Commander Valentina takes the first flight in the Civvie, a historic moment for fixed-wing aviation!
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Kerbal Space Agency
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C7 will be spending the rest of the week going over data & checking over the Civvie closely in the HAB before authorizing a flight test
Kerbal Space Agency
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here's a look at how C7 determines the take off speed for the Civvie & confirms it is aerodynamically stable during flight. Green == good!
Kerbal Space Agency
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so far, C7 hasn't found anything troubling in the data from yesterday's ground trials or in the maintenence check still underway in the HAB
Kerbal Space Agency
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Civvie has been cleared for takeoff next week! That and more in our weekly ops review: bit.ly/OpsSummary11-1… Happy weekend to all!
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val spent all weekend putting in extra study & training for her historic flight tomorrow. Civvie will roll out shortly after second sunrise!
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crews gathering in the pre-dawn light to tug the Civvie out of the HAB so Val can do her walk around inspection and begin pre-flight checks
Kerbal Space Agency
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fewer safety issues has allowed us to admit a small KNN media crew on the base to cover the flight, live. History in the making on your TV!
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we have engine start. Jeb was hanging on the side watching Val work, now he's standing clear like everyone else. Awaiting taxi clearance now
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val has taxiied off the runway to the turf and is working her way back to the end of Rwy27. She taxis around 10 m/s @ barely 1% throttle
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val is in position & holding for takeoff clearance. Flaps set. Tail wheel locked. Brakes checked. Time to haul this 1.67t plane into the air
Kerbal Space Agency
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She's up!! After a small hop Civvie is now aloft w/ positive rate of climb to the west! Everyone cheering as Val shrinks into the distance
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Val reports controls very "twitchy", like it wants to roll over. Is at 1km ASL, 12km west & beginning to turn back towards KSC for landing
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Civvie on final approach to Rwy09. Val has cut throttle, trying to shed spd. Flight suggests chute deployment. Val: "Negative, I got this"
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emergency vehicles rushing to the side of runway. ~10m AGL Civvie slewed ~180°, pitched under & hit upper nose-first then landed on its back
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wow, did that whole flight really last only 6m31s? Felt like eternity. Civvie is not on fire, rescue crew reports Val conscious & responsive
Kerbal Space Agency
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we've restored KNN's vid feed now that we are assured Val is OK. She's being extricated now from the cockpit & rushed to the medical center
Kerbal Space Agency
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emergency crews have deemed the Civvie safe to approach, so engineers can move in to assess the damage. It was built tough just for this!
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val has been released from the medical center, she is bruised up but okay! Civvie wreckage still being hauled back to the HAB for analysis
Kerbal Space Agency
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KNN crews have left after interviewing Val and other project members. We're not hiding anything, today's accident still a big step forward!
Kerbal Space Agency
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C7 Aerospace Division has just released the following statement on this morning's crash of the Civvie prototype: bit.ly/C7-PR2
Kerbal Space Agency
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C7 has assembled its crash investigation team & formal review of the flight has begun, is expected to take rest of the week - at least
Kerbal Space Agency
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RT @justhereforksa: Wings, did you call them? / And no rockets on this thing? / I guess it'll work.
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Val appreciates all the well-wishes she has received, promises to be back on her feet soon. Doctors say she's completely off duty for 4 days
Kerbal Space Agency
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C7 crash investigation team taking a close look at Civvie's flight data today. Here was its 28 km flight path from takeoff to landing
Kerbal Space Agency
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Val says she's definitely feeling the after-effects of the crash today. Very stiff, just taking muscle relaxants & staying in bed all day
Kerbal Space Agency
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looong day in the HAB for C7 crew: Civvie's busted engine unmounted & airframe integrity check is underway to fully assess structural damage
Kerbal Space Agency
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we're expecting a preliminary Civvie crash report tomorrow for our weekly ops review. Val is up and about, going through some light rehab
Kerbal Space Agency
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Commander Val has been cleared by the base doctors for full duty after her crash at the start of this week. Glad to have her back to 100%!
Kerbal Space Agency
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ahhh the weekend here at last. Check out the bit.ly/OpsSummary11-2… before you head out for fun & relaxation! (that's your weekend, right?)
Kerbal Space Agency
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today Val will be interviewed by the C7 crash investigation board to help them determine her role in the events of last week
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we're pleased to hear Val came out of her interview relaxed, said she had a nice casual conversation & was completely forthcoming
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C7 has released the final report on the Civvie crash investigation & announces where things will be going from here: bit.ly/C7-PR3
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tl;dr - both pilot & design errors contributed to crash, no mechanical issues. Civvie will be rebuilt for more test flights next month
