Spring has sprung , who's been flying?

[Erfolg]

I am not getting out to fly very much at present. Always something else to do or the weather is discouraging. I no longer take a punt whatever the weather when the flying field is just over a mile away. Now it is almost precisely 10 miles away, it is a step change in my attitude. Perhaps another way of looking at things, 2 minutes against 25 minutes, due to all the junctions, traffic lights, speed bumps. The irony is it is only 1 mile to the rural landscape, but the traffic engineers on the Fylde, they know how to make life awkward.

Anyway, it is Sunday, I have given up in predicting how the field will be, as my back garden can be windless, at the field it can easily be 10 mph, yet 200 yards from me on the coast even windier. When i look out towards the Pennines, if i cannot see them either it is raining or just as probable the air has a high humidity. It feels like I just cannot win.

I smiled as i passed the intended fracking site, no protestors to be seen. Going to the nearby Garden centre with my wife mid week, I discovered that some came from the other side of the country, I was amused to be told that the one who addressed me had to live on Entitlements. I suggested that he meant benefits, apparently not, they are entitlements. Obviously they do not work on week ends, the entitlements must be for a 5 day week.

I had gone to the field with limited ambitions, taking just 4 models, although the emphasis was on getting my latest model into the air, or into a bin bag. My test pilot thoroughly examined the model again, as i had been working on it since the last weekend. Just a few more adjustments were necessary, to achieve satisfaction for the pilot. This being setting the elevator absolutely level and increasing the elevator through by quite a margin. I normally like a tiny bit of up with the Tx sticks central, as i can cope with a model that wants to climb, although if diving, well the bin bag will beckon. The Fail safe checked again. All the other functions rechecked, as this is necessary when an idiot is correcting the previous issues.

My test pilot was not very confident, as he felt there was very little thrust from the prop, a 12*7 pulling 350watts.

The model was placed on our still compromised patch, by the sheep foot marks and a slowly drying ground due to massive rainfall we have had here. The grass has been cut, still tussocks like, due to the difficulty of cutting at present. The throttle opened, when much to my surprise the model trundled across the patch, gaining speed at a decnt rate, then climbed into the air.

With the pilots customary aplomb, the model was systematically put through a series of manoeuvres. Hand off, slow fling, stall test, spin to the left, spin to the right, inverted flight and so on. The model was very soon landed.

The pilot then went through a description of the models flying characteristics, the stall is a slow motion mush, the model does not spin, only spiral dives. CG is probably just right, as inverted flight needs a small amount of down, as to be expected with a flat bottom/ semi symmetrical wing section. The model need more right thrust building in, as at present a small amount of right trim is needed.

But boy was i chuffed. A Fifty year old design, intended for either free flight, single channal RC, or CL, with some modifications, flies reasonably well for a semi scale model, from the the era of die cutting. The Sterling "Fairchild PT 19" is nearer a scale rendition than many more modern kits, building into a oval fuselage. So after having the kit for some 30 years myself, a well invested £15 from the good old USA.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Pleased she's a good un Erf

Enjoyed the report as well, could you get out a bit more please i've read all my books

John