Practice

Jer and I practiced our routine for the noon hour demo of WOK in two weeks.  Not bad.  Can only get better.  At least we did not midair each other!  The Imagine and small Extra make a good flying duo.  I had 3 flights with the Imagine today.  I took the Shoestring too, but managed to bring along the wrong wing tube for it, so could not assemble and fly it, lol.  It was a Summery day, great for flying!

Flight Log: 10/12/2011

Contrary to the forecast the weather today was very nice after a foggy start. Albeit cloudy, the sun also shone, and the wind was nearly dead. Flew my GP Extra 300SP. Oddly, I just did not feel comfy with the plane today and even landings were just not spot on...too bouncy, too slow, or just ugs. Got in four flights anyhow, and practiced the rolling circle. Tried some clockwise too, and the timing and stick input is just not there like the other direction. It will just take time and enough repetitions. I think perhaps the air was just too dead such that the plane had no feel to me. Rudy and Ty were there, flying his Ultrastick and Vanquish. Oh well, it was good to get out midweek since I cannot fly tomorrow when the weather is supposed to be nice...we are taking Tad out for his birthday. I was able to mow too.

Toledo Special and Extra 300SP

Not sure why more folks aren't flying these days, but it was a gorgeous day. Enjoyed flying the Toledo Special 3 flights and the Extra 300SP for 3 flights. I couldn't get the TS to run super smooth, but noticed air bubbles in the fuel line feeding the carb, so I am going to pull the tank to inspect all the lines. I suspect a cracked line in the tank. Still the plane flew well.

The Extra 300SP was my most unfave plane in my 14 plane squadron. I even offered to trade it to Joe yesterday. Then I flew it again today and by gosh I was very happy the way it grooved. I think maybe I need just a little more expo to soften center more than my other planes, and then it will be as smooth as them. I must be getting adapted to its landing needs, much like the TS due to them both having very stiff LG, and am getting the right speed and alpha to set them both down real soft and with little or no bouncing, MOST times. As of today, I don't feel like trading it anymore! That says a lot about it. Most unfave plane now? Actually, I can't pick one anymore!

Update that night: Upon pulling the tank out of the TS, found all tubing had softened extensively and the one to the clunk had broken midway such that the clunk was disconnected completely. Also short fuel lines at the vent and drain tube ends (purpose is to not have hard brass or alum tube ends scratching the fuel tank walls) were possibly cracked. The tubes were clear stock variety, so I replaced all with blue type, and must remember not to use stock fuel tubing anymore. This should make the engine run smooth like a top!

Happy Father's Day!

It was a great day of flying with sons Tad and Jeremy today.  Hardly anyone came out.  It was basically just us plus Mike and Brandon/Bruce.  I took my Intruder and Extra 300SP and had innumerable flights, about 4 on the Intruder and 6 on the Extra, burning up almost half a gallon of fuel!  Tad took his Kaos and 50cc Extra, but flew just the Kaos.  Jer brought his Extra 300 Gene Soucy.  We had a lot of excitement flying low passes in groups, sometimes Mike joined us.  I took a few flights alone with both planes.  That Intruder is just such a sweet pattern plane, and I got lots of satisfaction doing slow rolls about 50' off the deck.  It makes it easier to judge if the rolls are on a line when closer to the horizon.  Turns out my Extra 300SP is slightly slower than the Kaos and Gene Soucy, and my Intruder is slightly faster than them. 

We had a GREAT day all the way up to when on our last pass (not planned) we all pulled up after show center to climb vertically into stall turns.  We were all pretty close but I was on the right, when I pulled my throttle and stalled and proceeded back down.  Tad was doing it about the same time, but Jer was still going up.  Unfortunately they were on the same path and they met with much impact, tearing the wing off the Kaos and the left stab off the Gene Soucy.  I saw just the fuselage of the Kaos making like a javelin back to earth, and the wing fluttering like a leaf very slowly.  From the corner of my eyes I thought Jer was recovering and would make a safe landing.  I had to take my eyes off them and watch my own plane, and I landed quickly.  By then, it turns out Jer's was able to do a controlled crash into the tall grass on the north field, and Tad's wing was still spinning its slow path back to terra firma.  The good news is that the boys found their planes without endless searching.  The bad news is the Kaos fuse was totalled and the wing had major damage on one leading edge to back to the spar.  The Gene Soucy left stab was torn off completely and hanging on just by the control rod to the servo, the canopy was ripped off along with some fuse balsa and never found, and there are small cosmetic dings on various parts of the fuse.  All in all, a very nice save and she will fly again.  Tad has to get a new plane.  The boys took it well, just one of those unlucky things that happen now and then!

5x3

Went to fly today and due to the ugly outlook, nobody else came for 3 hours!  Now, I said 3 hours...does that tell you something?  Yes, I got to fly for almost three  hours ALONE because everyone else is so wimpy.  It was over 50F, very overcast, and very light winds straight out of the west, i.e. exactly down the runway for a rare occurrence!  Flew my Extra 300SP five times first, then switched to my SNAFU for another three.  Figuring nobody was coming, I wrapped up, and then busted out the lawn mower.  Of course in 5 minutes someone came to fly, haha.  Brandon and Bruce came...I told them to fly and just tell me when they were taking off and landing, but they elected to wait for me to finish.  When I was nearly done, Joe drove up.  He helped Brandon with an electric hotliner that he gave/sold them.  Unfortunately, the wind and rain developed and we all gave up and went home.  Well, I did, and I think everyone else did too. 

Note to self:  the Extra needed the transition screw opened about 1/4 turn to make a good transition from idle to any higher throttle setting.  WIthout this adjustment, the engine would die when throttle was increased.  In the last few weeks, this has also been true for the Imagine 50 using the same type engine (OS 70), and also the SNAFU with the OS 52.  Also, I leaned out the needle on the Extra for faster steady running and still good smoke.  My guess is that the temperature variations are causing the change in engine settings.

Flight Log: 01/22/2011

Blessed with 45F, sun, and no rain, I flew at the field for SIX hours today, from 10 til 4!!  What a great day, but only a few of us showed up - Mike, Joe, Bruce and Brandon.  A few other folks came just to watch.  I put in 3 flights on the GP Extra 300 SP, and about 7 on my SNAFU.  Had 2 deadsticks on the SNAFU.  Wind was light and variable from the North, so I took off and landed the SNAFU on the short N/S runway...that was a lot of fun.  Both planes were great and I did not forget how to fly over the 2.5 week layoff due to bad weather.  Now, the BIGGEST JOY of the day for me was when THREE BALD EAGLES came over the field low and in search of thermals.  Two seemed to be mates since they circled constantly with each other as they located thermals.  The 3rd kept a distance of maybe 100 yards, and later separated completely.  WHAT A THRILL!

Flight Log: 11/10/10

Went to the field to mow, and took one flight with the small Extra 300SP.  Needle was way off and the OS 70 Surpass II would start but die with any application of throttle.  It just needed richening about 1/3 turn and then she ran like a top again.  Flies well, but sorta heavy.  Did not do much, it was getting cold around 3:30PM and I also wanted to miss the traffic.  IF I was forced to sell any plane in my air force, this one would be first to go.