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RV-8 N657AR Updates

... But due to the less-than-perfect fit of my canopy skirt, a skirt flutter develops at 140 knots which generates an aft canopy vibration that becomes severe over 160 knots. The aircraft should not be flown again until the fit is improved. Might be an easy fix (sealing material), might be a hard fix (resculpting the skirt). ...
Canopy skirt buzz is a very common problem on the RV-8. When it happens it sounds like something very bad is happening, but a bit of velcro loop material or felt or rubber door sealing material will fix it.

There are a couple of threads on VAF addressing this.

Congrats!
 
Super News Marty!! I think you had a very good test pilot because he made a conservative decision to do an RTB when the vibration was first noticed. That gave everyone some thinking time, then he could do a little more investigation on the next flight. The really, really good news? You built a great airplane with no other bugs on the first flight. No oil leaks, no electrical problems, no radio failure, just a good airplane. Well done!
 
I’ve been following your blog since I started my -8 back in 2019. The ups and down you’ve had have been worth of a novel! I really felt for you with the whole engine issues, that was a total nightmare that would have sunk lesser men.

You have my heartfelt congratulations, now is the time to sit back and take stock of what you have accomplished. You should be very proud.
 
Well Done Sir!!!

Congrats Martin!!! I've been following your progress via your blog. Hope it is a quick and easy fix.
 
About the Novel...

Speaking of the blog, the latest Blogspot post is up, see link in signature below. Sure, you know the ending... but it's a ripping yarn with lots of great photos, including this teaser:
 

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MY FIRST FLIGHT!

Finally got to experience flight in my own aircraft yesterday. The weather wasn't as good as I hoped it would be, and that shortened the intended route. It flies just like an RV-8, which is a very good thing. I'll have to get used to the G3X and do a better job of memorizing my checklists, but overall the 45 minute flight went well. First entry in my logbook for 657AR; I'm expecting almost all other entries will follow suit. Texted some airport friends to get photos of the obligatory RV Grin, then decowled and inspected the aircraft. The engine is hardly burning any oil at all; Dave Carrick mused that the engine might have been broken in during Barrett's dyno runs but that remains to be seen. The spinner backing plate is still rubbing the nose bowl of the bottom cowl just a little bit. I sanded it down some more this morning and may get a chance for another flight this afternoon. Looking forward to getting very comfortable with this bird.
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I forgot to mention here that Dave Carrick had performed the third test flight on May 17th. The canopy skirt seals I installed solved the vibration problem, but the spinner backing plate was still rubbing the bottom cowl. Aside from that, he cleared me to fly it. I worked on the cowl some more and waited on weather before I made my first flight.
 
Fantastic !!!

I'm glad for you Martin !!!
There will be more grins.
I know I'm still grining before and after each flight... :cool:
 
Congratulations Martin! Hopefully you feel that all the travails were worth it, especially now that they are behind you.
 
Congratulations Marti! You have made all of us proud of you, and you have set a high standard of building, preparation, and communication, which raises the bar for everyone building airplanes. I wish you many safe hours of flying your airplane!
 
Another Milestone

While processing photos after my second flight, I discovered that I'd reached yet another milestone. The 7000th photo of my build was one of the portrait photos I took after landing. I'm glad it was assigned that number.
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My first RV-8 flight video

I posted the first (public) RV-8 flying video on my YouTube channel. Although I archive video from each Phase 1 flight, I won't be sharing many of them. Most are too boring and the early ones are too embarrassing. Starting to work through the test cards but mainly just getting used to flying the aircraft and getting the bugs out. This was my longest flight to date; flying the perimeter of my Phase 1 test area.
https://youtu.be/W6JPV0SUvoc
 
I posted the first (public) RV-8 flying video on my YouTube channel. Although I archive video from each Phase 1 flight, I won't be sharing many of them. Most are too boring and the early ones are too embarrassing. Starting to work through the test cards but mainly just getting used to flying the aircraft and getting the bugs out. This was my longest flight to date; flying the perimeter of my Phase 1 test area.
https://youtu.be/W6JPV0SUvoc

There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Welcome to the realm of Flight Test. While I was doing Operational Test on Hornets, we found plenty of issues on early test flights that required correcting. If a company as large as Boeing can’t get it right on the first try every time, the fact that you were able to correct your initial issues so quickly speaks to the quality of your build.

Remember, this is why Phase I is a thing. If every airplane was going to be perfect every time, we wouldn’t need to do test flights. Also, let’s remember the score here; canopy buzz and spinner rub aren’t safety of flight issues. You built an airworthy airplane, and simply refined the details to make it that much better!
 
The latest Blogspot post is up; see link in signature below. This will probably be the last one to be shared in this build update thread. The "build" is done; all else will be flying, maintenance or modification. I'm just glad I got this posted before OSH. Here's the obligatory teaser photo:
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The latest Blogspot post is up; see link in signature below. For those of you who want to know in detail what my first flying trip to OSH was like. If you don't want to know, don't read... just look at the photos. Speaking of which, here's the obligatory teaser photo:
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The latest Blogspot post is up; see link in signature below. Four months; 29 flights; 250 photos; 16 video links; lots of wordy type words. You've seen some of it already, but if your interested, settle in, folks. Here's the obligatory teaser photo:
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The Final RV-8 Blogspot post is up.

My final RV-8 Blogspot post is up. It's Epilogue Part 2; it's mercifully short and includes links to the 3-part Final Falsi-Fighter Flights video series on my YouTube channel as well as a link to my "Falsi-Fighter is SOLD!" thread here. I'm not sure I publicized Epilogue Part 1, which posted in October. In any case you can follow the link and get to both parts. The end of yet another era.

https://goatflieg.blogspot.com/2023/12/epilogue-part-2-falsi-fighters-final.html
 
You sold it???

My final RV-8 Blogspot post is up. It's Epilogue Part 2; it's mercifully short and includes links to the 3-part Final Falsi-Fighter Flights video series on my YouTube channel as well as a link to my "Falsi-Fighter is SOLD!" thread here. I'm not sure I publicized Epilogue Part 1, which posted in October. In any case you can follow the link and get to both parts. The end of yet another era.

https://goatflieg.blogspot.com/2023/12/epilogue-part-2-falsi-fighters-final.html

Martin,
It is sold?
Please repeat last transmission.

Daddyman
 
Martin,
It is sold?
Please repeat last transmission.

Daddyman

Yes, I sold it on October 20. Do a search on this site for the thread "Falsi-fighter is SOLD" that i posted awhile ago. It's a fairly in-depth explanation.

I'll also include two links here:

This is the video that made the official announcement on my YouTube channel. It starts out somber but gets better from there.

https://youtu.be/22ugQXPPtTw?si=U6i_SO23YpWJgsL8

While you're on my channel, look for the 3-part series "Final Falsi-Fighter Flights". Part 1 covers the flight from PTK to NY0, where I stopped for fuel.
Part 2 covers the short hop from NY0 to the private strip belonging to the family of the new owner. Part 3 covers my final flight in the airplane.
 
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