It’s been a few weeks since I have been out flying. The evenings are way to short for me to get out during the week, even if I could get off early, so I’m limited to the weekends now.
Yesterday was the best looking day weather wise we’d had in a while and I was around on the weekend so I took advantage of it and went out flying with the guys. I got out to the field for 1PM, probably my earliest ever.
When I arrived Peter was still mowing the field and afterwords I helped put the windsock back up. Apparently some people were whining about the windsock on the field and that they would crash into the pole/sock. To me that means they do not have control of the aircraft and should be working on that, not us moving the windsock! The windsock to me worked as an excellent marker when flying at that end of the field so you didn’t get to close to the treeline and also for where you have to make your turn in when coming for a landing from the South.
Got all set up and got in a solid flight… felt great to get up in the air again. On my second time up had to cut it a little short as the rain started to fall, and getting the electronics wet (especially the transmitter) is not a good idea, so I landed the plane and put the transmitter back in the case. It wasn’t long before it started to pour and the four of us that were out at the field huddled under the canopy with the picnic table to wait out the weather. We figured it’d pass, so we didn’t pack up, and it did after about 15 minutes.
After that I got in another 3 flights to make up my five flights. Was an awesome day of flying! The winds were pretty strong, blowing from the West and oscillating between a true crosswind or coming a bit from the North or South. It tended to be bumpy up in the air. I made a few take offs and landings going each direction.
My landings going South to North need work. Twice when coming in I was off center a bit and perhaps a little to far down the runway when I touched down as I tend to head right for the tall grass. The first time I managed to get the plane to come to a stop and steer it enough away such that I didn’t run into the tall grass. The second time I must have come in hotter (and perhaps didn’t risk turning the plane sharp enough) as I was unable to stop in time running well into the tall grass. This can be risky as your prop can get tangled in the long grass and the burs as well as harder stalks (especially this time of year) can puncture the covering on the wings.
I burned through quite a bit of fuel Saturday, or so I thought, until when cleaning up I realized their was a leak in my tank around the opening, where the lines come up was loose causing fuel to run out of the tank and collect in the bottom of the plane. I had to remove the tank and use paper towel to dry it out as much as possible. Then today I brought it over to Peters so he can dry it out better under a heat lamp and kindly repair the tank for me.
Sadly summer is quickly coming to an end and flying season will be over. Next Saturday, weather permitting, is going to be the club wind up and likely the last time out for the season. Then they will be moving to indoor flying, which I don’t have a plane for, and building. I’m excited for the building as in about a months time I am going to start building my first plane! Peter has graciously offered to teach me the building aspect and volunteered his workshop for my first build! I’m excited to learn, plan to blog about my progress/experience, and ‘graduate’ up to my next plane, which is the Sig Four-Star 60.