Who Maidens their own planes ?

[Stu_D]

Every day it seems we get a post from somone who has just maidened a new plane BUT many people seem to leave it to others to do . Why ?

I love to maiden , it has to be one of the best parts of getting a new plane . After putting in all that money and time the least you should do is have the first go with the new toy . There is also the slight chance that something can go wrong but if you expect the worst the rest will be a bonus . In my younger days I was a but of a adrenalin junkie and my list of injuries has well an truly caught up with me so this is as close as I get to a thrill .

I have lost one plane on a maiden and another on its second flight so dont get me wrong its not all fun and games , sometimes thing do not go the way intended . Since I started flying (September 2001) I have only once had another person maiden a plane for me . Obviously it was my first plane so I did not know how to fly at all .

So whats the story boys , do you maiden your own or do you get the club pro to see if he can pull the wings off .

Stu

[reyn3545]

When I first started, I had someone else take the plane up, trim it in, and give me some advise on how the plane handled. For the last couple of years (I started about 3 years ago), some of the most nervous and rewarding times have been putting the plane in the air myself. I had one last year that was such a handful that I had to get a friend to adjust the trims while I tried to keep it in the air, but I haven't lost one on a maiden in quite a while.

[A-Track]

When I was new I always had my old instructor take my new planes up for the first flight. But I do all my own test flying now. I've crashed 2 on thier first flight, one was my fault I had the ailerons reversed and well you can guess what happened with that (Don't ask how I did that, and how I didn't catch it on the preflight check but it's something that I check before every flight now)

[JAMPILOT]

I maiden my own planes. The rush of adreneline you get from not knowing exactly what is going to happen on that first flight is unbelievable. The only plane I did not maiden was my trainer when I did not know how to fly.

[DR10044]

The only planes I did not maiden was my 1st plane (a trainer) and my second plane (my 1st low wing). Since then, I maiden all of mine and still get requests to maiden other pilots planes. I get more nervous flying other peoples planes than mine.

[bzrogers]

Asking someone else maiden your plane is like asking your best friend to break in your new girlfriend!

That is just wrong.

[50%plane]

I can't remember when the last time I had someone maiden my plane was.... I usually maiden my own planes and have maidened other folks planes before....


50%

[VKGT]

I don't have a ton of experience with planes but I prefer to maiden my own! It's no fun for me to let someone else take the controls but I will say that if someone like Bill Hempel would trim my new plane out then it would be an honor and I know that I'd get expert help.... With that being said, I have two brand new planes to maiden next weekend -- a CompARF Extra 260 (35%) and a Lanier Extra 330 (33%).

[airborneSGT]

I build it I fly it

[Rolling Thunder]

After the first year and first 35% plane I did my own maidens.

[WangoTango]

I do my own. I don't need no stinkin' stunt double! (I do have Fandango for a back-up. Them kids have goooooood reaction times and fast hands!) However....... They were right about old age and treachery out-doing youth and ability!
WT

[aviti]

You build it and set it up right so there is no reason to expect anything to go seriously wrong on a maiden. I see some guys get a plane they are not ready for yet and they of course don't have the confidence to fly it. A few others are more than capable but still have someone else test fly it. That I don't understand. Wouldn't you want to be the one to fly it if that's going to be the first and last flight on the plane?