I've decided to start a page to more or less chronicle the activities of the Champ, as it looks like this might just turn into quite an active airplane. Just thought it might be nice to keep a log... . |
28 June 2010 - First flights. Testing the Champ, setting her up for sustained flying activities.
5 July 2010 - Several flights on this day, after missing the entire 4th of July weekend. Removed 2 of the 1/2-oz. bullet weights
before going to the field and she's a lot more responsive now. Lifts off the ground quite easily after a rather long T.O. run, flies
very gently, lands long and easy.
11 July 2010 - Her first "newbie" flight. We had the Champ out, along with the Sr. Falcon, Dale's Nexstar and "The General" -
which is very much a normal day's complement of aircraft. Quite a few people were watching the planes (not surprising) and one
guy showed somewhat more interest than most. I asked him if he'd like to take a stab at flying one of the planes and, though
rather nervous about the prospects of damaging/destroying one, once we'd shown how the system worked and how there was no way
he could hurt one of the planes, he decided to try it. We hooked up a buddy cord to another transmitter, explained the control
system, gassed her up and off we went. Once I got her up to about 150 feet I pushed the "trainer" button on my transmitter and,
I must admit, for one who has never seen one of these planes close-up - he did rather well. He got her out of shape a few times and
I had to rescue him (pretty much a normal thing for 1st timers) but he eventually did manage to keep her level and fly a few 4-turn
circuits of the field.
All in all, a great first time in a newbie's hands.
20 July 2010 - Test-flight day again. I addressed one of the problems with the newbie on the 11th, and changed the controls a bit
- moving the ailerons onto the left transmitter stick and the rudder to the right stick. Also dropped the ailerons a bit to make
them just a little more effective, which they are now. Although I'm more used to that rudder on the left (and it showed on the
first take-off) I think this arrangement will be better for those trying to fly for the first time - they'll only have one stick to
have to deal with. Gotta admit, this plane is an awful lot of fun to fly.
17 August 2010 - More fun with the little gal! I took another ounce of nose-weight off in an effort to improve her responses a bit
(mostly in the "spin" department), and the jury's still out on whether I like her better or not - I might just put a half-ounce back
on. Spins didn't improve much, but she was never designed as any kind of aerobatic ship either. One thing I did get to play with
was in the "slow flight" department. Got her trimmed and the engine running low enough that she was nearly standing still in the air
(near-zero wind today). She was flying soooooooo slow that the wings started oscillating back and forth (apparently VERY near
tip-stall), and when I used the rudder to turn her she was very sluggish - but she turned, and didn't fall-off. Matter of fact, at
that low speed she was actually settling down (mushing down) and was quite stable in the way she was doing it.
Not even my gliders can fly that slow and stable - LOVE IT!
29 August 2010 - Another flight day that turned into a day of re-trimming and flight tests. Those ailerons are beginning to drive
me crazy, they're just simply not what they should be. They're very tight, hardly any movement at all that's effective in flight.
Anyway, once she was re-trimmed we had a half-dozen pretty good flights with her.
31 December 2010 - Can't believe the year's pretty much over. Flights with the Champ, and flying in general, was pretty much
over by the end of August - simply no time available, and then ... well, it was over. Right after Christmas I finally made the
decision and removed the ailerons - decided they were more trouble than they were worth. Then, I re-trimmed the elevator &
rudder to maximum throw possible. Hoping to take her out on New Year's Day for a flight or 2 - supposed to be good flying
weather tomorrow.
.
5 July 2010 - Several flights on this day, after missing the entire 4th of July weekend. Removed 2 of the 1/2-oz. bullet weights
before going to the field and she's a lot more responsive now. Lifts off the ground quite easily after a rather long T.O. run, flies
very gently, lands long and easy.
11 July 2010 - Her first "newbie" flight. We had the Champ out, along with the Sr. Falcon, Dale's Nexstar and "The General" -
which is very much a normal day's complement of aircraft. Quite a few people were watching the planes (not surprising) and one
guy showed somewhat more interest than most. I asked him if he'd like to take a stab at flying one of the planes and, though
rather nervous about the prospects of damaging/destroying one, once we'd shown how the system worked and how there was no way
he could hurt one of the planes, he decided to try it. We hooked up a buddy cord to another transmitter, explained the control
system, gassed her up and off we went. Once I got her up to about 150 feet I pushed the "trainer" button on my transmitter and,
I must admit, for one who has never seen one of these planes close-up - he did rather well. He got her out of shape a few times and
I had to rescue him (pretty much a normal thing for 1st timers) but he eventually did manage to keep her level and fly a few 4-turn
circuits of the field.
All in all, a great first time in a newbie's hands.
20 July 2010 - Test-flight day again. I addressed one of the problems with the newbie on the 11th, and changed the controls a bit
- moving the ailerons onto the left transmitter stick and the rudder to the right stick. Also dropped the ailerons a bit to make
them just a little more effective, which they are now. Although I'm more used to that rudder on the left (and it showed on the
first take-off) I think this arrangement will be better for those trying to fly for the first time - they'll only have one stick to
have to deal with. Gotta admit, this plane is an awful lot of fun to fly.
17 August 2010 - More fun with the little gal! I took another ounce of nose-weight off in an effort to improve her responses a bit
(mostly in the "spin" department), and the jury's still out on whether I like her better or not - I might just put a half-ounce back
on. Spins didn't improve much, but she was never designed as any kind of aerobatic ship either. One thing I did get to play with
was in the "slow flight" department. Got her trimmed and the engine running low enough that she was nearly standing still in the air
(near-zero wind today). She was flying soooooooo slow that the wings started oscillating back and forth (apparently VERY near
tip-stall), and when I used the rudder to turn her she was very sluggish - but she turned, and didn't fall-off. Matter of fact, at
that low speed she was actually settling down (mushing down) and was quite stable in the way she was doing it.
Not even my gliders can fly that slow and stable - LOVE IT!
29 August 2010 - Another flight day that turned into a day of re-trimming and flight tests. Those ailerons are beginning to drive
me crazy, they're just simply not what they should be. They're very tight, hardly any movement at all that's effective in flight.
Anyway, once she was re-trimmed we had a half-dozen pretty good flights with her.
31 December 2010 - Can't believe the year's pretty much over. Flights with the Champ, and flying in general, was pretty much
over by the end of August - simply no time available, and then ... well, it was over. Right after Christmas I finally made the
decision and removed the ailerons - decided they were more trouble than they were worth. Then, I re-trimmed the elevator &
rudder to maximum throw possible. Hoping to take her out on New Year's Day for a flight or 2 - supposed to be good flying
weather tomorrow.
.
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