Stearman Returns!

Today was a good day at BMF! I flew the Alpha for a couple of packs, hovered the Cubby in the pit lane before deciding she'd lost her mind again and for some reason, though she flew fine yesterday, today she's a pig that flips on her back on takeoff... geez. I hate that thing...

But the good news is, I held my breath for 8 minutes and took the Stearman up! It was the first time I flew her since the first time I flew her and lost her in the woods. My takeoffs still aren't pretty, and I am coming in way to hot on landings, but in the air, wow, she flies marvelously! The first takeoff wasn't too bad, and the first landing rocked, but I had issues with the subsequent takeoffs and landings. I bent the right gear slightly and bent the leading edge corner of lower wing (nothing a little tightening with the sealing iron won't fix). I fixed the gear in the field, twice. But I am not longer afraid to fly the Stearman, though I say that now...

Today was Meeting Sunday at BMF! We had a great showing, made a few final plans for the Fly-in coming up next Saturday. Saw a couple new faces. I met Mike, who has been by before but was too quiet! Today he brought his foamies, and next time we are sure to get him up on a trainer!

Taking tomorrow off from flying to work on my helis and the MX2. Have to make some decisions. Looks like I bent not just the prop shaft but the motor casing is rubbing, so that motor is toast. The problem with these cheap foamies is that getting parts support is dismal from Nitroplanes and Banana Hobbies. Its hit and miss. I can't even tell what size the motor is, so am making decisions based on what I would put in there, while I wait to see if BH will answer my email with questions about getting a new motor and spinner.  Cubby sucks, and I think I am done farting around trying to get her to be consistent. She's wasting my time and money. I think I am going to strip her down to her foamie undies and give her a thorough retrofit. After that I will be done with her. Promise.

Looking at my next planes. Considering replacing the Cubby with the Eflite Cub from Horizon Hobby, but I think I may delay that and get the Eflite Ultimate 20-300. Tony had one he was flying today, the older version (the new one is expected in July, hopefully having addressed the battery space issues on the original). It was a nice looking plane and it flew great. But then, Tony was a pretty sharp pilot. Yeah... I'm thinking the Ultimate...