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Congratulations , Chris! well done! keep it up.
Richard
Sohn
N2071U
http://www.fairpoint.net/~res12/home.html
Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 11:52 AM
Subject: [FlyRotary] First flight - Velocity N17010
June 9, 2002 - A trailer pulled up in front of a simple
but comfortable home in Houston.
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.
Thank you for your support.
Christopher Barber, JD
Houston, Ellington Field (EFD)
Velocity N17010
Turbo Rotary 13b
RWS Re-drive and engine computers
Dynon Skyview
Mistral intake
Sent from my iPhone
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