The first three flights were accomplished on November 26, 2003!
First Take-off with very experienced RV pilot, Rick Vichich, at the controls. Rick has more landings at my relatively short strip than anyone else (his current mount is an RV-4). My EAA flight advisor, Jerry Thorpe, and I agreed that it would be prudent to let Rick do the first flight since he would be better able to put it back on the short strip in case a problem were to develop during the first flight. The plan was to let Rick evaluate the slow flight characteristics and then decide whether or not to do the first landing at Heitman Field or to divert to Watertown airport's 4,600 foot runway in case he felt uncomfortable making the first landing on a 1,700 grass strip.
This was the view of the first take-off from a position about 900 feet from the runway threshold. This airplane really wants to fly! It was airborne after about a 250 foot takeoff roll. Power is provided by a 160hp Aero Sport Power IO-320-D1A turning a Hartzell CS prop.
First Landing - Rick reported that the airplane flew "like a dream" and elected to do the first landing at Heitman Field. He used about a third of the 1,700 foot strip (there was no wind to speak of). We pulled the cowl after the first 45 minute flight. Everything looked perfect. Not a drop of oil anywhere! Rick then did the second flight and ferried the airplane to Watertown. Using Watertown's 4,600 foot runway, I then conducted the third flight. The airplane is as close to perfect as I could have hoped for. My first landing was a real "greaser" although I carried more speed on final (70mph indicated) than Rick had done and I used more runway as I bled off the excess speed. The airplane is very easy to fly even for this 100 hour pilot who has flown nothing but C152's.
I owe many people thanks for helping to get N94ME flying. Here as just a few of them.
Flightline Interiors provided this beautiful upholstery:
Check out my complete interior by Flightline Interiors
February 9, 2000 - Horizontal and Vertical Stabilizers completed (except for the fiberglass tips).
How I avoided using pop rivets on the elevators
View from the root end of the completed wings. The flaps are temporarily in place but the ailerons have been removed.
View from the wingtip end of the completed wings. I fabricated a fiberglass
mount for the 3-way Whelen strobe/position lights on the wingtips. I used this
setup since I had already completed the rudder without provisions for lights.
Had I realized when I started on the empennage that the -9 wingtips were significantly
different than the other RV's, I probably would have put lights in the rudder.
It was difficult to position the 3-way lights to obtain visibility from the
rear. However, the advantage of having only two strobes is that the single Whelen
power supply can be set to alternate wingtip flashes rather than fire them together.
This results in a VERY bright 44 joule comet flash on each wingtip.
How I prevented chatter when countersinking the spar flanges for #6 and #8 screws
Fuel tank construction photos
Fuel tank leak test using a water manometer
Assembling the wings
On April 18, 2001 I finished fitting the rear canopy skirts. There are a few small gaps between the skirts and the turtle deck skin but I don't think I could get it much better even if I started again from scratch. Time to say "good enough" and move on. I'm not trying to win any awards - I just want to go flying!
Most firewall-forward work is completed. All plumbing is installed. The electrical system is nearly complete. All sensors for the Grand Rapids EIS-4000 engine monitor have been installed. This includes the fuel flow option as well as a hall-effect current sensor to measure alternator output. Engine baffles are installed except for the flexible baffle seal material.
This was my first attempt at an intrument panel. I ended up making a new one later.