Very few planes fly right off the bench

[RC Storick]

Today Gary Hajek,Ted Winterman and my self went to Budder park. Winds were light and variable when we got there. I put 5 oz of fuel in for a test hop and off I went.Right from the start I knew it was a good airplane. First flight a few loops and inverted flight. Some Squares and the triangles and figure eights. I did notice it was flying ass low. So for the second flight we had tweaked the elevators down a few degrees. Also on the fist flight it was a bit fast at a 5.2 so second flight with the needle open is was at 5.4, Into a pattern I went man it was great. I think it flies better then my Thunderbolt.

The third flight I closed the line spacing a little and flew again. Much better but I had went too far. So all and all after 5 flights is so close its not funny. If all goes well in the next 2 weeks I think this is my NATS plane. I will keep you posted on the trimming process.



It seems every year being in the location I am in I am never ready. If you have ever flown at Budder park for any length of time you know what I mean.

[Crist Rigotti]

Glad to hear all went well. You gonna leave the 20 pointer at home? 

[RC Storick]

nope

[Bill Adair]

Congratulations Robert! 

Don't often hear such promising results from first flights, and particularly on a scratch built rendition of an older design.

Good luck at the Nats!

Bill

[Doug Moon]

That's great!

I love it when that happens!

I wrecked mine on the 4th flight.  Not totaled but it will need some work to get back in the air.

[Trostle]

We must have travelled through some form of a time/space discontinuity sometime after the early 50's.  That was back in the days where there were no such things as adjustable tip weights, adjustable line rake, adjustable elevator trim, adjustable handles, adjustable flap elevator trim, and rather unsophisticated power trains without uniflow tanks or muffler pressure systems or special carbon props.  Yet everything that got published flew right off of the bench and could "do everything in the book".

What are we missing in this generation?

It took me about two years to get the Bearcat trimmed.  My new Focke Wulf has been flying since VSC and I am still making changes almost every flight.

Oh, by the way, nice looking airplane Robert.  I look forward to seeing it and you in Muncie.

Keith

[Doug Moon]

We must have travelled through some form of a time/space discontinuity sometime after the early 50's.  That was back in the days where there were no such things as adjustable tip weights, adjustable line rake, adjustable elevator trim, adjustable handles, adjustable flap elevator trim, and rather unsophisticated power trains without uniflow tanks or muffler pressure systems or special carbon props.  Yet everything that got published flew right off of the bench and could "do everything in the book".
>>>>>>>
Keith

Didnt know any better??

[Randy Powell]

It seems that for me, it's hit and miss. The USA-1 I built did a complete pattern on the first flight. The thing felt like I'd been flying it for years. Never did do much trim on it. It was just right off the board. The Shoestring will need a major rework before it flies decently. The current PA plane I've flying was another that right off the board flew well. For me it mostly boils down to stuff sneaking in that I don't see. If that happens, there are problems. Sometimes really serious ones. If I catch everything, then most times all is well. I'm pretty good a gross trim, but learn something new every day on fine tweaks.

Keith, we adjusted stuff back then, it just usually included a #11 knife and a steam. 

Doug, sorry to hear about the new plane. Not badly damaged, I hope.

Robert,

I imagine that the new plane presents very well. It really is a nice looking plane.

[Tom Niebuhr]

Keith,
I think that if we look back at the days with no adjustments, we either used an exacto knife, or just got used to the airplanes faults. Our reflexes got tuned to the airplane, instead of us tuning the airplane.

The reality always seems to be that an airplane is finally trimmed to its best when we are ready to retire it.

Robert,
That is a great looking airplane. (And cockpit) Good luck with it.

[john e. holliday]

Robert glad to hear the plane is flying well.  I have also been told by many that an airplane is never fully trimmed, even after a hundred flights.  I have had several that I was pleased with, but, most of the time I learned to fly the plane with what ever came off the bench unless someone made a suggestion to help with something I didn't see.  I hope you score as well as the plane looks to me in the pictures.  Can't wait to see it in person.  DOC Holliday