What did you fly today?

[jackcutrone]

Maidened this scratchbuilt airplane for a friend. He wanted to see it fly no matter what. I told them there were some concerns w the wing rigidity and servo response. He told me it was all good, he followed the guidelines from the diy kit.

As usual, if I crash it am not liable, he agreed and off we fo to the flightline for a hand launch. I thought it was just going to fall flat as it is four times heavier than a Tundra. I tried to get him out of the maiden, but he wanted to see it fly.

3/4 throttle and straight launch forward and in the air it was. Immediately went two mistakes high. The excessive wing flex I had told him worsened once in the air. Not aure if his gyro was set incorrectly, wing flex may have confused it, I had almost to none left aileron. So rudder, and rudder was not responding. To test out I killed power and gave it throttle and it indeed had good signal. The flex worsened and it literally looked like a bird flapping lol. Realizing I had no left aileron and rudder, wing flex, erratic gyro, decided to bring it back still two mistakes high, a slight right letting it fly w the wing and not w barely any motor to minimize stress but they collapsed like a taco inward, banked roll srraight down, killed power, but it just spiraled burying itself into the cornfields.

Does kind of look like a disaster waiting to happen. I remember seeing a video of someone who built planes from dollar tree foam board and he used carbon fiber arrow shafts to strengthen the wing. Seemed to work okay and he was building some heavy planes.

[crxmanpat]

Another Freewing jet day today. Got 2 sorties each on the A-10, F-4, F-5, and A-4. And a buddy of mine let me take the sticks on his Flexjet. Mine is almost ready, got the final touches of paint on it today.

[Aros]

Sweet! How do you like the Flexjet?

[crxmanpat]

It's a neat plane. Haven't flown mine yet though, next weekend. When my friend landed his, he literally wheelied it until it stopped rolling. So awesome.

I don't really like sport jets, I prefer military stuff. But since this looks so close to a T-50 trainer, I decided to paint it up like one so that I can pretend I'm flying a scale military jet. :P

[F22trainer]

It Knew I would finish work early so I squeezed this in the ride to work. DD was in the shop, but she rode nicely and got 3 flights in the sunset as I let traffic pass me by.

[Grossman56]

Well, dang, not a great day!
Took the Spitfire out and horsed it around a bit, a slightly less than perfect landing, but she's fine. Went out again this afternoon with Shangrila and the Avanti. Took Shangrila up first in a breezy condition but the wind was blowing a bit south east of the east west runway so no big deal. Whipped her around and she flew great, as usual.
Took the Avanti up next, which is a good plane in any kind of wind, and she proved herself. Just a joy.
Dropped gear and flaps and she started floating so I brought the flaps up to half and lined her up. Coming in good, everything normal. Suddenly she rolls over!!
Smack!!
So, I have a new fuselage and vertical stab on order:Yawn:
Don't know if she stalled or the wind caught her, it was so fast:Confused:
So, got the battery changed on Shangrila and took her up again. Everything is fine on take off , then suddenly she starts acting weird!!
This plane never acts weird..........
I get some altitude and see if I can sort it out. Get her trimmed so at least she's acting somewhat normal, then drop flaps and gear and bring her in. She's crabbing with no side wind, not a good sign.
Lands fine and pulls to the left which I usually correct with right rudder. Not this time. She dances into the grass (Sage) and stops, no damage, thankfully, but what the heck!!
Turns out the rudder servo packed it in and was locked in about an inch of left rudder.:Angry:
Back home to the hangar which is starting to look like a WWII maintenance hangar as La Patrona is back to normal having suffered a nose gear pin failure, the Tomahawk decided to dead fish it last week in a cross wind take off, she now has a new tail fin, now the P-51B and the Avanti....

As I've said before, you learn repairs long before you learn to fly!!!

BTW, I checked the CG on La Patrona post motor swap, and with the retract upgrades and the new motors, she's a bit nose heavier than stock, something to keep in mind.

Grossman56

[TiredIronGRB]

Day 632: B-25 in a sea of Buttercups...

[crxmanpat]

Flew the Clipped Wing Cub on floats again today, but on the second flight during a splash and go I hit too much rudder and one float dug in and flipped me. I had to have the Queen Mary rescue me. LOL

[Aros]

LOL that's awesome!

[Sky Wolf]

Pic of the Month award given to Pat for this one! Love it!!

[Shirty]

Lol, nice recovery. ;)

[Sky Wolf]

One of the flights that took place a couple of weeks ago at the start of spring. Very good commemorative flight!

https://youtu.be/uZJmrPPVXiw

[BluesDragon]

Very nice video.. enjoyed the history lesson as well. :Cool:

[rifleman_btx]

Sky wolf, very good stuff

[Shirty]

G'day fellas. Just a quick post as today is Anzac Day. We are having a warbird day at the club with breakfast and a small ceremony. I'll get some pics. Lest we forget...

[OV10]

G'day fellas. Just a quick post as today is Anzac Day. We are having a warbird day at the club with breakfast and a small ceremony. I'll get some pics. Lest we forget...

Thanx for posting Shirty.
Your equiv to the USA's Veterans Day
Was not aware of it so it met my something new be learned every day requirement.;)

[BluesDragon]

G'day fellas. Just a quick post as today is Anzac Day. We are having a warbird day at the club with breakfast and a small ceremony. I'll get some pics. Lest we forget...

[F22trainer]

Well played, Sir.
X 2

[F22trainer]

One of my favorite clients - completed 1/2 of his recurrent training yesterday in his M500, then stopped on my way home with the Carbon Cub and PT-17 for a few sunset flights

[boomer108]

I was not aware of Anzac day Shirty. Very nice words and I salute our Aussie brothers who went before us.