Sloping Off Again

B Test in progress

At last I'm taking advantage of my membership of the L&MMGA. 

01/08/2013 week I visited "Edge Top" which was a bit disappointing as the promised southerly wind wasn't very strong and it came form ESE. Good job I had taken my power assisted DG 1000 with me. It also gave me opportunity to meet a few fellow members and watch a silent flight "B" test in progress when the wind picked up a little later on.

 

Ivan shows how it's done

09/08/2013 I went to "The Gate" - no shortage of wind on this day and it was straight on the slope. I measured the wind speed later in the afternoon, a pleasant 32mph gusting 40mph .

I always have trouble launching the Fusion myself when there's a good blow so Ivan Bradbury obliged.

With some weight up front it's...

Ivan suggested that in these conditions I should stick some lead on the front so 25 grammes later I gave it go and it was like launching a different model. Odd that I had failed to spot the problem because if I'd seen that behaviour on a powered model I would have soon been on the case of it's sensitive elevator. Anyway, I can take some friendly advice so a big thank you for that, the model has been transformed - by the end of the afternoon I was launching it into the 32mph (gusting 40) wind time and time again just for the sake of it - piece of cake !;o)

...sorted!

Sunny skies and...

The wind brought sun & clouds at various times and soon after one launch a pair of ravens joined me. Curious to find out who was following who I circled and the ravens followed so I repeated the circle and the same happened again! There had also been a family of sparrowhawks flying through about 30 minutes earlier. Ah, the great outdoors and a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon .

...threatening cloudy skies in quick succession.

I got a visit from a pair of ravens too.

Sea Vixen Airborne At Last

Our Sea Vixens, mine is 133

Last November I ordered a Durafly Sea Vixen which it turned out was not in stock after all. Then early this year it became available again and was duly dispatched.

By this time other projects had been started and though a straight forward assembly was all that it needed the Sea Vixen sat in it's box 6 months or so.

The retractable undercarriage has worked fine, so far.

During this time my friend Richard had decided he fancied one too and consequently my first flight with one of these models was the maiden flight of Richard's model. It was easy to fly, had a reasonable turn of speed and landed easily too. Well at long last, 2 days ago actually, I finally took my Sea Vixen out for it's maiden flight and I'm pleased to say the same characteristics were revealed in my model.

Landing is a piece of cake.

The only problem we have experienced so far is that after recent rain and sunshine our grass strip was very lush which produced problems after it was cut.  The cuttings were of some concern but the residual damp stickiness was more of an issue, preventing the model from picking up decent ground speed for take-off. I managed to get mine away but Richard's tended to veer sideways and the lost speed couldn't be recovered before the end of the strip. I'm sure all will be fine in a day or two.