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Build Diary 18-November-06

Saturday morning and there was a message on my answerphone from Bob. "Weather looks good and I have a window at 1.30pm, would you like to do the test flight?". I quickly colected all the equipment and paperwork I needed and headed straight for Thruxton. I had rechecked everthing and Bob arrived and started looking over the aeroplane. He checked the PFA permit to fly, and checked the flight speeds and other details in the RV manual. I ran through the fight systems with him and and he strapped himself in.

I ran through the fight systems with him and and he strapped himself in. The engine sprang immediatly into life and the RV was up and running. It was a strange feeling as Bob taxied off - my RV was about to take off! Bob backtracked runway 25, performed powerchecks and lined up.
Even I was amazed as after a short run he lifted off and climbed at an amazing rate into the air- disappearing over my head. After 20 minutes Bob called over the radio and returned to the circuit, performing a perfect landing. I greeted Bob back at Hanger 2, keen to hear how it went. "Perfect, you don't need to adjust anything".


David & Leslie come to see the maden flight. David lives in France and is building a Vans RV8. He has been following my build site and become a good friend so when Bob called to say lets fly today - I knew David was in the UK, so I called him up and he drove over from London. No breakfast or dinner both were starving hungary but keen to see the first flight. I hope he is now inspired to keep pounding the rivets!!

Jo's family happened to be visiting on the Sunday - I figured I would just be telling them about the maden flight when Bob called up and suggested we do some more flying as the weather was unexpectidly good. So 30mins after I arrived at Thruxton the family decended - Jo for the first sight of what had made me spend so long in the garage - Tony, Mere, Angie & Aleix. I went up with Bob on the second flight to take notes and run through some of the system testing. Jo said the view on the ground was fantastic, with everybody crying!!! Tony was running around telling everybody that I had built it in my garage.

Bob Cole, Test pilot.

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