Just finished a flight from 9A0 (Lumkin County Ga) that included stops and layovers at:
KHOT (Hot Springs Ar) KCWC (Wichita Falls Tx) KSAF (Santa Fe Nm)
KIFP (Laughlin/Bullhead Az) KPRB (Paso Robles Ca) KWJF (Lancaster Ca)
KOKB (Oceanside Ca) KDNA (Dona Ana Nm) KTKI (McKinney Tx) and finally back to 9A0.
In this trip we had days with blue sky, ones with winds 40-50 knots (With a take off in head winds at those speeds), mountain flying, IFR flights, a departure from an airport with a 6400 feet DA at gross weight (still got 600 FPM climb out) days with light to moderate chops over terrain, and finally a 30 plus knot tail wind on the final flight back home (ground speed of 196 knots). Other than a flight in icing conditions (Pass on that) this was the little plane that handled it all and handled it so well. It is definitely the little plane that can. All while burning 11 GPH or less.
During my 4.5 years of building this plane I would hit those points wondering if it was worth the time, sacrifice, and frustration. After this trip, the answer is most definitely YES. So for those still building, hang in there because once you are done you have a plane that stands alone in its class. Sorry Cirrus drivers…..
KHOT (Hot Springs Ar) KCWC (Wichita Falls Tx) KSAF (Santa Fe Nm)
KIFP (Laughlin/Bullhead Az) KPRB (Paso Robles Ca) KWJF (Lancaster Ca)
KOKB (Oceanside Ca) KDNA (Dona Ana Nm) KTKI (McKinney Tx) and finally back to 9A0.
In this trip we had days with blue sky, ones with winds 40-50 knots (With a take off in head winds at those speeds), mountain flying, IFR flights, a departure from an airport with a 6400 feet DA at gross weight (still got 600 FPM climb out) days with light to moderate chops over terrain, and finally a 30 plus knot tail wind on the final flight back home (ground speed of 196 knots). Other than a flight in icing conditions (Pass on that) this was the little plane that handled it all and handled it so well. It is definitely the little plane that can. All while burning 11 GPH or less.
During my 4.5 years of building this plane I would hit those points wondering if it was worth the time, sacrifice, and frustration. After this trip, the answer is most definitely YES. So for those still building, hang in there because once you are done you have a plane that stands alone in its class. Sorry Cirrus drivers…..