Thursday Promises, Friday Delivers!
Posted by on Aug 8, 2003, 22:58
|
Thursday 08/07/03
Mirko hit Atwater at lunch and was rewarded with the best slope flying of the day.
Later in the afternoon I met Mirko at Big Bay Park and had some decent flights. The wind was 10-12 and the direction was good. I had the Pixel, Extreme and Weasel out. Mirko flew his Pixel and Fitness. Russ stopped by with his Pixel as well. With dinner time approaching, the wind died down. We all headed home for some grub.
 |
| Mirko launches an Airtech Fitness |
 |
| Russ, ready for some relaxing flying, launches his Pixel |
 |
| Russ's Pixel |
 |
Greg and the Weasel
Photo: Mirko Bodul |
 |
Weasel flyby
Photo: Mirko Bodul |
 |
Catching the Weasel
Photo: Mirko Bodul |
I went back to Big Bay after dinner and got in some more flights with the Pixel and the Weasel. The Weasel has turned out to be a crowd pleaser, especially to non fliers. The ability to keep it in close and fly aerobatics in a really tight area seems to impress those folks. The final flight of the evening was with the Weasel and there were a dozen or so onlookers who enjoyed the show! And so ended a decent if not spectacular day.
Friday 08/08/03
Mirko called about 11AM to say he was seeing promising signs from the wind gods. The forecast was for winds that are more northerly than we like but the reality at the slope proved to be different. For once the wind was both stronger, and a better direction, than predicted. We decided to meet at Atwater Beach.
I started out flying the Pixel and the lift was pretty good. The Pixel really makes the best of what lift is available and both Mirko and I had ours tearing around.
I got the Extreme out next and had the steel joiner along but forgot more ballast. That is probably OK because the Extreme was happy ripping around. Every time I fly this plane it impresses me. Today it was the Extreme's inverted flight capability because it does it so well. It just takes a breath of down on the elevator once in a while to maintain level, inverted flight and it was no problem to climb while tooling around upsidedown.
Russ showed up and had his Pixel and a Multiplex Pilatus B4. He flew the Pixel first and then got the Pilatus out in the lift. This was its maiden slope flight the previous flights were aerotows. Russ had the sky to himself as Mirko launched the B4 and I shot some pix. It flies well and looks great in the air. Russ tried out some loops and rolls which the Pilatus performed very well.
 |
| Russ readies a Multiplex Pilatus B4 |
 |
| Mirko gets Russ's Pilatus into the action |
 |
| Pilatus |
I had my Slope Scale F-20 Tigershark along hoping that the lift would be great. The lift was not as strong as I would have liked but the temptation was too great. I just had to see the F-20 in the air! This was its first Wisconsin flight. I had it in the air once in Kansas after the MWSC where the lift was light for this ship and once in South Dakota where the lift was good but turbulent. I launched it and let it drop about halfway down the hill before I thought it had enough speed to start flying. It took several passes before it was kind of on step. It did not help that it was out of trim. I tried to pump it up with some half pipes but the lift was not supporting that so I flew around looking for the best lift spots and was able to get some altitude a couple of times. I tried some rolls with it and they are very fast and axial. Russ says it looks like it is turning on a lathe! While it really needed more lift to have a ton of fun today was actually the best flight I've had with it so far.
Our cold weather slope buddy, Ken, was cruising by with a couple of friends on their motorcycles and they stopped by to watch for a bit. I put Ken to work with my Nikon D-100 while I flew the F-20. Thanks for the pictures Ken. Hope to see you on the slope again!
 |
Greg's Slope Scale F-20.
Photo: Ken Nelson |
 |
Another shot of the F-20
Photo: Ken Nelson |
We all hope that today showed us the start of the windy season. Sure, I am sorry to bid summer farewell but after the lack of suitable wind this summer, you can have it! Bring on Fall!
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- |
