Last Sunday with the Mount Hard Core Slopers

Here we are on top of the Mount on a really cold winter's day - a shower of rain has just passed through but still a few keen men... from the left we have anonymous spectator on the seat, then Leon (from Foamworks), Ralph, Richard (the F3B Dentist)and John.



Earlier in the arvo we were flying at the Half Goat and this is Ralph testing out one of the new Fusion 2010 prototypes. Leon also had a new Fusion 2010 with the new wing - the RW03 developed by Ralph. By all accounts it flys very nicely and appears to have excellent inverted performance as an added bonus.


Johnny S had his Screamin' Banshee out again blasting around the sky - at times a rather weird and dark looking sky as you can see in this shot...



So a good little afternoon for most - my only problem being an indiscreet encounter with a digger parked in the landing zone at the top - oh dear, the poor old Vampire in the wars again - this time a broken aileron and wing damage.

Maiden Day for the Tank

Yes, finally after nearly six months, the 2m Tank took to the skies in a 15kt southerly off the top of the Bowl at the Mount. Ralph got some good shots of the launch with a very worried pilot about to test the new beast.

And beast it turned out to be - first flight lasted about 20 seconds before coming down. It was way too tail heavy to fly. Couple of goes later with ballast nicked from the JW and it was flying - well, sort-of.





It needs a long list of modifications : here's the list of things to do;
1. Change decalage angle of tail.
2. Strengthen elevator pushrods
3. Add noseweight to new C.O.Gravity
4. Reduce elevator travel.
5. Investigate elevator binding/double centering
6. Replace broken clevis's on flaps with metal inners.(did I say it had a bad landing??)
7. Add skewers to L.E. of v-tail
8. Add upstop for flaps to stop flutter (from gear slop)
9. Remove subtrim on flaps to enable centre of camber trim knob.
10. Provide steeper angle of v-tail to assist less yaw.

Phew, that will take a while. So just lay back and enjoy the pics for now.

One last shot showing the crow braking in action.