REFLECTOR: First flight

Mon Jun 11 13:04:40 CDT 2012

Chris-

Are you telling me you didn't have one of your buddies taping the momentous
flight from the ground? Not you, say it isn't so.

BTW- you should get a go-pro video camera and mount it on the headliner to
record everything going forward!

Alex

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Chris Barber
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 10:01 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: First flight

Rieff,

No worries, you will likely hear more from me...shutting me up will be the
problem.

Alex,

The video is really large and is mostly engine noises and black screen.  I
admit, it is interesting to be able to hear the wheels touch down and the
change in pitch of the engine.  I am attempting to attach a short except but
it may be too big to get through.

Chris

  _____  

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] on behalf of
Reiff Lorenz [Reiff at Lorenz.com]
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 8:56 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: First flight

Chris,

That's terrific! Very exciting to hear of your first flight. I know you've
been working toward this for a long time.

It's stories like these that motivate me to keep working on my pile of
parts.

We'd love to hear more about your flight testing in the weeks ahead.

Reiff Lorenz, Dayton, OH

Velocity XL-RG, 33% complete

Currently working on: RG pulleys

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Chris Barber
Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 12:50 PM
To: REFLECTOR
Subject: REFLECTOR: First flight

Oops. I hit send by mistake to the Reflector when halfway done. Here is the
complete post. 

June 9, 2002 - A trailer pulled up in front of a simple but comfortable home
in Houston. 

Lots of trails, tribulations blood, time, money, recreation, education, fun,
friendships, anger, frustration, problem solving, sweat, pondering
etc....repeat and repeat again and again. 

Fast forward (it did go fast)

June 9, 2012 <https://remotemail.ever-tek.com/owa/UrlBlockedError.aspx>  -
Ellington Field - A lone, very nervous man arrives at the airport shortly
before 0900 hrs. Pushes onto the ramp the contraption composed of
fiberglass, metal et al and the ingredients listed above. He sits down and
writes a simple holographic (hand written) will and short note with
information to call "Mom" and work. Calls tower to relay intent via the
phone.

Preflights the contraption. Gets in, goes though basic Checklist. Cranks up
the engine, which fires right up. Taxi to Juliet. Calls tower to verify
intent and to taxi to active, 35L. Taxis to Taxiway Echo. Checks temps.
Pushing 195 with OAT reading 95 degrees (geesh it is only about 0930 hrs). 

Cleared to take active and hold. Taxied out. Lined up castering nose wheel
down center stripe. Cleared to take off. Added power and engine smoothly ran
up. Airspeed coming in. 30 kts...50 kts ....60 kts, approximate rotation
speed. Lots of runway (9000 ft).....hold it....70 kts....72 kts... Slight
pull on the yoke....AIRBORNE!!! Leaped into ground effect. Screw this,
pulled back on yoke and I am climbing. Jiggled the yoke a bit to verify
control authority. 

Climbed to about 400 feet and turned right pattern to crosswind. The Dynon
altitude and airspeed seem to be working. That's reassuring. Pattern
altitude is only 600 feet and I was there already as I turned to downwind.
Leveled off and noticed the clouds were lower than reported and appeared on
the ground. Also, noticed coolant temps had dropped to 190....but oil temps
were flashing at me and had reached 225 (synthetic Royal Purple). Damn. Ok.
Fly the airplane, the oil is not at not a critical level. , but let's just
finish the pattern and land. I grabbed my phone while on downwind and
attempted to record some data but while I can hear the engine the video is
awful....uh, in my defense, I was a bit distracted and way more concerned
with flying. I called the tower and informed them I was coming in. I think
they were looking out for me since as I turned to base I noticed the fire
department staged just off the runways threshold

I noted I was a bit far out on down wind so I stared easing over to turn
base. Wow. I really overshot it as I blew by the runway and had to use full
right rudder to get back to the runway. I wish I had had more rudder. In
hindsight I think I was not using much aileron as I was cognoscente that I
had no idea of stall characteristics so I did not yet wish too strep a turn.
I was able to get over the runway and dump some altitude as I got over the
numbers and pulled power. Crap, I am fast. I am lined up and right on the
numbers but at 95 kts. I come and touchdown and bounced. Pulled power to
idles and settled down easily but fast at 90 and rolled out and exited at
Delta. The tower was clearing me back to the city hangars as I was exiting
the active. I taxi back and noticed the oil temps had decreased but I don't
recall how much, just noticed they were lower.

I got back to my hangar and popped the door and shut her down. The engine
went silent without any hissing or gushing. 

I called my mom. 

I am mowing informing the world. 

I did a walk around and did not see anything missing. I am about to pull the
cowl and check things out. 

I did notice I did not develop a slight hand shaking untill after I landed
and exited the aircraft. ;-) Hey, how about that, it really is an aircraft
now. Ten years to the day following delivery. 

Thank you for your support. 

Christopher Barber, JD

Houston, Ellington Field (EFD)

Velocity N17010

Turbo Rotary 13b

RWS Re-drive and engine computers

Dynon Skyview

Mistral intake

Sent from my iPhone 4

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