Pietenpol-List: Pietenpol Pilot - Now I are one!
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:52 am
Original Posted By: "Jack Phillips"
=C2-Following are some musings about the Phase 1 flight testing for NX308MB=C2-Having not logged any time since 1984, I made the decision to turn over Phase 1 testing to CFI/Test Pilot, Roy Richardson. I found that, when the time came, that brash confidence which dominated my flying in my youth had been replaced with a calmer patience. It had never been my intent to let someone else have the pleasure of the first flight, but I couldn=99t ignore the good fortune of finding the right person at the right time. Certainly it would have been far less expensive to merely get current, then do my own test flights, and having over 200 hrs of tail wheel time I wasn=99t concerned about take offs and landings, but, for once in my life, I couldn=99t quiet that little voice, and Safety took the lead. =C2-Previously, I have explained my feelings of relief during the first few flights, watching from a distance. Eventually, I became accustomed to my role as =98Crew Chief=99, tweaking, adjusting and repairing every big and little complaint that the pilot reported. As all of you who have built your own planes can testify, there is no trepidation about making repairs; and, if you have also built your own engines, you have confidence there, too. To me, this became the final chapter of the building processwithout any of the stress of those early flights. =C2-Roy addressed Phase 1 professionally, and quickly; flying the required 40 hours in less than a month. He carried with him the =98Owner=99s Manual=99 that I had copied from someone else, making notations and changes where needed. We had long conversations about his discoveries (this was the first Pietenpol he had seen!), and how much he enjoyed how it flies. Eager to get the opportunity to fly myself, I was glad that he devoted so much time to it, and found the extra waiting time to be helpful in understanding what to expect.=C2-Flying with a CFI has never been relaxing or fun, but that flight, tonight, for me was still exciting and rewarding. The evening started with me stopping by the hangar to complete some maintenance, when Roy showed up. We started talking, and, wellyou knowone thing led to another and pretty soon we up in the air, with me in the rear cockpit!! The BFR checkride went without issue and, before long, I was up by myself! I doubt if I am capable of describing those feelings, or at least doing justice to the whole event (those who have been there will understand), but I can say that I think it was especially sweet knowing that I did not need to be concerned about the mechanics or design of my plane, and needed only to concentrate on my flying.=C2-Definetly, I am not saying that I recommend this process to anyone, only that it worked for me. It=99s quite possible that I could have done my own first flight and subsequent Phase 1 flying, and had no lasting bad experiences; but I do know that there were a number of minor issues that were immediately apparent upon that first lift off, and a rusty old pilot would have been busy.=C2-I wish all of you Pietenpol builders the pleasure I have experienced in the building process, and the pleasure of your eventual first flight!=C2-Gary BootheNX308MB=C2-=C2-________________________________________________________________________________
=C2-Following are some musings about the Phase 1 flight testing for NX308MB=C2-Having not logged any time since 1984, I made the decision to turn over Phase 1 testing to CFI/Test Pilot, Roy Richardson. I found that, when the time came, that brash confidence which dominated my flying in my youth had been replaced with a calmer patience. It had never been my intent to let someone else have the pleasure of the first flight, but I couldn=99t ignore the good fortune of finding the right person at the right time. Certainly it would have been far less expensive to merely get current, then do my own test flights, and having over 200 hrs of tail wheel time I wasn=99t concerned about take offs and landings, but, for once in my life, I couldn=99t quiet that little voice, and Safety took the lead. =C2-Previously, I have explained my feelings of relief during the first few flights, watching from a distance. Eventually, I became accustomed to my role as =98Crew Chief=99, tweaking, adjusting and repairing every big and little complaint that the pilot reported. As all of you who have built your own planes can testify, there is no trepidation about making repairs; and, if you have also built your own engines, you have confidence there, too. To me, this became the final chapter of the building processwithout any of the stress of those early flights. =C2-Roy addressed Phase 1 professionally, and quickly; flying the required 40 hours in less than a month. He carried with him the =98Owner=99s Manual=99 that I had copied from someone else, making notations and changes where needed. We had long conversations about his discoveries (this was the first Pietenpol he had seen!), and how much he enjoyed how it flies. Eager to get the opportunity to fly myself, I was glad that he devoted so much time to it, and found the extra waiting time to be helpful in understanding what to expect.=C2-Flying with a CFI has never been relaxing or fun, but that flight, tonight, for me was still exciting and rewarding. The evening started with me stopping by the hangar to complete some maintenance, when Roy showed up. We started talking, and, wellyou knowone thing led to another and pretty soon we up in the air, with me in the rear cockpit!! The BFR checkride went without issue and, before long, I was up by myself! I doubt if I am capable of describing those feelings, or at least doing justice to the whole event (those who have been there will understand), but I can say that I think it was especially sweet knowing that I did not need to be concerned about the mechanics or design of my plane, and needed only to concentrate on my flying.=C2-Definetly, I am not saying that I recommend this process to anyone, only that it worked for me. It=99s quite possible that I could have done my own first flight and subsequent Phase 1 flying, and had no lasting bad experiences; but I do know that there were a number of minor issues that were immediately apparent upon that first lift off, and a rusty old pilot would have been busy.=C2-I wish all of you Pietenpol builders the pleasure I have experienced in the building process, and the pleasure of your eventual first flight!=C2-Gary BootheNX308MB=C2-=C2-________________________________________________________________________________