Well, he finally did it. Greg Walker broke the long drought of no Chapter 983 first-flights when he launched from Granbury Airport in his brand spankin’ new RV-8A slow-build on the morning of 7 December 2019. Here’s how Greg tells it:
What a day! Conditions could not have been more perfect. After almost 20 years of off and on building the time finally came!
Configuration: Lycoming IO-360A1B with Dual EMags and Backup Alternator, 3 Blade Catto Prop, Dynon Skyview, iPad running Foreflight and Stratux as backup instrument.
Started the day tidying things up in the cockpit, making sure cowl was secure, and fueling up. Did a short high power run to make sure my recently overhauled fuel injection servo would hang in there. (ACI at Clark Field in Justin, TX does great work!). Did a warm up flight flying right seat in an RV-7A to fly the first flight profile and remind me of emergency landing sites…
Took the runway at KGDJ and climbed up to 5500 feet and made many laps around the airport. Don Christiansen pulled up behind me in Yellow Bird to look things over. Andy Duff provided ground support. Oil temps stayed 190-200F. CHTs 330-350F. I do have a very heavy left wing that will need a remedy. Descent, landing, and taxi back were uneventful.
One Duh moment. Kept the plastic on Dynon Skyview since build. Screen looked great with it. Thought I would take it off for first flight. Could not see anything with polarized sunglasses! Put plastic back on but it came off in flight with cockpit air. Another pair of glasses to buy!
So many people to thank:
Ed Stout – Uncle who gave me my first airplane ride and taught me a bunch
Don Christiansen – Tech Counselor
Patrick Richardson – RV Transition Instructor
Pat Stewart – KGDJ Airport Manager
Kliff Black and Andy Duff – RV Building Motivators
Chapter members at EAA 983
Greg Walker
RV-8A (N528GW)
Aledo, TX
What a day, indeed! Way to go Greg. Mel Asbury presented Greg with his Airworthiness Certificate a few weeks earlier.