You gotta hand it to the guy, performing aircraft design and testing like it's the 1940s.

Wow, I got scared watching that. Does not seem stable in pitch.

Doesn't seem particularly stable in roll, either. Winds were reported as calm.

I also get a kick out of the idea that he designed an airplane with control sticks but flies it from the right seat because the controls feel more natural to him that way.

Probably right handed.

Probably right handed.

Probably right handed.

I am glad nothing bad happened and he is still alive. But man this guy... He really should stop while he is ahead. He just can't own up to the fact that the plane is way to heavy and under powered. He always picks the hardest solution it seems to every problem as well. In this video for example he is talking about adding another oil cooler to the bottom of the plane or something like that, then says or maybe I should just open up the air scoop instead of having it in the closed position ya think... To me that would be very obvious. I would think on take off that would be when you would want that scoop full open anyway. I don't know that 5000 feet will be enough to get it off the ground if he opens the scoop and adds more drag, maybe that's what he is worried about.
In my opinion, the gear being down was not the issue with flight control with pitch and roll, but of course he thinks it is. Even if that is the problem who is gonna wanna fly something that is that unstable on a calm, clear day with the gear down? Who is gonna wanna enter the traffic pattern and drop the gear knowing they are gonna get "bucked" around for a few minutes? I bet he was on the verge of a stall. He was having to really try to keep this thing in the air. His face when he shut the plane down says it all. He was disappointed in this first flight and relieved to be on the ground. His non verbals did not exhibit confidence or enthusiasm.

I was really pulling for Peter and the team a few years ago but at this point it's time to pull the engine off and keep developing it with a velocity or something else, and scrap this airframe. He does not have the money to start over, he won't be able to raise the funding for a new airframe. If he continues this project someone is going to get hurt.

I find it bizarre that he thinks the pitch oscillations are caused by the gear. The main direct impact on pitch for that plane is the canard and elevator, and they're in clean air.

Did anyone notice the fuel flow was only 20gph? seems low for the HP he predicted.

Andy

I believe that engine makes around 200HP based on the performance and fuel flows I saw. Continuing this madness will only result in death or injury.

Everything was bad except not being dead.

110 knots at 65% power, overheating, 3000’ ground roll.

It’s a groundbreaking aircraft.

The pitch oscillations would be a deal breaker for me ever flying it again. And he's talking about retracting the gear! On flight #2?!

It should be clear to him that it'll never achieve original design targets.

Yeah that’s not good.

The issues seem like major power and design issues. Not little things to tweak.

I was really hoping it would climb well and have the power it needs but not even close.

With one person and light fuel this thing should scream. Even if he lost 1000lbs it’s still not going to perform. Really sad.

It seemed to be mushy and on the edge of stalling the entire time. To me it looked like it would try and climb but lose lift at the angle of attack it needs to climb at. How do you fix that?


I think heat is the least of his problems.


Mike

Based on the latest video, that was a 3,365' takeoff roll. He lifts off at the end of the second centerline stripe past the last touchdown zone marker.