Way to go Ernest ... first flights are special no matter what the engine or airframe. Glad to see you keep this list in mind. Jeff
It didn't happen with a rotary, but I've learned so much about engines and airplanes in general from the people on this list, that I'd feel like I'm slighting family if I didn't tell y'all.
This morning, N167EZ, a Corvair powered Zenith Zodiac 601XL flew for the first time with its builder holding on for dear life. You can see the video of the event at:
I flew from the grass strip to a nearby paved runway, KTTA, putting 0.7 hours on the hobbs. The left wing was heavy enough for me to make a "non traditional" pattern in order to land early. I was so nervous that once I had it parked, I couldn't move. Just sat there for about 5 minutes before I even raised the canopy. :-)