Build Log for 2013

Completed the SAB Goblin 500 in December 2013.

Completed the AW Bravata on 07/15/2013.

Completed the Hangar 9 RV-8 on 03/21/2013.

Sold during the Winter of 2012/2013:
---Extra 330L with DL-50 and all servos to Joe for Blade 130x and $450
---Shoestring 46 with OS 70 Surpass II and all servos to Doug for $250
---Nearly finished Ki-84 Hayate (Frank) with Sierra air retracts, Saito 180 and all servos(except throttle and retract servo) to Joe for GP Super Skybolt and $400

Ultimate & Shoestring

On some days the flying just feels right, like an extension of yourself, kind of effortless and in rhythm with the brain and fingers.  Today was like that.  I flew the CG Ultimate and the Shoestring, three times each, and just enjoyed both immensely.  Both engines ran good enough, but it seemed the OS 70 Surpass II in the Shoestring started to go off tune on the last flight, probably due to the rising temperature...when I got home at 1:30PM it was 90F, and it was probably under 70F when I started flying at 8:30AM.  Still a great day of flying.

SNAFU almost FUBAR!

Flew the SNAFU twice today.  After landing for the 2nd flight, the plane got locked in left rudder as I taxied back.  Ok, broken rudder servo, or linkages?  Turns out all channels went dead except for throttle.  Further analysis concluded that my NimH battery was very low, only 2 to 3 volts!  Weird since I charged it this morning before going to the field.  In any case, I replaced it with a new 6V 2000 mAh NimH pack and it is ready to go again.  I was so very lucky that the battery browned out just after landing rather than in the AIR!

I also had the Shoestring with me, so I burned some holes in the sky with it on three fun flights.  Nothing like bank and yank with that thing!  Just looks cool with its rather odd looks.

Jug, Shoe, and Sundown

Well, I flew my P-47 Jug three times today in prep for Warbird Weekend three weeks from now.  I did not nose over once on takeoffs or landings.  I did overrun the west end of the runway on rollout of one landing, and luckily the Jug must have hopped over the leftover sod clumps, hence my LG did not get ripped off or bent back.  Whew.  I flew the Shoestring 4 times and it was a ball all day.  Had to quit after the 4th flight because I hippity hopped the landing, and at the end it just tripped over its wheel pants and ripped up the left one.  Had I flown again, I probably would have torn it off completely.  It won't be pretty anymore, but I can fix it.  Durn it.  And lastly, Tad had a great day getting to know the Sundowner 36 better and better, but on the "one more flight" at the end, he had a deadstick and planted it in the hardpan dirt of the JB sodfarm.  Too bad as it was a good flying airplane and the engine was breaking in better on each flight.  The Sundowner had a fast life of 2 whole days, arg!

Flight Log: 02/05/2012

3 flights on the CG Ultimate and 2 flights on the GP Shoestring (40 size) made my day today!  The planes were really grooving, and it was just a day where my timing was right and I felt in close touch and complete control of both planes.  Some days I feel out of touch with the planes, and today was one where I felt zeroed in on the planes...great feeling.  I did the usual pattern style maneuvers with the Ultimate.  The Shoestring was just a ball on those passes, pretty fast and low.  Crazy fun to bank left and yank up pretty hard for a tight turn, then roll out fast for the next leg.  Landings were good today on both planes.

I WON!

I flew today in my own contest, and I won handily, haha. Of course I won...I was the only competitor!! Flew my Yak and Shoestring for 3 flights each. Took out the Yak first and had 3 really smooth flights where I felt I was in complete command of the plane every second of every maneuver. Due to the threatening sky (which never did more than just that), I put the Yak away before bringing the Shoestring out. I didn't want two assembled planes to take apart if a downpour struck. Joe had his electric Sundowner and we had a blast "racing". We think the planes are very equal in speed, and had a blast with some very low, close, and fast passes from right to left today, due to the light breeze from the SE. I am liking that Shoe more and more due to its speed, and rock solid handling. Landings still have to be just right to avoid bounces on the stiff LG. I think we had 3 flights together.

Joe also flew a plane we haven't seen in a couple years, his Graupner Electro Kadet. Very nice looking and flying plane that seems real suited for funflys! We helped Brandon and Bruce with their P-47, and Joe maidened it for them. I helped Harvey bring in his electric Funster when just after he took off, he decided the heavy overcast and hazy sky was making it too hard to see more than a black silhoutte of the plane. It flies and lands very nicely. Mike and Tyler showed up when I was nearly pau.

Flight Log

On Saturday, I flew my Apache, CG Ultimate, and Shoestring. All went well. First off the Apache had two long flights. The first one was about 10 minutes, the other perhaps as long, but the amazing thing on that one was that I apparently launched it right into a boomer thermal. I swear that in a minute, the Apache was as high as I can comfortably see the plane...way way way up!

I was anxious to try the Shoe because I added another ounce of lead under the stab to move the CG back about 1cm. This was done to slow the plane on landing, and it worked. I landed it easily today on both flights with NO flaperons which I normally use for this plane. The CG is on or nearly on the rearmost CG location recommended in the manual. Interestingly the plane did not need any elev trim change in the air!

The CG Ultimate flew great, like it always does. 3 flights on that one. Will fly the AW Ultimate tomorrow!

Flight Log: 07/09/2011

Great weather made for great flying today! Took the Yak-54 and Shoestring out to stretch their wings. Had 4 flights on the Yak and 3 on the Shoe. All were great with no misfortunes. Almost had a mid air with Jeremy and his Extra 300. I had right of way on a low pass over the runway because I was first over the runway and I have the slower plane. I was going to flip to inverted at show center, and made it to KE when Jer almost ran through me. You can take the same line as someone else before you only if they are in front AND FASTER. You cannot take the same line when you are much faster and you are behind. YIKES! Luckily I did not get hit, but it was total shock and my brain fortunately recovered the plane in KE. Had a first landing with the Shoestring that was much too bouncy, but made adjustments and had great landings on the following two flights.

We had two maiden flights today. Bob Ross maidened a new Ultrastick 40 but had a deadstick then floated the plane into a pit table and totaled the left wing and broke the fuse at the LE of the stab. OUCH. Good thing nobody was pitted at that table! Quang maidened his electric Sundowner 36. It has small wheels and had a hard time taking off the runway, but once up, Zoom Zoom Zoom! That is one slippery little devil that seemed as fast as his prop jets! It came in hot but he made it safely and nicely down on the runway.

An Ultimate Day!

Man it was gorgeous out, a bit on the windier side with 10mph gusts, but a very great day to be had at the field.  Flew my CG Ultimate 4 flights and the Shoestring twice.  All flights were excellent.  The Shoe handled fine on the ground today, and finer in the air.  Landings were ok, but not buttery.  The Ultimate showed me again why it is one of my favorite planes.  Tad's AW Extra just would not start today, so it was a bummer.  Nevertheless he stayed a long time, and talked a lot with Quang.  For the first time, Quang flew a glow plane at our field...the GP Extra 300SP with an OS 55AX.  It was very fast, and he showed he can fly planes as well as his choppers.  He likes fast and low, and constant activity.

Flight Log: 04/30/2011

A great day for flying was welcomed by all.  I took out my T-28 with reattached LG doors, and my Shoestring.  Been flying the T-28 since almost the maiden without LG doors because my method of attaching the doors to the struts AND the wing was terrible.  When the plane rolled, the struts moved about, and tore the doors off the wing.  Now the doors are attached solely to the struts and are free to move independent of the wing.  It works, as today the doors stayed on.  The only fault is I should bevel the aft top corner of the doors so that they can rotate more to the back.  The covering on the wing is dented or torn where the corner hit it, but it is not enough for me to repair it yet, so that is good news.  The Shoe flew well, and the flaperons helped in landing.  I think I will add a little more flap deflection to slow the plane a little more.  I had probs on one landing, just not getting down in time on our short runway.  The OS 70 Surpass II on the Shoe seems to be finding its legs because I do believe the plane is getting faster!  In all, I think I had 6+ flights with the T-28, and 4 with the Shoe.  I was at the field around 9AM-3PM, hyuk, hyuk.

Tad flew his big Extra, with repaired LG and left wheel pant.  AND also with the a new NGK CM6 spark plug that I gave him.  He had been using the stock plug till now, and was experiencing starting problems every single time.  He asked before the first start today, if I thought the new plug would make a difference, to which I said for sure or something to that effect.  Wham bang thank you Mam, the priming resulted in a pop in just a few flips of the prop, then the engine started on the first flip after choke was off!  The DLE-55 seemed to run better at idle and top end and everything in between.  :)

Joe flew his small Ultra Stick and his Reactor, the latter sold to Bruce later in the day for a mere $100 with a nearly new Magnum 80FS, all servos, and an airframe that looks still new!  Such a DEAL!  MIke flew his new Super Stearman and had some tuning issues with the DLE-30, but the plane flew great.  Bob Ross flew his Ultra Stick and never got his TWM Texan up due to engine problems.  Quang showed up late and showed his super skills with his choppers. 

Tomorrow's weather forecast is for even BETTER weather than today...maybe even 70F!

Flight Log: 01/23/2011

The forecast was off, and the weather was not as good as yesterday, BUT still very acceptable at about 44F, calm air, and heavy overcast.  It was cool, with one hand warmer needed, but not uncomfortable at all.  Jer and Joe showed up around 1PM.  Mike was there, and very late were Dale, Blake, and Jim.  I was there from 11:30 till 4PM.  Another great day of flights, with 3 on the Shoestring and about 5 on the Imagine.  Burning up the 15%!  The Shoe was great and the beast has been tamed.  It ground handles fine now with the MAS prop and a little toe-in added to the main gear.  Landings are much better speedwise with the flaperon deflection of about 3/8" and a little up coupled to counteract the pitch down caused by the flaperon.  Still cannot get rid of hops on the landings due to the very stiff LG, which continue to slightly delam...piece of JUNK.  Speed in the air is pretty quick, but I did not build it for all out speed.  I like it as a fast sport plane, which works out perfecto to me! Another great day at the field.