Flight log: 11/16/2021

Another nice break in the weather today…45-50F when I flew around 10-11:30.  Got the two big green machines out…the 7HV and the Ultrastick.  On the second flight of the US, I came swooping in with full flaps, and was pretty crooked to the runway!  Last second I saw I was heading at the bearcat weathervane but lower. I immediately pulled up and whack!  Miraculously only my prop hit the prop on the bearcat, knocking it off completely.  Yups!  So the plane was headed out to the field and I was going to cut power and dead stick but it wasn’t vibrating like nuts, and the engine still responded, so I nursed her 180 back and landed on the runway.  Inspected the plane and found not damage except the broken prop!  Pretty sure that if i didn’t pull up, my plane would be wrapped around the same pole as the bearcat, lol.  At home, I found a new Xoar 20-8 and installed it on the plane. 

Flight log: October 27-28, 2020

 Pretty sure I already missed logging some days again, lol.

Flew the Ultrastick yesterday three flights.  Gaui  X5 twice.  Note that prior to going to the field, I tightened the mesh of the gears in the tail.  It got rid of an unwanted sound back there.

Today I was very happy to get three flights on the Bravata.  That plane flies so nice and easy but represents the biggest hassle in my mind to haul to the field.  Requires no tonneau of course plus the tailgate has to remain down/open.  It’s a mental issue of not wanting folks on the highway to see my plane back there.  The plane flew great.  The DLE-30 always takes a bunch of flips on that first startup...about 40 this time before the first bark.  But then it started after about 7 more flips.  It however ran very unsteady as throttle was advanced.  I varied throttle back and forth and gradually it ran steadier and steadier.  Perhaps some gunk worked through the carb.  It ran perfect after that for all three flights.  No hesitations in rolls, loops, nor inverted.  All landings were nice and easy on the runway too.

The X5 went up twice again today and was nice.  The unwanted noise in the tail came back but much less than it used to be before tightening the gear mesh. 

Flight Log: October 19, 2020

 

Fantastic day flying.  Only Gary showed up today.  It was kinda great having the company but being able to fly almost continuously by just having a short rest while the other guy flew.  I flew the compass 7HV three times and the Ultrastick FOUR times.  Both are sweet .  The US was fine with the 20-10 prop on it again.  I had this prop on it for the plane’s maiden and it seemed the plane wouldn’t slow down enough to land on three points.  So I switched to a 20-8.  Since then the plane has had at least 20-30 flights and the VVRC 40 twin has likely got broke in.  I broke the 20-8 last time, and had to put the 20-10 back on for lack of another 20-8.  I was able to drop the idle lower and land the US three point style easily.  Must note also that the plane now has three ounces of lead under the fin.  It wasn’t there for the maiden and first few flights.  Been adding an ounce at a time to improve KE.  Likely it’s improved landings too.  What a great plane and engine combo!  That engine sounds so good, starts so easy, runs smoothly.  It’s so powerful and gives the plane unlimited vertical.  I can keep it quieter because it doesn’t have to run at WOT.

Flight log: October 13&14, 2020

 Great day of flying with Tad yesterday.  It was foggy at first, mostly on the East half of the field.  We flew anyway, mostly on the west side!  Tad got in three nice flights with two great landings and one slight bouncer on his Avanti S, sporting the new fuselage replacement.  I had three flights on the Ultrastick, ending with a busted Xoar prop (there goes $27.00) when I somehow made a bouncy landing with the fuselage horizontal to the ground which means low prop clearance.  This plane needs slow nose high three-point landings to save the prop.  And this is with 5” dubro tires instead of the stock wheels of maybe 3”.  Also am using a 20” prop instead of 21” recommended for the VVRC 40cc twin.  Came home and put on a new VVRC 20-10 prop cuz I don’t have another 20-8.  Also had two G630 flights yesterday.

Today was a perfect flying day with calm air, sunshine, no rain, NO FOG!   And nobody came out to fly!  My only company was two coyotes to the East in the low cut farm field, making their way to the woods.

I flew my 7HV twice and the Kavalier three times, all good.  These pics of the Kav show new ailerons I added to the plane a couple months ago.  Originals were thinner stock, very flimsy, and fluttered lots at higher speeds.  The new ones work much better but I still hear flutter once in awhile at the very highest dive speeds. Good enough!

Too Much To Catch Up!

 I can’t believe I haven’t added RC updates to this blog since Dec 2019!  How delinquent is that!?  I have had a good flying season in spite of COVID-19.  We have been flying and trying to maintain distance at the field.  Most guys fail to do so, and I am usually the only one to wear a mask.  None of us in the small group I fly with have got sick, so we continue to fly, trusting that each guy is taking care to stay well.

Wow, I can only summarize the last almost ten months since I sure cannot remember everything that’s happened in my RC world.  

First, I got some new planes!  My Stinson Reliant is completed and flying wonderfully.  It’s been out to the field several times now.  I think it might be a wee nose heavy given the way it seems to lower its nose in tight turns.  It rolls so axial to the right that it reminds me of a pattern plane, lol.  So I am still working on flight trim, might try a little tail weight.  Power is a DLE-35RA that runs great.

I got the Hangar 9 Ultrastick 30cc  from the boys for my birthday!  It is also completed and is a real go to plane because it fits under the tonneau cover so it’s easy to haul, and I love the VVRC 40cc twin in it that sounds great, starts easy, runs solid.  Still working on flight trim too.  I want to get the CG more rearward so it will do KE without so much down elevator mixing.  What a joy to fly even as is.  Spins like the devil.

One more new plane is a refurbished one by Don and I bought it from Cliff.  It is a cute old vintage SIG Kavalier.  I installed the engine and servos, receiver, battery, etc.  After trying to eliminate a fluttering sound by various means, I think the flutter is gone at all but the highest dive speed.  These means included filling the wing/fuse gap with hot glue, replacing the elevator control horn, and finally replacing the very thin ailerons with thicker stiffer stock.

Another new addition is the Robinhood 80 by Old School Model Works.  It’s my first kit in 28 years and is still under construction, but framed up!  It will have a Saito FG-21 gas four stroke engine it.

I’ve been converting all the gas tanks in the gas planes to the clear ones sold for $25 by VVRC.  I just had too many gas tank probs in the season with the white tanks provided in the ARFs.  The clear tanks have nice aluminum fittings , felt clunks, stiff fueling/defueling fittings that eliminate fuel tank issues.  I’ve been using only the 12 ounce tanks since the larger tanks were always too large for my flight times...I always land with more than half a tank left.

I sold several planes to make room for the new ones!  Gone are the Hangar 9 RV-8, the 76” Aerostar, and the small 50” Aerostar (Starstreak in my flight log reports).  It turns out I don’t miss them at all.

And lastly, today I did some small things for next flights on some of the planes.  I added another ounce of lead to the tail of the Ultrastick, as noted earlier for moving the CG back.  I changed the gas tank in my Sbach 342 from the old white tank to the new clear VVRC 12 ounce tank.  And I programmed more exponential into the RV-4.  The plane is sensitive in pitch and roll so that should help both.  If it is still sensitive in pitch, i might actually need more nose weight. 

That’s the best I can do to catch up after the long absence.  Been flying a lot but just too lazy to post!  suffice to say I have flown every plane and heli in the fleet with just a couple exceptions, and I have been enjoying the heck out of them all.

Still too lazy to post flight logs, lol!

Its been a month and a half since doing by flight log blog, terrible!  I have been flying albeit not as frequently due to wind, rain, cold. 

Today I flew my SNAFU.  Mainly I wanted to get it out to tune the engine better since I know it was not running well last time.  Before heading out, I fattened up the low speed idle screw on the OS52FS in the plane.  That helped but the engine faltered a little on the first flight, and also died after landing runout.  I fiddled with it out more, back in , and then finally found a sweet spot which I am sure is richer than what I started with.  Also had to richen the high speed needle.  The engine seems to be singing nicely now....stronger with more smoke trail.  Got in four flights today with many touch and gos to practice landings.  We'll see if it still runs as well next time out.  BTW it was light fog with a low ceiling at first, then burning off enough for regular flying.

Two days ago, I flew my Osiris in slightly less fog.  Got in four flights.  Nobody else there on both days....too cold or dreary looking for them.  It was above 40F both times, with very light winds.

Since last posting in mid October, I got the wheel pants installed on the Val with new mounting hardware that Alex designed and printed for me with his 3D machine.  They look awesome!

I have been flying the Giles 202 several times since putting the new OS160FX engine into it.  Runs well, still breaking in each flight with a slightly leaner setting each time.  It's good not to be running so rich that the power is questionable.  Now there is power to avoid trouble.

The RV-4 has been back up as well.  I installed the wheel pants and have not destroyed them yet, as almost any grass landings just wear FG wheel pants out.  The plane is a joy to fly, and so impressive in the air.  My fave view of the plane is a steady landing approach with flaps down...so pretty.

I have actually made a little progress on the Stinson Reliant!  The elevator is perfectly (so I say) squared up to the fuselage and wing, and now firmly glued in place.  I have also epoxied all hinges for the flight surfaces.  Note I replaced the stock CA hinges for the elevators with hardy Robart point hinges.  Phoenix used big point hinges everywhere else on the plane and it baffles me that they didnt do so on the elevators too.  it was tedious work to clear the hinge locations, test the hinges as located, put vaseline on the hinge lines to prevent epoxy intrusion, then epoxy one side, let dry, then epoxy the other side of each pair of mated surfaces.  I am going to move on to servo installation for the ailerons and flaps next.

Last news.  I ordered the Old School Model Works Robinhood 80 laser cut kit!  $200 plus $5 SH.  Crazy me....heres hoping I actually build it someday!

Last last news.  Tad has long promised me the DLE-35 he never used.  So I decided I want the Hangar 9 Ultrastick 30cc for that engine.  The boys are giving it to me for Christmas!