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Newbie Question, really: That first flight
A question I've always wanted to ask homebuilders is based on how I can see
one could go through the process of building through lots of hard work and dedication - but how do you get yourself to do that first flight? I would think a thousand questions would fill one's mind (ex: did I tighten or overtighten that blank, are the rivets going to hold,,,, etc.). How does one safely test an 'unknown'..... just curious..... -- -- =----- Good Flights! Cecil PP-ASEL-IA Student - CP-ASEL Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond! Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery - "We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet" - Cecil Day Lewis - |
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On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 16:48:24 GMT, "Cecil Chapman"
wrote: A question I've always wanted to ask homebuilders is based on how I can see one could go through the process of building through lots of hard work and dedication - but how do you get yourself to do that first flight? I would think a thousand questions would fill one's mind (ex: did I tighten or overtighten that blank, are the rivets going to hold,,,, etc.). How does one safely test an 'unknown'..... just curious..... The answer is really quite simple, you don't. Really, if you think you are going to be all a-quiver with emotions and questions while attempting to pilot the airplane during the momentous first flight, maybe you should hire someone who doesn't have so much emotion and time invested in the airplane. You should be aware, if you aren't already, that the first flight is deadly, statistically speaking. It's the single most deadly flight you'll ever take. There are many reasons for this: The pilot may not have current skills (because he's been building and not flying), the pilot may be low time, the pilot may not have any flight training in type, the airplane may have a performance greater than the pilot is used to, the engine may not have run for a long time, the engine installation may include non aviation type fasteners and tubing, the engine installation may be a non certified type, the engine may not have been tested at full power for a time equal to takeoff and climb, the airplane may not have been built to plans, the airplane may not have an improper center of gravity. Or the situation may include ALL of the above. If your situation includes one or two of the above, or more, you might ask youself what it is you are trying to prove by being the one to take that first flight. Corky (as you can see I've thought about this a lot) Scott |
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On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 14:45:56 -0400, Corky Scott
wrote: the airplane may not have an improper center of gravity. Sorry, this of course was supposed to read: The airplane my have an improper center of gravity. Corky Scott |
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On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 14:45:56 -0400, Corky Scott
wrote: You should be aware, if you aren't already, that the first flight is deadly, statistically speaking. It's the single most deadly flight you'll ever take. Some numbers to go with that: The accident rate for homebuilt aircraft is about 1% a year. Coincidentally, about 1% of new homebuilts crash on their first flight. That means that the first flight packs a full year's worth of danger into a single takeoff and landing..... Ron Wanttaja |
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"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message ... On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 14:45:56 -0400, Corky Scott wrote: You should be aware, if you aren't already, that the first flight is deadly, statistically speaking. It's the single most deadly flight you'll ever take. Some numbers to go with that: The accident rate for homebuilt aircraft is about 1% a year. Coincidentally, about 1% of new homebuilts crash on their first flight. That means that the first flight packs a full year's worth of danger into a single takeoff and landing..... Ron Wanttaja Those are good numbers, meaning a first flight is a worthy risk. If more people would preflight and not race against time or an airshow event the numbers would be even better. A Moni killed a good doctor here on first flight. He was under pressure to please the crowd, including his young family, and took off in too much gusty wind. |
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On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 13:09:10 -0400, " jls"
wrote: All in all, I would suggest that having someone else make your first flight would be tatamount to having a stand in take the first shot at your new wife. Ed Sullivan |
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Ed Sullivan wrote:
On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 13:09:10 -0400, " jls" wrote: All in all, I would suggest that having someone else make your first flight would be tatamount to having a stand in take the first shot at your new wife. Ed Sullivan Dibs! ;-) Just Joking |
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All in all, I would suggest that having someone else make your first flight would be tatamount to having a stand in take the first shot at your new wife. Ed Sullivan Only if your wife is likely to KILL YOU if you make a mistake. Bob Reed www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site) KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress.... "Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice, pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!" (M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman) |
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Ed Sullivan wrote...
All in all, I would suggest that having someone else make your first flight would be tatamount to having a stand in take the first shot at your new wife. If your new wife has the potential to crush you, stab you, and burn you to death due to your inability to handle her, you might consider getting a stand-in until you've polished your skills a bit. So to speak. Pride has no place in flight test. Dave 'long fall' Hyde |
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"Cecil Chapman" wrote in
. com: A question I've always wanted to ask homebuilders is based on how I can see one could go through the process of building through lots of hard work and dedication - but how do you get yourself to do that first flight? I would think a thousand questions would fill one's mind (ex: did I tighten or overtighten that blank, are the rivets going to hold,,,, etc.). How does one safely test an 'unknown'..... just curious..... Sounds like a wedding night. G Seriously, remember that you don't just "take to the sky" the minute the last rivet is set. By the time you have the thing built a lot of pieces have been assembled and disassembled and reassembled, and you are probably (certainly should be) VERY familiar with pretty much every piece of that plane. There are test runs of the engine. Even taxi tests. Leak checks are performed. And everything SHOULD be rechecked for proper torque. Rules vary from country to country (some require stage checks), but in the US there is a final exam that must be passed. An examiner goes over the plane (hopefully with a fine tooth comb) for anything that does not look save and conform to safety standards. Only then do you get a certificate to go flying. The first flight itself is interesting. There are books and tapes (and not all agree) on how to do it. Test hops (just a couple of feet in the air) can be made. But usually once you do commit to flight, you go fly. The plane is climbed to a safe altitude (about as high as practical) and a series of test maneuvers is made to verify things like stall speed and wing drop -- things you probably need to know before trying to land. G Yes, mistakes do happen, but considering the number of safe "first flights" taken by experimental aircraft every year, aircraft built often by first-time builders, the success rate is IMHO amazing. jmk |
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