Flying today in Gilroy, Ca

[bruce fraser]

Larry and Kim convinced me that I could fly inverted. I proved them wrong. I'm blaming it on the wind.



Bruce Fraser
Nor Cal Circle jerks

[Larry Fernandez]

I was there!!!!!!!!!!
It was indeed spectacular!!!!!!!!!!!
Bruce did get in a total of about three laps before re kitting the Midwest P-51 (straight in, 90 degrees from the top of the circle)
Since the plane was a hand-me-down, we instructed him to fly it like he had no time or money in it. He's catching on quick
We'll try it again next week.

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Clancy Arnold]

Question?

The first post says "I could fly inverted" and the second post says "Bruce did get in a total of about three laps before re kitting the Midwest P-51 (straight in, 90 degrees from the top of the circle)"

Which was he doing flying inverted or doing wing overs?  LOL
Clancy

[Mike Scholtes]

Bruce, you trusted THOSE guys?? Shame on you!

And just for your information, since Larry and Kim apparently are confused about this, "inverted flight" means "horizontal to the ground." Aiming the model at the ground at 90 degrees from horizontal is stretching the concept of "inverted flight." You might remind them next time you see them.

[Paul Taylor]

Hey I have family in Gilroy! If I ever get back out there I will look you guys up.
Sorry you put a dent in the ground.

[Larry Fernandez]

Question?

The first post says "I could fly inverted" and the second post says "Bruce did get in a total of about three laps before re kitting the Midwest P-51 (straight in, 90 degrees from the top of the circle)"

Which was he doing flying inverted or doing wing overs?  LOL
Clancy

Let me give you the play by play.
First attempt, Bruce gets the plane inverted , after about one lap and plows it in at a very shallow angle. Replaces prop, CA's the rudder back on and were ready for round two.

Round two, Bruce gets the Mustang inverted, stays high for a couple of laps and desides he's had enough of this fun and gives it full down to right the plane. As the plane flys over the top of the circle, straight into the wind, the plane gets loose, and for whatever reason he grabs the down line with his left hand, jabbing a line connector through one of his fingers. Next thing we see is the plane putting a big hole in the ground.

I guess you had to be there

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Larry Fernandez]

Hey I have family in Gilroy! If I ever get back out there I will look you guys up.
Sorry you put a dent in the ground.

Hey Paul, If we find out that you were in town and dont look us up, we'll hunt you down.

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[john e. holliday]

Haven't you taught him that you never grab the lines no matter how slack they are?  Planes are easier to replace than fingers.  Get a Bi-Slob and learn to fly inverted.  It is slow and responsive.  But looking at the pics the plane should be ready to fly before Friday.  Keep at it.

[Michael Massey]

I have been guilty of grabbing the lines when all seemed lost.  Yesterday at our flying field in Eugene, OR, we had two more such events.  Both guys grabbed the lines in desperation and both guys "damaged" their hands.  Happily not bad but enough to show what could have happened.  I'll try to think twice before I do that again but I will have to admit that "the instinctive grab" might be hard to control

[john e. holliday]

I must admit that in rality I have done that in the past, but no more.  Same as sitting in front of an engine that is running and reaching around to needle it.  Or walking in front of the lines while going to the handle.  Best one is putting your ni-starter in your pants pocket with keys in them.  I could go on and on, but, we all need to think about what we are doing.  Especially as I keep aging.   

[Brett Buck]

Haven't you taught him that you never grab the lines no matter how slack they are?  Planes are easier to replace than fingers. 

   Circle Jerk Jim Goss learned that lesson the hard way!

     Brett

[Larry Fernandez]

   Circle Jerk Jim Goss learned that lesson the hard way!

     Brett

Circle Jerk Jim Goss has learned a lot of lessons the hard way.   

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Kim Mortimore]

Circle Jerk Jim Goss has learned a lot of lessons the hard way.  

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

Hard heads = hard lessons.

I've been in contact with Bruce since his autopsy of the cadaver, and he says he found binding in the control system in two places (due to errors by the original builder rather than due to the crash), which may possibly explain why he was getting okay control response upright but not inverted.  He's going to correct the control problems and rerekit (or is it rerererekit) the thing for another go at it.  We can call it the "Phoenix Mustang" after it rises out of its ashes.  

We're also going to try a possibly more comfortable approach to learning inverted based on a gradually extended lazy 8, which allows a slow increase in the length of the inverted section, lots of confidence-building practice using Down control to recover, and progressive elimination of reverse-rotation vertigo, which is part of the mix here.  (It seems that various vision/balance/motion perception/etc challenges are not uncommon in our fair sport).    

  to you for stepping out of the comfort zone and giving inverted a go, my good friend and always reliable flying buddy. 

Kim, Buttafucco Stunt Circle Team Jerk

[Larry Fernandez]

Hey Kim, I was thinking, your ringmaster flies pretty good and there is no binding in the controls what-so-ever.
and the speed is perfect for a trainer. Why dont we turn Bruce loose with that.

I'll bring a camcorder

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Kim Mortimore]

Hey Larry,  What a coincidence!! I was thinking the exact same thing about your 19.5-point Checkmate 3 !!!

[Larry Fernandez]

Hey Larry,  What a coincidence!! I was thinking the exact same thing about your 19.5-point Checkmate 3 !!!

Now your just being silly

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt team

[John Stiles]

I'm blaming it on the wind.



Bruce Fraser
Nor Cal Circle jerks

Musta been all that garlic on the wind......