The Perfect Swing!

Much like yesterday I got chased off Mt Hudson by a storm, but I was ready for this one and boogied out just before the fireworks began. Up to then it was a sunny beautiful day! I loved every minute of it, and the flights were like that day of perfect golf swings that make you stay in the hobby just when you were starting to doubt, reminding you that you can do this and are pretty good at it.

I wrote about the storm yesterday, but I didn't share the excitement of flying the Eflite Cub 450 ARF yesterday. They don't even list it as an archive in Eflite anymore, but it is memorialized on Horizon's Facebook Page. My old friend, back from the days when Eflite made real planes and not just foamies. Don't get me started on discontinuing the Ultimate only to bring it back as a foamie abomination... This one is a sweet flier, simple, to the point, always a pleasure. A 450 motor powered by a 3S 2200 mAh LiPo, old school AR6200 without a satellite. Flew 3 packs before the deluge drove me out.

Today was like yesterday as I mentioned, starting out sunny and warm, no winds to speak of. But I could see thunderheads brewing to the west from whence they come, so I was watchful and aware my time may be limited. Weather radar suggested it would skirt by along the southwest, but I was wary. This is at the gate to SNHRCC, the very steep road to the top.

Ah, the Eflite Cornell, another plane they abandoned. It was discontinued back in 2011, but I got this one from somewhere, back in 2015, my third one. This is one helluva sweet flier! Conditions were perfect for her. Its one of those planes I will always have a version of, if not this one, another make, another size. It takes me back to the Cox 0.049 U-Control version back in the 70's. This one can also be set up as U-Control. She didn't need her Orange Stabilization system, but it sweetened the deal. Flew 4 packs on her, about 20 minutes or so, simply enjoyable flight. Her landing gear are tough and she handled the grass well. Such a pleasurable scale flier. The leggings I put on her are pretty sweet too. She has a new AR 620 onboard and also flies 3S 2200 mAh.

FINALLY, the RCGF-USA 26cc equipped Phoenix Waco. I set her up a week or two ago for the season and just haven't been able to get her airtime. Today was the day, the perfect conditions so helpful, though a breeze was evolving from the approaching storm to the west. She starts with one throw of the prop and hums merrily along. Its a lot of engine for this aircraft, designed as a 15cc aircraft. She has an old school AR6200 with a satellite onboard with a satellite, and the Hobby Eagle A3-L V2 stabilization system she really doesn't need. She is an amazing flier and just a pleasure. Stable, can fly slow on approach with no bad habits. She doesn't like having the stabilization ON at takeoff. Made several adjustments, including dropping the gain down to about 35-45% on the A3-L. Curiously today she required a lot of right roll subtrim. Maybe the wing took a tweak? I will be checking the incidence on the wings and see if there is something I can adapt. Its not a problem, just not pure. This is one BIG plane. I don't recall if she had a muffler on the exhaust tip, but I will be looking into it. Flew her for about 30 min total, several landings, in between adjustments.

Once again, the dulcet tone of the RCGF-USA 26cc!

 

This is what happens when you are not paying attention next to a freshly landed 26 cc engine cylinder, a nice partial thickness burn on the inside of your right distal forearm. Ow.

And then the clouds came. I watched this build, this is from the lower gate at the dump, about 1/4 mile from the field. Just after taking this pic the lightning started. Left just in time!