Imagine and Stinger II

With the YS63 replaced in the Stinger II,  I had high hopes it would fly well.  Well, I couldn't get the engine to run well.  I tried all manner of high and low needle valve settings and nothing worked.  At least the engine started, but most often as I applied throttle, the engine would just overload, sputter, and die at about the half throttle point.  I even tried a different glow plug that seemed hotter.  No dice!  I gave up after fiddling with it too many times.  On the other hand the Imagine 50 ran and flew well, and I am glad nobody bought it when I had it up for sale, haha!  Still grooves well, but comes in hotter than I remember.  It can snap if too much elevator is applied at low speed. I witnessed it once today when high enough to recover.  Re the the Stinger, I might switch to an OS 70 Surpass II or an OS 46LA , both of which I have.  I am not so impressed with the two YS 63 engines that I have tried in the Stinger.  Interestingly, the first one ran well and made the Stinger a missle at first, but it has gradually become a dud and I have no idea why.

Gorgeous Weather

Wow, after 10 days of not flying, I had to fly today.  Took my Imagine 50 and Toledo Special out on a special day of nearly 42F when I got there to nearly 60F when I left for home, cloudy skies becoming sunny blue, and no wind.  Flew each four times, and I might have got five on the Imagine 50.  Great flights, engines purred, smooth landings for the most part.  OS 70 Surpass II in the Imagine sounds like it might need a bearing job soon.  Bob R flew his Pulse, Al was there with Twist and Escapade, Mike with Uproar and chrome Comanche, Doug B with his T-34, and even Ashton flew his Uproar today.  Later Joe arrived with his new electrified ZEN 90.  Oo la lah!  Flew great, but flights were short on those huge battery packs for some reason.   With only 2 packs, he did not get to fly much.  He needs to find at least a couple more for an honest day of flying the ZEN.  Joe had an extreme makeover...having cut his ponytail off AND arriving in a new 09 Scion TC.  That thing can haul big planes, maybe larger than his now sold Saab Viggen, which he said was starting to make sounds.  Having exhausted myself flying, I did some therapy mowing of the field since the last time was when I did it 10 days ago.

27 days later...

I finally got to fly again after a dismal stretch of days either too cold, too rainy, too foggy, or too occupied with another part of life.  Today was a surprise with less wind and higher temperature than forecasts showed.  It was nearly dead calm, enabling me to takeoff and land from all directions, which I did for practice.  And it was about 50F when I arrived at the field.  NOBODY else was there from around 10:30 till 12:30.  Feeling somewhat rusty, I took the reliable SNAFU and also the Imagine 50.  I got in 4 flights on the SNAFU and 3 on the Imagine.  Both flew well and the engines ran great.  Couldn't ask for more except company!  Managed not to dumb thumb today after the long layoff, and it felt satisfying to get out and then return with everything still in flyable condition.

3 Days of Flight

After being in LV for five days, I sure needed to go flying.  On Friday, I took my Toledo Special and had a few flights with it, all smooth as glass.  On Saturday, I took out the Imagine 50 and had 5 flights with it, very smooth like butter.  And today I took the Intruder out and had 4 flights, smooth as grease!  Don't ask which is smoothest...glass, butter, or grease, I just know all three flew real graceful and in harmony with my brain and fingers.  Enjoyed it immensely, and had no mishaps.

On Saturday, my three sons flew too, and made it a real nice experience.  Unfortunately Alex slightly cartwheeled his plane on his first landing, jarring his nose gear loose, breaking the stock 3-blade prop, and cracking some of the fuselage wood that holds the tail group on.  That ended flying the Alpha 40 anymore for the day.  Later though, he and Tad got to fly Rudy's electric mini Ultra Stick, and had a ball with it.  It looks like Alex is already ready to advance to something beyond a high wing trainer.  At home in the afternoon, Alex and I repaired the Alpha 40 and it is ready to fly again.

I flew my Apache DLG on Sat and Sun too.  Caught small thermals for 5 minute flights a couple times on both days.

Valley Challenge KRCA fly-off

Today we flew the KRCA club only fly-off for the Valley Challenge.  The events dreamed up by Bob were heavy on being able to time yourself either on the ground or in the air.  Pretty hard to do, for me anyhow.  I consistently ended my tasks over a minute early, thus incurring negative points...one for each second off the target time.  Everyone started with 1600 points and Bob limited points loss to 400 per each of the four tasks.    I thought I did worse, but ended up with about 1395 points, Brandon had about 1470, and Joe about 1570. I sort of think both had some point deductions that were somehow missed...but maybe I benefited equally...that is my hope.  I know for sure Joe left the ground on a taxi event, when his plane lifted off and cartwheeled which is a 50 point deduction, but his total points do not reflect that.  In any case, I made it to the finals in two weeks.  I will practice the events to improve my scores.  Others who competed today were Rudy (I think he was very close in score to me), Ashton, Bob Ross, Ron, and Mike Florea.  BTW it was a scorcher.  Temps were probably near 70F when we started and near 95F when we quit.  I flew the SNAFU, with Imagine 50 as backup (not needed today).

WOK 2012

My club, the Keizer RC Association (KRCA), held our annual Wings Over Keizer (WOK) event today.  Great weather, great turnout, great FUN!  Flew my Toledo Special and Imagine 50 at the event.  I think I had two flights with the Imagine during the 2 hours of basically open flying with 4 planes in the air almost all the time, and one flight with the TS during that period.  Then I flew the Imagine with Jeremy and his Extra 300SP for our duo performance during the demo hour from noon till 1PM.  I think we did pretty good and the main thing is we did not midair each other, haha.  Flew the TS one more time after the formal event was concluded.  Great turnout of spectators...I counted about 70 people there at one time.  Probably had 200 at least for the whole event.

Flight Log: 07/08/12

Flew the Toledo Special 3 times and the Imagine twice today, also the Showtime once.  It was kind of an off day for me, timing wise, so practice for the duo routine with Jer was limited and will be continued next weekend maybe.  Flying was still fun with all the planes!  Tad joined us again with his big Extra and made two nice flights.  Temp hit 80F by noon and everyone was getting tired early!

BTW Jeremy filmed the TS a bit with my camera, and here is the vid that I posted on You Tube:

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!

Fathers Day 2012. June 17th

Flew the SNAFU about 4 times, and the Imagine 50 three times today.  Very nice flying weather with wind mostly down the runway from the West!  What a novelty, not having a strong crosswind.  Jer and Tad came to spend time with me on this Fathers Day.  :)  While I had the Blade 400 with me, I never got around to fly it before the wind increased, and I was fatigued anyway.

Warm and Sunny

It was about 60F when we went out to fly just after 8AM today.  WOW, what great weather.  JB also thought so, and for the first time I can remember, they were working on a Sunday!  Luckily they were done harvesting their two twin trailer loads of sod by just around 10AM, and all of us could go about our important business....of flying, lol.  I flew my Imagine 50 four times, and my Sbach once.  I did not want to fly it again because it is still a bit tail heavy even after adding 4oz of lead on the engine box, and I couldn't figure out how to program a mix to feed up when left rudder (during right KE) is applied.  The plane tucks to the LG on right KE, but for some reason not left KE.  At least the plane sank a little on inverted flight, did not rise anymore, so the CG is getting closer to where it ought to be.  The DLE-30 seemed to run leaner today, probably rightly so due to the much warmer weather of 75F+?  Started up and ran great.  No fiddling with the needles yet!

Mike debuted his September Fury.  The OS 155FS sounds great.  Unfortunately the plane constantly tipped on its nose during any taxi efforts on the grass.  Either the LG need to be tilted forward and/or the CG needs to be moved more aft.  Also larger wheels might help reduce rolling effort.  In any case, it is a very handsome warbird!

Quang flew his large nitro chopper like a pro, earning applause when done with his last flight.  He is learning and practicing new tricks, and is always totally entertaining.  Anthony was very kind to gift me 3 older LiPo packs for my new Blade 400 3D chopper.  I don't need to buy any more, with 4 for that chopper now.   Jeremy seems to have got the Blade trimmed out well with my DX6i transmitter, and is liking it a lot, proclaiming it fit for me to learn on, lol.  I hope not to prang it on the first attempt.

Flight Log: 04/21/2012

After mowing and creating clumps of grass everywhere, I flew my Imagine 50 about 3 times on Saturday.  That plane is flying great and making me look good.  It does a nice pattern then floats in for light landings.  Jeremy flew the Extra 300 SP that I gave him, for the first time with his own transmitter.  Seems dialed in already and he is very happy to have the plane.  He's going to make it fly better than I ever did.  Steve Ellison came out with something else to sell...a like new E-Flite Blade 400 3D.  Couldn't help myself, so I bought it, and then Jer said he would buy it for my birthday gift.  Great deal at just $120.  Online I found one place still selling it for $280.  The chopper has just been superseded by a 450.

Sbach 342 Maiden!

It was a fine day of weather to maiden the Pilot 73" Sbach 342!  All went well and pictures will be added soon.  The DLE-30 started and ran perfectly fine (might be a wee bit rich but not much to worry about)...it took about 30 flips to get the first cough from the engine with throttle full and choke on.  After that it took 7 flips with throttle at idle and choke off to start and stay running.  After just one lap down the runway for ground handling check, I took off into the wind.  The plane was airborne before I reached full throttle, even with the throttle curve I programmed in to lessen throttle response at the low end, and have some response at the top end of the  stick movement.  Once in the air, the plane needed two clicks up and one click right to fly straight and level.  It was real sensitive on elevator.  Sure enough when I went inverted, the plane climbed.  On the second flight with the batteries moved about as far forward as I could get them, the plane was still tail heavy.  On the ground after the 2nd flight, I checked and found elevator to be slightly down.  This also explains why the plane tucks hard to the LG in knife edge.  I am going to add weight to the engine box, perhaps about 3 ounces, for the next flights.

I also flew the Imagine 50 three times today, and had a blast with it again.  It's so stable for pattern type flying.  The wide speed envelope makes it fun for just slowing to a crawl, and for landing lightly.  Great fun.

To top the day off, a beautiful bald eagle passed low over the pit area and runway, from north to south as it thermaled ever higher.  When it was over us, it was fairly low and its white head and tail shone brightly for all to admire.  Utterly breathtaking.   Luckily Tad was there and it was his very first bald eagle sighting!  Jer was there too and was equally enthralled.  What a GREAT DAY!

EXCEPTION:  Jer rekitted his Stinger 40 when he just lost perspective and went blank.  No explanation other than the sad picture is needed.

Flight Log: 03/07/2012

VERY NICE weather today, near 40F when I went out, but around 50F when I flew.  Mowed the field first, then took the Imagine 50 up for a couple flights.  Quit on the 2nd flight when I saw a big bird near my plane and realized it was a BALD EAGLE!!  Huge thing with a long wingspan, white head and tail.  Much different shape than a turkey buzzard or hawk.  I landed and just watched the eagle thermal higher and then dart off to the north.  The Imagine flew well today, but does sound like the OS 70 Surpass II is developing a tractor like sound.  I think a bearing is wearing out in it.  Mike was there and he divulged his secret project to me, finally, haha.  Gonna be a winner for sure!

Flight Log: 11/06/2011

Almost forgot to log in my flights for Sunday! Looked questionable but I went to the field, and it was cool at first, but got to 50F and with no wind to speak of, it was comfortable. While I busted out a hand warmer, I hardly needed it. Flew the Imagine 50 four times, and the Toledo Special 3 times. Both were extremely happy in the cooler,denser air. They had more speed and lift than usual. Normal suspects were there too...Anthony, Bob Ross, Mike, Bruce and Brandon, and Joe. Watched Joe fly 3 new planes...Evader, Hots, and Giles 3D. All flew well. Glad to see his air force is growing again. For awhile he had very little that was airworthy to fly! Hand launched the Evader with the bungee for Joe...very effective and controllable. Neato!!

Flight Log: 09/29/2011

Took the Imagine out for some stick time before our Valley Challenge Fly Off against the other two RC clubs on Saturday at our field. Just practiced a whole lot of landings, touch and go's, and general flying so that the plane feels comfortable on Saturday. I think I had 3 flights with it. Since the SNAFU will be the backup, I took it and had a flight with it too, and just had fun doing crosswind landings on the short runway.

Rudy brought out his new Vanquish electric pattern plane for help to maiden it. After checking all the controls (rudder was opposite), having Rudy increase rudder and elevator throws, and input expo on all flight surfaces, I maidened the bird. Flies really straight as an arrow, and quite quick but not super fast. Still has plenty of power for sustained vertical without struggling to steer it straight up. He will love it when he can fly it. He tried a flight with it himself, but said it was too fast and landed after one circle within maybe 30 seconds, haha. Landed it off the runway on the sod farm, with a flip on its back at the end, but there was zero damage.

KRCA Valley Challenge

On Oct 1, we will have the challenge pitting the top three finishers in each club's individual challenge contest against each other. Today we held the KRCA individual contest. Somehow I lucked out and came out on top, with 900 of a possible 1000 points. Ron finished 2nd with 800, and Joe beat out Jer in a tie-breaker fly off for 3rd place, both with 700. The Imagine 50 was pretty well suited to the 4 tasks we flew in 4 separate flights. At first I wished I had brought the SNAFU, but it turns out it could have been too slow for the timed flight through the gates at each end of the runway. I believe my only 100 pt deduction came for flying too fast on Task 2, where I had to complete two passes through the gates in 4 seconds each. The first pass was 3.8 seconds, the second was between 4 and 5 seconds, AOK. Anything can happen in the finals with different weather and wind conditions. We had about a 5mph crosswind out of the North today, and about 90F by the time we ended around 1PM. I will add a scan of the task directions given us at the pilot's briefing.

Pattern Workshop on Loops!

Don't get excited.  I think it was a bust.  Mike offered a workshop on tips for doing better loops to be held immediately after the June 20 monthly meeting.  We had 11 pilots at the meeting.  Half the guys left right after it ended.  Mike talked about doing the loop properly and how it should look, but he did not get into tips on how to do it.  He asked me to fly and show how two consecutive loops might look, so I did so with the Imagine 50.  They looked pretty decent and the guys complimented me on them.  They were being nice or didn't know what to look for.  I had a short presentation on tips but did not give it, nor was asked to.  I guess I thought the interest was not there.  Only Ron flew and attempted a loop with his bipe after I demo'ed, so that showed me nobody really cares about improving, or they just wanted to get home already.  THAT is really ok because we all just wanna have FUN, and nobody wants to be critiqued by others.  I flew the Imagine for a full flight as others packed it in, then I too packed and departed. 

Pooped OUT?

Guess the FunFly yesterday took too much out of most of the guys, lol.  Today only a few showed up besides me...Joe, Mike, and Brandon/Bruce.  Bob Ross was there early, and packing it up when I got there around 9AM!  That's Bob, opens up the field for us on the weekends.  Took my Imagine 50 and Shoestring today, but on my way to the field I realized I forgot the wing tube for the Shoe.  Not wanting to turn back, I decided that I was tired anyhow, and that the Imagine would be sufficient.  I was right.  I got in four great flights with the Imagine and went home by 12:45PM.  We flew out in the sod farm as the sprinkler was still parked on the east end of our runway.  The Imagine was great.  I did a high number of 4pt and slow rolls today with it, and also tried a few 8pt rolls.  Those are kinda scary, but I am feeling more comfortable doing them already.  Gonna get that perfected too.  Just another great day at the KRCA field!

Imagine!

After dropping Sandy and Clay at PDX at 6:50AM, I drove back home and took an hour nap, then headed out to fly the Imagine 50.  Got in 4 flights in around 10MPH wind directly out of the SOUTH for a change.  That is still a crosswind but from the opposite direction of the usual.  Hardly anyone showed up due to the wind and threatening clouds.  Mike had his Uproar and Super Sportster.  Bruce and Brandon had the Sig Somethin Extra.  Joe showed up as I was packing it in for the day so that I would get home quickly to watch Kimi.  The Imagine flew great in the wind, no probs.  Usual stuff...slow and 4pt rolls, stall turns, Cubans and reversed Cubans.  Practiced some landings from the west.  It was a good 2 hours at the field.

Busy Day at the Field!

Yesterday was a beautiful flying day with light wind changing directions all the time, over 45F, and partly sunny skies!  That brought out a lot of flyers...me, Tad, Jer, Dean, Mike, Joe, Bob Ross, Anthony, Quang, and the Kudna cousins.  That's the most we've had out at once this year.  It was good to see.  I took my SNAFU and Imagine 50 out, putting in at least 4 flights on each.  I think I burned almost 1/3 gal of fuel!  Joe and I flew the SNAFU and Reactor, doing some lowest and slowest flybys for much entertainment and fun, haha.  Tad flew his AW Extra 300, and Jer flew his Extra.  One stack on his Pitts muffler fell off in midair...which Brandon observed.  He has sharp eyes.  Rachel found it in the field on the ensuing hunt!  Needle in the haystack!! 

Worst news of the day was that Dean totalled his AW Edge 540 due to unknown reasons.  He said the radio did not respond.  A gang of us went out to gather the shards in bags.  It is definitely not repairable.

Tad's plane flew fine but did not start easily.  The engine often barks then dies after the prop flip.  He will check out adjustments to the two adjustment screws.  Mike and Joe suggested filling the hole in the butterfly so that the engine will suck gas better.  Other than that, the plane flew great and sounded quieter and smoother with the new Mezjlik prop on it.  Tad still needs to program some down elevator when in either KE...the plane likes to fly to the canopy when top rudder is given.

This was the first time for Jer and Tad to meet Quang, who is a highly skilled RC helicopter pilot.  Quang brought along a new electric chopper, very large like his 90 size nitro one.  This new one is flybarless!  Anyway, he put on a couple very incredible flights with it that thoroughly impressed Jer and Tad, and all the rest of us as well.  Also, he and Anthony brought their electric Funjets that wowed us with crazy quick speed.  Jer flew Anthony's 2 jets, the old and the newer stiffer and heavier one that seems to be even quicker than his older version.

It was a good day with lots of good company and a wide variety of planes to entertain all!  I was at the field from around 9:30 till 2:30PM!