First Flight of Waiex #142

[142YX]

Hello all,

Happy to report that Waiex #142 left the ground for the first time this Monday, July 13th 2015. The flight went great and she flew exactly like I expected her to. What a blast!

All engine parameters stayed in the green for the entire flight, although I think I have some Aeroinjector adjustments to make as I suspect I am running significantly rich. In spite of this, my Jabiru 3300 ran without missing a beat and didn't give me any trouble other than not being able to develop full power. I had one minor issue during the flight where my flaps stuck down at 30 degrees during a simulated practice pattern at altitude. Rather than get distracted and try to fix the problem right there I decided to just fly the airplane and descend and enter the traffic pattern with the flaps down. It should be an easy fix - I think I just made the flap detent notch too tight and the handle twisted and bound into the notch when loaded with aerodynamic forces for the first time. The landing went great without issue.

I intend on writing up a more detailed report of the flight and have a video in work as well.. but until then here are some photos. I was lucky enough to have an extremely skilled chase pilot backing me up and enabling me to get these images.. I can't stop looking at these photos and smiling - what an amazing feeling! To leave the surface of the earth in a machine built with your own two hands!

Thanks Sonex, for producing this amazing kit!

[Sonex1517]

Awesome!

Congratulations on an incredible accomplishment. What a beautiful airplane....


Robbie Culver
Sonex 1517
Chicagoland
Tails and Wings complete - finishing fuselage.
N1517S reserved

[andrewp]

And what a cool place to do it at ... awesome work.

AP
#618

[Rynoth]

Terrific, congrats! That's great to have that much support and in-flight photos of your first flight, too cool!

[jjbardell]

It is a beauty and the view of those mountains must be incredible in that bird. Well done!

[Bryan Cotton]

Congratulations Nick! Great photos too.

[DCASonex]

Congratulations, Great looking plane, and one that will be easy to see in the landing pattern. Want to get some of that paint for my car. it is a month old and has been rammed twice by others while siting still.

David A.

[Gripdana]

Nick,
Looks great. Congratulations. Give me a shout some time when you are going to be by Fox Field. I'm over to Cal City and Mohave every week end. They are on the edge of my testing airspace.

[nwawingman]

Wow! What a beautiful Waiex! Congratulations on your first flight. It take weeks and sometime years to come down from that first flight feeling. :)

[mike20sm]

I admired the build quality when I saw it earlier this year at the Mojave fly in. It looked like a certified aircraft not an experimental with the fit and finish so well done. You got a beautiful frame worthy picture to capture the moment. Looking forward to the video.