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Kayberg(at)aol.com
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 Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 4:47 am Post subject: First flight..more |
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This has been a tough one for the Green Landings crew as well. We all loved Harry and respected the 37,000 hours he had spent in the air during the course of his 70 years. His flight was witnessed by a number of people, including the individual whose house he unfortunately hit.
There were no mechanical problems with the plane, it had made several flights that day and the day before. The wreckage was carefully checked by the GL crew as a part of the FAA investigation. No problems were noted during that examination.
My personal pain is that I watched him possible over-rotate on his first takeoff but perhaps out of respect for the 37,000 hours did not say anything. It appeared to some that he over-rotated on this second takeoff, got up perhaps to 100 feet or so, mushed along and then stalled and rolled left after flying some distance (500-800 ft) extremely nose-up. Witnesses say he impacted the foundation of the house after a couple ground strikes.
Of course this is all very preliminary and could be inaccurate. My point in writing this is that there did not seem to be a design or mechanical problem. It was determined that the engine was at full power until impacting the house. However, as Buz and many others have noted, test flying a newly completed airplane is not an easy task. While Harry had built and flown a Glassair III with IO-550, cruise of 300 mph, even he noted that the Lightning did not fly like a Glassair. It flew like a Lightning. He loved the way it flew after his first flight. I believe this was his second solo flight. Ryan had done the first flight and several test flights.
Keep the Green Landings folks in your prayers as well. This was a tough one.
Doug Koenigsberg
In a message dated 10/6/2011 9:33:44 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, gitzie(at)comcast.net writes:
| Quote: | --> Lightning-List message posted by: "bgsu" <gitzie(at)comcast.net>
glasair98hw(at)comcast.ne wrote:
| Quote: | First flight of Lightning N747HW today in West Virginia after 7 months building . Everything went as planned with no abnormal flight characteristics and smooth running engine. Thanks to Ryan, Walter, Chris, Curt, Doug and Buddy for all their help and advice when needed. This is my second kit. First was a Glasair III and took 7 years to complete. Looking forward to many happy hours of flying. I will fly it to Connecticut after the 40 hours test phase. Harry
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http://www.herald-mail.com/news/tristate/hm-pilot-dead-after-hedgesville-crash-20111005,0,4831228.story
Terribly sad...
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[quote][b]
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hobbs28(at)gmail.com
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| Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 5:38 am Post subject: First flight..more |
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Doug, Mark, I am so sorry about your loss. We know how much we grow to love our pilots and their dreams of flying and continuing to fly. If there is anything Greg and I can do for you at this time please call us. We know how hard this is and we will be praying for you all. Crystal Hobbs (520-405-6868-Greg number-)--- Original Message -----
[quote] From: Kayberg(at)aol.com (Kayberg(at)aol.com)
To: lightning-list(at)matronics.com (lightning-list(at)matronics.com)
Sent: Friday, October 07, 2011 5:45 AM
Subject: Re: Re: First flight..more
This has been a tough one for the Green Landings crew as well. We all loved Harry and respected the 37,000 hours he had spent in the air during the course of his 70 years. His flight was witnessed by a number of people, including the individual whose house he unfortunately hit.
There were no mechanical problems with the plane, it had made several flights that day and the day before. The wreckage was carefully checked by the GL crew as a part of the FAA investigation. No problems were noted during that examination.
My personal pain is that I watched him possible over-rotate on his first takeoff but perhaps out of respect for the 37,000 hours did not say anything. It appeared to some that he over-rotated on this second takeoff, got up perhaps to 100 feet or so, mushed along and then stalled and rolled left after flying some distance (500-800 ft) extremely nose-up. Witnesses say he impacted the foundation of the house after a couple ground strikes.
Of course this is all very preliminary and could be inaccurate. My point in writing this is that there did not seem to be a design or mechanical problem. It was determined that the engine was at full power until impacting the house. However, as Buz and many others have noted, test flying a newly completed airplane is not an easy task. While Harry had built and flown a Glassair III with IO-550, cruise of 300 mph, even he noted that the Lightning did not fly like a Glassair. It flew like a Lightning. He loved the way it flew after his first flight. I believe this was his second solo flight. Ryan had done the first flight and several test flights.
Keep the Green Landings folks in your prayers as well. This was a tough one.
Doug Koenigsberg
In a message dated 10/6/2011 9:33:44 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, gitzie(at)comcast.net writes:
| Quote: | --> Lightning-List message posted by: "bgsu" <gitzie(at)comcast.net>
glasair98hw(at)comcast.ne wrote:
| Quote: | First flight of Lightning N747HW today in West Virginia after 7 months building . Everything went as planned with no abnormal flight characteristics and smooth running engine. Thanks to Ryan, Walter, Chris, Curt, Doug and Buddy for all their help and advice when needed. This is my second kit. First was a Glasair III and took 7 years to complete. Looking forward to many happy hours of flying. I will fly it to Connecticut after the 40 hours test phase. Harry
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http://www.herald-mail.com/news/tristate/hm-pilot-dead-after-hedgesville-crash-20111005,0,4831228.story
Terribly sad...
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dwwilt
Joined: 06 Dec 2010
Posts: 192
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| Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 6:05 am Post subject: First flight..more |
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Doug,
Thanks much for the input and know that Donna and I are keeping you, Ryan, Walter, Buddy, Curt, and Chris in our prayers.
Our sincere condolences,
Dennis
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Dennis |
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