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Tom Willis'
S-18
I am quite pleased thus far with the performance and handling of my
machine.
N75KT and I went over the SkyRanch fence for the first time ever today!
2.8 hours are logged on the machine now.
Lots of thanks to all of my family for their patience and at times, their
assistance with wrenches and such.
Thanks go also to James Williams my EAA Technical Counselor (yeah I know...
I am one of those but hey... I practice what I preach).
Many thanks to Jim & Karen Smith (Jim is my EAA Flight Advisor - - Karen is
his patient wife). I still don't know why the electrons don't run out of
the wall sockets though Jim.
Also a ton of thanks to Mike Sinclair for helping me through
"builder-valley" and for things like checking the RPM of my engine with a
hand-held tach and then doing chase plane - - well really lead plane stuff
and lots more.
Last but certainly not least are all the gang at RANS Aircraft in Hays,
Kansas with special thanks to Ed Schwab for keeping me on the right track
and Tracy Standish for helping me build confidence flying the S-18 II.
So... how did it go?
Well... (shortened version for non-pilots - - pilots can ask whatever...)
After an early morning session where N75KT and I tried to pull a "brush
hog" across the field... and I was sure the engine was making full power
and that all operating parameters were normal... I suited up in my Nomex
suit, gloves and flight helmet. I then gave the bird a thorough pre-flight
inspection and some fuel. I briefed my ground crew, pointed the golf cart
in the general direction of the potential crash site... :^), and equipped
it with a fire extinguisher and some wire cutters for the fence.
We went over my flight test cards and I strapped into the bird.
After a run-up and last minute decision to change runways... it was FULL
POWER - - look down the strip and - - YAHOO!
Two approaches later... I decided not to chance a landing on my Short
Take-off Or Landing (STOL) strip. Good decision! Mike climbed into his
Zenith CH-701 tail dragger (yep) and we flew in formation to Clyde Engerts
place where I made my first landing in N75KT. His strip is 2,000 ft and
more with over-run and well... it made a great place to practice STOL
flying.
I took the bird up to 3,000 (uh... @ 1,100 ft per minute - - love that 100
hp 912 ULS!) to explore the stall envelope and run my flight test
cards....got the numbers and went back to try some short field landings.
All went well... my confidence was up and back to SkyRanch I went.
After two low approaches... I planted the bird in the first third and
stopped in about 350 ft. (half way down the strip) YIPPEE! This is fun.
All the best,
Tom Willis
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RANS Designs Inc.
4600 Highway 183 Alternate
Hays, Kansas 67601 U.S.A
Phone: (785) 625-6346
Fax: (785) 625-2795
E-mail: rans@rans.com
Bike E-mail: bikes@rans.com
Webmaster E-mail: ranswebmaster@rans.com |