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Posted for randy snarr <randylsnarr@yahoo.com>:
If you are building a Lancair 4, 4P, 4P Turbine, Legacy or ES please be warned this post may bore you as it is about a lowly 235/320. For those of you that do not know what a 235 is, Lancair was putting those kits out in the late 80's. Ya, when Duran Duran was hot and Big hair and mullets were in.
Yes, it's a brand new 20 year old airplane!
This morning May 29th 2006 N694RS finally took to the skies. After 6 long years of toiling away in the garage and airplane finally emerged.(ok airplane parts headed for the paint shop) The airplane was transported 3 months ago to the paint shop via truck and trailer where we spent 2 months painting it. From there it was off to the Provo Utah Municipal Airport for another month of assembly. This morning all the excuses for not flying ran out and it was time to fly. To back up a week or so ago we started some initial run up and taxi tests. 2 Days ago on Saturday I was rolling down the runway at about 60 MPH in a high speed taxi.
The intent there was to get the airplane just in the air and check for any obvious stability issues. As I got the airplane in the air it just kept going up. If a storm wasn't on it's way in a couple of hours I might have nailed the throttle and kept going.
Anyway At 15 ft AGL I got more assertive with my power reduction and the airplane came back down to Terra firma with a thump. As I was taxiing back to the hangar I knew the next time I headed for the runway in the airplane it would not be for no taxi run....
I think the tower guys were geting tired of me cruising thier runway and not leaving the ground...
You could not have written the script any better. Monday Morning (Memorial Day) is coming and the weather is forcast to be good and and cool on temps which is a bonus.
The big day finally comes, 50 degrees and sunny and not a cloud in the sky. Barely a leaf a wigglin. It was one of the prettiest mornings of the year. I had always envisioned pulling the airplane out for it's first flight on such a morning.
We pull the airplane out at 8:30 and after a thorough preflight we do a run up to full power or at least try. Even with chocks and brakes the airplane could not be ran up to full power without dragging the wheels and chocks. This thing wants to go! 2250 on the ground for 45 seconds will have to do so I wave to my trusty helpers, Jan (hangar owner) Dad and my good friend Mike and 2 of my brothers Kenny and Jason that I am ready to head for the runway. I give them the F-18 carrier ready to catapult salute and they looked at me like I was and idiot. They figure out I am ready to go and removed the chocks from under the wheels and it was off to runway 13. During my run up I was monitoring the tower and heard an airplane declare an electrical related emergency. A low gruff voice came on the radio and growled at the tower operator without announcing who he was and just said "how far out is he?" After a moment I realized that it was the guy who was in charge of the big green fire trucks talking on the radio asking when they need to come out and empty their truck of that foamy fire eatin stuff. I thought, roll the trucks! If the Archer with a sick alternator doesn't need them they will be a click of the mike away for me IF I DO! Nice to know there are people there to help when you need them. A DA 40 takes off in front of me and I call Provo Tower and try to sound confident in asking for take off clearance.
I pull onto the runway and come to a stop and watch the Diamond climb out. One last glance at everything and I actually say to myself, don't do anything stupid. I ease into throttle in no time the craft is off the ground and is climbing like a homesick angel and the engine is screaming it's guts out at 2850 RPM Yikes! I get the prop pitch and rpm under control. I think, you Cessna driving rookie...Anyway all is looking good. I am very tuned to the engine monitor and hardly notice the stunning scenery.
I climb from field elevation of 4497 to 7500-8000 and just circle the field looking that the instruments. After the 3rd or 4Th circle I am convinced the thing is not going to fall from the sky and begin to take notice of what is outside the airplane. Provo is on the edge of Utah lake(Big) and some 11,750 foot snow capped mountains just 10 miles to the east. Wow, what an unbelievable sight! It was crystal clear 75 miles visibility and so smooth it was like a dream. After 15 minutes of circles I finally ran into my own wake turbulence. That was the only bump of the morning. I told the tower I wanted a low approach over runway 18 which was closest to the awaiting cameras of my 5 land bound ground jockeys. Down to 300 feet or OK more like 500 but it felt low after circling at 8000 for the last 30 minutes. A mid level photo fly by..
Then down wind Gear down, Flaps 10 on final and bleed off speed and grease that thing on at 70.
The bad news about a silky smooth landing like that on the first try is that it will only get worse not better. My spectators will vouch for the greased landing but will be the first to admit on my behalf that it is not the norm! It was a perfect end to an unbelievable building adventure. Now a new flying adventure has begun. I can hardly wait to fly to Redmond OR and other places in my Lancair instead of my old C-150.
This post is intended to motivate especially you remaining Lancair 235,320/360 ok and the rest of you builders out there. I know there are may of you that read and build and rarely write as I have done.
I had a big payday today.
Yours to will come to if you stick it out.
A special thanks to all who subscribe and participate to the mail list for providing invaluable information and especially those who put up with my many stupid questions over the years, most of whom do not subscribe to this list.
Gary (I owe you a burger) Edwards( the bet was under 1000 lbs for a burger) i'm 1025 before interior.. Rats!
Hal Johansen
Pete Cavitt
Mike Crumpleman (local machinist)
Lancair Tech support
My new hangar "Mates" Jan,Dave,Dustyn even you Mark.
Janice (my wife)
Best to all!
Randy L. Snarr
Lancair 235/320
Salt Lake City, Utah
[Congratulations, Randy... long time coming. She's a beautiful airplane and I'm sure you're going to have a ball with it. I'm attaching the best of your photos but am leaving the flyby movie out... can't see much on it anyway and the file is too large to send with an LML post. Thanks for the report. <Marv> ]
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