Post by jetmex on Sept 21, 2004 7:02:31 GMT -7
Those of you who know me have probably been wondering what happened to my flying. Well, I finally got back to it a few weeks ago in a big way.
I picked up an old Indy Models Robin Hood 80 last summer, and spent quite a bit of time refurbishing it. Finally got to fly her two weeks ago for the first time.
Bedford and I decided that that Sunday would be a good day to go, and we were right. It was warm, but not humid and there was (for once) a cool breeze from the north--right down the runway! Bedford brought his big Decathlon with him, and since was already set when I got there, we decided to fly him first. But the airplane gods were not smiling on him that day--first the radio started glitching on the range check, then the engine died and refused to restart. Since discretion is the better part of valor, he packed it in for the day.
We then went to maiden the Robin. Range check was good, and after a few failed attempts at hand propping the big Super Tigre, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my starter would turn her over. The engine lit right off and I spent a few minutes taxiing around to make sure everything was working. Refueled, and then it was off for the first takeoff. Since I haven't been flying since May, my knees were doing a fair amount of shaking as I fed the throttle in and began rolling. About the first third of the runway she started pulling off to the right, and when I ran out of left stick and she was still going right, I killed the power. Turns out the setscrew on the tailwheel backed off and the wheel cocked over and stuck full right.
It took a few minutes to get that fixed, and then off we went again. This time, she tracked straight down the runway, and when she broke ground, she wanted to go straight up! As soon I got that sort of under control, she wanted to keep making left turns. Luckily, Bedford was spotting for me and after a few VERY nervous circuits of the field, we got the trims straightened out and the rest of the flight was a joy. Apart from my knees still knocking, of course!! Did a bunch of left and right patterns and approaches, a loop or three (not bad) and an aileron roll (will be better on high rate) and then set up for landing. After all the excitement of the takeoff and first few minutes, the landing was as good as they get--a nice stable approach and just greased her right in!
I didn't get to fly again, because by then we had a bit of a crowd at the field (always helps to have an audience for a first flight, doesn't it?) and a little later it started raining. I hope to get the control situation squared away this week and hopefully we can try this again next week.
So what did you guys fly?
I picked up an old Indy Models Robin Hood 80 last summer, and spent quite a bit of time refurbishing it. Finally got to fly her two weeks ago for the first time.
Bedford and I decided that that Sunday would be a good day to go, and we were right. It was warm, but not humid and there was (for once) a cool breeze from the north--right down the runway! Bedford brought his big Decathlon with him, and since was already set when I got there, we decided to fly him first. But the airplane gods were not smiling on him that day--first the radio started glitching on the range check, then the engine died and refused to restart. Since discretion is the better part of valor, he packed it in for the day.
We then went to maiden the Robin. Range check was good, and after a few failed attempts at hand propping the big Super Tigre, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my starter would turn her over. The engine lit right off and I spent a few minutes taxiing around to make sure everything was working. Refueled, and then it was off for the first takeoff. Since I haven't been flying since May, my knees were doing a fair amount of shaking as I fed the throttle in and began rolling. About the first third of the runway she started pulling off to the right, and when I ran out of left stick and she was still going right, I killed the power. Turns out the setscrew on the tailwheel backed off and the wheel cocked over and stuck full right.
It took a few minutes to get that fixed, and then off we went again. This time, she tracked straight down the runway, and when she broke ground, she wanted to go straight up! As soon I got that sort of under control, she wanted to keep making left turns. Luckily, Bedford was spotting for me and after a few VERY nervous circuits of the field, we got the trims straightened out and the rest of the flight was a joy. Apart from my knees still knocking, of course!! Did a bunch of left and right patterns and approaches, a loop or three (not bad) and an aileron roll (will be better on high rate) and then set up for landing. After all the excitement of the takeoff and first few minutes, the landing was as good as they get--a nice stable approach and just greased her right in!
I didn't get to fly again, because by then we had a bit of a crowd at the field (always helps to have an audience for a first flight, doesn't it?) and a little later it started raining. I hope to get the control situation squared away this week and hopefully we can try this again next week.
So what did you guys fly?
