Darn, Phil. And just when I was about to say how much I wanted to see you at a CL field. I very much appreciated the folks in the ol' FARM club. Yerself included. Phil helped me with a buddy box when I was struggling to master RC. I ended up with a Futaba 6 channel transmitter that was altered to be a single stick by Ed Gerber. Blanked off the left stick and incorporated a bottle cap on a spring loaded twisting right stick for rudder and a slide on top for the throttle. Worked great until an internal wire failed from fatigue, and the ol' Saito 80 went to full throttle as I was taxiing towards the pits. Exciting. Still have my radio stuff. Perhaps one day...
I did actually put that ST 46 to use, btw. But I broke it in Norfolk at a contest. 97. Ask Steve Fitton. Split the exhaust stack where the screw attaches the back of the muffler. Gave it to someone who was going to fix it, and haven't seen it since. Got a never run late production model I'm running now, and still struggling with prop and fuel combination. Or maybe I'm just not holding my mouth right. But I did appreciate it - thanks again.
And yes, Huntersville has to be one of the coolest events I've known. Unless you count the time I was kicked out of the Good Guys (a ti##ty bar in downtown DC) for trying to milk a dollar for everything it was worth. That was an event. Had my hip replaced the very next day. I'm not kidding.
I'm in the process of relocating and changing jobs (Friday was my last day), and so flying has been rare as hen's teeth. Have an SE5 lookalike that was built around the plans of a 38 Special that flies pretty good. OS 46LA on it. And the aforementioned ST46 powered machine that was built around an RSM P40 kit. I think this is my last inverted side exhaust airplane. There has got to be a more pleasurable activity than wiping off a full ounce of slimy goo from one's aeroplane after a mere eight minutes of flight time.
But, I'll be there in spirit. Sneaking around tweaking needle valves while folks are distracted and adjusting posted scores with my own special magic marker.
I think I'll be dropping in during the Brodak contest in June, as it'll be just up the road from my new abode. But, I probably won't fly much. They make me fly Expert now, and as I said - I haven't even mastered the handling of a dollar bill at a bar. I'd offer to fly clown racing for anyone if anyone needs a pilot. My sneakers have spurs, and I think that is an advantage for anyone I team up with. And my flight box always has a box of bandaids available. For a price.
You folks have a nice contest. And if the cops come around looking for me again, don't lie. I'm simply not there.