Flight log for many days

July 5:  2 flights of Toledo Special with the new aluminum spinner provided by don....good flights.  Definitely the front bearing is loosening up and causing the beginnings of the tractor sound.  Gonna fly it til it cries to be replaced!

July 6:  Warbird Day at the Wingdingers!  3 flights of the P-47 and one with the Val.  Oh so fun!  Best flight was my single flight of the Val in tandem with Bob’s blue nose P-51.  We had so much fun flying formation and zipping fast low passes.  A couple guys told me that was the best entertainment of the day.

July 7:   I arrived first...flew the X5 twice and 7HV thrice, plus the Starstream four times.  It’s a funny lil fun plane that flies kinda touchy yet totally spirited and controllable.   I like it lots but just wish the  3s 2200 packs would provide longer flight times than 3.5 minutes!

 Tad flew his Avanti three times, twice with Quang and his Avanti.  They might awesome closeby, low, and fast passes over the runway.  Actually Quang was too close, lol, but all went well.  Those jets took off in nay 2/3 of the grass runway.  They landed well too, but the grass makes good brakes.  Might be tough to stop on a smooth surfaces runway.

Been flying!

Just been too lazy to blog!  Flew today at Dallas field.  Got the Giles 202 up twice for fine flights.  I even got applause after the second flight, lol.  The plane flew great, and the OS 160 ran strong.  It started by hand for the first flight, but would not do so for the second one, so i borrowed Mike’s strong Align starter and got her going easily.

On Sunday, I flew at the Keizer field, doing four flights on the Aerostar 40F, and two on the Aerostar 76.  Great day for flying after the JB workers completed their harvest for the morning.  Three guys crashed their planes today, totaling all three aircraft.  Ted went first and spun his mini Stick all the way to the ground.  Ryan was next with a nice new MXR, or whatever it is called.  Overpowered and with higher wing loading than his previous planes, he did not fly it well.  It ended in a million little pieces also from a spin, but i believe this one was caused by a stall in a high banked turn...it spun all the way to the ground too.  And finally Mike maidened his new Phoenix Sbach all the way into a full rekit after a nice takeoff with his aileron controls reversed!  Shouldn’t happen to an experienced guy like him.  Oh well, after seeing these three crashes, Don, Dave, and I said we quit for the day, lol.  Oh, i got a lot of exercise walking out to help the pilots retrieve all three planes.

On Saturday it was my birthday!  I flew the Aerostar 40F for five packs and the Starstream low winger for four.

Two good flying days in a row!

I flew yesterday...the only one there likely due to slight winds, lol.  Got in three flights with new 3000 packs on the Aerostar 76, and four flights on the Starstreak.  These were the maiden flights for the Starstreak.  Found it to be passable on power with 3s packs, but it could use 4s for more fun.  I do like its stance on take off and landings...reminds me of an F-18.

Today I flew its low wing brother, which i call the Starstream.  Took it up four times and i must say the thing is growing on me the more i fly it.  Very quick, maneuverable, and light on its wings and the landings.

Also flew the Shoestring 60 twice and loved it.  Engine ran good, and it felt like a warbird...i made many low passes at full throttle.  Not super fast but very enjoyable!

Tues and Wed flying

Yesterday was fogless.  Flew the Toledo Special twice, and the Starstream 4 times.  Good day with wind slowly building.  Today I flew the Shoestring 60 once and the RV-4 twice.  Fogless at first, then light fog blew in from the East where the river is.  Still a good day of flying with wind again slowly building.  I like the bunch of nuts flying at the Dallas field.  They all fly glow and/or gas, very little electric, and they sure are a quick witted bunch.  They make me laugh a lot!

Fog lifted

It has been raining four days in a row, so my last flying was a full week ago!  Got to the field today to find Don and Walt still in their trucks.  It was foggy but not pea soup.  Plenty of room for my Starstream electric.  It is light and bright yellow, so it was plenty visible with close-in flying .  Ran four packs through it.  After just a little more bsing with Joe and Don, I got the Yak-54 out and ready to go.  Flew two flights with fog disappearing quick.  The OS120 Surpass III ran splendidly and powered the plane through the variety of aerobatics nicely.  A very good  flying day.  Not even cold by the way.  The other guys did not fly due to the fog and limited time they had.

Today i flew the G500 three times, 7HV three times and the Starstream four times.  Felt apprehensive and scared really as i flew the helis because it just felt foreign...I simply am not flying helis enough to stay natural.  I depended on muscle memory but just didnt think it came too natural...like i needed to think, which is bad!  Was more relaxed by the last couple flight on the 7HV.  The Starstream felt good and i enjoyed flying it today.

Big Beautiful Bravata

Yay, the Bravata took to the air again!  It ran okay, not great, but never died in the air, so i was content.  Needs a lil leaning on high and low needles, but still flew nice.  The new Jtec muffler seems to still be attached securely.  Now that i think of it, the new muffler has a much skinnier can than the previous one from Valley View RC, so that likely caused the change in tuning.  I got in three nice long flights with the Bravata, with many loops, rolls, stall turns, low circles, and flap descents and landings.  Very fun flying plane, and i will take it to Dallas again soon so that Don can see it fly.

Yesterday before the grandkids came over, i went to krca to fly.  Got in five flights on the Aerostar 40F and two on the Starstream... all good!  The 40F is just a pussycat to fly.  Mowed the runway afterwards.

Catchup catchup catchup!

Been a lazy man and haven't been posting my flight days.  So many days have gone by that I cannot recount exactly, but this will have to serve as a catchup to fill the time between July 14 and today, August 8!  I have been flying lots.  Cousin Ron visited July 21-31 and I was flying helis lots in prep for that visit.  Then he came and we flew for 8 out of the 9 mornings available to us for flying.  Up at dawn, out at the field by 7:15 every day!  Kinda grueling at first but then just lots of fun, lol!  Then after he left, I was in the habit of getting out there so early and here we are over a week later, and I have gone to fly probably everyday but two since he left.  Been doing much with helis, flying all of my heli fleet while Ron visited.  Typically I flew about 5 or 6 heli flights everyday, and then another few plane flights.  Tad came out two days of Ron's visit, Jer two too, and Quang also two, but not all the same two days for each of them, except once.  Those days when the boys played with us, we flew Battle Wings like crazy and just had a ball.  Many midairs were experienced, and some videoed by Jer!  Nothing was damaged beyond repair.

Before Ron came, I bought another Aerostar 40 from Dick, this one with flaps.  Very cool plane.  I let Jer fly it and for some reason the plane became unresponsive on final about 30' high.  It just nosed over into a dive and crunched resoundingly.  The motor nose housing area completely came off the fuselage, and the structure between there and the forward wing bulkhead was obliterated.  Jer and Ron retrieved the plane and brought back every piece of wood they could find.  I did my forensic post crash analyses and guessed that there were elements of a perfect storm that caused the crash.
1.  Plane head on to pilot where receiver was blocked by large airborne battery pack.
2.  Large sprinkler system down runway edge, the one on wheels, running from pilot to past the plane.
3.  Steel fence posts and rails running in front of pilot towards the plane.
4.  Pilot holds xmitter with arms hanging low and xmitter pointing down and out.
Altogether, this led to blackout to the receiver.   Jer said there was full control of every surface and the motor at the crash site.

After a few days I decided to start repairs and see if I finished or just would give up on the plane.  I got her done, and it looks better than new, lol!  And today I flew it with the same receiver because I figured the same four conditions would not ever occur again, mostly because I don't hold my xmitter low like Jer.  As added precaution, I relocated the receiver up higher in the fuselage.  Due to one or both changes, there was no issue today with reception.  The plane flew fine...actually better because during the repair, I added a couple washers under the right side of the engine mount to reduce the right thrust built into the firewall by Dick.  It was too much, causing right turns under power.  Glad to have the new Aerostar 40 repaired and flyable again because it is a beauty and flies well.

For planes during the delinquent period, I flew the Battlewing, Aerostar 40F (flaps), Mini Aerostar, StarStream, Star, RV-8, Toledo Special, maybe something else!  And finally, I sold the Aerostar 40 to new guy at the field who could use it.  I don't need it now with the new Aerostar 40F in the fleet.

That will have to do as catchup for the several weeks of failing to report the flight log!

Too dang rainy

That is the view from the car this morning when I tried to fly.  ARG.  I flew a little anyway...3 flights of the X5 and then one with the StarStream.  Flying was fine but the drizzle just would not let up so I gave in and went home.  Had to discharge 7 heli packs and the 3 plane packs!  Good flying anyway since I could still do what I usually do even though conditions were pretty dismal.  I kinda wanted to see if I would lose orientation of the heli in such skies because I feel my eyes, right vision especially, is really deteriorating from the perfection I learned quickly to love immediately after cataract surgery in both eyes.  Not a happy man anymore.

Flight Log: 10/28/2016

Flew today with the X5 six flights, and 4 with the Starstream.  I had the 7HV with me but forgot the battery tray, so 2 of the 6 packs went to the X5 instead.  Could have flown all 10 packs in the X5 but just did not want to.  Flying was good in just over 50F, calm air, and actually mostly sunny skies!  How weird is that for Fall in the PNW!  Did much fun inverted flying and noted some craziness to flip inverted even lower than usual.  Perhaps the stick time is breeding some comfort in going inverted.  The Starstream was fine...noted much up trim due to shrinkage of the plastic control rods in cooler weather.  Also noted that straight and level comes with slight down elevator trim, so later at home, I added about 1/3 oz of weight into the nose of the plane.  Tested balance of wings and seemed close enough.  Anxious to try it again.

I flew another day between last post and this post, but I am not sure of the day.  I do recall flying the G500 four times, 7HV twice, and G630 twice.

Still catching up!

Must be a lazy bones because I just am not blogging the same day as flying!  I think I flew three times more since the last post, including a day with Tad last Thurs on his day off.  My usual SOP of around 7 flights each day with helis, rotating among four (X5 left at home due to falling back in love with the G500 with its new XNova motor), so that is 21 total, or 5 per heli...G500, 7HV, 690SX, and G630.  I have had probs with the 7HV overheating...the motor, esc, and batteries come down super hot, so actually I have flown that a little less than the others.  Gear train seems smooth.  The can on the stock Compass motor is shifting such that it touches the bottom motor housing...burn marks from overheating are self evident.  Thus after much consideration, I blame the motor as the cause and have ordered a new Scorpion motor.  $275, arg!  Lucky I had a $25 coupon for AMain or it would be $300.

Been flying various Stars a couple flights on each day too, including the StarStream, Aerostar 40, and MiniStar.

Another good day

While JB was harvesting, they were on the far south side of the sod farm, so flying was possible and easy.  Flew the X5 4 packs, 690SX 3 flights, and the StarStream 6 flights.  All went well.  Did not like the 9x4.7sf prop on the StarStream (no guts), so I upped it to a 10x4.7.  That was good and torquey and slightly more efficient on the packs compared to the 9x6 prop provided with the new plane by Dick.  Plane had seemingly same top speed with the 9x6 and 10x4.7 but the latter was punchier so I am sticking with that for now.  Flight times still are about 3.5 minutes though, nothing to brag about.

Surprise company

Jer and Ariel joined me at the field early this morning.  Jer flew my new StarStream for three packs and loved the design by Dick.  I got in three flights on it too, and also 3 on my X5, as well as the Logo 690SX.  Nice to have no JB workers at all while we were there a couple hours.

Where is everybody!

Flew this morning on a perfectly good day, with JB working in the distance, so flying was allowable and safe and possible.  Bud was there too, but only flew a few short flights due to binding problems.  I got in 4 flights on the X5, 3 on the 7HV, and 6 on the StarStream.  Used 4 new Zippy Compact packs in the StarStream.  They seem fine.  Not happy with 3.5 minute flight time on any of my packs, coming down with about 3.75 to 3.8V per cell typically.  Emailed Dick and he suggests going to GP prop of 9x4.5.  I guess I will get a range of props for future use.  I want to get more flight time without sacrificing much speed, but that is the tradeoff.  The plane flew good, but could still use more right thrust, so I might put another thin washer in on the left side motor mount flanges.  Helis were great...time to start the inverted turning efforts again!

Good thrust!

The looks of the StarStream are growing on my quickly!

The right thrust adjustment I made to the StarStream worked well today.  If anything, maybe just a smidge more could be better but I am leaving it as is.  Plane tracks well on takeoff and climbout.  It goes vertical with just a hair left turn, but it is easily corrected with right rudder as the speed bleeds off in the climb.  The better thrust line makes the plane more fun to fly.  I have found one bad thing...the plane wallows on landing approach if no throttle is kept on, and then it will tip stall.  And that almost got me a couple times in the strong crosswind today.  It is not hard to keep some throttle on and blip in more as needed on final, but I must be mindful of this.  Cannot get complacent landing this guy.

The sprinklers were on final approach close to the runway!

 

Preceded the StarStream with 4 packs on the X5 and 6 (three flights) on the 7HV.  Both of those were a joy to fly again after 3 weeks hiatus due to sod farm operations!  Rustiness fell off pretty fast.  Just great fun flying both with hopefully enough control and gracefulness, lol.  Got into loops, flips, and some inverted hovering again.

Finally flying again!

Hate it when the field has to be closed for JB harvest ops, but it is what it is...their land, their business, their priorities.  At their mercy, our field has been closed for several weeks, but I believe guys are flying when they can, and maybe even if JB is nearby.  No prob with me if they are distant, but i am just guessing the newbs in the club just don't get it.  Anyway, tirade done, off the soapbox.  Today JB was only watering when I was there, and as I left I saw a mechanic working on the harvester, so maybe they were going to get to it by lunchtime.  I got to fly!

Both planes set on their tails without flight battery onboard,

Flew 7 packs of 3s 2200mah.  Three in the MiniStar, and 4 in the new low wing Star that I think I am naming the StarStream.  It was maiden day for the StarStream.  Dick designed and built it from scratch, and gave me a good deal.  It was designed with criteria I gave him to consider.  Two weeks later he had it built and maidened on his own.  So today I maidened her with my xmitter and setup.  Not bad at all, but it definitely pulled to the left under hard throttle.  And I think the flat wing with no dihedral probably lends to instability in some slow turns somehow.  My thinking is to add a smidge of dihedral on the next gen if there ever is one, such as for Tad if he still wants one.   With the four packs I got it pretty trimmed out, but do hate the left thrust.  At home I added a washer under the motor mount holes, and now I see definite right thrust in the prop blade.  Will it be too much or just right, next test is perhaps tomorrow.   I noted that speed is less than my high wing Star of the same wing span, but it has a different motor and a 10x5 prop.  The StarStream has the same motor as in the MiniStar and runs a 9x6 prop.  Also noted that battery voltage is much less after 5 minute flights, so I think the prop is too much, causing loss in speed and higher consumption of battery capacity.  With no other props to try at home, I am just trying the new thrust tomorrow.

RARIN' TO GO!