Lots of trails, tribulations blood, time, money, recreation, education, fun, friendships, anger, frustration, problem solving, sweat, pondering etc....repeat and repeat again and again. 

Fast forward (it did go fast)

June 9, 2012 - Ellington Field - A lone, very nervous man arrives at the airport shortly before 0900 hrs. Pushes onto the ramp the contraption composed of fiberglass, metal et al and the ingredients listed above. He sits down and writes a simple holographic (hand written) will and short note with information to call "Mom" and work. Calls tower to relay intent via the phone.

Preflights the contraption. Gets in, goes though basic Checklist. Cranks up the engine, which fires right up at about 0920 hrs. Taxi to Juliet. Calls tower to verify intent and to taxi to active, 35L. Taxis to Taxiway Echo. Checks temps. Pushing 195 with OAT reading 95 degrees (geesh it is only about 0930 hrs). 

Cleared to take active and hold. Taxied out. Lined up castering nose wheel down center stripe. Cleared to take off. Added power and engine smoothly ran up. Airspeed coming in. 30 kts...50 kts ....60 kts, approximate rotation speed. Lots of runway (9000 ft).....hold it....70 kts....72 kts... Slight pull on the yoke....AIRBORNE!!! Leaped into ground effect. Screw this, pulled back on yoke and I am climbing. Jiggled the yoke a bit to verify control authority. 

Climbed to about 400 feet and turned right pattern to crosswind. The Dynon altitude and airspeed seem to be working. That's reassuring. Pattern altitude is only 600 feet and I was there already as I turned to downwind. Leveled off and noticed the clouds were lower than reported and appeared on the ground. Also, noticed coolant temps had dropped to 190....but oil temps were flashing at me and had reached 225 (synthetic Royal Purple). Damn. Ok. Fly the airplane, the oil is not at not a critical level. , but let's just finish the pattern and land. I grabbed my phone while on downwind and attempted to record some data but while I can hear the engine the video is  awful....uh, in my defense, I was a bit distracted and way more concerned with flying. I called the tower and informed them I was coming in. I think they were looking out for me since as I turned to base I noticed the fire department staged just off the runways threshold

I noted I was a bit far out on down wind so I stared easing over to turn base. Wow. I really overshot it as I blew by the runway and had to use full right rudder to get back to the runway. I wish I had had more rudder. In hindsight I think I was not using much aileron as I was cognoscente that I had no idea of stall characteristics so I did not yet wish too strep a turn. I was able to get over the runway and dump some altitude as I got over the numbers and pulled power. Crap, I am fast. I am lined up and right on the numbers but at 95 kts. I come and touchdown and bounced. Pulled power to idles and settled down easily but fast at 90 and rolled out and exited at Delta. The tower was clearing me back to the city hangars as I was exiting the active. I taxi back and noticed the oil temps had decreased but I don't recall how much, just noticed they were lower.

I got back to my hangar and popped the door and shut her down. The engine went silent without any hissing or gushing. 

I called my mom. 

I am mowing informing the world. 

I did a walk around and did not see anything missing. I am about to pull the cowl and check things out. 

I did notice I did not develop a slight hand shaking untill after I landed and exited the aircraft. ;-) Hey, how about that, it really is an aircraft now. Ten years to the day following delivery. 

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