40 Hours and beyond!

The Phase 1 test flying is now complete!  It took from February 4th to March 16th to complete the 40 hours.  I had a 50 NM radius around our home airport and I think I successfully explored a lot of it.  The airplane is preforming just like we expected very few minor issues.  I can honestly say that now I understand why there are so many RVs flying out there.  They are really an incredible machine.  They fly fast, they fly slow, they do aerobatics.  They do everything well, a great all around airplane.  I figured I would share some photos from the test flying and the flying I have done since.  I am looking forward to working on my instrument rating in the airplane soon, as well as taking it to some fly-ins this year.  

Myself in front of the airplane Feb. 4th.  Right before the first flight!

                 

Some formation flying with the "Skydogs" a group of RVs based at our strip.  These guys have been very helpful during the testing of this airplane. 

The University of Georgia`s Sanford Stadium.  Athens was within my radius, so I stopped in to my old college town a time or two during phase 1. 

My friend Tyler got some great photos of the -14 in the air  

Over Lake Lanier

My first trip in the airplane was to attend a Millennial Wings fly-in down in South Georgia.  I flew almost everyday so that I could make it to this event.  It was a fun weekend with some great guys. 

We transitioned the Atlanta Class B airspace on the way home.  This is Hartsfield from 4,500ft.

Downtown Atlanta

Epps Aviation at PDK, Atlanta Georgia.  This is where my father`s aviation story began.  He would ride his bike here as a kid to look at airplanes.  This transitioned to working the ramp to pay for flying lessons.  He would go on to earn all his ratings and have a very successful career as a corporate pilot.  It was special for me to bring this airplane back to the place where it all began for this family.  I would probably not be involved in aviation if not for being introduced to it by my father.  This airplane was a chapter that he was not able to finish.  I am proud to be carrying on his legacy by flying this and our other airplane.  I hope that he is proud of what we have done here, I have a feeling he is.

As I said before, I will periodically update this blog with photos of our adventures with this airplane.  I also post more often on Instagram, feel free to follow @Zak944.    

Finally...The first flight

Another RV-14 is in the air! On Saturday the 4th we flew our -14 for the first time.  The airplane handled great and preformed as expected.  

No trim was required, it flies hands off which is amazing.  We ran the flaps down and stalled the airplane, very docile, easy to recover stall speed was 48MPH!  At 2,400 RPM we were seeing 150MPH.  It really is something that the airplane will fly that slow and top out at 200MPH, quite an envelope.   

Here is a little background about the build and the airplane...

The airplane has the IO-390 Lycoming mated to a Hartzell prop.  This combination is really sweet, the airplane wastes no time getting off the ground on the take off roll. The panel was built by Stein and features a Dynon Skyview and a Garmin GTN 650.  This panel has an impressive amount to features I am excited to learn about.  I plan on earning my instrument rating in the RV this Spring.  

The airplane is based at a private grass strip in the North Georgia mountains.  I will be excited to fly off the 40 hour test phase to start exploring the country in this great machine.  

Well done on this design Vans. Now I understand why there are so many of these airplanes flying.  I am excited to learn more about this airplane and enjoy it for years to come. 

Subsequent flights went well, very few minor squaks to work through, thats what the 40 hour test phase is all about. I will continue to update this blog with stories and pictures of the adventures we have with this beautiful airplane!

Just above our grass strip.  North Georgia is a beautiful place to fly! The photo ship/chase plane was Allen in his RV-8, with another RV pilot, Mike behind the lens.  With time we will do some closer formation and get some good air to air shots.  

Great shot of the -14 just before the flight

Myself and Mike just after the maiden flight!

Custom leather interior is very comfortable.  Nice place to be!

Not much to it, but this panel is so smart.  I cannot wait to learn how to use these instruments to their full potential. 

Its all in the details.  The "No Step" decal disappears when the fowler flap is up.