So here we go. A few photos of the many landing attempts made today with Marie. Wow.... LOL
As for the flight report? Not too shabby really. I taxied Marie around a bit to get re-familiarized with her ground handling. She really steers well and not too fast like the little Blue Nose. Nice and smooth and straight down the runway. When I pushed the throttle forward she started out pretty straight but started to veer as most all tail draggers do. I added a little right rudder and kept her steady. A little more would have been the call, but she did just fine. A little light pull on the elevator stick and she was in the air. Gear up and she was flying. At first she went pretty much to the moon like the Blue Nose. Hmmm!!! No aileron or rudder trim, but took quite a bit of down elevator trim. Hmm, so did the Blue Nose. Anyway, Marie flew rock steady. Not a single wiggle. Considering the wind was blowing really hard today. At times it was 8 gusting to 15, then 9 gusting to 16 and then at times, it would drop off only to come back up to around 18 gusts. Never the less, Marie took it all in stride. Down wind, she was flat hauling the mail. Upwind, nice and steady and rock solid. I put a few laps on her...a couple lower, (not down on the deck-YET) passes. Dang she looks good. I can't believe I actually sold her 5 years ago. I love this plane. I think once I get her figured out, she is going to be one of my favorite "GO TO" planes. I dropped the gear dialed in a little flap and she slowed down to a real nice slow pass. I figured the landings were going to be a breeze. HAHA...(Pun intended)…. I found out differently as the wind had her own ideas. 8 attempts is what it took me to get her down. Every time I would bleed her speed off, she would drop really way too quickly. I would click the throttle up just a tad and she would balloon up on me. After a few passes, I finally figured out why she was a stubborn winch to land. I had been in such a hurry to get her done that I forgot to balance her. Hmmm, balance? What is that. Odd thing is, the aerobatic planes I have been flying have all been built with a tad bit of tail heaviness in them. I like them that way. Ummmm, not so much Virginia on a warbird. I believe now that the reason the Blue Nose went to the moon is the same as Marie. A tad too tail heavy. Ah heck, not a problem. I got her on the ground in one piece. My nerves on the other hand were scattered all over the runway. LOL. All in all with the O.S. powered Trainer and getting Marie back in the air again, it was an awesome day of flying at B.A.R.K.S. Marie is a really great plane and she is well worth having her back in the Epley Hangar once again.
Now the video. My sons girlfriend really tries hard to get good photos and videos. Sometimes it is really difficult. I think I need to just get her a really good Go-Pro. She is a sweetheart too. You know? she literally (not even kidding here) has her complete memory card full of RC airplane photos of my son and I. Videos and photos everywhere. She is as sick as my son and I.
MARIE RE-MAIDEN
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