CVRC Sun. Nov 18, 2018
Once again, I blaze the trail to the middle of nowhere to the CVRC field.
Get there around 10 a.m., nobody there. What a surprise.
Get unloaded, start with the new to me Parkzone Corsair. Changed from a 2 blade to a 3 blade prop. Like the look at lot more, and for my type of flying, don’t need the speed.
Get a couple of flights in. something isn’t right. Taking off is pretty good, straight down the fabric run way, but the tail is wagging around like a new pup.
Do this a couple of times and figure it’s time to look at it.
Once on the ground, I figure out the problem. That tail wheel is slanted forward instead of rearward. That happened yesterday when I altered the throw on the rudder, in my stupidity, in didn’t see that I had reversed the wheel by 180 degrees. DUH! HUH!, so, quick fix and we’re in the air again, much smoother.
Coffee break! (Black with a bit of flavor?)
Sitting in the sun with minimal breeze, it’s nice out here. Qnly sounds are me slurping coffee, a couple of cows mooing and the buzzards flying overhead. Hope they’re not trolling.
Car comes down the laneway and don’t recognize it. Dick Blackburn in different car. Big grin as he gets out of the car.
Didn’t bring any planes, had a Walmart run, and just looked to see if anyone was there.
Shoot the breeze (no pun intended) for a bit, and Lonnie Hagadorn and Bill Holder arrive.Lonnie unloads his Eflite Slow Poke. Yesterday, flew the pants off of it. Once again, even with the crosswind, he takes off straight and true with a little left curve to it. A little right rudder and he’s away.
He does a couple of impressive flights. Smooth circles, some loops. And great landings.
So now, it’s Bill’s turn, his choice today is the full size Eflite Apprentice. Now once again, takes off down the runway, straight, true, smooth take offs. THEN, he starts showing off, smooth circles, loops, rolls, and landings that are amazing.
Coming into the wind for a landing, at about 80’ out, it’s coming in straight in line with the fabric runway, but, it’s dog legging (crabbing) to the left at about a 45 degree angle, but still heading straight for the runway, about 10’ from the edge of the runway, he’s down to about 5’ above the runway, kicks the rudder to the right and settles down perfectly on the runway.
To add insult to injury, he immediately does a touch and go. Does the landing again twice, flawlessly. SLIME. That’s due to the fact, that I can’t fly that good.
Next up, is Lonnie with his Slow Poke. Take off as usual, except a little too hot on the throttle, makes a hard left while rising, he corrects right and the left again to counter act. Next thing we hear is the Slow Poke hitting the windsock pole head on. OUCH! Head over the crash site. Plane is on its wheels, motor is hanging on by the wires to the ESC. Rudder and tail are hanging on the fuselage by the control rods. Now the battery, nose, and bits of blue and white nose are at the initial crash site.
OH WELL!, break out more C/A. now, we all laughed, cause we’ve all been in the same position at one point or another.
My turn, bring out my new to me, Eflite Commander. Looks great just sitting there as well flying. Even with the cross wind, it takes off straight and true, make a few passes. Feeling kind of frisky give it more speed, the next sound we here is the winds scraping two different tree branches. OOPS! To low to the trees.
Now the only saving grace is that I pulled up at the same time. Gingerly getting back on the ground, no damage.
Lonnie goes to his mobile warehouse (Ford truck) and pulls out a Micro Apprentice. Talk about a cute plane. This time Lonnie gets it in the air and the little plane acts like something 10 times its size. Going into the wind, it just hangs.
Even landing was something to watch. Just sorta plops onto the grass or runway. By this time, we all agreed to move on to safer ground. HOME.
SO, once again, ya’ll need to come on Sat. or Sun. mornings, even if you don’t fly, great to watch. And just B.S. with guys.
NEW GUY Al
