WELL! For once, I’m at a loss for words. Ya’ll just laughed.
Today, by 10:00, Groundhog Day officially happened, 12 groundhogs had come out of hibernation to grace the field with their presence and see their shadows.
That is a whopping 49% of the club, in one place, at one time. And nobody fought.
In order of appearance: Lonnie Hagadorn, Alan Roberts, Bill Holder, Al Bleyenberg, Billy West, John Walker, Jim Bates, Dick Blackburn, Steve Tisi, Wayne Windsor, Randall Hendricks, David Putnam.
Lonnie was on photographer duty. A little too windy for his delicate condition to fly.
Everyone else had a crack at the whip with their own specific whip. Many flights, only a couple of minor “oopsies”, nothing major. Even the Grand Guru, Wayne Windsor, had an “oopsie”. AND! He’s the senior “expert”, I’ve lost all my faith in him.
Billy West didn’t fail to amaze us with his flying expertise. One of his flying wings actually went into a wing flutter. Now to put into perspective, this was 10 feet off the ground, right in front of the main flight line, at SPEED!. Of course, everyone begged him to do it again. Billy, always the shy one, accommodated, 3 more times, until a piece fell off the plane. Luckily is was just the canopy, minus a chunk(technical term) from the prop hitting it.
Jim Bates brought out his one week old H-King Voltigeur MkII 3D. Jim did the “maiden” last Wednesday with mixed results. The receiver didn’t want to play well. In the turns, the plane would have a mind of its own, buck and wobble, straighten out, then be good till the turn again. He repositioned the ASX receiver and all seemed well. Then it got too windy to fly. So today, with confidence on his side, he tried it again, to his dismay, a repeat of Wednesday’s flight. Out with the receiver and in with the “normal” receiver. Happy as a clam, Jim that is.
We were at 11 members, when another truck pulled in. Had to break out the “defibrillator”, Randall Hendicks showed up again, that’s 3 in a row. He bee lined to the other “seasoned members” for a meeting of the minds. After about 30 minutes, he heads to his truck, brings out this transmitter that has Roman Numerals for numbers, it’s that old. It’s a present for Dick Blackburn.
Randall heads back to his truck. NOW, everyone is in shock, Randall brings out a plane. SILENCE. Then the guffas. Randall brought out an unblemished “never used Gremlin”. That is one purty plane. Then poof, a cloud of dust and a hearty hi ho Silver, and the Masked man is gone.
By now, it’s past noon, and I see guys are heading to their own specific “feed bag” locations. I blink, and by 1p.m, Billy West, Steve Tisi, John Walker, and I are left.
I’m now feeling comfortable with the wind to get my plane out. This is the Gamma Ares 370. It’s my first and second plane combined due to a few “oopsies” in the past. 3 times up, 3 times down. No damage. GO ME.
Now, the last of the guys have left. It’s 2p.m. and they have other commitments. So, there I am, in a crowd of one.
Not be undaunted, I drag out my Dynam T-28. This was my 3rd plane. I actually had successful flights. It’s heavy enough to handle the winds. 3 up, 3 down.
Not wanting to push my luck, NOT, I drag out the 3D dining room table built Red Eagle Hummer. Even though it was a yo-yo, with me the controls, didn’t crash it. 2 more flights that well exceeded the “flight line” restrictions, sorry Jim, got it back in one piece.
UNCLE! UNCLE! UNCLE!
Head to the house.
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