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And Yet Another RV-12 First Flight - Davenport, IA

MartySantic

MartySantic

Well Known Member
N128MS made its maiden flight this morning as the weather was favorable

Larry Geiger flew from Lincoln, NE in his RV-10 and John Bender from Jessup, IA flew to Davenport in his RV-12. John just completed his Phase I test program. Both assisted with the final inspection and the first flight.

Larry flew my RV-12 first as he has over 2000 hours in all types of RVs including 15 hours in his RV-12. Flew hands off, the stall characteristics were normal at 38 mph (indicated).

Then it was my turn. Flew for about 30 minutes near the airport. The RV-12 flies like a dream. Flew straight and level with absolutely no left or right turning tendency. Responsive yet gentle. This plane is most definitely the easiest plane to land that I have ever flown.

A few photos are in the blog.

Has been a satisfying day! John, would have loved the day, miss him!

Happy!!! Happy!!! :) :) :)

1st Flight--Larry Geiger at the Controls
IMG_3938a.jpg


Me, Coming Back after that 1st Landing
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The Group
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And the Grin!!
IMG_3994.jpg
 
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Confgrats Marty!

I've been following your progress for about months. Your work on the plane is very inspiring, and I'm glad you now get to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Thanks, and many more landings to ya!
 
Marty

Good job! Happy to see you get a nice day for it...and an audience no less! Hopefully I will follow you sometime this week. John and Larry will be here of course...lol. We do need to make plans to meet up someday...Sun and Fun or Oshkosh.
 
Way to go , Marty! I was hoping the weather would cooperate with you today. Your grin, in the cockpit, says it all. Congats, Steve
 
Congratulations Marty! It's tuff to find good weather in the north this time of year. I hope to be airborne in the spring. Thanks for all the tips on your blog.

Art Pennanen
 
RE:Brovo Zuu

Marty

Job Well Done (Bravo Zulu)......Ya Gotta Love The Grin!!!!!!:D




Frank @ 1L8 & KSGU ..RV7A... N74BZ Flying.........................
 
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First Flight !

Let me add my congratulations, Marty. I have been very appreciative of all the photos and info you have posted over the past months. I am 6-months behind you so your photos really helped me understand things. Again, thank you, and well done.

John at Salida, CO N29cx (RV-12) reserved
n1cx flying (RV-6A)
 
It was a great day!

Up at 5:00 am, launch at 6:10 am in the -10 to fly over and spend the day RV'ing with Marty & John B. If I had lights I would have taken the -12 (not so subtle HINT to Van's!;))

Marty's plane was an absolute joy to fly. Prop was set just a tad course as we only had 5300 RPM straight & level, no problem. Temps were all in line even after a long climb out from 700MSL to 3,000MSL. Outside temps were 40F. Hands off flying, stall alarm 45 MPH, stall 38MPH indicated, no leaks when I landed. I wanted to go up again, but Marty said; "No way, my turn!":confused:;)

The week before Marty drove :eek: the 12 hour round trip to my house due to weather at his house, and we got about 3 one hour sessions in the -12. I want to commend him for his determination to get the "training" needed before flying his -12 for the first time. I really put him though the paces with crosswinds and it paid off today. Winds at KDVN were forcasted to be 150 @ 4-6MPH, but actual was 180 15 - gusts to 18 by the time Marty took runway 15. He did a real nice job handling what cross wind component we were dealing with thanks to our flying last week, and thanks to the large tail feathers the RV-12. The rudder has great authority to handle up to 12 MPH direct cross winds.

Well done Marty. You have a fantastic airplane, and a great bunch of airports buddies too. It was fun meeting them.

It was a great day!
 
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Happy for you,

Great job Marty,
Your blog and now your first flight are inspirational, and helps make my project better and more fun.

Tony
 
Great Going!

My heartfelt congratulations :) ... way to go! Enjoy the fruits of your labor! :D

JerryG
 
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Love that grin Marty!

Way to go buddy! You have been most helpful to me and many others. Enjoyed meeting you at OSH and the phone calls and attempts to QSO on the ham bands. You are one of the pioneers out there in front of the pack breaking trail for the rest of us.

Thanks!

John:D
 
Great to see you fly!

Way to go Marty! As others have said, you have helped us with your blog and it is motivating to see you get into the air.

Scott
 
Let us say...

congratulations as well, Marty. First flights are almost a weekly event now...tremendous. I have never seen such a supportive group of builders as these RV-12 guys and gals.

As a side note...Carrie and I flew our Coupe to Independence OR (75S) today for lunch at the Starduster Cafe. The airport was bustling with RV's Cessna's, Pipers, etc, and along came a shiny little RV-12 down the taxi-way...stopping for a moment at the EAA chapter hangar and then off it flew just like it was on it's 250th flight. I'm pretty sure it was Dave Martin's 12 which flew for the first time yesterday. We were as excited seeing it fly as we were flying the Red 12 with Joe Lamb at Vans in Aurora. There are eight 12's under construction at Independence so I'm sure that RV-12's will become a more common sight in the ORegon skies in no time.

We should have quite a crowd at OSH next year!


Jay and Carrie Sluiter
Albany, OR (S12)
N124CS (reserved)
Smiling for Marty and Dave today!
 
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Many Thanks!

Larry......Have to chime in!! The time I spent with you was invaluable!! The few hours in your plane really gave me the confidence and experience to make the first flight successful. No matter what John thinks (he, he!!!!), you are a great guy and a great friend.

I have to suggest to all to proceed cautiously and do all that you can to make your 1st flight successful!! I encourage all to use the EAA Technical Advisor program and the EAA Flight Advisor program. Like Larry's signature line says "Let's be Careful Out There!" I most heartily agree.

Larry, Santa will be bring ya something this year!
 
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Congratulations

Congratulations, Marty.
Have enjoyed following your blog. It is going to be helpful to me as I continue with my kit, which is now in the early part of the empennage assembly.
Gary -
 
Geeez Marty

Larry has been hard to live around the way it was - don't encourage him ! ! ! ! !
( It was a great day for all ! ) Good fellow pilots in Davenport also !

John Bender
 
JBPILOT said:
Larry has been hard to live around the way it was - don't encourage him ! ! ! ! !
( It was a great day for all ! ) Good fellow pilots in Davenport also !

John Bender
Click to expand...

Too Late! :D

That is one nice RV-12 you have also John. Nice to see what they look like painted. It was a great day.
 
Have to agree. John's painted RV-12 does look a bunch better than the raw RV-12's that Larry and I have. Sure wish I could paint like John!

Looking for paint shop ideas in this area.
 
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Congrats!

Congratulations, Marty. Here's to many happy flights in your new bird.
 
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Way to go Marty!

I'm sure this plane will be a delight to you for many years to come.

I met you at OSH this year (Van's banquet) so your first flight is more meaningful to me than most. Your 'grin' photo goes in the gallery on the wall of my shop.

Loman
 
Congratulations from me as well!

Marty:

Congratulations from me as well. Like many others, I frequent your blog. It has been extremely helpful as I have progressed with my build. I always know where the "gotchas" are likely to occur and how you tackled those. Saves lots of frustration and calls to Vans!

It is nice to see your plane in the air. Only downside is that there will be fewer new posts on your blog to look at!! Are you planning on lights and autopilot? If so, I can look forward to watching those on your blog as well.

Jeff
 
Good going Mary

Good going Marty. I hope to have that RV grin some day too. Getting training in Larry's RV-12 was a smart thing to do. And having Larry do the test flight was a good idea. A person who is familiar with the plane can better deal with problems if they should arise.
Joe
 
Congratulations Marty!

This makes me wonder how long it will be until there are more flying 12's than 10's.
 
Congratulations and well done. Hopefully we'll see you up here one of these days that it's not freezing!

Cheers,
Stein
 
Stein,

Would love to make that trip, but, it might have to wait till Spring. Thank-you for all of your personal help during the build. And pass my thanks also to Paul Story. I'm sure he will get started again and complete the RV-12.
 
Absolutely great, Marty. I'm using your blog and info just about every day-- really glad to hear that it all went so well. Hope larry-- or someone relatively close to dayton-- is available for some training next spring.

Congratulationsa again-- great work.

Wayne
120241 N143WM "Little Bird II"
 
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