Experimental Homebuilt Aircraft. First Flight. Avid Flyer
Length: 7:0
Description: This MY FIRST FLIGHT in an airplane I built in my backyard. It took me 2 years to build the airplane and WOW, what a thrill it was to fly it the first time.
Before flying, I do some taxi-testing on tarmac and grass to get the feel of the airplane and then I blast off.
As I was flying, I was too busy watching engine gauges, listening to engine noises to smile for the camera. I even forgot the two micro-cams (about the size of a spark-plug) were inside the airplane.
Before taking this bird up, I had never flown an airplane with a stick! Earlier in the week, I had gone up with a CFI and got my tailwheel endorsement in a Maule, a much larger airplane.
The "fun stuff" starts about 80 seconds into the video, so don't "change channels" in the first 10 seconds or so.
Landing this tiny tail-wheel airplane was like dropping out of the sky with a fork-lift onto a runway at 70 mph. It stalled at just below 70. Having a hybrid speedwing, I didn't have the luxury of doing a slow landing like most small airplanes having a long, high-lift wing.
It was a real rascal to land and steer from the rear, just like a forklift going 70 MPH.
As soon as I landed, I shouted "BOY HOWDY" as if I just finished riding a wild bull in a rodeo.
Author: tuutuutango
Source: YouTube
