Hello its been almost a year and the plane is heading to the airport for final assembly. i purchased the plane built a new epenage and replaced the wings with the B wing mod. I have tried my best to be as accurate as possible on the rebuild, but im sure at least one of my angles or measurements are off a little. I hope the design of the aircraft leaves some room for the builders lack of expierence. Everything is pretty much done now have to get it to the airport put the wings on hook up a few fittings and have my AP look her over and we are there. Im a low time pilot I have about 160 hours 5 of which are TW time. I am flying a PA-15 working on the endorsment. I plan to do transition training in a RV4 before I fly mine. I'm pretty excited at this point as well as a little nervous. My hope is that I can convice someone to perform the test flight the reason being my relative low time flying period. The reason for the post is to just seek any last minute advice and recomendations and to thank everyone for the help that has been offered so far. Thanks
Van's Air Force
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- Thread starter dustman
- Start date
Geico266
Well Known Member
I bought a flying RV-3a and flew it after receiving my TG endorsement in 8 hours. I could not find a -4 to train in so I just went flying on a calm day. All went well, the -3 is very nimble and easy to control. Do alot of slow flight to know where the stall is. Use a tad bit of power when landing. Mine is a tad heavy on the tail so it touches down 1-2 seconds before the main, but that could be poor pilot techneque also. I'm learning.
You'll do fine, just keep it on the line.
You'll do fine, just keep it on the line.
Last edited:
mannanj
Well Known Member
Test Flight
I know that you're aprehensive about the first test flight and rightly so. I would recommend that you contact Kahuna to do that for you. He has done many for other people here.
Be advised that he will do a very comprehensive evaluation of all the controll system integrety and other safety items. (Almost to the extent of an annual condition inspection.)
He lives in the Atlanta area. I don't have his phone #, but you should be able to contact him through this forum.
I know that you're aprehensive about the first test flight and rightly so. I would recommend that you contact Kahuna to do that for you. He has done many for other people here.
Be advised that he will do a very comprehensive evaluation of all the controll system integrety and other safety items. (Almost to the extent of an annual condition inspection.)
He lives in the Atlanta area. I don't have his phone #, but you should be able to contact him through this forum.
pierre smith
Well Known Member
I can also....
.....do your first flight, Dusty. I'd want the cowl off and the rear fairing and spinner off as well. If Kahuna can't, get hold of me.
Regards,
.....do your first flight, Dusty. I'd want the cowl off and the rear fairing and spinner off as well. If Kahuna can't, get hold of me.
Regards,
randylervold
moderator
Dustman,
You've been given some good advice here, I will add my perspective which isn't much different. First off, I recommend you find someone else to do your first flight, and maybe second also depending on how it goes. Given your low time and lack of RV time, you just won't yet be prepared to quickly assess a problem and develop a plan. You don't yet know what is normal and what is not, and an experienced RV driver will. Also, I have mixed thoughts about any of us doing our own first flights simply because we are emotionally involved with them and might not make an objective decision to put it down should something go wrong. If there is a problem the plane needs to be put down in a manner that maximizes pilot survivablity and often times this will mean sacrificing the airplane. Airplanes can be replaced or rebuilt, pilots cannot.
As you have I'm sure read, RVs are actually easy planes to fly once you get used to them... operative phrase here being "once you get used to them". I'm sure you'll be quite capable of mastering that cute little bird, but you need to give yourself the benefit of the opportunity to learn via some quality transition training.
Get help and BE SAFE!! I won't wish you good luck because you don't need luck, you need to prepare the airplane properly and get a qualifited pilot to do the testing... has nothing to do with luck.
FWIW,
You've been given some good advice here, I will add my perspective which isn't much different. First off, I recommend you find someone else to do your first flight, and maybe second also depending on how it goes. Given your low time and lack of RV time, you just won't yet be prepared to quickly assess a problem and develop a plan. You don't yet know what is normal and what is not, and an experienced RV driver will. Also, I have mixed thoughts about any of us doing our own first flights simply because we are emotionally involved with them and might not make an objective decision to put it down should something go wrong. If there is a problem the plane needs to be put down in a manner that maximizes pilot survivablity and often times this will mean sacrificing the airplane. Airplanes can be replaced or rebuilt, pilots cannot.
As you have I'm sure read, RVs are actually easy planes to fly once you get used to them... operative phrase here being "once you get used to them". I'm sure you'll be quite capable of mastering that cute little bird, but you need to give yourself the benefit of the opportunity to learn via some quality transition training.
Get help and BE SAFE!! I won't wish you good luck because you don't need luck, you need to prepare the airplane properly and get a qualifited pilot to do the testing... has nothing to do with luck.
FWIW,
BruceMe
Well Known Member
<- There's my grin
You should consider 2-pt. Tailwheel aircraft that 3-pt well have a stalling attitude that matches the wheel configuration. IE, the attitude that the aircraft sits on the ground _IS_ the stall attitude. In a Champ or a Cub, you 3pt by putting the stick in you lap.
The early tailwheel RVs (-3,4, 6 &8) have a high stall attitude. If you land in a full stall, the tail is considerably lower than the mains. It will always do this and it can lead to some very bad landings, even with the correct technique.
I have 400hrs of RV-3 time. I also have some time in both a -4 & -8. They all 2-pt MUCH nicer than 3-pt. You should try to get more comfortable with 2-pt. It will be nicer on your RV.
When I bought my RV-3 back in 1996, I also had a fresh TW endorsement, 200hrs TT 8 hrs in a Champ. I remember my first RV flight very well, I still have the grin to proove it.
You should consider 2-pt. Tailwheel aircraft that 3-pt well have a stalling attitude that matches the wheel configuration. IE, the attitude that the aircraft sits on the ground _IS_ the stall attitude. In a Champ or a Cub, you 3pt by putting the stick in you lap.
The early tailwheel RVs (-3,4, 6 &8) have a high stall attitude. If you land in a full stall, the tail is considerably lower than the mains. It will always do this and it can lead to some very bad landings, even with the correct technique.
I have 400hrs of RV-3 time. I also have some time in both a -4 & -8. They all 2-pt MUCH nicer than 3-pt. You should try to get more comfortable with 2-pt. It will be nicer on your RV.
When I bought my RV-3 back in 1996, I also had a fresh TW endorsement, 200hrs TT 8 hrs in a Champ. I remember my first RV flight very well, I still have the grin to proove it.
Dustman;
Take Randy's advice. I have over 400 hours of recent TW time, so when I recently flew the less than year-old RV-3 I had just bought, I didn't anticipate a problem. Wrong... Everything happens so quickly in a 3 that it was not until after the 4th landing that I was able to figure out that a sticking tailwheel was the primary cause of my near-disasterous landings. Had a more experienced RV guy been doing the flying, he would have been able to diagnose the problem much quicker and safer.
Bill Newkirk
Take Randy's advice. I have over 400 hours of recent TW time, so when I recently flew the less than year-old RV-3 I had just bought, I didn't anticipate a problem. Wrong... Everything happens so quickly in a 3 that it was not until after the 4th landing that I was able to figure out that a sticking tailwheel was the primary cause of my near-disasterous landings. Had a more experienced RV guy been doing the flying, he would have been able to diagnose the problem much quicker and safer.
Bill Newkirk
