Flying a Top Caliber Plane

[Zuriel Armstrong]

On Sunday we had our Memphis Fall Fun Fly.  Aside from the usual fun we always have, I had the opportunity to fly Jim Lynch's Super Ares.  This is the plane Jim won Classic at the Nats with in 07 or 08 if I remember correctly.  Anyway, it was a real treat and real eye opener.  I have always wondered what the difference would be in a champion plane versus mine.  What I found was that mine is not as far off as I thought.  I have read Brett Buck's post several times regarding how fliers tend to adapt to issues and learn to fly around them, and that is the most true statement I have ever read.

My first response to Jim was how free his controls are.  I thought I had done pretty good, but any binding causes you to pull the plane toward you to get control authority.  Duh!!!  Many of the things I have always tried to trim out of a plane, I put in on the building board.  I think I now have a better understanding of some of the issues I have either been too stubborn to hear or just plane didn't understand what was being said.

Jim's plane has a "Thumping" PA40 side exhaust pulling a 64oz Super Ares around like it was nothing.  Poor Mike had to listen to me all the way home too.  Thanks Mike.  And thnks Jim.

Zuriel

[Paul Taylor]

I wish the nut behind the camera would have done a better job of getting a picture of you flying Jim's plane. Your shirt even matched his plane. I think you planned that.

Here is a link to more photos of Jim's Super Ares.

http://mid-southcl.weebly.com/a-day-at-the-field.html

[RandySmith]

.40 is that all.

The PA 40 can put out more power than a ST60
It will easily fly a 60 plus ounce 700 sq in ship

Randy

[PJ Rowland]

Statement removed..

[Paul Taylor]

Just by looking at the top of the head it looked to me to be about the size of a 60 size motor. But then I am no expert on engines. It sure just loped along like it was not working hard at all.


Just sitting here thinking... it would be nice to fly a Top Caliber plane just to see what I am missing, or how a Stunt Plane is really supposed to fly. But then I would never is a million years want to fly someone's contest plane. No Sir, No Way!

[Zuriel Armstrong]

Paul,

You need to fly my Gieseke Nobler.  It looked worn out right after I finished it.

And Jim's engine is "Only" a 40.

Zuriel

[john e. holliday]

Just sitting here thinking... it would be nice to fly a Top Caliber plane just to see what I am missing, or how a Stunt Plane is really supposed to fly. But then I would never is a million years want to fly someone's contest plane. No Sir, No Way!
[/quote]

Better yet, have one of the better flyers fly your plane.  Then they can tell you what it needs.  Then after you fix/trim it, have the fly it again.  Once it meets their approval, then you fly it and see how much different it flies.   

[Zuriel Armstrong]

Hi Doc,

To say I was nervous would be an understatement.  Towards the middle of the flight, i was pretty comfortable with it and the bottoms started sneaking down.  Not too low though, it was just comfortable and easy to start and stop maneuvers.

Jim has been watching me fly for a few years now.  If I ever dedicated some time and effort I might get competitive...work, family, etc.  The Giesekie Nobler is the first plane I have flown that Jim hasn't had to tell me a bunch of things to do to make it present well.  I am getting closer   It has a RO-Jett40RE on header muffler.  Took forever to get the engine and tank right, but now I am very satisfied with the work.

[Paul Taylor]

Paul,

You need to fly my Gieseke Nobler.  It looked worn out right after I finished it.

And Jim's engine is "Only" a 40.

Zuriel

When you finish your new top secret project and get it in the air then I may take you up on the offer.

[Larry Fernandez]

Just sitting here thinking... it would be nice to fly a Top Caliber plane just to see what I am missing, or how a Stunt Plane is really supposed to fly. But then I would never is a million years want to fly someones contest plane. No Sir, No Way!


Better yet, have one of the better flyers fly your plane.  Then they can tell you what it needs.  Then after you fix/trim it, have the fly it again.  Once it meets their approval, then you fly it and see how much different it flies.  

Great point made here.
A few years back while flying at Mission College with the big boys, Brett invited me to fly his plane. I was still flying advanced at the time and didn't feel comfortable flying someone else's plane. After much coaxing from Brett and Uncle Jimby, I gave in and took her for a ride.
This was the first plane I had flown that was trimmed to the nth degree. After the flight I remember thinking "Now thats what a competitive stunt ship should feel like!!!" It was indeed an eye opening experience. After that day I had a much better understanding of how my planes should fly and how to trim them to get to that point.
Ive said it before and I'll say it again, For an elitist, that Brett is one he11 of a guy

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[PJ Rowland]

Getting your own model trimmed properly can turn it into a " top calibre plane " i agree.

[Howard Rush]

I've had the privilege of flying a few.  First, they are very easy to fly. They'd make excellent trainers.  One gets the impression that one is playing a primitive video game.  All you see is the airplane's profile.  The wing always points at you.  There are no oscillations.  Turn rate is proportional to handle input.  It looks phony.

[PJ Rowland]

Gotta have a go at this :

"The wing always points at you.  There are no oscillations.  Turn rate is proportional to handle input."

"I've had the privilege of flying a few"

Obviously not one of yours! 

[Brett Buck]

I've had the privilege of flying a few.  First, they are very easy to fly. They'd make excellent trainers. 

  That's always been my observation, too. The problem is that it takes a year (at least) to build one!  That's why I was so obsessively on about the Skyray/20FP and using the *exact* setup and *exact* trim I used. Flies 80% as good as a top airplane (and about 200% better than the average competition airplane), but you can build it in a few days. Or, build several in a week.

   Brett

[Brett Buck]

To say I was nervous would be an understatement.  Towards the middle of the flight, i was pretty comfortable with it and the bottoms started sneaking down.  Not too low though, it was just comfortable and easy to start and stop maneuvers.

    I know that feeling!  David twisted my arm to fly the Thunder Gazer one day. About the 3rd flight it had. About 3 weeks before the W/C, for which he had no backup plane. That's pressure.

    Brett

[PJ Rowland]

"For an elitist, that Brett is one he11 of a guy"

Is that a compliment ?

Dictionary :
Elitism is the belief or attitude that some individuals, who supposedly form an elite — a select group of people with intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or other distinctive attributes — are those whose views on a matter are to be taken the most seriously or carry the most weight or those who view their own views as so; whose views and/or actions are most likely to be constructive to society as a whole; or whose extraordinary skills, abilities or wisdom render them especially fit to govern.

based on that..

Fair call. 

[Larry Fernandez]

"For an elitist, that Brett is one he11 of a guy"

Is that a compliment ?

Short answer, yes
Long answer, there are not enough words in my vocabulary to properly compliment Brett.

Larry, Buttafucco stunt team

[John Sunderland]

This a fun subject. Getting your hands on a well trimmed and adequately powered model is always an eye opener. Its nirvana in my mind. In fact, they are so much easier to fly. It also opens your eyes to what all that minuscule detail futzing and number crunching during the building process, along with flight trimming you see the top pilots doing, can do for you. I still know guys who belong to the old school ideal of, "just build another one" when they arent satisfied with the performance of their model. Some have fleets of marginal performers that may only need to be properly trimmed and a few other things. Easily fixed today.

Really neat to look back over the last two decades and see what has changed ,technology, power improvements and lots of power choices have done to or for design. Lots of slightly smaller planes with gobs of power lately. Like the old cigarette ad said "You've come a long way baby!"

[Howard Rush]

Obviously not one of yours! 

Obviously.

[PJ Rowland]

 

[john e. holliday]

What irks me is when I get one that flies great for me, something happens.  I guess that is when you another of the same design with the trims of the one destroyed.