Flight test update

Wish I had more news, but I did make two more (brief)
flights yesterday. Flight #2 was about 0.5, first
time out of the pattern. I've put a trim tab on
the rudder (I love duct tape), and that helped
quite a bit. Still, having to hold right rudder,
thin shoes, and a cold day, and my right foot
fell asleep. Made the landing kind of interesting g.
Also noticed (during a sort of hard turn) that I hadn't
taken the shipping lock off of the accelerometer.
Straightened out a low RPM indication and did a little
maneuvering. Man, this thing is a blast. Max speed
160 KIAS, everything's solid as a rock (except my heart).
Made one more trip around the pattern with my wife and
daughter watching. Snowbird took them up in Tigger
afterwards, and they are psyched!

Only outstanding gripes are an inop AH (duct tape
again!) and too much suction. Next weekend it's
full stalls, power on and off, and an airspeed cal.
If my landings are up to snuff(*) I may put the wheel
pants on and start running it harder (and faster).

(*) I've found it settles more than I'm used to in
the flare...I've got to learn to keep a little more
power on to keep from dropping it in.

What a blast. What a freakin' blast.

Dave 'rush' Hyde

RV-4 in flight test, EAA tech counselor.