Minor crash today

[Bob O]

I had the "carbon" boom on it at the Fun Fly. Looked great that's about it. I'm putting the stock grey aluminum one back on there. I won't go CF again at that price.

[johnbs8]

agreed !!

[Bob O]

I got the TracX head today and started working on that. I'll create a new thread on it, tomorrow maybe. I'm whipped right now after a long day removing the roof on an older travel trailer. Sore too. Heading to bed shortly.

[Bob O]

Well, she's back in the air!

I got five flights on the rebuilt engine (new ring, cylinder and bearings) today. Sloppy rich to start out with, 1 3/4 turns on both needles for the first flight ate all the fuel in just 6 minutes of low head speed hovering and very slow FF.

Second tank leaned out both H and M needle four clicks, still pretty rich, started doing some climbouts at about 1,900 RPM to increase combustion pressure and build some heat. Flight duration increased a little.

Third tank leaned the H needle two clicks. Much of the same type of flying. Back plate starting to warm up, flight duration increasing.

Fourth tank leaned the H needle one click and raised HS to around 2,000 RPM. Lots of climbouts and power loops with slight hovering breaks and moderate FF in between. Backplate warming up nicely.

Fifth flight same as the fourth. Weirdest thing happened during the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th flight. I had a flame out toward the end of each of those flights, but I was nowhere near being out of fuel. Running the OMI Fuel Magnet, I've sucked this tank nearly dry before without a problem. Each time I thought the flame out was due to the glow plug blowing, but each time the plug was okay.

The best thing about the flame outs was a nice auto save on each one. First one happened as I went past in moderate speed upright FF. Turned it around and auto'd no problem. Second and third were inverted FF at moderate speed. One was low and the other was a bit higher, maybe 20 feet. Thankful for the forward speed and some wind, I was able to transition to upright and do two beautiful inverted autos.

I actually thought I was going to crash on the first inverted one being it was low, and it was what caused the crash that resulted in this thread. Practicing inverted autos on the Sim since the crash helped out a lot no doubt.

Hopefully I can get out again reasonably soon and get another five or more flights on to get her mostly broken in. They I can start flogging it again.