Today’s pilots:
Al Bleyenberg, Steve Tisi, Lonnie Hagadorn, Billy West, Jim Bates, Dick Blackburn
New members Doug&Sherry Gast, accompanied by RENO.
Late arrival, Blake Hunicutt. GLAD YOU MADE IT OUT AGAIN.
Getting there early is interesting. Many bunnies are hopping around, and wild turkeys (not Lonnie) are bopping around.
I’ve brought my Frankenstein plane, doing some testing. Got a few good flights in, butwith unusual results. A lot of bucking in the sky.
Many adjustments, until I realize the motorshaft is flopping around in it’s housing. Hmmmm.
Steve Tisi showed up. He starts out with his mini Convergance VTOL.
Billy West hot on his heels. Billy looks naked (not physically-thank goodness), he’s just in his SUV. No trailer, no Madison, just a heap of planes in the back.
Billy starts out with his Flitetest “cardboard” A 10. I’m always amazed at the Flitetest products. A bunch of cardboard glued together and it works and flies well.
Lonnie has started with his new E-flite Extra 300. This is a very attractive plane. At one point, while I’m not paying attention, I hear the oh,oh’s. I look up and the plane is waaaayyyybehind the driveway heading towards the trees near the big tower. Luckily, Lonnie, gets it back into the flight pattern.
A few deep breaths and he gets it onto the runway in one piece. Lonnie just got disoriented.
Steve has now brought out his twin engine Mule. He’s mumbling something about dropping something out of the plane. Steve has this “paratrooper”
that he loading into the belly of the Mule. A very hasty takeoff and the plane climbs to a safe level. As Steve lines up for the “drop”. He has a gaggle of “engineers” helping with wind direction and speed for the proper drop so that the paratrooper will land back on the field. 3,2,1 drop. This itsy bitsy paratrooper is now heading to earth. AND, at a respectable drop and direction. Steve gets the Mule back onto the runway happens about the same time as the paratrooper hits the grass.
Decent drop sight. He’s landed on the cut grass portion about 50 yards from the end of the runway.
Now the mumbling starts again, if we did one paratrooper, why not try two.
The situation is in progress. This time Billy is the pilot. Same flight pattern as last time.
Takeoff, climb, and line up for a good drop. 3,2,1 drop…….drop……drop…….the trap door is open and we can see a chute flopping in the wind, but no drop.
Billy does some pilot “stuff”, to try to help with the drop. Finally, they drop. Billy brings the Mule to the ground.
The paratroopers have floated to the right of the main hangar and over by the roadway.
both paratroopers have survived, everyone is happy.
Alan Roberts has shown up. I introduce him to Doug and Sherry Gast. Then they start talking
about that “nitro” thing. I now have a blank look on my face, and walk away.
Billy has uncaged his Pterodactyl. If you haven’t seen this thing fly, you have to look it up on Lonnie’s Youtube sight. It’s a riot.
Doug has brought out his SIG KADET with an 80 four stroke motor. A few teething problems, and it’s airborne. Luv the sound of a four stroke.
Looking behind me, and Billy is putting his Quaker together, also a four stroke.
As sleek as Doug’s KADET is, as gawky is Billy’s QUAKER is. But, Billy’s plane is in an American flag theme. Very striking and very visible in the air.
Jim Bates has launched his flat black jet. As slow as the Quaker is, as fast is the jet is.
Lonnie drags out his Visionaire, 3D plane. He pulls off a very respectable flight, UNTIL, coming in it goes hard right towards the cars, hits the chain,
which is 5’ away from Lonnie’s own truck. PHEW.
Dick Blackburn brings out his yellow/white sailplane. Puts out the lawn chair, launches, sits down, and soars. At one point, I look up and can barely see it.
It’s high up there.
Billy brings out his UMX Beast. It’s small, fast, and jittery to fly, but it’s got that AS3X system on it. Amazing performance from Billy.
I drag out my Pulse XT 25e. it’s a foam copy of the balsa plane, flies the same, amazingly. One battery flight, second battery flight in progress.
I call out landing left to right. Now remember, it’s still breezy, with the wind coming right at you. The Pulse is in line with the runway, straight,
good downward flight pattern, 5’ from the end of the runway, the wind kicks it toward the pilot station, instantly I give it right rudder.
UM, should have been left rudder, THWACK, wing just catches the end of the wire guards, out of the corner of my eye, I see Billy’s UMX GeeBee coming in also,
and in a “copy cat” fashion, does the same thing I just did.
The GeeBee hit’s the first mesh guard. Billy comes over and we give each other a high five. Billy is so competitive; I think we are tied for the most crashes.
Once the dust has settled, we all start to gather under the main hangar. Except for Dick.
No fuss no muss, he takes it up and just flies. Brings it down, comes over, sits down. And it’s lawn chair flying for the rest of the time.
Pilots start to fade off into the distance for home.
I follow shortly after that.
TTFN
P.S. this time pics will follow and hopefully be bigger.
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