Jerry's pics of me at MCRCC

Jerry Gollot caught me at MCRCC yesterday!

Happy me, working the Stearman over.

Flame soldering bullets on the Suicidal Cubby in our clubhouse.

Thanks, Jerry (and Sandy too!)!

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...

13 Minutes

Hey, got 13 minutes to waste? I've got 13 minutes of unedited video flying around Bob Miller Field! The camera is set up oddly in that the video runs sideways (when you see it, you'll understand). At the end there's a live pic of Dickie's heli after it inexplicably bound up and imploded. The video is kind of a rollercoaster ride, so put your monitor left side up and enjoy the ride!

Caught on film...

Still from aerial video I shot from the Alpha 450. I am on the left, Paul Verger on the right. In the video you could see my plane overfly Paul's foamie Thunderbolt. Very cool, like aerial combat film!

MCRCC Bob Miller Field

Harrison County RC Flying Field, Bob Miller Field, Gulfport, MS.

Home of the Mississippi Coast RC Club

Luke, Raul and Mr. Ron!

Today I brought my 12 yo son and his 12 yo friend Raul to BMF. Ron Johnson, teddy bear that he is, offered to take the 4 kids who were there up in a trainer on a box. Neither of them have ever flown before. Luke and Raul overcame their jitters and stepped up! Each of them flew for several minutes getting "Ronned" the whole time, and they both came away with unwipeable grins and a determination to come back! They were going to fly again, but lightening struck nearby so we wrapped up for the day. Luke wants to do some sim time and come back tomorrow!

A special thanks to Ron Johnson and MCRCC for supporting the interests of youth in our wonderful hobby!

Ron and Luke

Ron and Raul

Raul, Ron, and Luke with the MCRCC Trainer they flew!

That sound is ice settling in Hell...Cubby Flys!

Yesterday I took the slightly modified and majorly repaired Suicidal Cubby out to fly at BMF, and after a crazy takeoff and some crazy "flying" she buried herself in one of the Rec Dept's dirt piles. So I brought her home, blew the dirt out and cleaned the motor with an alcohol bath, and rebuilt the minor damage. I also decided to cut a slice in the fuse and wedge some styrofoam in there to wedge the tail into a higher position lessening the tail feather angle of attack. Today I took her back to BMF for another go at it.

Well I'll be damned... Hell froze over, though from the temps you wouldn't know it! It took some minor adjustments on the motor thrust vector and a replaced tail wheel after it jumped ship after aborted takeoffs, but she flew wonderfully after trimming out some serious nose diving! After the surgery I still needed full nose up trim, so I brought her in and mechanically set her up at servo 90 with a touch of up trim, and after that she flew wonderfully for several packs. She still ground handles like a herded cat; the secret to takeoff is a little power to get the tail up then punch it. One landing since there will be no rolling out, and a walk to get her off the runway so land her close. But in the air she flew straight and narrow hands off! I am back in love with her!

The surgery begins with a lateral incision across the abdomen...

Sliced.

Wedgied. You can see the triangle of new stryofoam.

Another view of the foam wedge.

The highly modified Suicidal Cubby! The cowl was a mess, so I just trimmed it away leaving a band to secure the canopy that holds the wing. Heck, I may even put some new cote on her! Naw, she looks just like she should...