you see here!
[ed. It was absolutely my pleasure! dr]
While we were building, we suspected that this airplane was going to be something different, but it wasn’t until we had flown that we were sure – it isn’t just different, it is amazing! Have you ever flown like a bird? I mean…being so free in the sky, maneuvering so effortlessly, going wherever you want to go – like a bird? Flying the RV-3 is as close as I have ever come to being a flying creature – the handling qualities are so natural that you simply think about what you want to do, and the airplane does it.
The minute we slip into the cockpit of this intensely personal airplane, we feel connected – hands fall naturally to the important controls, the seat provides a comfortable cocoon, and the visibility invites you to believe that you are one with the sky. Control forces are perfectly balanced, and movements are almost immeasurable – the pleasure of flight invites a grin and a longing to remain in the sky. The feeling reminded us both of a movie from a couple of years ago – a movie of a fictional place and time, a movie that stirs the emotions and leaves one longing to soar.
“Tsamsiyu” means “warrior” in the Navi language (created for the movie Avatar by linguist Paul Frommer) and the image we wanted to create is that of the Ikran – the flying mount of the Navi warriors. Imagine the freedom of swooping down the side of a towering cumulous….yeah, that’s the feeling! Now aircraft paint schemes are a very personal thing – no matter what you choose to do, some will like it, some will hate it. That’s the nature of art, whether it be visual, audio, performance – or written. But even if the colors and design are not to taste, the skill of the artist can be acknowledged. Tsamsiyu’s (we’ll probably refer top her as “Tsam”) paint is the product of GLO Custom in Fort Worth, Texas.
Grady painted my RV-8 about six years ago, and I still enjoy seeing it every time I open the hangar door – the true test of a paint design. For Tsam, Grady enlisted the aid of an incredible artist – Scott “Shark” Draper. Shark has a portfolio of airbrush art that left our jaws on the floor. He quickly understood the feelings we were trying to invoke, and did his magic on our bird after Grady and Brandon had cleaned up the fiberglass and laid down a beautiful base coat. Grady followed up with the clear coat over the airbrush work, and a shadow of the upper surfaces on the belly to create a piece of art that moves in three dimensions. The prep work for Shark took about htree weeks, the air brush time another three, and finishing about a week and a half. We couldn’t be happier with the result – and the detail has to be seen to be believed.
We’re excited to have Tsam back in operation – “Junior” no more! It’s a good thing that Louise and I have worked out the sharing of the airplane in advance (I get to fly it when she isn’t….), because this is definitely the one to take when you want that perfect feeling of flight!
Paul and Louise
MANY thanks to our Fearless Leader Doug Reeves who braved sitting backwards in Danny King's "Beautiful Doll" this morning (in the low level bumps of North texas) to get the air to air shots you see here!
[ed. It was absolutely my pleasure! dr]
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