Listers,
Nine hours on the RV-6 but conditions aren't really right yet for performance testing. It's hot. It's bumpy. The engine isn't broken in yet. What does one do while circling around in the test area box?
Well, I've found one thing I do is watch for bogies. Bogies, in this case are people I know and especially people who have passed me in airplanes before or who have made comments to me about the relative speed of their Belchfire 2000 compared to my Pacer. Previously I was a mild mannered, middle aged, pot bellied tourist puttering about in the Pacer and enjoying the scenery. But here I am in a very responsive, high performance fighter airplane. I am steely eyed, fast responsed and flat of stomach. The impulse to roll in with guns blazing followed by a victory roll after vanquishing the enemy is overwhelming.
This morning the victim was a turbocharged, pressurized twin Cessna 414 piloted by a fellow who had previously made comments about arriving first when I was 10 miles out and he was 20 miles out. This time his only comment was "hey, you're not supposed to pass me like that."
What is it that would turn such a previously responsible individual, like me, into such an obnoxious jerk? Maybe Van's should give personality profile tests before the sale of any kit. Can they handle it or not?
Do not archive
Larry Pardue Carlsbad, NM
RV-6 N441LP 9 Hours