Went Flying Today

[Wayne_H]

Yes, tis the season to tread warily

The "joe blakes", particularly the browns, are out in numbers already in the Riverina. Plenty of flat ones on the roads, I've seen their trails on the dirt road adjacent to where I fly in Temora and my son has had 5 or 6 already in his yard, next to my private flying field!

[Carl]

After several months of disastrous flying whereby I seemed to crash and smash something every time, I got fed up with destroying and repairing/rebuilding the models I was "flying." I decided to buy a foamy to recover my confidence again and if I crashed and smashed it then it wouldn't matter. So I got myself a Multiplex Shark as it could be flown rudder/elevator, but I have upgraded it already with ailerons. This was because I've been using Multiplexes flight sim MULTIFlight and flying it using ailerons.

So today with reasonably quiet weather I went for some flights with the Shark. At first it didn't seem to go too well as it was porpoising (I think that's the correct description) very badly, but at least I was controlling it and not crashing. It seems the CG according to the manual is incorrect, so with each subsequent flight I moved the battery forward a little, which gave an improvement each time. In the end the battery needed to be right up as far forward as it would go and I was able to have some very enjoyable flight time at last.

So even though I've gone over to the dark side, it's only temporary and the Shark will be the only foamy I will ever buy. The other thing is I'm now flying using aileron and elevator, which was great as the breeze was starting to get quite strong.

[Carl]

I wanted to add to my previous post that Shaun has been very encouraging and a good mate. There was a point where I was seriously going to throw in the towel. But Shaun kept encouraging me to not give up and I'm glad I didn't.

Thanks Shaun.

[Colonel Blink]

So even though I've gone over to the dark side, it's only temporary and the Shark will be the only foamy I will ever buy.

We'll see......... I have four, and I have even seen Phil & Paul with one apiece......

[Carl]

So even though I've gone over to the dark side, it's only temporary and the Shark will be the only foamy I will ever buy.

We'll see......... I have four, and I have even seen Phil & Paul with one apiece......

There a loads of lovely foam models out there, but I guess the Shark being the only one I've flown I find it has no soul. Does that make sense?

My father gave me his foamy Mentor T-34 he'd purchased donkeys years ago and still in its box. I will kit it out at some point to see how I get on with a low winger.

[Carl]

Lovely calm (a little bit of breeze) springlike weather today. As the breeze was coming from a North Westerly direction I took the opportunity for some flights as the breeze is coming straight up from the sea. For the entirety of the winter it seems to coming from South which is awkward on my flying site.

Anyway flew the MPX Shark first, which was going really well but I stalled on a turn with not much airspeed and it hit the ground (thankfully not from a height). So just need to reglue a couple of bits that fell off. I suppose that's an advantage of a foamy, bits fall off and you stick them back on. Didn't have my Zacki with me to do that on site.

Now, some may remember I posted some info on my Sigma glider:

http://www.mode-zero.uk/viewtopic.php?f ... igma#p3416

Because of the problems I've had with flying in recent months, I took the decision to install modern radio gear (2.4ghz) so that I can fly it with less risk of glitches. You may remember I built a motor pod for it, and I used it today. I must say I haven't enjoyed my flying so much since I maidened my Starstream last September. So big

The video shows it pulling to the left after launching, but I haven't set any side thrust yet and I was quite happy for it to circle and gain a little height. No vices to worry about. A couple of times it dropped a wing tip and regained it's composure with no problems. Probably could do with a more effective rudder, but once it starts turning into the wind it seemed fine.

[Wayne_H]

Congrats Carl great to see the Sigma flying - you've beaten me well & truly The rudder effectiveness, if primarily on the glide, could be due to the power pod blanketing - disrupting airflow - over the fin.

I can hear the slope calling from all the way down here....

Now to extractus digitus & work on mine

[Sundancer]

Not just today! Here in the Haute Vienne we have had the most amazing 12 days of perfect flying weather, still carrying on today (Wednesday 27/2) too. Afternoon temperatures in the high teens and low twenties, cloudless blue skies and wind never more than 10 kph and mostly between flat calm and 5 kph "thermal breeze". Having been initially caught out with all the models laid up for the winter until an expected return to flying in April, and piles of batteries in storage charge condition it took me a couple of days to react to this most unexpected bounty, but since then I have gorged myself with 7 sessions, a total of 54 flights (8 hours plus flying time)with 12 different models, vintage models like the Spartan and Airknocker, lightweights like the Tarquin, Witch and Rubberdub, soarers like the Lulu II, rudder only with the Metro Gnome and a spot of aerobatics with the Square Dancer and Extra 260. AND the weather is the same again today. Summer, autumn, spring or winter this is the longest sustained spell of ideal flying weather I can remember in the 13 years we have been living here. No doubt we will pay for it with March gales and rain, but what a start to the flying year it has been. Does wonders for the enthusiasm to get on with the current building projects.

[Carl]

In Southwest England great weather too. So on Monday went to go flying but got caught out by a very strong wind that built up from nowhere. Fighting to get the model to make headway but the wind just kept pushing it back away from me until eventually it went out of signal range and it came down. It was so far away I couldn't even tell which direction it was facing When I retrieved the model it was then I realized how strong the wind was. I could hardly stand up in it. The forecast was for 9mph winds - Hmmm it was way more than that

[Carl]

Today I flew my Pushover on the beach. Hardly a breeze which made for a very enjoyable flying session

Here's a little video footage (the noise in the background is a bulldozer doing maintenance on the pebble ridge flood defenses):



Originally I built the model as rudder only and have retrofitted elevator. This is how I did it:



Need to add a little extra downthrust and left thrust. Today I was flying with a little extra weight up front to eliminate a slight porpoise and some left trim as the model pulled to the right under power. This effected the glide as when going of power the decent was quite rapid and the tendency was then to turn left. I would expect with the thrust adjustments that the glide will be much improved next flights.