What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

First Take off Nerves

Stockmanreef

Well Known Member
I am getting close to the end of the build and I know that I will be quite nervous to go out on the maiden voyage. With that said, I think that I will have a co-pilot on the first flight. Hopefully Dick Sip will go up with me--he has built an RV-4, RV-10, and RV-12. I talked with him the other day and he said the most important thing on the first flight was cockpit management. The pilot should be looking out and concentrating on flying the plane. The co-pilot should manage stuff in the plane. In particular, engine temperature and oil pressure. One other thing he mentioned is that you want to pump 30-40 gallons of fuel through the system (not sure where to disconnect) prior to the first flight to make sure fuel flow is OK. Timing the amount of fuel per hour through the pump.

Anyway, I would like to put together a list of critical things that I should do/must do prior to the first flight. Any one have any good check lists on this topic?

Finally, I watched this youtube video on loss of power on take off and go-arounds. I think that this is something that I need to put on take-off check list and also practice. Think about how you should react on power loss. The piper six I was a part owner in had a throttle failure half way down the RW. I was not flying the plane, but I am not sure how i would have reacted or if I would have reacted fast enough. I know that I will be taking off on a day where I can use RW18. If i have an issue, then there is a nice flat place to put it down in a farm field. RW36 heads directly into town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_t...8XGSEXjvrA_joddrkIulXdo12h3SrW0bQEkto2rDz_OYQ

Thanks
ken
 
Ken,

Congratulations on reaching this point in your build! Exciting and nerve racking at the same time. Sounds like all of your prep and forethought are right on the money. The only thing for sure is before the first flight discuss what actions will be taken if this or that happens. I can tell you from experience that our brains kind of freeze up for a short while when things aren't as we expected. Having the experienced guy with you is a good thing. Just know ahead of time EXACTLY what you'll do if XYZ happens..... loss of power/flight control issues/high cht's/electrical issues etc. Sit and verbally discuss/wright down your courses of action. I took the NASA approach. Several points that were like Go/no go and once airborne with each circuit over the field abort to land or proceed with another circuit.

This is the thrill of a lifetime!
Again congratulations.
 
Try not to make a spectator circus out of the event, thats just another distraction you don't need. Sounds like you have everything in order, go fly and enjoy the fruit of your labor.
 
I talked with him the other day and he said the most important thing on the first flight was cockpit management. The pilot should be looking out and concentrating on flying the plane.

I agree with the concept, but don't see the point in running that much fuel through the system. The primary goal is to prove the capacity of the pump, as well as to flush out any debris in the system. You should disconnect the hose at the carb/servo. and put it in a milk jug or other recepticle that can measure the output. If you re-use the fuel, run it through a coffee filter in your funnel to catch an debris

I think a couple gallons adequate. I don't see the point of running 30 gallons through it. Once you get past the proof it works, I don't see how the pump/system is more likely to fail at 29 gallons vs at 32 gallons during your first flight. Also, you are just testing your backup here. You'll want some engine run time with the boost pump off to prove your mech pump is working. Just an opinion.
 
A couple more things..

Along with some of the other comments, I found that wearing a Gopro on a head mount, I could concentrate on flying and not trying to digest all the instrument readings and speeds on the initial flight, except the important ones. Reviewing a video of my panel scan and commenting that can be heard on the audio, I could make good clear notes of the parameters and functions of the panel while relaxing after the flight. Keep the first flight to a very minimum of tasks, and take things slowly. At least with an RV, built to design/plans, there is little risk of any controllability issues, ect.
 
Anyway, I would like to put together a list of critical things that I should do/must do prior to the first flight. Any one have any good check lists on this topic?

I would consider transition training a must do and number one on anyone?s list. Mike Seager in OR or several others available nationwide. Money well spent and your insurance might require it.

One other thing he mentioned is that you want to pump 30-40 gallons of fuel through the system (not sure where to disconnect) prior to the first flight to make sure fuel flow is OK. Timing the amount of fuel per hour through the pump.

Take a 5 gallon gas can, mark it in one gallon increments, place the aircraft in a nose high attitude (think takeoff attitude, parked on a hill or rolled up on a ramp) chocked in place, disconnect the fuel line at the carb/fuel servo and place that hose end or funnel in the gas can. Have your stopwatch ready and turn it on when you turn your boost pump on. 5 gallons later, a little simple math and you?ll have your GPH number. 30-40 gallons seems excessive to me but it certainly would not hurt other than running your battery down.

Keep the ?crowd? to a minimum, no distractions, very simple flight profile kept to the basics. Engine performance, controllability, landing, then go celebrate. Don?t be in a hurry to go fly again right away, you just finished an unbelievable project, accomplished your mission, now it?s time to let it all sink in. You will have plenty of time to carry out the rest of your flight testing tomorrow or later.

Congratulations and enjoy!
 
+1 for Flight Advisor

I took advantage of the flight advisor concept before my first flight, an experienced pilot with test pilot skills. We went over all the things that could happen discussed alternatives,and built test cards for each event with checks, action, and alternatives and I studied them. I actually had two of the events happen and followed the test cards and the first flight ended up fine.

I highly recommend the flight advisor approach as it makes you talk through the possibilities and actions which are then in your head before you fly.
Figs
 
I would consider transition training a must do and number one on anyone’s list. Mike Seager in OR or several others available nationwide. Money well spent and your insurance might require it.

Thorough aircraft prep and adequate transition training are the keys to a stress-free first flight. If you are apprehensive about first flight that is your little voice telling you that you aren't ready for the task.

Have your flight skills up to speed and so your first flight is......routine. :)
 
Transition Training

I wouldn't take the first flight without transition training even if you are taking a
qualified pilot with you. After a few hours and a dozen or more landings in all sorts of conditions with Side By Side in Waukesha, WI, the nervous part of the flight was taxiing out. Once the throttle went in it was just another flight.
 
Thorough aircraft prep and adequate transition training are the keys to a stress-free first flight. If you are apprehensive about first flight that is your little voice telling you that you aren't ready for the task.

Have your flight skills up to speed and so your first flight is......routine. :)

Exactly this. Get transition training sufficient to ensure that your competence and confidence are up to snuff for the first flight.

In my certain-to-be-unpopular opinion, there's no need whatsoever for a second person to ride along on the first flight of a single-pilot airplane. Any reason (excuse) that people give for doing so is simply the rationalization of those too inexperienced or fearful or both to make the flight themselves and too wrapped up, ego-wise, in the whole first flight "thing" to let a more experienced pilot do it solo.

The fact that the EAA acceded to the status quo (and even helped to "legalize" it!) of an apparently increasing number of people conducting accompanied first flights of simple airplanes is one of my greatest disappointments with them over the last few years. I'm all for the new flight test cards, but not for giving an official blessing to first flight handholding. It's a race to the bottom, from a pilot skills perspective.
 
Opinions

"...In my certain-to-be-unpopular opinion, there's no need whatsoever for a second person to ride along on the first flight of a single-pilot airplane. Any reason (excuse) that people give for doing so is simply the rationalization of those too inexperienced or fearful or both to make the flight themselves and too wrapped up, ego-wise, in the whole first flight "thing" to let a more experienced pilot do it solo..."

...and you are entitled to your opinion...even if it is wrong and not supported by the data.
 
Hi Ken,

You?re getting a lot of advice here, and most of it is pretty good. The best thing, however, is that you don?t have to do this with nothing but internet advice! There is a lot of tuff out there to help you prepare the airplane (and yourself if you want) for a first flight.

1) The Flight Advisor program is FREE, and designed exactly to help you through this. Take advantage of it. There aren't as many FA?s as Tech Counselors, but the FA?s out there are pretty experienced, and can help coach you through the many decisions to be made.
2) The EAA Flight Test Manual doesn?t start with brake release on the first fight - it goes over aircraft testing prior to the first flight as well - just exactly the questions you are asking.
3) As Ed mentioned, if you DO decide to take advantage of the Additional Pilot Program, do it legally by reading the AC and understanding the qualifications needed for the Qualified Pilot. The qualifications can be a little tricky. If you grab someone that doesn?t meet the necessary qualifications, and you have an incident, you are operating outside of your Ops Lims. Don?t do that!


And as I tell everyone that I talk with in my role as Flight Advisor, remember that the airplane can have its first flight, and you will have your first flight in your aircraft. They don?t have to be the same flight. NO ONE else will ever remember who did the first flight, and if you decide that its better to have someone else do it, and are satisfied with the way you get to that decision, you?ll never regret it.

There is a LOT of information available from the EAA - take advantage of it. We have reduced first flight accidents notably in the past few years, and a lot of it is because of the emphasis on getting builders good, usable information on how to operate with less risk.

Paul
 
I second what carlos151 wrote about the fuel flow test. Before you get to that point, though, flush your fuel system over and over from end to end. I recommend fast taxi testing to confirm that your ASI and brakes are working. When I did mine, I had a GPS-enabled video camera looking at the panel so I could compare my actual ground speed to what the ASI was telling me. I stayed 10 Kts. below "takeoff speed" but was ready to fly just in case.
 
Regarding engine failure and having a place to land.....you?re not flying a B-52.
The RV-14a is closer to a U-2 in that it climbs above its glide performance. So,
make a circling climb to a happy altitude above the field increasing radius to stay within gliding range.
If your field has a tower, go over and talk with the controller and let him know what you want to do. Remember, your first flight will be focus on getting airborne and breaking in your new engine at a high power setting for a couple of hours. You will be ?hauling a$$?, thinking you?re Rocket man. It?s all about seating the rings.
Checklist, checklist checklist.....
Base on your opening statement, I would find someone experienced to handle the PIC duties while you support him with watching the big picture and enjoying the event. If everything is working at run up...odds are extreme everything (important) will be working at landing.
Bring water and candy bars....Snickers are best. You will get hungry.

R
 
"...In my certain-to-be-unpopular opinion, there's no need whatsoever for a second person to ride along on the first flight of a single-pilot airplane. Any reason (excuse) that people give for doing so is simply the rationalization of those too inexperienced or fearful or both to make the flight themselves and too wrapped up, ego-wise, in the whole first flight "thing" to let a more experienced pilot do it solo..."

...and you are entitled to your opinion...even if it is wrong and not supported by the data.
So, Bob, how is his opinion WRONG?? It differs from yours, sure, but that doesn't make it wrong. The last time this discussion came up you voiced your opinion; in my view, your opinion is wrong. See how that works?

I'm no NASA test pilot, have done only 4 RV first flights plus the first post maintenance test flight on a years dormant hangar queen T-28D; never felt the need to have a copilot along. On the T-28, my brother (partner owner on the plane) wanted to ride along... nope! Mom would have been quite upset to lose her twin sons in the event something had gone wrong on those first few test flights...

In my certain-to-be-unpopular opinion, there's no need whatsoever for a second person to ride along on the first flight of a single-pilot airplane. Any reason (excuse) that people give for doing so is simply the rationalization of those too inexperienced or fearful or both to make the flight themselves and too wrapped up, ego-wise, in the whole first flight "thing" to let a more experienced pilot do it solo.
Agreed!
 
I second what carlos151 wrote about the fuel flow test. Before you get to that point, though, flush your fuel system over and over from end to end. I recommend fast taxi testing to confirm that your ASI and brakes are working. When I did mine, I had a GPS-enabled video camera looking at the panel so I could compare my actual ground speed to what the ASI was telling me. I stayed 10 Kts. below "takeoff speed" but was ready to fly just in case.

I know that you?re not flying an RV, so you might not realize that fast taxi testing in one of these is really not a great idea. By the time most people get the throttle all the way in, they are almost at liftoff speed - trying to balance throttle and controls to stay 10 knots below take-off numbers is actually a challenging task. Very few experienced RV pilots/trainers recommend high speed taxi testing. Brakes are easy to test at low speed, and ASI can be tested with a piece of surgical rubber tubing.

The reason I recommend documents such as the Flight Test Manual instead of relying on internet advice is that publications like that are compiled and vetted by a very large number of people, and represent a good consensus.

Paul
 
Read my post

I posted a reply but decided to delete it.

Listen, do what you want.

It is telling that both the EAA and FAA appear to agree with the additional pilot program...

Believe what you want, do what you want...

Happy Thanksgiving...
 
Last edited:
A few more things...

1) If you're EFIS-equipped, make sure engine-parameter warnings aren't set too aggressively. Blaring/flashing alarms are a distraction you can certainly do without on the first flight!

2) Know the environs of your airport. Drive around the perimeter and locate roads, fields, golf courses, etc. that could be used in an emergency landing. Note where the power lines are. Take a good look on Google Earth too.

3) The "entourage size" comment made before was a very good one...limit your support crew to the minimum. The first flight is stressful enough without performance anxiety that can be brought on by a bigger crowd.

Good luck! Hopefully the flight will be as uneventful as most of ours....maybe a high-ish CHT on one cylinder, or a slightly heavy wing.
 
...trying to balance throttle and controls to stay 10 knots below take-off numbers is actually a challenging task.
It wasn't for me, but YMMV. It's really important to know that your pitot-static system and brakes are working before you launch off into the wild blue yonder. Again, YMMV.
 
well, I definitely plan to go out to Van's in OR for transition training or find someone closer. Any idea what lead time is required to get the training at Vans? I guess I will email vans this week to find out.

One thing that will be different and a reason to have an extra set of eyes is that I have not yet flow with a complete glass cockpit. I have flown a few times with dual G5s in a 172.

I really like the idea of a GoPro recording the instrument panel.

I looked into FAs and I was wondering if they had to have a certain skill set. I hope that they don't have to be a Credentialed Flight Test Pilot. There aren't many FAs with that skill set. Or do I just need one with "Private pilot".

I guess I had not thought about someone else being PIC while I sat right seat. I am completely unconcerned about saying that I flew the plane first or flew it solo for the first time. I know that breaking in the engine is critical and I know for a fact that I have never done it. After putting $130K into the plane, I want everything OK after break-in.

Finally, I may have miss heard the volume of fuel to flush through the system by Dick.

I appreciate all the advice.

Cheers and happy Thanksgiving
 
You raise a good point -- strange airplane plus strange avionics is a tough combination. I've been trying to push for LODAs for avionics training but nobody is buying it...
 
Transition Training

Like others have said, "Transition training".

Get very current in the spam can that you fly now, and then after training with Mike S. (or equivalent) come home and fly your plane.

Also I recommend having your RV airworthy before your week with Mike so when you get home from Oregon you can transition right into your machine before any rust settles in.
 
From my limited personal sample size...

- first flight in our aircraft had the combination of new EVERYTHING, engine, prop, airframe, avionics
- I used an additional pilot, and instructor and homebuilder, who rode along in the right seat
- having him present provided the extra set of eyes that could watch that brand new engine while I concentrated on flying the airplane and staying within its limits
- ultimately the additional pilot proved unnecessary as it was a very uneventful first flight with no abnormal performance noted
- the lowering of stress levels caused by no longer having to worry if I was going to miss something in my scan was a SIGNIFICANT contributor to the success of the flight - my personal stress level was much lower which made me a much better pilot for that flight
- my first flight in this aircraft type was the first flight of our aircraft and in fact the first time the aircraft moved under its own power, thanks to the insurance nannies
- most would not recommend taking this approach, neither would I, but that's how it worked out and it worked out very well indeed thanks to a very thorough pre-flight briefing and an incredible instructional video put together by a friend in Sweden who is a terrific videographer
- contrary to my plan, a good proportion of our EAA chapter was present to witness the first flight - without exception they were terrific, standing back, letting me do my thing, jumping in to help move the airplane, open hangar doors, etc, then just fading back into the shadows, a great crew all round. Of course they were also there to celebrate that first flight with a round of single malt scotch!

I wish you the very best of success with your first flight. After all of life's special moments, short of holding your first newborn child, there is little that compares to the sensation of a successful first flight. You'll have an idiotic grin on your face for many days, and you'll have earned the right to wear it!
 
Ken,
I thinks it’s significant that in one day you’ve had 26 responses to this post. It’s because we’ve all been there and we all have experience with this critical decision. I also think it’s a good thing that Dick Sip has your back. He’s a highly experienced aviator with a lot of knowledge in home built aircraft. That being said, you also need to fully accept the fact that you are the pilot in command. I am the EAA flight advisor for my local chapter, and I always recommend a level of proficiency and currency in an aircraft with similar performance and handling in what you are test flying. If that’s not possible and you are not proficient in the type, I recommend hiring someone to do your first few test flights. The additional pilot program isn’t meant to be a training platform.

All that being said, if you are a current pilot with experience in aircraft like yours with similar performance and handling, there’s nothing wrong, or dangerous with you doing your first test flight. Any RV has predictable handling qualities, although control response, while very ‘responsive’, are also easily managed. Don’t let that part scare you - you’re going to love it. There are a couple recommendations I think you should consider. I don’t think a high speed taxi test is a good idea. The statistics don’t support that as a safe thing for a new aircraft/pilot (in type) to be doing on a new home built. The gain is minimal and the down side is great. That’s my opinion/recommendation, do what you want. The other thing you should think about - not plan on it but be ready. If your engine falters on your first takeoff, lower your nose radically to maintain airspeed (80-85 knots) until you’ve picked out that spot on the flat area off runway 18. This needs to be a push on the stick that makes you ‘light in the seat’. You have a short wing with a lot of power and lift on that short wing dies quickly when you loose thrust, so you need to keep that wing in the positive angle of attack attitude. This shouldn’t be complicated. You know the area off the end of your takeoff runway, and all you have to do is keep the airplane flying and you will be fine, no matter what happens. If you don’t believe this and think you can implement it, find someone to do your first few test flights. There’s no shame in doing that, and if anyone says anything to you about it, understand that you’ll be flying long after they are because of your intelligence.

One other thing..... A successful first flight has a lot more to to with pre-flight planning and preparation than pilot flying skills. Pretty much any proficient pilot could safely conduct a first flight on his/her new RV, provide they have prepared for it. Dick recommended pumping 30-40 gallons through the fuel system prior to first flight. This simple procedure takes a very important possible failure mode off the page on your first flight that could end your flight test abruptly. If you look at engine power interruption scenarios on first flights, loss of fuel flow is right up there at the top. It also gives you a chance to check all your filters/screens to clean out any debris that has collected over the years of building. Having a local EAA tech councilor look over everything and any local RV builders comb over your homebuilt before you fly is something we should all do, and should give you confidence for your first flight. Most DAR’s/FAA inspectors check control and trim response to make sure they are moving the controls in the proper direction, but these are basic things that you assure yourself personally are working correctly, so there’s no concern on your first flight about what you should expect to see. During your condition inspection prior to your FAA/DAR final inspection for certification, you’ve checked and confirmed that all control connection bolts/nuts are tight and all stop nuts on all control rod bearings and autopilot control rod bearings are tight and marked with torque seal, you know that very critical part of the “am I safe” question is answered, and you don’t have to think about that anymore. You only have to concern yourself with flying the airplane.

Your first flight should be conducted over the departure airport, and be at least an hour long if it’s a new engine - break it in at a high power setting (75%), and don’t lean for now. Try to circle the airport if possible 1000’ above the traffic pattern. Don’t exceed limits for max CHT or Oil Temp - pull the power back a little to control limits and land if necessary. You don’t need to explore all of the aerodynamic limits on your first few flights, although you should get some experience in low speed handling prior to your first landing while still circling above the traffic pattern. Don’t do a full stall on this first flight, but familiarize yourself as much as possible with low speed handling.

If you have Dick with you on your first flight, use him. Brief him on what his responsibilities are. Have him keep track of and write down engine parameters so you won’t need to focus on that and you just fly the airplane. He can let you know if there are excedences or anything he sees as unsafe. It takes a lot of burden off from you.

Congrats on the completion of your airplane. Your apparent concern for caution is respected. Don’t fly if you don’t think it’s safe to do so, but don’t confuse this with tension prior to first flight. Some level of tension is normal, and it’s a good thing because it makes you more cautious - and alive.
 
I flew my 14A in June with a friend who is a flight instructor, ex army test pilot (helos), who also built an RV10. I hadn't flown behind a glass panel before but I got familiar enough with the flight instruments using a simulator (Redbird TD2). The regs don't require a certain pedigree to the co-pilot that is a judgment call based on experience.

What worked was he watched the engine indications and I flew the plane. He gave useful advice and feedback. Altogether it was a great experience. I didn't have anyone else in attendance that advice is right on the money. It's cool to return to a big welcome but better in my mind to keep it all real low key.

The 14 is responsive and high power; have to watch the rudder when you put the power in. Other than that it isn't very hard to fly or land; so long as you don't forget things. Thats where the other guy comes in...... Keep the airspeed up and the bank gentle; no sweat.

That second set of eyes really cut down on what I had to worry about, and after a half hour 4000' above the field we set off for a 2.5 hour high power break-in flight in the nearby practice area. Did a lot of buttonology and got a lot of experience on that one flight. It didn't take very long for my scan to widen and by the end I was handling all of the cockpit tasks no problem.
 
Last edited:
I'm not a high speed taxi fan, either, but...

When I put the constant speed prop on the RV-9A, there were questions I wanted answered on the ground, not in the air. Do the prop and extension leak? Is the spinner okay? Are the RPMs correct?

So I did a high speed taxi without the spinner, and that sucker really moved out! I was careful not to put the throttle in too fast so that the governor could keep up with the throttle advance, but too slow on the throttle would have given too much speed. Normally I take off in the -9A with flaps 10 for a flatter deck angle on takeoff, especially important on a narrow runway, but this runway was plenty wide -- and I didn't lift off. So I did the run with flaps up.

Second ground run was with the spinner on. I did see a minor prop overspeed (2780 RPM), but the once per second data collection did not capture this.

First flight, I got some prop overspeed, even with a slow throttle advance, but the governor stabilized things at 2680 RPM, plenty close enough. However, the prop low pitch stop needed adjustment, and that took two tries so that the RPM overshoot on takeoff is minimal.

Lessons learned:
* It's more important to stay away from liftoff airspeed than to collect the data;
* Long, wide runways are your friend;
* Just because you think it's a high speed taxi doesn't mean it's going to turn out that way. Remember the F-16...
* If you do a high speed taxi, do it for a reason, not just because;
* Systems checkout may be a valid reason for a high speed taxi, maybe not;
* Think out your abort strategies carefully in advance, as was previously mentioned. On takeoff, fuel pressure tells you whether the engine is going to quit real soon. Temperatures and pressures, even oil pressure, tell you that the engine is unhappy and you need to do something, but -- depending -- you can probably go around the pattern if you have to without losing power. You may trash the engine, but an overhaul is cheaper than a crash. Just because you don't intend to take off...

Get a flight advisor, talk this all over many times, get your skills really good, get transition training, do all those good things to stack the deck in your favor.
 
The regs don't require a certain pedigree to the co-pilot that is a judgment call based on experience.

Let's be clear: if this is a new to you, but out of phase 1 airplane, you're correct. If this airplane is in phase 1, the regs DO require a certain pedigree of any one else on board.
 
If you do not trust yourself to do the first flight, let someone more qualified do it. A professional flight test pilot once told me never kill two people if you don't need to. What if something really is wrong, though unlikely with a well built and inspected rv?
Next flights after another inspection are another story. Leave emotion out of this equation.

Jack
 
Familiar

I hate VAF arguments, so here is the link to the "Additional Pilot Program" regs:
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_pol...fm/go/document.information/documentID/1025667

5d: "Setting Qualifications. The difficulty is determining when an additional pilot should be allowed on board, and what minimum qualifications that additional pilot should possess. The objective is to set the qualifications of the additional pilot high enough to mitigate the risks of LOC, but low enough to yield a useful pilot population as illustrated in Figure 2, Balancing the Pilot Qualifications to Ensure an Acceptable Level of Safety."

11c: "Basic Additional Pilot Requirements. A Qualified Pilot (QP) must meet the following list of requirements as part of the qualification process:
(1) Hold at least a sport, recreational, private, commercial, or ATP certificate with the appropriate category and class ratings for the test aircraft, and have received all necessary endorsements, as required per ? 61.31, appropriate to the test aircraft. For light-sport aircraft, have at least a Sport Pilot Certificate and the appropriate logbook endorsements for the category and class of the aircraft to be flown, as required per ? 61.317.
(2) Meet the requirements of ? 61.56.
(3) Meet the requirements of ? 61.57(a).
(4) Have adequate vision forward and to each side of the aircraft.
(5) Complete the worksheet found in Appendix 1, Additional Pilot Program Guide, prior to initial flight as QP in each test aircraft and attach it to the airframe logbook. When acting as QP for further flights in the test aircraft, prior to each flight the QP must meet the QP criteria, but the checklist need not be attached to the logbook."

The worksheet has many satisfactory routes to qualification, all valid.

So I maintain that even using their decision matrix about whether a person is a valid QP, there is no "specific pedigree". They don't have to be a certified test pilot, factory rep, A&P, etc. It isn't hard for many experienced RV pilots to satisfy the matrix.

I stand by my statement.
 
I hate VAF arguments, It isn't hard for many experienced RV pilots to satisfy the matrix.
.

I hate these "English" arguments too. But your last statement ("many experienced") suggests that you too believe not everyone satisfies the matrix, so there are some prerequisites. Not just who you feel comfortable with.
 
RV Grin

Whoever makes the first flight I am sure we all hope for it to go smoothly and that there are more "RV grins" all round! :) It is good to see so much concern for this, I think.
 
Looks like deciding who is 'qualified' for additional pilot duties is just adding stress to the first flight!

Get transition training for your RV and do the flight yourself (or have a test pilot fly it solo)...eliminate as many complications as possible. Thousands of RV first flights have been happily completed....this is not that difficult a task. :)
 
Last edited:
so you just assembled a factory built kit, meaning one of thousands already happily flying. This also means it ain't no real experiment since the aerodynamics and the engine/prop are known components.

Reread many of good things already posted here, apply and go for it: fly and grin :D
 
Back
Top