Post by bearcat on Jan 31, 2010 21:27:38 GMT -5
I figured if Terry can do it alone, I can too. So first thing this morning I flew the Easystar ROG off the snow. I kept the flight short and landed fine, and then flew again. I flew I think 6 times today and only had one hard landing. 5 good landings. Then after the final flight, I was taxi'ing the plane along the snow and walking with it instead of carrying it, and it was getting windy. I really didn't want to fly again because I had some trouble in the wind. The Easystar doesn't penetrate real well because it's such a floater.
Well, I was "walking my plane" and the darn thing took off right into the wind. I should've chopped power but just when I was about to, and was flying along at about a foot off the ground along the barbed wire fence, I saw that it was on a collision course with a couple of pilots flying their planes. So I gunned the engine and pulled up hard, then brought it around for a landing. I really didn't mean to do that. Well, the wind was very strong and when I swung around for a landing, the wind caught the starboard wingtip and turned it RIGHT INTO the damned barbed wire fence. I gunned the engine again and pulled up, but not in time, and the Easy Star tried to fly through the barbed wire.
Man, if this was a wood plane, it would have cut the wing right in half. All it did on this foamy was tear an inch and a half deep gouge in the leading edge. Unbelievable.
I have two weaknesses I need to work on. One, is landing it close to me instead of making myself walk 200 ft to go retrieve it. Second is flying in the wind. Same thing happened on my Gentle Lady sailplane. A strong wind caught a wingtip and turned it violently.
How do you fly a tailfeather plane in a strong wind?
Anyway, the Easy Star is completely fixed. I cut out a square from the leading edge and replaced it with a block of balsa, carved into the same shape. It's fine now. Except I think I need more forward ballast, it tended to porpoise hands-off.
Thanks again to Evan for coaching me.
Well, I was "walking my plane" and the darn thing took off right into the wind. I should've chopped power but just when I was about to, and was flying along at about a foot off the ground along the barbed wire fence, I saw that it was on a collision course with a couple of pilots flying their planes. So I gunned the engine and pulled up hard, then brought it around for a landing. I really didn't mean to do that. Well, the wind was very strong and when I swung around for a landing, the wind caught the starboard wingtip and turned it RIGHT INTO the damned barbed wire fence. I gunned the engine again and pulled up, but not in time, and the Easy Star tried to fly through the barbed wire.
Man, if this was a wood plane, it would have cut the wing right in half. All it did on this foamy was tear an inch and a half deep gouge in the leading edge. Unbelievable.
I have two weaknesses I need to work on. One, is landing it close to me instead of making myself walk 200 ft to go retrieve it. Second is flying in the wind. Same thing happened on my Gentle Lady sailplane. A strong wind caught a wingtip and turned it violently.
How do you fly a tailfeather plane in a strong wind?
Anyway, the Easy Star is completely fixed. I cut out a square from the leading edge and replaced it with a block of balsa, carved into the same shape. It's fine now. Except I think I need more forward ballast, it tended to porpoise hands-off.
Thanks again to Evan for coaching me.