Pattern birds day

It was pattern birds day to me, so I took the Kaos and Osiris out for fast fun.  Got in three flights on the Osiris and two on the Kaos.  Had trouble with the LG on the Kaos...the axle kept slipping on the strut, and I could not get the little hex nut tight due to L wrench slippage.  Got it home and used my good heli set plus some blue threadlock to secure it, hopefully for good.  The Kaos nosed over on both landings, but that could have been due to the turned axle, or the retracts being too close to the CG.  I changed the ply shim on the back of each mounting plate from 1/16" to 1/8".  that moves the wheels forward another 1/4" and hopefully that is enough to stop the nasty warbird habit of nosing over on each landing.  So ungraceful and disgraceful after a sharp flight!

Hope that does the trick!

Sunshiny day!

At some point a couple weeks ago, I flew my Intruder for two flights.  Forgot to report that, then the rain and winds came, etc.  Now it is time to blog what flying I did today!

It was a great day weatherwise with no hand warmers necessary!  I took out my brand new Aerostar 76 which I bought from Dick last week.  As normal for Dick, he scratch built this beauty, then tired of it, and put it up for sale.  I maidened it today after setting it up with my xmitter a couple days ago.  The plane uses two 3s battery packs in parallel, meant for at least 3000 mAh packs to balance the plane properly.  I ordered some early in the week but they have not shipped yet, so I used two 2200 packs, plus a third one just for weight, lol.  Worked out great CG wise, and the maiden flight was uneventful.  The bird has a 76" wingspan, largest of my six (!) Aerostars from Dick.  But it flies crisply even on just 3s packs!  I looped it but the real test is how well planes with big wingspans roll, and this plane rolled quicker than I thought it would.  I am pleased with it.

It flies much like the 60" flap version, and is somewhat duplicative, but I am a real sucker for Aerostars from Dick.  He builds so clean, the planes look nice, they fly well, and I usually get them for a real deal after he tires of them.  He actually advertised this plane to me several months ago for $200 minimum.  I got it last week in a package deal with a 51" version of the Aerostar with symmetrical wings, plus a hybrid wood and foam Slick 55, all for $200.  My thinking is that I can always sell some of the Aerostars with ease because of the low prices I paid for them.

Getting long winded!  In closing, I also flew the Aerostar 40F (flaps) today four times and had a blast with the flaps, climbing high, hitting flaps, floating or diving for the field, doing touch and go's, etc.  And oh, I put a second full flight on the 76 for good measure.

Osiris

Flew the Osiris twice with the Dallas gang today...it was in the high 40F range and little to no wind.  Osiris flew great, but i think i was amped up and flying too fast, so my pattern was long, larger than i want.  Will try to moderate my speed next time.

Heli of a day!

I took only helis to the Keizer field today.  Got in 8 flights!  Four on theX5 and four on the G500.  All went well, but i was nervous to fly helis after not flying them for about a month...I always think I am gonna go brain dead from lack of stick time.  Just been flying planes lots lately!  All went fine though, and i got to throw in a number of inverted hovers and inverted straight lines up at a safe altitude.  Nobody was at the field...I think they were bargain hunting at the annual Mc Minnville swap meet!

Intruder

Just two flights today at the Dallas field.   Nobody was there albeit decent conditions.  Actually the worst condition was lots of clumps of moss on the grass runway due to either a mower or ATV making turns.  I managed to miss them all on landings but decided not to risk the plane anymore and went home.  Takeoffs were easily accomplished off the mat runway.

Mild winter day!

Ahhhhh yes, love the winter days that are sunny and calm , and at least 40F to fly without hurting!  Got in six flights of the  Ministar and five on the Osiris yesterday at KRCA field.  Five other guys showed up for the good flying weather.  My planes flew fine.

For the Osiris, I added one more percent down elevator mixed when rudder is deflected for knife edge.  I like the looks of the four point rolls better.  This plane is so neutral that i need to avoid hitting too much down elevator when inverted, or the plane climbs when inverted.  Dang it flies well.  Yesterday i tried to fly slower like i see the good electric pattern guys fly on youtube.  More fun and more challenging to do so, with lots of throttle management in play.  I love it though because then much more activity happens closer and lower in a smaller flight window.  Well, that at least is the way i like it.  I dont like pattern that happens so high and away that it becomes too hard to see and disconnected from me.  I even try to keep my faster and heavy glow pattern planes closer.