RV community !

My first flight of RV-8 #82184 was on Tuesday afternoon June 09, 2009.
It was a great feeling to fly my RV-8 for the first time. It is the best plane I have ever flown.

Now I understand the "RV grin" !!!!!!!!!!

             

        greetings Peter
        [ kalcher.optik at gmx.at ]

Greetings all:

"Nothing could be finer than to fly a pair of RV-9ers in the morning. Nothing could be sweeter than"….you get the idea.

Mr. VanGrunsven and ALL the Van’s employees, thank you. My mentors Terry, Dave and Joe, thank you. My wife Suzanne, thank you.

First flight safe and fun.

Thank you again for the great product and support.

         Best regards,
         Stephen Najarian

Another RV Grin is born.

The first flight of RV-8A N884P was 28 Jun 2009 at the Spruce Creek Fly-In, Port Orange, FL.

Thanks to my wife, Pat, for enduring while I followed my dream to build a unique airplane - Eight For Papa.

My heartfelt thanks to my brother Nelson who worked tirelessly for several years with me to complete this airplane. His camaraderie and expert advice were vital to the safe operation of the airplane.

The airplane is powered by a Barrett IO-390-X turning a MT 3 blade. The injection is Airflow Performance and I used the Rod Bowers ram air intake. I made my own plenum. Ignition is dual P Mags.

Interior is Classic Aero and EFIS is Blue Mountain with an Advanced Flight Systems AF-3400 engine monitor and SL-30. I have two batteries and one Plane Power alternator to power two redundant electrical systems. I'll paint it in a year or so.

What a nice flying airplane - no heavy wing, ball centered, no issues. Gotta like that! Thanks to Van.

        

         Regards,
         Stan Sutterfield
         [ Speedy11 at aol.com ]

First Flight Monday 08 June 2009, about mid-day..

Just a short note to advise, yes, another RV flies, but what else would you expect in this segment..

Another ‘proper’ aircraft, tail dragger that is…all metal, low wing, simple but efficient and goes……boy does it go.

Vans always said you don’t need the big engines, but this one kind of fell into my lap, so had to use it. ASI indicating 170kts and GPS confirming a bit faster over the ground.

Engine still being bedded down after top end overhaul, so running full throttle with high MP to bed rings down.

As David Paynter from Brisbane Aero Engineers said, don’t baby the engine, we want those rings to bed down properly, too many people think they are protecting their engines by going soft at this early stage, but in fact could be setting the scene for an early overhaul.

After 12 years, I really wondered where it would all end, but could not appreciate just what a great thrill it truly is, to have built and flown your own aircraft.

Sorry, correction…., they are all Van’s aircraft, …we are only custodians of the design., not the true owners. Its to Richard Van Grunsven, we all owe special thanks ,in allowing us to share his dream come true….

Brief details..
Slow build kit, started banging rivets May 1997, I was only 50 then, how time flies, now…62 in a few weeks time…

Engine IO--360 A1B6D, and Hartzell C.S. Empty weight painted and ready to go, 1154 pounds, all C. of G. cals within limits.-, and with the heavier CS prop, and larger engine elected to place the battery in the rear fuse position, now believe that was the correct decision.

It’s a simple day VFR aircraft, minimal glass in the panel, no intentions of world beating records or heroic deeds, just aiming to enjoy the day and go flying whenever the weather looks kind.

First flight from Rockhampton Central Queensland, runway 15, length 2700 metres, (yes don’t need that length but for first flight, why not use all available), unlimited viz, and tower guys vectoring other RPT around this first timer.

Flight duration 30 minutes, …to 4,000 feet ,staying in close to the strip, the first ten minutes went so fast, now I am starting to appreciate the meaning of staying ahead of the aircraft. Left wing wants to drop, maybe it’s the u/c leg fairings out of alignment?, or prop wash on VS/rudder trim speeding up right wing…..? Van would know…

Back on deck, reasonable landing, bit untidy, but safe.

Have now done 2.5 hours. With total of 25 before they let me loose on the wider world.

Too many people to thank, family, friends and professionals, I will make a list one day and personally thank all.

Just to gaze upon it after that first flight……..MAGIC…
It is still sinking in….!!

           

     Thanks Van,
     David Andrews
     [ davidaarchitect at bigpond.com ]

ENGINE: 0360 AIA from Bart & Sue @ Aero Sport. They both have been great. AVIONICS: Duel Cheltons, Tru Trac Auto pilot, AOA. Wally Anderson was alot of help in the final wiring. PAINT: Diamont paint with Sikkens clear coat. The red is Ferreri 322 Cossa Rosa Red. Jason in Eugene painted the plane and he is a real PRO and alot of fun to work with. Also, the 8 hours in the paint booth listening to Randy Nagle tell WW2 P-51 stories as he painted the "Tail Art" was really cool.

FLYS: 200 MPH @ 8,000 ft........................SWEET!

               

          Steve Johnson
          [ stevejohnson7 at gmail.com ]

Hi

Add another to the list. Flew my RV-8A serial #82346 N130KW last Friday.

Thanks for a great product.

Hugh
[ hwaller at optonline.net ]

Hello,

Started in March 1997, my RV-8 SN:80296, now N8432, became an airplane two weeks ago. My good friend Mike Ensley (RV-7 builder and pilot) made the first flight. I was too rusty to fly myself and frankly, the builder in me wanted to see it fly more than the pilot in me wanted to be the first to fly it.

My RV-8 N8432 weighs 1024lbs without wheel pants nor paint. The engine is an Aerosport O-360 180hp with a Catto 3-blade composite prop. The VFR instrument panel has a Dynon D-180, AVMAP GPS, and a used King radio and Transponder from Kenmore Aviation. The interior is by my wife using Van's cushions and material from Airtec.

I used the Aeroelectric design principles (mostly) for the wiring and followed the plans for the airplane. I found the most challenging parts to be the fiberglass details, engine baffles, gear boxes, and the interior (until my wife said she would do it). Notice I didn't mention the trim tab.

My thanks first go to my wife, Sharon, who made my interior, and who bucked more than her fair share of rivets. I want to thank Mike Ensley for giving me my first lesson many years ago, and for inspiring me to complete my RV by ordering his RV-7 kit four years after I started mine and completing it more than a year before I. A very special thanks to my builders groups, the RV lists sponsored by Matronics.com, Vansairforce.net, and the individual web sites by the individual builders. Of course special thanks to all my family and friends. Finally, I would like to thank Van's aircraft for providing a highly desirable product in affordable kit form backed by incredible customer support. Without them, building my own airplane would most likely not have happened.

         Vince Himsl
         RV-8 N8432
         Pullman, WA
         [ vshimsl at live.com ]

Hello Vans,

Add another to the Hobbs meter. Our RV-8, 81455, flew last month although the grin started about the time we completed the canopy. What a fine job you guys at Aurora did with this kit. In spite of all the little imperfections we managed to build into our -8, it flies perfectly without even a heavy wing. All the performance is as advertised. Very fast. Just think about it and it happens. My engineer flew it and came back saying it made his Nanchang feel like a Dray! Engineering Design team........ take a bow!

Thanks to the packing guys for outstanding work and to Barb's team for all their help and of course, builder assist. By the way, there isn't much tail buffeting approaching the stall with standard gear and fairings. It's as smooth as silk with the Aerosport Power motor and BA Hartzell. Becki Orndorff's confor-foam seats make time fly by and we are thrilled to have the Electronics International MVP-50 engine monitor.It does a great job.

Finally I really loved working with the build manual and drawings. Vans' emphasis on proper metal prep makes for a worldwide cadre of safer builders I'm sure.

               

        Best wishes from Omaka New Zealand,
        Tony and Shirley Clarry
        [ barnstormers at xtra.co.nz ]

Hello Van's,

One more Van's aircraft flying for your Hobbs meter . First flight this morning June 19 2009 of my RV-6 # 22077 (15 years of building time) registration F-WAPS. What a pleasure !! it was at LFFQ La Ferté Alais field near Paris France ..

Thanks for the super product , great help etc ...it fly exactly as expected....thanks a lot

               

         Alain Larzilliere
         [ allarzil at aol.com ]

Hello Vans,

Just a quick email to let you know that ZK-RRV a RV-7A (72840) took off on its first flight around Tauranga New Zealand on a beautiful winters morning 2 1/2 years after been started. Attached are a couple of pictures taken from a RV-6A ( RVF) We had up there as a chase plane.

               

         Thanks for everything,
         Andrew Thompson
        Tauranga
        New Zealand
        [ batcase at xtra.co.nz ]

I'm proud to report that C-FZMR (RV-7A, S/N 71568) has flown for the 1st time on June 13, after 4yrs and 2475hrs of hard labor, including painting.....

The most stressful part was the take-off. At lift-off, the CHT on #3 was already hitting 400F and still climbing (the plane and CHT....). I've maintained a cruise climb speed of 135mph and it stabilized at 430F. After leveling off at 2500', the temperature went down to 365F on the highest cylinder, at 75% power. What a relief....all other parameters were in the green.

I've circled the airport a few times, staying at 2500' (top of the control zone). Did some slow flight (mainly 80MPH with some gentle turns), then reduced speed to 65MPH and resume cruise speed. I came back for a nice landing...Total time: 30min.

This was really, really great.

I've put the plane back in the hangar, un-cowled it and did a detailed inspection. No leak. Everything looks normal. That’s great. Now the fun begins....

As everyone says, keep pounding those rivets....it will pay off in a near future.

Here is the official RV grin photo and pre-take-off photo.....

Greetings Friends,

Just a quick note to let you know that you need to roll the number of completed kits on your Hobbs meter up one notch. I received my empennage kit on June 6, 2005 and the subsequent kits over the next few years. I had the completed airplane inspected on Monday June 1, 2009 and was issued the Airworthiness Certificate. This was one week shy of four years from receiving that first kit. Due to schedule conflicts I was unable to make the first flight over the next two weeks. However, bright and early on 13 June, 2009 I successfully flew RV-7, N969DR for the first time. What a thrill! The first flight, right at 40 minutes long was exciting but uneventful and yes, I still have the RV grin on my face! As you’ve heard so many times before, thanks for building and offering such a fine product!

So please, roll that Hobbs meter up one more digit to 6207!

        

         Best Wishes,
         Don Reeder
         [ Don.W.Reeder at L-3com.com ]

With the weather looking somewhat 'bubbly', Thursday was not looking like a good day to do a first flight. Then at 8pm the effects of diurnal heating slackened off and Fife was blessed with calm, glorious flying conditions, so it had to be done - I took my RV-7 G-CFWV flying from RAF Leuchars. From first rivet to first flight has taken 3yrs 10 months, but the wait was well worth it (two house moves, two babies (well, my wife had the babies - I just looked on), various detachments, including a 5 month-er last year, so I think I've done pretty well). Flying straight with no heavy wing, RV-7 G-CFWV is a delight to fly. Powered by an IO-360 with Sensenich FP 72/85 prop, I was slightly surprised at how low the RPM was on take-off; still, airborne in 500', and it goes very nicely once the prop is singing. Everything behaved itself except for the oil filler door that pops open above 150kts. At least I know I've sealed the baffles well, but I do need to reinforce the door to slop it flexing and popping open. I'm now looking forward to ironing out any other snags during the test phase and cracking on to get the full permit before I miss all the fly-ins.

Thank you to everyone on the RVSqn - this is a great community and I have derived an enormous amount of knowledge from you over the last 4 years or so. I now look forward to putting some faces to names. Vansairforce.net and Aeroelectric.com have also provided a superb knowledge base, as have the various builder websites out there. Without wanting to sound like someone receiving a film award, I must give individual mentions to a couple of people who have really stood out; Mahlon Russell from Mattituck and Rob Hickman at Advanced Flight Systems are two people who exemplify the customer-based approach from whom so many companies in the UK (and a lot of people working in the public sector) could learn an awful lot. Their knowledge and expertise, combined with their willingness to answer any question no matter how trivial or idiotic, defines 'customer service'. Finally, thank you to Van and everyone at Van's aircraft - you have an amazing product and deserve every success.

So what next? After the permit is sorted I'll decide on a paint job to be completed over the autumn/winter (priority will be a dark belly). Certainly an inverted oil system and longer term possibly a CS prop, but these are jobs for the winter as right now I've got a wonderful aeroplane to fly. Oh yes; 1040lbs unpainted, cg at the front. Sweet.

It's been said before, but I can only confirm it - Keep pounding those
rivets; it is all worth it in the end.

Derek Sington
RV-7 G-CFWV
[ derek at sington.net ]

Folks, I can't believe this machine. Absolutely everything is SPOT ON! Cruise and 24/24, feet off the rudder pedals and the ball is precisely in the middle. I guess that's why I do this. I continue to be amazed.

              

       Dave Wilson
       EAA 95,113
       Van's RV-8 number 82803
       [ dwilson7682 at comcast.net ]

RV-7A #72615 is no longer a giant paper weight in the garage - it now lives at Nampa airport and it flies. 72615 is now N577BC. I have a Lycoming IO-360 180HP engine and the air filter is located in the cowling left air inlet.

Thanks,
Bob Christensen
[ bkris10sen at cableone.net ]

On Monday 21st July 2008 RV-9A G-RVNH flew for the first time, flown by Will Greenwood .

0-320 Lasar, MT prop, AFS 3400, DigiTrak, Flymap L GPS, and Bill Knots’ 5" nose wheel. It is a slow build started in September 2002. Now after 60 hours it looks like it could be fun.

Thanks to Dave Hunter and Tony Kay.

               

          Norman
          [ norman at manorfarmlea.com ]

RV10 N519PJ completed her 1st flight Apr 18 @ KDVT (Deer Valley Airport). She is a Standard build, took 3 years 10 months elapsed time and 3160 hrs. to complete. The engine, a IO540-x built by BPE which does 290 hp on the dyno (Thanks Allen & Rhonda), swings a 3 bld Aero Composite Prop. I wired the panel myself which is all glass, centered around Op Tech (Aerosonic) PFD/MFD EFIS w/ Dynon D10A Back-up. Garmin takes care of the radios. Freeflight handles the WAAS GPS, and Heads-Up provided the XM weather. She is plumbed with a 4 place Aerox O2 system, but the modification that I like the best is my Rob Bowers Ram/Alternate Air, which adds 3" MP at take-off and allows me to pull 22.5"MP + @ 9500'.

My sweetheart Judy, deserves more than she has received these past few years. but with the hours flown off, She was the 1st passenger on a recent XC flight to visit her family and some of our kids. 2.5 hrs Hobbs vs. 10.5 driving, you have got to love this machine!!!!! She's already planning the next trip!

             

        http://deemsrv10.com/

       Deems Davis
       #40406
       [ deemsdavis at cox.net ]

My RV-6 flew for the first time on May 12, 2009 from my farm strip in south western Ontario. The flight duration was 40 minutes and all went well with no adjustments needed. Power is provided by an 0-360 from Aero Sport Power with a Hartzell blended airfoil prop. The aircraft now has 8 hours on the clock and I am enjoying every minute.

Thanks for the tech. help during the build.

Jim Tyler
Builder # 60499
[ jimandmarion at quadro.net ]

Flown by Andy Hill from Little Rissington for 19 minutes. Phew, what a relief. Two and a half years since squeezing the first rivet. Got some engine/prop issues to sort plus a tendency to roll right at 160kts, but otherwise not too bad at all!

Many thanks to Andy for bringing it back safely. Looking forward to joining the formation training days in due course.

Chris
[ chrism741 at tiscali.co.uk ]

Serial number 91378 (RV-9A) took to the skies from Murwillumbah airport on the 15th March 2009. After 2 years 9 months since the first rivet.

The plane flew totally as an RV should and naturally the grin is now a permanent fixture. The front end is an IO-320 driving a Hartzell CS and the panel consists of Dynon D100 EFIS and D10 EMS ,Trutrack A/P and Garmin 296. Empty weight 1120 lbs. My sincere thanks to my wife for her incredible patience and to all the other people who assisted throughout the build.

Thanks also to Van's for a fantastic product and for an unforgettable experience.

       Peter McKenzie
       [ pkenzie at aapt.net.au ]
       (Gold Coast- Australia)

The first flight of RV-9, N193JF, serial no. 9958, took place on May 28 at the Spruce Creek Fly-In, Port Orange, FL, home of EAA Chapter 288. It is powered by a Superior Air Parts XIO-320-A1AD2 engine with a Precision Airmotive fuel injection system. It has the Sam & Will James cowl, plenum and wheel pants. The interior is by Classic Aero Design. The instrumentation is fully IFR capable using Garmin 430W with a backup GPSMap 496 GPS and Advanced Flight Systems AF-3500 EFIS/EMS avionics. It also has the Garmin GTX327 transponder and GMA340 audio panel , an ICom IC-A200 radio and a Trio autopilot. The systems are totally electric powered by a dual battery & single alternator design. The airframe was home-painted with Stewart Systems waterborne polyurethane. Thanks go to John Higgins for helpful hints from his many RV builds and Jim Rockhold for giving me flight training in his RV-9.

             

        Joe Friend
        Port Orange, FL
        [ av8rjoefat bellsouth.net ]