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