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Leland.Lam
Joined: 19 Nov 2014
Posts: 20
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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 Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:43 am Post subject: My First Flight Impressions |
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A big thank you to everyone who has posted on this web page.
I have spent a lot of time reading all of the post back to 2009 trying to learn as much as I could before taking my Mark III Classic up for the first time.
I have a PPL and was flying the normal GA stuff for about 20 years and I thought that would be preparation enough for the KOLB. Luckily I happened to find this web site and began reading and I am glad I did. Perhaps my first flight would have been ok, but the good people here really helped me prepare for the difference in the way the Kolb handles from other aircraft. I have the Rotax 912S so the plane leaves the ground very quickly. Like many of the other Kolbs here this plane is suffering from the home sick angel syndrome. It gets off the ground very quickly and climbs at an impressive rate.
I have the dual sticks and my ailerons are a little heavy. I am going to fly this way for a while to see if I will get used to it. It’s not horrible it is just a little different, but I feel the aircraft is safely controllable.
I left the pattern to do some stall work. These were non-events, this Kolb mostly has a mushy stall. As I entered with nose high “feet over the Horizon” and some power, I could get a quick break and a wing drop. The wings were easy to pick up with the rudder. Nose low stalls were mushes and with rudder keeping the wings in place the nose would not really fall just mush while a loss in altitude was occurring.
I deployed the first notch of flaps and watched the nose point down. I pulled back on the stick added in a little more power and I started laughing to myself from recalling all of the discussions regarding flap usage. It is a strange feeling having some of the control responses reversed due to the tractor “pusher” configuration. I can just say when the flaps are deployed the nose down pitch is pronounced, just be ready to react with stick and throttle as necessary.
I decided to retract the flaps and do my first landing clean. I turned to final and set up for a 60 MPH approach. I had 4000 feet of dirt runway so I was not concerned about landing long. Over the fence I held 50 and flew it down to just above the runway and brought power back to idle. I held it as long as I could and it stuck in a nice 3 point landing. The plane swerved a little to the right at touch down, and I responded with a little left rudder, and we were stopped. No bent landing gear, no spins, no unintentional stalls, no problems. VERY COOL AIRPLANE I am still smiling.
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rlaird
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 373
Location: Houston
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:47 am Post subject: My First Flight Impressions |
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Excellent report. Thanks for sharing (and thanks for reading all you could before your first flight!).
-- Robert
On Mon, Jan 12, 2015 at 12:43 PM, Leland.Lam <wadelamoreaux(at)gmail.com (wadelamoreaux(at)gmail.com)> wrote:
[quote]--> Kolb-List message posted by: "Leland.Lam" <wadelamoreaux(at)gmail.com (wadelamoreaux(at)gmail.com)>
A big thank you to everyone who has posted on this web page.
I have spent a lot of time reading all of the post back to 2009 trying to learn as much as I could before taking my Mark III Classic up for the first time.
I have a PPL and was flying the normal GA stuff for about 20 years and I thought that would be preparation enough for the KOLB. Luckily I happened to find this web site and began reading and I am glad I did. Perhaps my first flight would have been ok, but the good people here really helped me prepare for the difference in the way the Kolb handles from other aircraft. I have the Rotax 912S so the plane leaves the ground very quickly. Like many of the other Kolbs here this plane is suffering from the home sick angel syndrome. It gets off the ground very quickly and climbs at an impressive rate.
I have the dual sticks and my ailerons are a little heavy. I am going to fly this way for a while to see if I will get used to it. It’s not horrible it is just a little different, but I feel the aircraft is safely controllable.
I left the pattern to do some stall work. These were non-events, this Kolb mostly has a mushy stall. As I entered with nose high “feet over the Horizon” and some power, I could get a quick break and a wing drop. The wings were easy to pick up with the rudder. Nose low stalls were mushes and with rudder keeping the wings in place the nose would not really fall just mush while a loss in altitude was occurring.
I deployed the first notch of flaps and watched the nose point down. I pulled back on the stick added in a little more power and I started laughing to myself from recalling all of the discussions regarding flap usage. It is a strange feeling having some of the control responses reversed due to the tractor “pusher” configuration. I can just say when the flaps are deployed the nose down pitch is pronounced, just be ready to react with stick and throttle as necessary.
I decided to retract the flaps and do my first landing clean. I turned to final and set up for a 60 MPH approach. I had 4000 feet of dirt runway so I was not concerned about landing long. Over the fence I held 50 and flew it down to just above the runway and brought power back to idle. I held it as long as I could and it stuck in a nice 3 point landing. The plane swerved a little to the right at touch down, and I responded with a little left rudder, and we were stopped. No bent landing gear, no spins, no unintentional stalls, no problems. VERY COOL AIRPLANE I am still smiling.
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=436896#436896
Attachments:
http://forums.matronics.com//files/kolb2_176.jpg
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_________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robert Laird
formerly: MkIIIc w/ 912ULS & Gyrobee
current: Autogyro Cavalon w/ 914ULS
Houston, TX area
http://www.Texas-Flyer.com |
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frank goodnight
Joined: 27 Dec 2011
Posts: 126
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 1:20 pm Post subject: My First Flight Impressions |
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Happy that you like it.
Fly safe-- enjoy
Frank
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 12, 2015, at 12:43 PM, "Leland.Lam" <wadelamoreaux(at)gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: |
A big thank you to everyone who has posted on this web page.
I have spent a lot of time reading all of the post back to 2009 trying to learn as much as I could before taking my Mark III Classic up for the first time.
I have a PPL and was flying the normal GA stuff for about 20 years and I thought that would be preparation enough for the KOLB. Luckily I happened to find this web site and began reading and I am glad I did. Perhaps my first flight would have been ok, but the good people here really helped me prepare for the difference in the way the Kolb handles from other aircraft. I have the Rotax 912S so the plane leaves the ground very quickly. Like many of the other Kolbs here this plane is suffering from the home sick angel syndrome. It gets off the ground very quickly and climbs at an impressive rate.
I have the dual sticks and my ailerons are a little heavy. I am going to fly this way for a while to see if I will get used to it. It’s not horrible it is just a little different, but I feel the aircraft is safely controllable.
I left the pattern to do some stall work. These were non-events, this Kolb mostly has a mushy stall. As I entered with nose high “feet over the Horizon” and some power, I could get a quick break and a wing drop. The wings were easy to pick up with the rudder. Nose low stalls were mushes and with rudder keeping the wings in place the nose would not really fall just mush while a loss in altitude was occurring.
I deployed the first notch of flaps and watched the nose point down. I pulled back on the stick added in a little more power and I started laughing to myself from recalling all of the discussions regarding flap usage. It is a strange feeling having some of the control responses reversed due to the tractor “pusher” configuration. I can just say when the flaps are deployed the nose down pitch is pronounced, just be ready to react with stick and throttle as necessary.
I decided to retract the flaps and do my first landing clean. I turned to final and set up for a 60 MPH approach. I had 4000 feet of dirt runway so I was not concerned about landing long. Over the fence I held 50 and flew it down to just above the runway and brought power back to idle. I held it as long as I could and it stuck in a nice 3 point landing. The plane swerved a little to the right at touch down, and I responded with a little left rudder, and we were stopped. No bent landing gear, no spins, no unintentional stalls, no problems. VERY COOL AIRPLANE I am still smiling.
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=436896#436896
Attachments:
http://forums.matronics.com//files/kolb2_176.jpg
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John Hauck
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 1:41 pm Post subject: My First Flight Impressions |
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I flew formation with your airplane from Sherman, TX, to the Rock House, Burns Junction, OR, via Gallup, NM, Monument Valley, UT, Wendover, UT, and Elko, NV. Is it still the Crawgator?
Also did a flight with it from Gantt IAP, Alabama to London, KY.
john h
mkIII
Titus, Alabama
--
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_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama |
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Leland.Lam
Joined: 19 Nov 2014
Posts: 20
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:36 pm Post subject: Re: My First Flight Impressions |
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John,
I have seen many of the pictures of you and Miss P'fer in formation with this plane.
Yes it is still the "Crawgator".
My wife seems to think the Crawgator logo should be removed, but that seems like it would be defacing history. Some people just can't appreciate fine art. 
I wish everyone would do the Mounument Valley fly again, that is almost right in my back yard. Hope to fly with you someday in the meantime I will just have to live vicariously by reading of your adventures.
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Leland.Lam
Joined: 19 Nov 2014
Posts: 20
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:47 pm Post subject: Re: My First Flight Impressions |
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The Crawgator Logo
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firestar503
Joined: 15 Apr 2012
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:13 pm Post subject: My First Flight Impressions |
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Leland,
Where do you fly from?
On Monday, January 12, 2015 4:52 PM, Leland.Lam <wadelamoreaux(at)gmail.com> wrote:
--> Kolb-List message posted by: "Leland.Lam" <wadelamoreaux(at)gmail.com (wadelamoreaux(at)gmail.com)>
The Crawgator Logo
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=436927#436927
Attachments:
http://forums.matronics.com//files/crawgatoriironics.com/contribution" target="_blank">http://www.matronics.com/contrib===========
[quote][b]
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Leland.Lam
Joined: 19 Nov 2014
Posts: 20
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: My First Flight Impressions |
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(P48) Pleasant Valley Airport just north of Phoenix, AZ.
| | - The Matronics Kolb-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
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