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first flight in N7725 after rebuild printer friendly version
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Bob Brock
Master Sergeant

Gender: Male
Location: Portland, Oregon
Registered: Mar 2009
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Posts: 156

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Posted Sunday, July 29, 2012 @ 00:00 AM  

Greetings everyone...
How nice it is to have something to report under the "flying section." Today was the day... after about 4 years, N7725 took to the air again. Still a number of "bugs" to work out, but it does fly and flies as great as it looks... boy does it did get some "jaw dropping looks." Rene' got it right. So many of you helped to get SN. 4122 back where it belongs.... in the blue sky playing near the clouds. It really is amazing how many people are drawn to the RF-4d. I asked for assistance and people responded. There is no way this aircraft would be flying without their help. I am just the temporary "keeper" of this craft and part of aviation history. Wow... what a wonderful day for everyone that has waited to see it fly!! No rolls or loops for now.. just the measured process of taking it one step at a time. Anyway, here are a few shots...

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=Bomar1&target=ALBUM&id=5770421351550702577&authkey=Gv1sRgCIz9mu_H5ruJnAE&feat=email

I don't even have the words of gratitude... just a heart felt thanks.

Jorgen
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Lund, Sweden
Registered: Apr 2007
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Posts: 833

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Posted Sunday, July 29, 2012 @ 04:16 AM  

Bob,
congratulations- you have done a great job and a huge contribution to Fournierism! N7725 looks great and it's therefore not a surprise it flies great- pretty Aeroplanes usually fly pretty nice. I think you are wise to go in a step-wise fashion with the flight testing- get to know 7725's character and you'll love her even more.

You have a similar outrigger setup like "SE-XST", but judging by the looks of yours I shortened the outriggers a little bit more. I had some outrigger fractures, but that might be because my strip is kind of narrow and uneven so I tended to bang the outriggers in the ground or grass before touchdown which seems to overstress them quickly. I love your panel and note with satisfaction that you placed the vario dead center- way to go, these planes are great for soaring! Please update as you go, I'd love to hear more!

May the 4's be with you/ Jörgen

Bob Brock
Master Sergeant

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Location: Portland, Oregon
Registered: Mar 2009
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Posts: 156

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Posted Sunday, July 29, 2012 @ 02:23 PM  

Jorgen:

My computer wall paper screen is a great image of SE-XST from above, 3/4 frontal with the green fields and rock fences below.. you are looking up and to the left (I assume that is you flying). I think it is the quintessential image of an RF-4d. Every time I turned on my computer (it is still there) I appreciate the fine "bones" and lines of the RF-4d and I especially love your canopy.. what great lines. Someday I want to make one like SE-XST.... without screws. Seeing that image everyday was an inspiration.

Last night as I watched an Olympic event from London, I was struck by the dedication and hard work of those athletics and the journey they took.. and how their goal was the best they could be... perhaps even more than they every thought they could achieve. The journey is really one of self awareness. I never in my wildest dreams wanted to build or rebuild and aircraft, certainly not one made of wood and fabric. The truth is, I didn't.. not alone. So many hands were involved I would not have room for them to sign the fuselage. I even talked my flying students or friends and family to help sand and lay up fiberglass, etc... or help mount something difficult to do by myself. (interesting how they still see themselves as part owners of 7725. And there were times when I had to take something apart (actually quite a number of sections) and put it back together three or four times to get it right that I wondered "why not go fly airplanes rather than spend so much time and frustration on this little aircraft?" I really did want to cut some corners and speed up the process, but they talked be out of it.

"Zen and the art of rebuilding a 4," is about starting the journey to achieve a good flying aircraft, and ends up more about friends and a shared love affair. My Dad had a "puts and gets" formula for life, i.e., you "gets" out of it about what you "puts" in. If that is true (and it seems to be) then this process (magnified by friendships), is one of life's better adventures. So many thanks to everyone.

Jorgen
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Lund, Sweden
Registered: Apr 2007
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Posts: 833

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Posted Sunday, July 29, 2012 @ 04:41 PM  

Bob,
that is very well put. I'm glad to hear you've had a rewarding and shared journey. For some reason I come to think of the Swedish poet Karin Boye's poem "On the Move" (especially line 3 + 4) which was translated to English by Dr Hans Corell:

"The day of plenty, never is the greatest.
The best day is a day of craving thirst.
Yes, there is a meaning in our journey --
But ‘tis the pathway, which is worth our while.
The thing to aim for is a nightlong rest,
Where the fire’s lit and bread is shared in haste.
In places, where you go to sleep but once,
Your sleep is safe, your dream is full of song.
Move on, move on! The new day dawns ahead.
Endless is our marvellous adventure."

Yes, that's me flying. The photo was taken about five years ago from Piper Cub "SE-AYZ", a former L-4 of the US Army in WW 2. We were just outside and above the "Sebbarp"-airstrip were my buddy Mikael Carlson flies his two Bleriots and his Fokker Dr I and D VII. The canopy on "SE-XST" was made from an "ASH"-something(17?) glider and the frame was beautifully made in carbon fiber by Pete Wells of "Zulu Glasstek" in the UK. I think I can get you some info from him and James (whom I bought then "G-AVNX" from) if you'd like to.

I think you and your Dad struck the inner meaning of Fournieteering right there, Bob. I view each Fournierflight as a celebration of life and the beautiful things we can do with it.

May the 4's be with you/ Jörgen

P.S. the picture was taken before i shortened my outriggers D.S.

[Edit by Jorgen on Sunday, July 29, 2012 @ 04:52 PM]

jb92563
Second Lieutenant

Gender: Male
Location: Lake Elsinore, CA, USA
Registered: Mar 2007
Status: Offline
Posts: 583

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Posted Tuesday, July 31, 2012 @ 04:15 PM  

Congrats Bob B.

The fun has only just begun and as you get more intimate with your 4 you will feel like it is a part of you when you fly.

I remember all your "ideas" when you first joined the forum and now that you have your 4 flying its time to revisit those goals
and start to make short and long term plans towards making them happen

--------------------
Ray
RF4D #4057 N-1771 Rectimo 1400cc
http://picasaweb.google.com/jb92563/FournierRF4D
http://www.touringmotorgliders.org

Bob Grimstead
Captain

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Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
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Posted Friday, August 3, 2012 @ 10:05 AM  

Heartiest Congratulations Bob,

I hope you get many, many years of enjoyable flying in your Fournier.

Yours, Bob

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Brock
Master Sergeant

Gender: Male
Location: Portland, Oregon
Registered: Mar 2009
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Posts: 156

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Posted Monday, August 6, 2012 @ 06:25 PM  

Greetings all:
One of my glider club members took a short video on his cell phone on my second flight. I wanted to practice on grass so I departed the field where I keep the airplanes and landed at North Plains glider port. I made four flights and found that my outriggers needed more work before I flew again. Collin loaned me a really nice outrigger from Germany to copy. Greg Cole at Windward Performance is making me the carbon fiber shafts. His new DuckHawk is all carbon fiber and setting lots of records. I gave Greg his motor glider endorsement yesterday.. they are building two new self launch models. One is the DuckHawk with a jet engine (actually two of them) and a very neat two place carbon fiber side-by-side motor glider. Needless to say, there might be some Rene DNA in the new motor glider. The DuckHawk can fly very nicely at 900 lbs... which will be the gross wt. of the new motor glider. Again, more later...

Anyway, my friend put the take-off video on youtube for us. Below is the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5VYIyENE4E

Bob Brock
Master Sergeant

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Location: Portland, Oregon
Registered: Mar 2009
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Posted Monday, August 6, 2012 @ 06:28 PM  

not sure if I got the link correct... allow me to try again...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5VYIyENE4E

D. Porter
Sergeant First Class

Gender: Male
Location: Ventura, CA
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Posted Friday, August 10, 2012 @ 01:50 PM  

Congratulations Bob on first flight with N7725. I have to admire you guys with the skills to take on and complete a rebuild project, must feel really good.

Don

Bob Brock
Master Sergeant

Gender: Male
Location: Portland, Oregon
Registered: Mar 2009
Status: Offline
Posts: 156

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Posted Sunday, August 18, 2013 @ 10:06 PM  

Hi Guys... thought some of you might like a N7725 update. A fellow pilot who owns Van's Aircraft once told me that the last 10% or the project takes 50% of the time. Getting things finished is difficult, but I have been flying. In fact, Collin took N7725 up today, and Markku was here in Oregon a few months ago and he gave me a few good ideas. Below is a link to a few recent pictures. Not all the bugs are worked out, but it does fly and look great. From what I can tell, it handles just as you would expect. I have tried three different props and Collin's prop seems to be the best.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=111636319523992347433&target=ALBUM&id=5913633902375672993&authkey=Gv1sRgCJfZ3MTbpqahKg&feat=email

I have been making longer flights and calibrating the fuel burn.... and best settings. Took it up to 14,000' and over the coast mountain range... next for the Cascade mountains. So far, everything has been very positive. Just like flying any aircraft, it is about practice. Collin wants me to get more time on the new engine before I go too far. Talk with you later.

Collin
General

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Location: McMinnville. Oregon
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Posted Sunday, August 18, 2013 @ 11:16 PM  

Hi,

It was fun flying a RF4 again it has been a few years. Thanks Bob.

Here is a picture of me standing with John Buckner who owned 7725 before Bob, About 39 years ago. And a picture by my Dad's first RF5B

--------------------
Collin Gyenes

dannparks
Sergeant Major

Gender: Male
Location: Parkside Airpark, Battle Ground, WA
Registered: Oct 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 391

Click here to see the profile for dannparks Visit https://picasaweb.google.com/111628310900713778468/RF4D_N2188?noredirect=1 Send email to dannparks Send private message to dannparks Find more posts by dannparks Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2013 @ 00:54 AM  

Bob,

Great to see you are flying again. N2188 is finished, but I am awaiting completion of paperwork and my rating to fly. Should all be done mid-September. I am lusting after your unused polished spinner. Mine is heavily pitted and would be difficult to make shinny. If you are going to be staying with the fiberglass one, I would love to discuss acquiring yours.

--------------------
Dann Parks • RF4D #4051 N2188 • now flying!
Pictures at: https://picasaweb.google.com/111628310900713778468/RF4D_N2188?noredirect=1

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