SUMMER is HERE!

I went to the field early again today because we are having a heat spell for Salem, OR!  It was 90F yesterday and more of the same today.  At least it was only around 70-75F when I first arrived.  I got to the field around 8:30, first and only one there for awhile.  Got in a flight before anyone else came, then Mike, Gene, Rick, Harvey, and Joe came in the next hour or so.  I flew my AW 50cc Ultimate on this cloudless day...the DLE-55 started and ran like a top, and the plane was smooth.  Got in three flights and then gave up as the temps got higher and my brow got wetter.  Used my timer set at 8minutes, and the timer went off on all three flights either when I was in the air or having just landed.  For some reason, the engine quit on the runway after rollout, twice.  It kept running after the first flight only.   It's a minor but curious issue, as long as it does not flameout in the air.

RV-8 and Star

Got to the field early to beat the heat today. Very nice and cool but sunny and bright.  Flew the RV-8 three times with Tad and his Kaos Two.  Also flew the Star for two packs.  Actually Tad flew it for most of one pack, had fun, and landed it very nicely too.  I helped Harvey with his electric Alpha by checking it out, and flying it for a short hop, trimming it in the air, and landing.  He did really fine flying it the rest of the day, and thanked me when he left for "babysitting" him, haha.  Tad also was a helpful resource by helping Ken check out and test fly his electric Sportster.  He flew it and landed it well.


Anthony, Quang and Tyra were there today too, and they flew their choppers again. Also flying today were Joe, Mike, Rudy, Chris, and Ashton.  The latter by the way had trouble the other day with his No Can Do...he was trying to get his Magnum 70 to run steady on that plane, and it was mounted inverted.  While inverted engines can be tuned to run fine inverted, it sure is easier to just avoid that often problematic issue by simply mounting the engine sideways.  I recommended that the other day, and Ashton had the engine side mounted today.  It ran great, and Ashton is a happy man again, lol.

Later we met Anthony, Quang and Tyra at the Brooks Heli Fun Fly and spent a couple hours together there.  Very entertaining to see good pilots and choppers fly.  And through all of this long day, little Tyra was an angel again...what a sweet baby girl!

Electrics

Flew just my electrics today...Star for two packs and 130X for two packs.  I thought I charged my 4 battery packs for the Star but was mistaken.  I got almost a 4.5 minute first flight when I noticed I did not have power for a go around to try another landing.  Landed just off the west end of the runway.  With my battery checker, the pack was down to zero remaining capacity, ouch.  I checked the other batts and they were around 30% so I evidently had not charged them, but put them in the tin for charged packs by mistake.  On to the 130X.  It had one good flight, then I noticed it was starting to want to just twirl around again, so I quit on the 2nd pack.  When I got home I checked the gears on both ends of the tail rotor rod.  The one at the tail that Tad replaced the other day still had a good D slot.  The one on the nose end did too, but with a little slop.  I had a new one that seemed snugger so I installed it.  Hovering inside the house, it seems ok.  I will take it to the field again and see if it is normal now.

I've come to the conclusion that my glow and gas planes are as reliable as my electrics, plus they sound nice and smell good, so I like them better.  For me, the electrics have their place as a filler or when I want to make a really quick trip to the field.

New Girl at the Field!

Had the PLEASURE of meeting Quang's daughter Tyra at the field today.  There is going to be competition between Tyra, Ariel, and Skylar to see who solos flying first, haha!  Tyra is a a real cutie, 4.5 months young, 16 pounds, and all angel.  She loves to smile at both Tad and me, and of course daddy and Uncle Anthony!  She was at the field at least 2 hours and never cried once.  Check out the new cutie at the field, haha.

So the day started pretty ugly and I debated a good hour at home about going, but finally decided I needed to try.  I took the Star and Shoestring 60 at around 8:30.  Sure enough it was raining on and off, but never real hard.  I flew the Star first in anticipation of being rained out quickly, and got in 2 flights before stopping for a passing shower.  I just tucked the plane under one of the big table.  Luckily the rain was straight down and not blowing horizontally.  As soon as it was just a light drizzle, I got the Star out for the the 3rd battery pack that I had with me.  The Star shines brightly...great little plane and seems to be dialed in now.

At this point I was considering whether to stay or leave, and decided to stay and set up the Shoestring.  As I set up my stuff at the table, Tad drove up...sure surprised me!  He set up fast since he brings his plane assembled in the car, and we got in 4 flights together over the next couple hours.  It was fun making lots of passes and trying to grease on the landings.

Soon after Tad arrived, Quang arrived with Tyra, and a little while later Anthony showed up too.

The new chopper is a Quang's 700 size GOBLIN by SAB, out of Italy.  Wow, it is futuristic looking, well-engineered, high quality, sounds good, flies good, and did I say EXPENSIVE!  So Tad loves it!

Anthony flew his 500 size Goblin super smoothly, and I think this is the size that interests Tad.  Quang says he had a minor crash on his 500 yesterday.

I should mention that on Quang's 2nd flight today, the engine cut out while inverted and in the middle of a 3D manuever.  He miraculously flipped her over and auto-rotated it with only a small thump upon landing, which caused no damage.  Further investigation revealed that the heat of the engine or current caused the wires to unsolder from the T connectors (Dean) at the battery!  The heat actually burned part of the carbon fiber frame near that connector too.  Wow! What a SAVE!!

Flight Log: 06/22/2013

I flew yesterday but forgot to post about it, and I also flew today.  Yesterday I flew the Star for all 4 battery packs, the RV-8 for two flights, and the Blade 130X for two packs.  All flew well, but I broke the tail skid on the 130X with just a light backwards hit on the mat.  The RV-8 was dialed in and on rails like a pattern plane, really scooting well, then slowing good with full flaps for touchdowns.

Today I flew the Star for all 4 of my packs as well as 3 more packs that Joe had with him!  I also let Anthony fly the Star for most of one my packs in between his flights of his Goblin 500.  He liked it.  Tried to fly my 130X but the tail would rotate around and I could not get it to hold still.  I think the rotor servo might be ill.  Also flew my Toledo Special 3 or 4 times; all is well with it.  In fact the Saito 82a was running very sweet today so the TS was quick.

The STAR is borne!

I bought this plane from Dick Smith after the Bad Boy Fun Fly on Satuday.  Why?  I had to have it because it is a smaller version of the Midwest Aerostar 20 that I built from a kit around 1990 to train the boys on.  Dick designed the Star which later became the Aerostar when Midwest bought the rights to it.  Dick scratch built this one, and I saw him fly it a couple times over the last few months.  I think the first time I saw it, I told Dick to consider me first if ever he wants to sell it.  He took 2nd in the fun fly with it, then later in the day he asked if I want to buy it then and there.  Got it for $100 with the servos, engine, and ESC in there.  He does beautiful work, just as nice as my builds from kits.  He is the consumate scratch builder, showing up with new designs at the field all the time.  I am going to take a Sharpie whenever I take the Star to the field, so that I can get him to autograph it somewhere for me, haha.

The Star uses the same 3s lipo batteries that I use in the Blade 400, so that is great.  Today, I took the plane to the field and flew all 4 batt packs, setting the clock on the xmitter to countdown from 5 minutes.  The plane flies great, very spritely.  Does decent rolls and holds inverted with enough down elevator.  Landings are easy peasy.  It's a joy to own and to fly this plane "again".  I like being able to take it in the car assembled, either in the xB or the truck.

C5 still alive

In prep for selling the Corvette, I washed it a few days ago, and today I took it to a nearby school to take some pics for the ad.  Here are a few of the pics:

Later in the day, I took a 30 minute drive in the Corvette...it still feels so powerful and it sounds like the American muscle car.  Still love that.  I do feel strong side forces when taking curves, therefore I slow down in them.  Steering takes more effort in curves too.  The Boxster can take curves faster without the same sense of side forces, and steering is effortless at ALL times.

UPDATE on June 19, 2013:  Happened to look at the charger on the Corvette today, and a red light was on...meaning trouble in the battery.  It should be yellow for charging or green for fully charged.  I got in the car and nothing was lit.  Battery was dead as a doorknob, which is weird because I just drove the car yesterday!  Anyway, I did a quick search on the internet, and got a decent batt from Autozone. It is a Duralast Gold for $115, so I called to be sure they had it in Keizer, then took off in the XB with the Optima to trade in.  Got the batt back home and it fits and everything seems to be running.  Car starts right up.  From discovery to good as gold took maybe one hour, haha.