FLight log: 04/26/2016

I forgot to make a blog entry for flying this Tuesday.  I had 4 flights of the X5, 3 of the 7HV, and 3 with the Sbach.  I really wanted to see the latter fly well after the changes to the throttle servo, and gas tank internal tubes.  All worked well with just a slight throttle trim adjustment.  No deadsticks or idiosynchrocies of any kind with the engine and fuel system.  The 3 flights were each the full 10 minutes!  Great morning of flying, with nobody else there.

G500 G630 TS

Looks like a crazy code in that title!  Yesterday,  I flew the Goblin 500 4 times, then the Goblin 630 3 times, and finished with 2 flights of the Toledo Special.  Great day again, and the norm seems to be that nobody else shows up.  JB was there with one machine vacuuming the sodfarm but it was no big deal with the long circuits the tractor took across the field and back.  Easy to take off and land the TS when the tractor was away.  Made heli progress in inverted flight, slow progress, but good.  I am able to keep the heli at one altitude better, and doing many pyros, full or partial and coming out in a different direction.  Also am recovering to upright with forward, back, and side flips.  It's giving me practice in coming out of forward inverted flight with slower rolls too, which helps to construct a Cuban 8 or Immelman turn later.

Gobbies

Flew my G500 first for 4 flights, then the 630 for 3.  10 packs again.  Did not fly the Sbach due to JB mower and vac on the field.  Perfect weather...cool but not cold, partly sunny, calm, over 60F.  Nobody else showed up while I was there!

Sbach fix

Got into the Sbach tank today to analyze the deadstick during yesterday's flight.

You can't tell but the old tubes that are dirty are all soft like gummy worms!  Also each connection between tigon tube and brass tube was dissolved and those two tubes plus the filter were loose in the tank, lol.  That explains the deadstick due to lack of fuel feed to the DLE-30  engine.  It also explains why gas would not defuel below the tank stopper level.  All should be fine now, for another couple years, haha.  I am anxious to fly the plane again!

Sbach aches

Rats, took the Sbach out because it was so fun the last time!  About 5 minutes into the first flight, the engine quit and I had to deadstick into the sod farm just off the runway.  After I got the canopy off, I could see that the throttle servo was not moving on command, but it was clicking, so apparently the gears are broken inside.  I have not opened it yet, but replaced it with a new servo at home.  These planes need maintenance now and then...I have noticed the nylon wing bolt on one wing slips at full insertion.  I fly anyway because it would take lots to make the whole bolt back out.  But I found replacements in my spares at home, and have replaced both wing bolts.  Next up is the gas did not fully empty from the fuel tank while at the field.  It normally does.  I tested filling another plane and defueling it at home...the tank fully empties.  Something is wrong in the Sbach fuel tank or lines and will need to be checked before taking the plane out again, rats again.

Before flying the Sbach, I took my heli flights. I got in 4 flights on the X5 and 3 on the 7HV...a total of 10 packs again.  Great flying again, but I did one dumb thumb on the 7HV.  I hit top rudder while doing a roll...that is a no no.  I meant to do negative pitch while inverted, but got into my airplane brain and made the mistake.  I quickly saw the heli tail angle out and recovered.  YIKES!

Sbach back!

First flew my G500 for 4 flights, followed by the 7HV for 3...that consumed 10 packs.  Nobody at the field the whole time I flew my helis.  Good stuff today, making progress with inverted.  Flipped upside down, hovered, moved forward, pyro 180, then move forward again.  Loving this stuff, some progress finally.  It is all due to good vision.

Then I moved over to the big bird area near the shed, and assembled my Sbach.  With some slight doubts, I tried to start the DLE-30.  Doubts due to not flying the plane in 13 months!  Happily, the engine coughed after about 30 flips.  Then with choke off, it started up and idled after just 5 flips.  Ran fine all day, with no flameouts, even as I did some tall stall turns, and a long flat spin.  This plane flew better today than I recall it having such capabilities.  Enjoyed doing lots of spins, avalanches, rolls of various sorts, stall turns, and inverted flying.  Then it slowed down to a crawl for landings.  Had two nice flights and called it a very good and satisfying day!

Flight log: 04/16/2016

Got to fly my Gaui X5 and Goblin 500 for 4 flights each today.  Good fun per usual.  Had my Toledo Special too, but did not fly it due to JB vac on the field, durn it.  Other guys flew but I am tired of telling folks rules, let em do what they want.  Yes I flew the helis, but always over the north field unless the vac was way out of sight.  The planes fly over the south field whenever they want IMHO.