Congaree flying, August 10, 2017

**RknRusty** Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:32 am

We did another late day excursion to the Congaree field, Wayne, Mike Lindler, and me. The field was otherwise vacant and had been mowed with a circle for us. Nice surprise, we were expecting to have to mow. Light breeze and about 90F. Wayne was playing with a new 3-meter sailplane when I rolled in. Mike followed soon after with a nice Time Machine that Wayne had given him in the to-be painted stage. It's an oddly good looking ship.

We sweated for a while hoping the wind would move away from the sun, but I reached the end of my patience and walked the Twister onto the circle. My hopes to fly the P-40 were put aside when my son called asking if I wanted a tour of the custom metal plant where he works. I wasn't about to turn that down and got a tour of a really awesome shop. So, the Twister got the call.

Last week I talked about how solid my balance and pattern flying was, but today was not so steady. I had great engine runs up until I turned the camera on and that one was just a hair lean, but not screaming and not too fast, just not as sweet as the first two. I was all over the place on my first flight, off balance a few times, but made it through the pattern... barely. I stumbled finishing the Clover and almost fell, stumbling and ending up about 60 feet from the center before I finally caught myself as it ran out of gas. That was close to a disaster.

With each flight I got my legs under me a little better and had Mike video my last flight of the day. It was getting dark by the time I landed with a backdrop of a beautiful sunset. He focused the camera on me more than the plane. Other than my still off balance OH8 and a scary V8 exit I flew a really decent pattern.

Looking forward to next week,
Rusty

https://youtu.be/_I3XTa-4dwM

Kim Fri Aug 11, 2017 7:54 am

God deal on the save Rusty! Looking forward to the next report!

getback Fri Aug 11, 2017 9:51 am

That didn't look too bad to me ,Corse Mike was a shaking it up a little LOL . I will say you looked a little tired getting to the handle , that's understandable . The Cardinal seemed to be stable and engine run was on . Good to see you're out there back at it Clapping

**RknRusty** Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:35 am

getback wrote:That didn't look too bad to me ,Corse Mike was a shaking it up a little LOL . I will say you looked a little tired getting to the handle , that's understandable . The Cardinal seemed to be stable and engine run was on . Good to see you're out there back at it

Nah, it wasn't too bad, my pullouts and bottoms have taken a big leap since I finally decided to make that handle change... not that you could see them Rolling Eyes

I don't recall if I ever elaborated on that, I'll check. I was a little tired and sore, but I generally take a slow walk to the handle even in contests. Rushing does not mix well with pattern flying. Not for me anyway. I'm achin' pretty good today, but it's worth it. That engine run was clinging to the 2-stroke on that flight. You can hear it break 4 some times, but not like it had been earlier. It wasn't far off because the fuel usage was still on point. I could use a half ounce bigger tank, especially when the cool weather comes. Not sure how I can fit one in it.

I may be incommunicado this weekend. My old backup phone doesn't seem to want me accessing my forums.
Later, dudes.
Rusty

Marleysky Fri Aug 11, 2017 10:42 am

Rusty, you looked damn good out there! Great flight, wonderfull sunset. Thanks for sharing your fun. Your ( off camera) stumbling and bumbling....isn't t that why it's called " the Twister" ?

fredvon4 Fri Aug 11, 2017 11:23 am

Rusty ...I am not a fan*, but do have one, Larry Renger, so called, expo handle

I also have one of the super lite and expensive Randy Smith CF Hard point handles and the Hello Kitty clips
Neither is needed for my hack flying....BUT

I did note a distinct, better FEEL, from each..... over the cable handles I was using

Admittedly I have not paid enough attention to the handle you prefer, so this is just a thought....maybe a handle change might be some benifit

* Larry's handle kit is nice, but a royal PITA to glue and shape

OTOH, my natural neutral right hand, is a LOT down biased -----and the Expo handle somewhat compensates IMO and truly, a non PAMPA pattern capable, observation

**RknRusty** Fri Aug 11, 2017 3:00 pm

Last entry before my mini vacation:

I use the Tom Morris non-biased cable handle. The cable setting(s) are what I changed. That one fits my hand very comfortably.

See y'all later
Rock and Roll!

Ken Cook Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:14 pm

Rusty, I watched some of the video. It's nice to see the Twister back. I happen to notice though you didn't fly enough level laps prior to the wingover and when you did your inverted laps you cut those short equally as well. Understanding your not flying a contest but flying consistent and repetitious is important to achieving higher scores. My late club member Jack Weston would hark on me all the time for doing that. Forgetting a lap can cost you your pattern points. Not trying to break your stones I did enjoy the video. Ken

**RknRusty** Fri Aug 11, 2017 11:57 pm

Ooohh my stones, lol.
I was tired and unsteady, having narrowly escaped a bad fall in an earlier flight, and I wanted to finish a complete pattern. And my tank is a bit too small too. I don't like to do that either. I may need to do surgery to make a 5 oz. tank fit. That was a full 4.5 oz. for that run. I could get to the handle faster, but I had to conserve energy.
Rusty

Ken Cook Sat Aug 12, 2017 4:56 am

Completely understood.

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