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The RV Grin - First Flight N194HW 12-2-2016

beechrv9a

Well Known Member
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Today at noon at Marion County Airport (X35) in Dunnellon Florida, the Terrific RV9A N194HW took flight after a 12 year build with me as the test pilot! I now have joined the ranks of the many builders who have experienced this! Incredible aircraft doesn?t begin to do this plane justice!

I have much to be thankful for, so please bear with me.

First of all, my biggest thanks to Paula, my loving, patient and terrific wife of 34 years, riveting partner, pillar of encouragement for allowing me to pursue this dream. I know having an IO-360 on a movable engine stand in our dining room for 4 years as centerpiece was not what you had envisioned, nor loss of your garage for all those years and airplane parts throughout the house? and to my kids always fielding the many questions from neighborhood kids (just what the heck is your dad doing in there??) and the many family character building exercises encountered in this journey.

A big shout out to Jesse Saint of Saint Aviation and his excellent staff for support during the final assembly.

Vans Aircraft and all of the Van's staff for providing such an excellent aircraft and support.

Thank you Doug, for providing this forum for the community of builders with similar passions. This wonderful group of people is always there ready to jump in to answer the trivial or technical questions.

In particular, I would like to thank Mike Bullock and his great website. Mike- Publish your build as a guide! The documentation, pictures and build commentary (bugs, blood, beer and humor included) were outstanding. All this as a result of a chance meeting with you on a 6:30am train out of Aberdeen Md. one early dreary morning back in December 2008. I was wearing my VansAirforce hat wandering sleepily down the aisle when I heard a voice call out from a darkened seat ?What are you building?? And so our friendship began?.Next beer is on me Mike!

Stein Air (Mike Gleason) who took my panel, instruments and electrical design concepts into reality

Jan Bussell ?Transition Training Extraordinaire in Okeechobee Florida?.Thanks to him I had no issues or surprises during that first flight

For all my friends and encouragement.

And lastly my parents for always pushing me to try a little harder when times get tough. I can still hear my dad?s voice in my head saying always, ?Remain Calm, Cool and Collected.? I know you are smiling with the angels.

Build On! It is an Amazing Aircraft!

Engine Mattituck Red Gold IO-360
Whirlwind 200RV C/S prop
Dual P-Mags
Dual GRT HxR 10.4 EFIS
TruTrak Vizion A/P
AOA Indicator
Garmin GTN 650
PS Engineering PMA 450
 
Congratulations Jim! I briefly met you at Jesse's a few weeks ago. Wish you many happy flight hours. These are great machines!

Carl
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Congrats Jim, I was pumped just getting my fuse out of the basement up to the garage, looking forward to that RV Grin of first flight. Even if I watch.

Gotta be a great feeling - thanks for posting so soon, you still have lots of work!
 
Congratulations!

I can only imagine what you must be feeling. I am living vicariously through you and the gentleman that built my airplane. These are amazing planes!
 
Congratulations

I had the pleasure of seeing your first takeoff from my 9A. Your 9A took to the sky like it belongs there. That makes the build truly worthwhile.

Except to see you above X35 getting you phase I testing completed
 
I predict you will like the climb out rate! Post some numbers when you get a chance. Congrats! Climbing at 90 kts in the cool weather I am usually close to the TPA by the time I reach the end of the runway. Keep an eye out for those doing crosswind pattern entry.
 
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Jim,

I have been looking for your post announcing your 1st flight....Congrats!!

Great meeting you at Dunellon a few weeks back!

Hopefully, our paths will cross again, preferably on some RV-related adventure...OSH...SnF...whatever/wherever!

Fly Safe and enjoy your ride!

All the best,

Rob
 
Congrats!

Always great to start reading this forum with a success story. Provides motivation for my -9A project. Think I'll head out to the shop and start a fire in the stove to warm the place up - wife has plans for the day so that means I have a full day of building ahead of me.

Congrats of your project. Fly safe and enjoy!

Lars
 
Congrats Jim!......Fair warning, the flying lifestyle is quite a change from the building lifestyle!
 
Congratulation, Jim. It has been a pleasure working with you, and was a pleasure flying with you yesterday. Onwards and upwards. Keep the blue side up (most of the time, at least).
 
Hey Jim, It is nice seeing another 9A in the sky. I hope to follow this spring. I am also interested in your flight testing numbers and thoughts. Keep us up to date on how your phase 1 is going. Have fun!
 
Congratulation, Jim. It has been a pleasure working with you, and was a pleasure flying with you yesterday. Onwards and upwards. Keep the blue side up (most of the time, at least).

DITTO! What great staff and support provided!!!! For any builders having questions or needing assistance, Contact Jesse at Saint Aviation!
 
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Way to Go!!!

Congratulations on your first flight. Like your first kiss or your first solo, it's now a memory that for the rest of your life you can pull out dust it off and enjoy! WAY TO GO! And the wonderful thing.... the best part is still to come! Flying your pride and joy to events pitching that tent sitting around a campfire and chatting with others that have done the same thing. Welcome to the club!
 
Congratulations on your first flight. Like your first kiss or your first solo, it's now a memory that for the rest of your life you can pull out dust it off and enjoy! WAY TO GO! And the wonderful thing.... the best part is still to come! Flying your pride and joy to events pitching that tent sitting around a campfire and chatting with others that have done the same thing. Welcome to the club!

Many Thanks! I am so excited! And you are correct about this being like your first Solo, but much more indeed!
 
BIGtime congrats to you!!!! Welcome to the Flyin' Nines!!!

I remember my first flight like it was an hour ago! :D:D
 
Awesome! And a huge congrats! Nice to get a little Hobbs time on her and work out all the niggling things.

Fly safe! I hope you have a nice big Phase 1 area. :):)
 
And another naked 9A takes to the skies! Congratulations!

Now get Phase I flown off and make plans for Oshkosh!

The 9A with this engine and prop combination is unbeatable. Just a few hours ago I was asked to slow to 150 knots indicated for traffic coming into a towered airport, gotta love that...
 
Congrats!!! I want to second your comment about Mike Bullock and his website on building an RV-7. I've use his information extensively and cannot wait to fly my RV-7A. I'd like to meet him some day and say thanks. I'd like to meet you. Hopefully flying my RV into Oshkosh and enjoying the festivities of Home Built Camping. Congrats again and enjoy your freedom of flying an RV.
Bob
 
Congrats Jim

Congratulations Jim on your completion and your first flights. I am working through system checks on mine prior to my first flight. Hopefully it will occur before the end of the year. I also did my transition training with Jan in October.
 
In particular, I would like to thank Mike Bullock and his great website. Mike- Publish your build as a guide! The documentation, pictures and build commentary (bugs, blood, beer and humor included) were outstanding. All this as a result of a chance meeting with you on a 6:30am train out of Aberdeen Md. one early dreary morning back in December 2008. I was wearing my VansAirforce hat wandering sleepily down the aisle when I heard a voice call out from a darkened seat ?What are you building?? And so our friendship began?.Next beer is on me Mike!

Jim,

It's been great keeping track of your progress on your RV ever since we met back in 2008. Congratulations on a successful first flight of your -9A! Looking forward to seeing you all of the flyins on the east coast!

"Next beers is on me..."??? You mean you won't continue to steal my beers? :D

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Jim,

It's been great keeping track of your progress on your RV ever since we met back in 2008. Congratulations on a successful first flight of your -9A! Looking forward to seeing you all of the flyins on the east coast!

"Next beers is on me..."??? You mean you won't continue to steal my beers? :D

Those pics certainly hamper my credibility....lol
 
Congrats!!! I want to second your comment about Mike Bullock and his website on building an RV-7. I've use his information extensively and cannot wait to fly my RV-7A. I'd like to meet him some day and say thanks. I'd like to meet you. Hopefully flying my RV into Oshkosh and enjoying the festivities of Home Built Camping. Congrats again and enjoy your freedom of flying an RV.
Bob

Mike's Website is the DaVinci of documentation. HBC at Oshkosh again this year, but this time in MY RV9A ----N 194 Hotel Whiskey!
 
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