>>I talked to Don Goetz who was the pilot on this flight. The engine quit on 
>>take off so Don put it back on the runway with no damage fortunately.

>Glad he was not flying from a marginal length airstrip for this first flight.

What timing!  Sure drives home the point many of you made about runway length for first flight in response to my question last week.  Sounds like runway length save someone many thousands of $$ and perhaps more in this case.

There is a rather incredible irony here.  In my earlier post I mentioned that there was one extremely experienced test pilot (someone who I understand has many dead stick landings) who said that 2600' was plenty for first flight in an ES.  Guess who?  I suppose pilots of varying degrees of skill define "plenty" differently :)