CVRC 15 Sat. Dec 29, 2018
Once again, I venture to the field. This time I’m later than usual, get there at noon.
Billy West, Steve Tisi, Jim Bates, Alan Roberts, Dick Blackburn, and I, make up today’s compliment. And, being “fashionably late”, Lonnie Hagadorn “graces” us with his presents. Oh joy.
About an hour later, Blake Hunnicutt, arrives for moral support. I gave him his nametag incase he got lost on the way home. That way he could just jump into a mailbox, and get sent home.
Billy has, once again, brought out some of his fleet. He’s got this cute little Stick, with the maltese cross markings. Now, this gas powered plane, seems awfully quiet once he takes off. Um, turns out it’s an electro stik. Electric powered with a dummy nitro motor. Devious.
His mini stick has already shown its prowess. This thing is fast, and Billy knows how to put it thru its paces. Show off.
Steve takes his turn with both planes with almost as much “show offedness”. Can’t beat Billy on that one.
Not to take a back seat, Jim pulls out his 3D foam plane, does some amazing flying. I didn’t know planes could do that.
Dick not to be out shined, sits on his lawn chair, looks to the sky to fly his 12’ sailplane. I’m not a sailplane person, but watching Dick do his thing, makes me go hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Billy pulls out, drags out, hauls out this cub. Now, I could ride this thing. I’m over 200lbs, but I swear, it could fly with me on it. As he cranks up the engine, it’s quiet. Except for the prop noise, you don’t know it’s running. It’s electric, go figure. Four-6s super milli amp batteries, drive this plane thru the air.
Not a warbird, but it looks great in the sky.
My last outing with my Eflite Commander, didn’t prove to be too good. Did a straight up and straight down. Pilot error, so what else is new. Again, did a repair job at home base.
Get it into the air, and it’s relatively good, but I ask Jim to give me some “seasoned” help. Jim takes over the controls it settles down.
He hands the controls back to me and for whatever reason, plane starts to go wonkie (technical term). Get it safely on the ground. Make a few adjustments and we’re back in the air. This time, it flies really nice. Great looking plane at speed, or slow.
Once again, Billy drags out this blue/white electric jet. One thing, he can fly. Two, it’s fast. So fast that the nose actually bends as he flies by full tilt. The odd part is the landing. No gear, just belly on the strip. The planes belly not his, not enough runway for that.
Lonnie has a new toy. He gets out his Eflite mini Apprentice. Basically the same as the full size, only smaller, duh huh. Still looks good in the air even with Lonnie at the controls.
As the “regular” fliers are having their fun, I hear this noise off to the right of the “hangar”. It’s Billy with a helicopter. I didn’t know helicopters could fly upside down. Looks like a dragonfly on steroids.
About 2:30, it’s like a bell went off and everyone bailed. Once the dust settled, I look around. There’s Lonnie and me, and the buzzards.
Now, not knowing when to say “uncle”, I take the Commander up again. The flight lasts a grand total of 4 seconds. My expert flying skills put the plane straight up and then straight down. More C/A. Bummer.
Note to self, know when to quit, and follow one’s own advice.
To finish off the day, Lonnie opens up this cardboard box and pulls out this plane. Now, I think you can call it a plane. I would call it a “seed” plane. Add water and it gets full size. It’s an Eflite UMX J-3 Cub BNF.
It’s got a 26” wingspan. Even with the wind picking up, it flew surprisingly well.
After going thru 3 sets of batteries, and a couple of way too close to us passes. Lonnie called it a day.
Once again, fun was had by all.
Come on out to fly, gab, help.
TTFN
Al “new guy”