Did you Fly today?

[19000rpm]

Speaking of Murphy...I took out my Eurofighter with the 90mm fan today. The weather has been crumby for the last two weeks, but the forecast for today was good, so when the sun rose this AM I jumped in the truck and headed over to the school running track.

The track was empty. Not a sole in sight; the first potential flying obstacle overcome. Wind low and coming from the correct direction. Perfecto. I was looking over my shoulder for Murphy. Nowhere in sight. Maybe he overslept.

I had a great flight and was going to do another, but on my gear check flyby I heard a strange sound coming from the EDF. I did a quick circuit. After I landed the Euro hadn't gone 10 feet taxiing when the plane stopped dead. I walked over and looked in the inlet. The fan had come off and was stuck in the foam of the intake. Cripes! What would have happened if it had come off seconds sooner, or worse, when I was flying over the swamp turning on to final?

Murphy did me a favor this time. He owes me a few more by my reckoning. I doubt that he sees it that way. Oh well, today was my day and I guess that's all that matters.

[Doozer]

Nov 2, 2013 13:37:43 GMT -6 19000rpm said:

Speaking of Murphy...I took out my Eurofighter with the 90mm fan today. The weather has been crumby for the last two weeks, but the forecast for today was good, so when the sun rose this AM I jumped in the truck and headed over to the school running track.

The track was empty. Not a sole in sight; the first potential flying obstacle overcome. Wind low and coming from the correct direction. Perfecto. I was looking over my shoulder for Murphy. Nowhere in sight. Maybe he overslept.

I had a great flight and was going to do another, but on my gear check flyby I heard a strange sound coming from the EDF. I did a quick circuit. After I landed the Euro hadn't gone 10 feet taxiing when the plane stopped dead. I walked over and looked in the inlet. The fan had come off and was stuck in the foam of the intake. Cripes! What would have happened if it had come off seconds sooner, or worse, when I was flying over the swamp turning on to final?

Murphy did me a favor this time. He owes me a few more by my reckoning. I doubt that he sees it that way. Oh well, today was my day and I guess that's all that matters.

all the checklists in the world can't save us... we're doomed! I don't think I have the guts to fly over a swamp... or water. Too many things go wrong when I fly.

Thanks for the heads up on the reprogramming. I totally forgot about that. Now I have to find the programmer (Castle Link).

I didn't fly today :/ Chipmunks (desert rats) and quail destroyed my garden.

WANTED:

[19000rpm]

Today I didn't fly. Winds are in the 30+ range. So I spent the time in the ongoing quest to de-Murphyize some of my planes.

F-16: Murphy was planning on ripping my right main gear out and had been busy loosening the right flying stab.

Euro: Did an EDF check under power to makes sure Murphy hadn't been messing with the fan again.

Vampire: Did a complete control surface hinge and servo check. Everything is solid so Murphy hasn't had time to screw with this plane yet.

F/A 18: This is the plane Murphy seems to spend the most time on so I do the same. Checked EVERYTHING nose to tail.

So now I wait for a flying day and hope Murphy is napping when I sneak out to the field.

[19000rpm]

It was like 3 weeks of lousy weather and then this sat & sun; perfect.

18 flights over 2 days and Murphy only showed up once. He picked on the F/A 18 again, this time the left main gear, it failed. But the good news was the damage was minor.

Got some flights in on all the jets and maidened the new 70mm Sea Vixen. Flies great! Another nice example of post war/cold war British jet design to share the hangar with the Vampire.

Time to think of indoor flying again. Winter is here. I've got a new UMX Extra 300 with the AS3X multi axis gyro coming by sleigh later this month. That will be fun. We'll see how it does fighting the heating system blowers at the school. I think it will prevail.

[Doozer]

those UMX are pretty fun and powerful for their size. I've had my "Beast" out in the breeze with little problems. I do suggest plugging in on a flat surface, otherwise level flight might not be so level, and cause an air to ground anomaly.

[19000rpm]

As posted on the RCGroups Freewing F/A18 Forum:

I had the Hornet out on the freshly plowed ice road today. Unfortunately, it had only been plowed one lane wide and was kind of slushy with the above freezing temps. I'm not complaining though, it's the only place I can fly this type of aircraft for at least the next 3 months. Beggars can't be, and shouldn't be, choosey.

After checking both ways on the ice road for traffic: I set the Hornet in the middle of the road and advanced the throttle. As it accelerated towards rotation the plane started drifting to the left, like it was aquaplaning, crap it WAS aquaplaning, and soon enough managed to clip off a missile rail as it brushed the snow shoulder.

Once I got it straightened out it rotated nicely. As I banked, turning back towards me, the nose cone fell off. What the heck! I hope this thing isn't going to fall apart on me!

The flight was great though; if you don't count the cone-less nose and one missing missile rail.

I did a gear down fly by and noticed only one main gear and the nose gear deployed. Previous fears of the plane falling apart resurfaced. I recycled the the gear on the next pass and all gears deployed. A minor disaster avoided.

I lined up the approach and touch down in the middle of the ice road and this time it aquaplaned to the right clipping off the other missile rail on the right side. Now both sides matched.

I wasn't anticipating having much luck finding the pieces. A No Go on the missile rails, but the nose cone stood out nicely in the snow.

I learned some things: 1) Don't expect to be able to precisely control the plane on ice covered with water. 2) Don't expect to find missing pieces in a soft snow bank. That really wasn't much of a surprise. 3) Don't expect the electric gears to faithfully deploy if you're spraying them with slushy water. 4) Never miss a chance to fly off the ice under ANY conditions.

[akphill]

Sounds like a good time to me

[Doozer]

Me too, but you can have the snow and Ice. Do you have one of those Tx hand warmer things?

[akphill]

Did a little flight today had a good time

[Doozer]

looks like fun. I wonder where you get your Christmas trees? I haven't been attracted to quads yet. They need to come out with a gas powered one maybe. You could start delivering for Amazon Phill.

[19000rpm]

Dec 28, 2013 20:00:16 GMT -6 Doozer said:

Me too, but you can have the snow and Ice. Do you have one of those Tx hand warmer things?

I haven't used one of those Tx hand warmers. I don't even wear gloves. Yeah, my hands get reallllllllllll cold. I only go for 5 min flights though.

[19000rpm]

Dec 29, 2013 0:28:45 GMT -6 akphill said:

Did a little flight today had a good time

Nice quad flight phil. I gave myself a quad for Xmas: the Estes ProtoX. Having a lot of fun with it and the cat.

[Doozer]

www.makeplane.com/2009/02/transmitter-cover-and-hand-warmer.html

You guys need that. I know my hands get cold at 50⁰. I couldn't imagine flying and seeing snow. Though flying and landing with skis sounds fun. I'd fly from the car with the heat on.

[19000rpm]

I'm going to look into something like that with a clear top so I can see the Tx.

Landing on skis is a lot of fun.

[akphill]

Naw don't use them when my hands get cold it is time to go in the house
I guess after 50 years or so you kinda get used to the lower temps

This was last week welding up the differential hanger bracket on my 2007 chevy plowtruck 0 degrees out