Wings Forum

Well,
       This "topic" looked pretty lonely.... So, I'll post my completion...First Flight was
Oct 8 , 2005 ....."I" was the Test Pilot....

 You can read my story here :


Well,
Today was the day....I did 3 fast taxis....First one - I flew the tail .....Second one was a little faster and it lifted off
the ground slightly.....the third one I planned to lift off aprox 10 ft off the ground....Check it for Trim ....if trim was too
bad , I'd put it back on the ground .....If trim was OK , I'd give it throttle and fly it.....Trim was PERFECT !!!

Through out my short , 15 min flight ( planned ) my trim was just perfect and it flew like I hoped it would !

I went about 2000 ft AGL and I checked the stall speed ( not FULL stall ) and then I brought
it in and made a VERY GOOD LANDING....

Tesa ( my Daughter ) took some pictures of my first flight.....I told her to wait a little to see the landing
gear off the ground.....She did a good job....

Now if I can only get this stupid GRIN off my face....


Gotta Fly...
Mike

PS Paul at the airport asked if somebody already flew the plane before me.....No......he said " That's Crazy"

I said No, "That's Planecrazzzy"  
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My Second Flight had some Exciting moments:


Hey,
A little crosswind 5-10 mph , not a problem.....Drove up to Cambridge Airport (MN) it's in my Flight Test Area
Met some NICE people....everybody that I met there was nice...

Set-up my plane and after assembly, while I was doing my preflight, I had a notepad and I made a check list....
I tried to use other peoples to make "mine" but I think it was better to walk around it and make notes....

First Flight was NONEVENTFUL, second flight "had it's moments"

First thing wrong , last week I took some advise and turned up my idle to 2000-21000 , Somebody said it was a good idea.
That was fine "last week" because I was on grass, this week I was on an asphalt runnway....It wanted to taxi TOO fast
I had to "back taxi" on runway 34 so I couldn't just stop and adjust it till I got to the end where the "run up" area was...
so I used my brakes alot and checking that they weren't getting hot.

OK, take off was different then last week.....First flight I was gently on throttle....barely power to fly...checking things
out...then gently adding power and climbing out.....

This week , I added power to take off.....(no pussy footin around)....what "I" thought was going to be a GRADUAL increase in power , was in fact was a rocket launch.....She torqued on me a little , I caught it, and it wasn't long after that
and I was airborn..... I'm not trying to do space shuttle launches.....But she's a "home sick angel"

This time I planned to fly for 1 hr, and I wore gloves....last time my throttle hand was getting cold.....
although this time gave me a chance to get cold EVERY WHERE ELSE....( cockpit inclosed on the "ta do list" )

I took some pictures , I mested with my GPS , I got a good chance to look around the plane and check things out.
I noticed that my Lift Struts kinda vibrate and shake a little from the wind...

I cut the flight short, after 45 min, this ol California boy was cold..... So, I entered the pattern , I made my calls on the
radio , but I'm still not sure if it's working right....anyway, heres the EXCITING part.....as I'm turning Base for 34 , I turned
my head to look at the runway and my hat caught some wind and was taking my headset with it.....OH Crap,
I reached up and stopped everything from getting blown back , I had to put my hat under my leg , and I got my headset
back on ......Now I don't have the wind protection of my hat ( the windshield sags alittle ) and the wind is swirling
around my glasses and making my eyes water.....Oh Crap....Well, I'm turning my head and blinking trying to land
the plane....thinking , I don't need this....
My first landing was close to perfect.....this one was good , but I could have flown it a little lower....I wasn't close to bending gear....and it didn't bounce , I guess that first landing will be hard to "top" .....although I'd say I was a Little Distracted this time.....




                      Gotta Fly...
                                      Mike in MN   /  N381PM

Nicely done!
I hope our own first flight will be just as easy and enjoyable as your one sounds =)

Cogratulations and lots of fun with your new airplane!