Update!

[Don Jones]

The project is almost there. I have been painting for the last month. The fuselage has been moved to the airport and I am painting the wings now. Final assembly should be done in a month or so and on to the fun part!

 

[LDJones]

Very exciting. Nice looking paint job.

 

[SkyHog]

Hey Don, long time!!

The bird looks great!

 

[Don Jones]

Another update. I received the airworthiness certificate Jan 6th. I did the first flight a week later and have since flown off the Phase I test period. The airplane now has almost 42 hours on it. Took the first passenger last Sunday (my wife of course). Flys straight and fast!
WOT at 8000 feet 169 knots at 2750 RPM Cruise: 2500 RPM 155 knots burning 6.5 GPH. Had a sweet tailwind during Phase I at 13500 and just had to push the black knob forward. Made 211 knots across the ground
Really starting to have some fun with it now!

Some of the stats:
1133 lbs
Lycoming O320 160 HP
Catto 3 blade prop
Classic Aero Leather interior
Dual 10" Skyview System
Full Garmin Stack including GNS430

 

[LDJones]

Excellent! Congrats on creating a beautiful flying machine.

 

[Geico266]

NICE RV-9A!

All the way around! Performance, paint, RV! NICE!!

How did you rig or route the fuel system?

Are you burning mogas?

 

[AdamZ]

Don, congrats on the build. I really respect folks who are able to do that.

 

[Jayhawk]

Beautiful plane, congrats on finishing it!

 

[acluffpoa]

Very nice!

 

[wabower]

Nice work! Nice performance package, sounds like the fun is just starting.

 

[Don Jones]

NICE RV-9A!

All the way around! Performance, paint, RV! NICE!!

How did you rig or route the fuel system?

Are you burning mogas?

Thanks everyone, I am very pleased with the performance

The fuel system is all Vans design, except I mounted the electric boost pump near the fuel selector like the fuel injected system. Not on Mogas yet, it's a future experiment tho...

 

[LifeInverted]

Looks like a blast, love the colors!

 

[Concorde]

Any more update or a video on your RV ?
I am trying to decide on what to built, I love the RV-9A but waiting to see what happens with the medical .
If nothing changes, Sonex 3300 - CH 650 - Rv 12 .

 

[zaitcev]

It occured to me that I saw that airplane on April 20th 2014, or a year after Don's last update, when I visited for EAA 555 breakfast.

 

[Don Jones]

It occured to me that I saw that airplane on April 20th 2014, or a year after Don's last update, when I visited for EAA 555 breakfast.

You did indeed. The plane is still flying terrific. 100 hours and no squawks at all. I have done a few upgrades, like ADSB weather, but other than routing maintenance, nada. It has been to California twice, South Texas, as well as all over NM. The wife and I are taking a 10 day flying vacation the first of September covering a lot of the NW and ending up at Vetterman's RV flyin at Hot Springs South Dakota. One one of the trips to California I came non-stop from LA to Las Cruces in 3:45 and only had about 10 kts on the tail. Amazing little airplanes!