I just returned from the maiden flight of my H9 Cessna 182._What a nice plane!_Here's how it went:

After arriving at the field, there was a bit of prep work to do._No slapping the wing on and going!_While I was attaching the wing, the wing braces, and the servo leads, quite a crowd gathered to admire the plane - it's a real looker!_Many simply could not beleive it was an ARF._

My 182 is powered by an OS 1.60FX and I was using an APC 16x8 for the first flight._All control throws were set to the recommendations in the instruction manual.

Taxi was uneventful._The plane handles well on the ground, as you would expect from a plane of this size with tricycle gear._There was plenty of ground clearance over the average length grass (in other words, I was not mowing the lawn!).

At the end of the field, I gradually applied throttle to full, and after a scale-like takeoff, she was in the air._Now the work started._First off, I noticed that the control throws that H9 recommended were not quite right._The elevator was WAY to sensitive, and I could have used a bit more aileron._Rudder was a bit much, also, but not quite as bad._Made mental and verbal notes of those to whomever was listening!

After a number of gentle laps around the flight path, I set up for a few landing approaches._The first one was with about 1/2 flaps, and the plane just floated!_Never really wanted to come down._After a few more passes with varying degrees of flaps, I set up for a final with about 1/3 flaps._Slowed down nicely and had a gentle decent with no bad tendencies._At touchdown, I was decending a bit too much, and she bounced back up about 4 feet in the air, and came back down on all 3 gear._The front gear wire did NOT like that!_It bent back to the firewall - no biggie, just nerves I guess._I actually did not notice the gear at first._The engine had quit at landing, and everyone around did not think it was a hard landing at all._I would really feel better with Robo-struts up front._

All in all, it flies as good as it looks!_Next flight will be with around 30-40% less elevator throw and about 20% more aileron throw._Can't wait!_Of course, we are supposed to get rain tomorow._Bummer....


regards,

mark meier