I can’t speak to the issue of Ted’s Mechanics Luggage, but I can understand perhaps a certain massiveness to Mr. Fitzgerald’s semi-portable logistics support system. You see, it has everything to do with his circle at Kennedy park. At first this was not obvious to me, having flown there the first time in what was patiently explained to me to be a rather balmy, late summer day. But the second time I attended races at this same site, it was blowing a bit more strongly even at mid-morning. I unfortunately took the last choice on pit position and set my toolbox down on the edge of the circle and went out to the handle leaving my “borrowed pitman” to take care of spilling the fuel and flogging the prop. As I recall, the race was going fairly well despite the steady wind.
Somewhere during the race, however, it was discovered that a 25 or 30 lb toolbox was not suited to the Napa site—it blew over—dumping the contents into the “unimproved” area just off the circle. While the 16” Crescent wrench and other large tools were easy to find, the spare glow plug, spare prop, and inventory of nuts, bolts and washers was lost, perhaps blown downwind. Probably some spraybars and needles as well. Some of the crew were in a hurry to get to the coffee shop before hypothermia set in, but what decided it was when one of the guys that was raking thru the stubble looking for the missing ball drivers began to beat on the ground in front of him. He had found the leads to my spare battery clip emerging from the grass. He continued beating it with the rake until we convinced him it was not a snake…it was just the wind whipping the loose end back and forth....
So my thought is this: if you practice flying in the wind to be prepared for Muncie, there are places where you will need a heavy toolbox. Or you risk giving your flying buddies a heart attack…. So it's the right thing to do.
Divot McSlow
Topic: Ted's Tool Box (Read 3621 times)