What did you fly today?

[xviper]

Those little "key chain" cams have a wide field of view and make everything look really small. It's the same if one is used one to video the plane from the ground. There are times when you can't even see the plane in the playback, but for the pilot, the plane is not that hard to see. I'll bet that plane was never more than about 500 to 700 feet away at any time. I've flown my 2m Radian sailplane as high as 1500 feet altitude but the distance from me (at an angle from the ground) was likely much more. It can be seen but at those distances, you don't take your eyes off it because if you blink too long, it may be hard to find it again since it's traveled quite a way from you last saw it. The A-10 is also a big plane and when it flies, it makes noises so you can also see it and let the sound help track it. Also, when flying a jet, you never take your eyes off it.

[fhhuber]

Today was a check flight of the FMS Firefly getting it ready for flying a night demo for a full scale airshow next week.

the night demo will be fill-in between full scale aircraft in daylight and the full scale night flights. We launch with enough light to see the planes without their lighting systems and its full dark before we finish.

[Aros]

xviper is correct. The wide angle lens always makes things look further away than it really is. My gosh if the video matched what my eyes could see my flights would last about 23 seconds and a trash bag would be soon to follow.

;)

[BluesDragon]

Well, it's not so much what I flew today, but rather what I attempted to fly today. Took Sloopy and Whistler's Brother out to the field this morning. At first, Sloopy just ran down the runway and across the field! Couldn't seem to get enough elevator to get off the ground. Brought him back in and looked it over real good. Surface controls appeared to be fine(?). So I decided to try again. Got him in the air, and then he just wanted to keep tilting left and right. I turned off the gyro (Admiral RX600SP) thinking the gains were off set, and he still acted up... right to the point of turning into a lawn dart! So next is to try my skills at balsa repairs... :Silly:

[F22trainer]

Well, it's not so much what I flew today, but rather what I attempted to fly today. Took Sloopy and Whistler's Brother out to the field this morning. At first, Sloopy just ran down the runway and across the field! Couldn't seem to get enough elevator to get off the ground. Brought him back in and looked it over real good. Surface controls appeared to be fine(?). So I decided to try again. Got him in the air, and then he just wanted to keep tilting left and right. I turned off the gyro (Admiral RX600SP) thinking the gains were off set, and he still acted up... right to the point of turning into a lawn dart! So next is to try my skills at balsa repairs... :Silly:

Let me know if you want some help, in fact if you buy the covering - I can put Sloopy back together again.

[Hoomi]

xviper is correct. The wide angle lens always makes things look further away than it really is. My gosh if the video matched what my eyes could see my flights would last about 23 seconds and a trash bag would be soon to follow.

;)

Not to mention, the weird feeling of having the world distort around us as the horizon bent to match the "fisheye" view of the camera!

[Aros]

That too! LOL

[BluesDragon]

Let me know if you want some help, in fact if you buy the covering - I can put Sloopy back together again.

Very cool of you to offer, Michael! I may very well take you up on it even. I'll get with you next time I can I catch you at the field...

[wvrailfan]

The river I fly from is high, swift, muddy and full of debris due to recent rains. So it was flying from grass with the Albatross today.

[F22trainer]

Wind and rain, wind and rain wind and rain...…………
I left BC to get away from this, dang stuff must have immigrated with me. Maybe it's illegal!?

Grossman56

You just stopped too soon...another 8 hours drive south.

[TiredIronGRB]

You just stopped too soon...another 8 hours drive south.

and 16 east ;)

[BluesDragon]

Much better day today... Mondays just suck! LOL

Took my go to birds, Woodstock and JuneBug, out this morning and had all good flights. Feeling much better on this Tuesday... ;)

[Hoomi]

The river I fly from is high, swift, muddy and full of debris due to recent rains. So it was flying from grass with the Albatross today.

That's one of the differences between the Southwest and most other places. Other places, when they talk about rivers, they actually have water in them most, if not all, the time. Here, when we refer to a "river," it means someplace where water will occasionally run after the monsoon rains.

Our rivers are full of sand, cactus, and mesquite trees. :Silly:

During WWII, there was a POW camp in the desert between Phoenix and Tucson. A group of German soldiers managed to get hold of a map, and came up with a daring escape plan. They secreted away all the materials, and when they had enough, they fled the camp and made their way to the Gila River, where they planned to assemble their raft, and float down the river to Mexico, from where they would get to the German Consulate, and return home. Alas, unlike Germany, where rivers are full of water, they found the Gila River in its normal, dry state.

We don't have a heck of a lot of grass here, either. Few of us want to pay the monthly water bill to keep a lawn watered.

[xviper]

Good thing you've got the "legend" in tiny print at the bottom of your post. Otherwise, nobody knows what kind of planes you're talking about. I don't name planes or any of my cars/motorcycle. After over 150 planes and 35 vehicles, I wouldn't remember any of the names myself.

[Alpha]

That last picture of yours Wvrailfan with the onboard camera looks really nice! It makes me want a Martin Mars even more now! Bring on the four engine seaplanes.

[BluesDragon]

Good thing you've got the "legend" in tiny print at the bottom of your post. Otherwise, nobody knows what kind of planes you're talking about. I don't name planes or any of my cars/motorcycle. After over 150 planes and 35 vehicles, I wouldn't remember any of the names myself.

Yeah, I kinda wonder about that when posting. I tend to call them by their given names out of habit. But then I've only got.. well... 3 flyable planes (and a drone) for now. ;)

[F22trainer]

That's one of the differences between the Southwest and most other places. Other places, when they talk about rivers, they actually have water in them most, if not all, the time. Here, when we refer to a "river," it means someplace where water will occasionally run after the monsoon rains.

Our rivers are full of sand, cactus, and mesquite trees. :Silly:



During WWII, there was a POW camp in the desert between Phoenix and Tucson. A group of German soldiers managed to get hold of a map, and came up with a daring escape plan. They secreted away all the materials, and when they had enough, they fled the camp and made their way to the Gila River, where they planned to assemble their raft, and float down the river to Mexico, from where they would get to the German Consulate, and return home. Alas, unlike Germany, where rivers are full of water, they found the Gila River in its normal, dry state.

We don't have a heck of a lot of grass here, either. Few of us want to pay the monthly water bill to keep a lawn watered.

I know where that camp and the Japanese internment camp was - it is visible from the air and quite remote. There are several other “interesting” sites only visible from the air of other military significance.

[Mad Baron]

Got to fly my Pandora and my Tcat today it was a little breezy but it was a good day!
The upgraded gear worked great!!

[JamesonC]

Got 3 more after work flights today! Broke out an old one today. PZ Spitfire!

[EA-6B Geek]

I know where that camp and the Japanese internment camp was - it is visible from the air and quite remote. There are several other “interesting” sites only visible from the air of other military significance.

Hey F-22, sometime when you fly the airway between GBN and Yuma, count the old WWII auxiliary airfields south of the freeway that are out in the restricted areas. There's at least a dozen between the two cities. It must have been busy airspace during the war. Pretty cool, and few people realize they're there.