FIRST FLIGHT IN ECUADOR

[Uwe Jens]

Today was The Day.  After finishing the building process on last October and a lot of time practicing on the ground without an instructor (couldn´t find a taildragger instructor anywhere close) I finally flew my Highlander # 140 for the first time!!
My take off was from my runway located in Salcedo, it is 1200 ft long and 21 ft wide and it is at 8600 ft asl.  This flight has been one of the most incredible experiences I´ve had.  The plane is great, even though everything was different from what I´m used to fly (the funny wheel on the other side, the engine on front, the stick using the left hand, the throttle same problem, etc, etc)  This was my very first flight on a taildragger!!  :roll:  :shock:  
I want to thank all you guys who helped me during the building process and to Wings Forum.  Many thanks to Just Aircraft for building this incredible plane.
Once I really understand how this plane is supposed to be flown and I recover my nerves I will let you know how things are going.
Here are some pics and a short video.
Thanks again,
Uwe/.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnuIBt8LRwE

[billy5823]

congrats......... according to the landscape in the background this plane is perfect........enjoy.......

[fiferphil]

Congratulations, Uwe!  :D  :D It looks like you did a great job, not only on the first flight but also in the building of your beautiful Highlander

I sincerely hope you can find an experienced taildragger pilot/instructor to fly with you so that you can get some dual instruction dealing with cross-wind takeoffs and landings. There have been many cases of guys going out and rolling their beautiful little homebuilts up into a balls because they lacked experience in dealing with the unforgiving nature of taildraggers in adverse wind conditions. That's a prime reason why, that here in the States, it is now required that a pilot desiring to fly a taildragger get training and a one-time  log book endorsement by a qualified flight instructor stating that he (the applicant) has demonstrated  ability to maintain directional control throughout all phases of ground operations, to include taxi, takeoff's, three-point landings, wheel landings and cross-wind takoffs and landings. My experience shows that it  takes the average tricycle gear-trained pilot between 5 and 10 Hours to achieve this level of proficiency in a relatively docile taildragger like a Citabria. Insurence companies typically require a minimum of 10 - 15 hours taildragger dual before they'll extend coverage.

Untill you can get some tailwheel training, I advise you to take a good hard look at the winds on days that you fly, and if you have any more than a 5 knot crosswind component and 10 knot surface wind velocity to keep it in the hangar. I wish you were here in the states; I'd offer my flight instructor services gratis. If there is any other way I can help you either thru this forum or private email, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me.

I wish you God's Blessings and continued success with your Highlander.

[Wes]

Uwe,
What a beautiful airplane and beautiful matching country to fly it in!
Congratulations on the finished airplane and getting her flying.

I'm about halfway thru my "taildragger transition" training and I echo Phil's comments on getting some instruction time in the airplane.
I have found that I have some very bad left-over habits from flying Cessna 172's for many years.

Good going! and love to see some more pic's when you can.

Wes

[scubarider2]

Congratulations!!!  I remember my first flight as well....that heart thumping excitement that makes you never want to come out of the clouds!  :D
I have never flown a taildragger.  I like that funny little wheel up front.  Call me crazy.
Dennis

[Lynng]

Uwe,

My congratulations go out to your team for building a beautiful airplane. If you want to schedule some time with me during or around Sun n Fun I can give you some intensive training since I am a CFI and have about 200 hours in the Escapade/Highlander aircraft.

Lynn

[fiferphil]

Uwe

If you are coming up to Sun 'n Fun you ought to take up Lynn's offer for some flight training in the Highlander. Ya can't beat getting a tail wheel checkout in the same make and model that you're gonna fly. Plus I've flown with Lynn and can personally attest that she flat knows the airplane and is a good instructor. I have over 1000 hours taildragger time, and I still will ask Lynn if she is available to come and check me out if and when I ever get this little rascal t' flyin.

Hey Lynn! You comin' to Columbus anytime soon? I need some help puttin' this 'dang thang' together  :lol:

[Uwe Jens]

Thank you all for your words, thank you Lynn and Phil for your training offers, they are very tempting.  mmmmmm, do you guys will like to train a crazy guy at 9000 ft asl on the Ecuadorian Andes?????.
Really, do you think there is a difference on training at sea level vs the altitude I operate?  The reason for this comment is that a lot of L.S.A pilots in Ecuador that are used to fly at sea level, they really hate to fly on the Andes.  
Phil, you are right about the winds, I am an ultralight pilot, I usually fly without any wind at all and early in the morning, this is because when it is windy the mountains create a lot of rotors, which makes the flight very unpleasant.
Sure you guys would not like to fly on the Andes?   It is really beautiful.......I´m serious.....
Thanks again,
Uwe/.

PS: Suuuuure??????

[fiferphil]

Uwe,

The biggest difference that I can see in operating at your elevation would be some possibly extremely high density altitudes.  Tail dragger techniques  such as attention to keeping the longitudnal axis of the aircraft lined up with the direction of flight (no drift or crab angle!!!) at  touch down are going to apply no matter what your airport elevation is. The biggest factors I can see would be longer takeoff rolls, greater landing distances, slower climbouts, etc. Possiblely one of the biggest factors would be higher ground speeds at touchdowns. If you are landing with no crab or drift at touchdown, then the higher groundspeed shouldn't be much of a problem as far as directional control is concerned. But if you touch down with any drift or crab then you are likely going to have to deal with a swerve on your roll out. Higher groundspeeds increase the swerve moment exponentially and if you run out of rudder (and brake if needed) to immediately counter the swerve, you become an unwilling passenger while the airplane performs one of those most dreaded manuevers--the ground loop   .

As for me coming to Equador... I'm 62 years old and am  starting to show symptoms of hypoxia at sea level! It does sound intersting and my wife and I have passports...and the scenery looks sooo beautiful in your pictures.

[Johnny C!]

Uwe!

Beautiful aircraft, beautiful day, beautiful place!

I envy you!

How about placing some flying pics in the tacked thread.

Keep us informed about your continued flying
& be careful!

John

[Uwe Jens]

OK More pics.

[Uwe Jens]

More.

I hope you like, sorry for the size on the first ones.  The shoes on one of the pics, are mine on my first aircraft, a Quicksilver Sport II over the Cotopaxi Volcanoe at  20,000 asl, these is the highest active volcanoe on the world.  I hope this is a motive for you to visit Ecuador anytime!!

[fiferphil]

Wow! Those are great picts! Do you use supplemental oxygen?

[Uwe Jens]

Phil, not really used additional oxygen.  I like to go up to the mountains and I think it helped me.  I know the hazards this could bring.  Usually we fly on the Highlands in between 9,000 to 17,000 asl, that day was a special day and haven´t done again.  Maybe with my Highlander someday, I hope I can climb to that altitude again.
Ecuador has places to people who has already hipoxia  :lol: , you can go there only in 2 1/2 hours flying or 6 hours by ground. And if you prefer the Amazonia (jungle) it is only 1 hour flying or 2 1/2 by ground.  
Hope you like this new pics...
Uwe/.

[Dave Krall CFII SEL SES]

Went through your PIX again today Uwe, very impressive! As a taildragger instructor myself the first thing I tell pilots is "Every horror tale you've heard about taildraggers is true!" (especially in cross winds)

I have often flown and taught in nose draggers in horrendous crosswinds for many years and have never seen any taildraggers out there in those high winds.