Greens Peak--Slope Mother's Report
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Rocky Stone
May 30, 2011, 11:43:27 PM5/30/11
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LP arrived Friday. Big wind. He flew his Whirlwind (big, molded plane--pictured below at La Bajada),
then stripped a flap servo on landing. There was also a slight delam on the stab. He spent the night on top of the mountain and said the wind didn't relent all night long.
As Richard said, Dan & Richard, Terry, and Rocky arrived Saturday. Dawson (Flagstaff), Mark (Showlow), Rick Palmer (Springerville), and Hap (Tucson) were there also. The wind was 30 to 40 mph. No wimps allowed!
Dawson flew an LEG Spindrift,
his Le Fish, and a Zagi (or some similar flying wing). As always, the rest of us were mesmerized watching Dawson's flying skills and acumen. His snap rolls transitioning into flat spins with the Spindrift are amazing.
LP ripped up the sky with his Stingeron (right LP?), and danced his Bee II (flying wing), and Scout Bee (larger flying wing).
Mark flew a Moth (plank).
Terry flew the Schweitzer 1-26,
though it's been rebuilt since this photo was taken and sports a black canopy now. After a CG readjustment, it flew magnificently and Dawson put it through its paces, verifying the plane's abilities and strengths.
Hap tried to fly a coroplast Mig 7, but it was too light to penetrate out from the slope so he added about 4 ounces of lead solder and tried again. Still too light to penetrate.
Richard flew his 2-meter Alcyone, but it was a bit light for the turbulent, high-wind conditions. He also tried his Zagi for a while.
Minutes after I arrived, I launched Dan's big, coroplast-winged slope monster, the Local Slope Aspirant (an acronym for "coroplast sailplane"). As I threw the plane, I stumbled and fell head-first down the slope onto the sharp cinders. My right forearm bore a half-dozen bloody battle-scars. His plane looked like a Gentle Lady drifting around on a calm day--despite the howling winds! Seriously, of all the planes that I saw flying this weekend, this one was the most "comfortable" in the conditions. He rolled it. He looped it. Then he sneezed and started flying the wrong plane. In micro-seconds, the LSA had blown back over the trees. But Dan nailed the landing...
The yellow fuselage is barely visible just below the dark foreground branch at the right edge of the wing's leading edge.
Dan then flew his Bard. As LP was holding it just prior to launch, the wings would droop to severe anhedral, then snap up to dihedral as the nose passed below or above the horizontal plane of the wind flow up the slope. The difference was maybe six inches at each wingtip. The plane flew well, though, for a little while. Something happened and it blew back into the trees. The impact snapped both wings and the tail was completely broken off--held to the fuselage only by a control rod. Dan had to partially climb a nearby tree then use a pole with a hook to snag and drag the carcass down (this maneuver will henceforth be known as a "snag and drag").
Rocky flew the Kaze 40 (plank) with full ballast, but it was squirrely and had to be flown with positive control every second--no relaxing allowed! Bruce's "old" ME109 flew like a champ for two long, satisfying flights. Then a third flight ended with a dork (due, naturally to horrible turbulence and NOT to pilot error) that snapped the threaded metal rod just in front of the elevator clevis.
Dan and Richard decided to leave early Saturday afternoon, mainly because they didn't have anything else heavy enough to fly. Attempts to bribe them to stay with the promise of a t-bone steak/baked potato dinner failed.
That evening, we (Terry, Dawson, LP, and Rocky) camped where Mark had set up--the site near the base of the peak, marked "Suggested Campsite #1" on Richard's excellent map. Mark graciously offered to cook the EIGHT marinated t-bone steaks and foil-wrapped baked potatoes that Terry had brought for everyone. The greens-lovers of the crew enjoyed the fresh garden salad that Richard had left us. Mark's wife and niece joined us and provided home-made chocolate chip cookies and an excellent cobbler with chocolate fudge ice cream for dessert!
While the steaks were cooking, Terry terrorized the lee behind the trees with his micro T-28. Once he flew too high and got blown out to the dirt road.
-----
Sunday dawned colder and still blowing hard.
Mark had packed up camp in the wee hours of the morning and pulled out for home at daybreak.
Terry had planned on re-maidening the Condor (with its new, coroplast, vertical fin/rudder), but given the conditions and forecast, decided to bail and left for home.
Dawson, LP, and Rocky drove up the hill once more. Dawson's wind meter registered 35 to 40 mph with a peak gust of 54 and change. It also yielded the wind chill--a brisk 13 degrees! When Rocky saw that, he put on sweat pants!
Dawson threw his Spindrift again, but fairly quickly decided it needed the addition of a bit of ballast. He taped two packs of lead under the wings.
Dawson normally uses the weights to counterbalance his video camera on his filming helmet. I'd guess they weigh a pound and a half total!
He gave me his HD video camera and I filmed his next flight. It was impossible to hold the camera steady--I was sitting down on the slope, but each gust would buffet me backward. At one point, a gust hit the plane and it dropped out of sight below. He had just enough time to say, "Oops!" and glance at LP, and the plane leaped into view below, flying again, but now without the weights! It had shed them in the "landing" portion of its invisible touch-and-go.
Just before we left, I walked back into the woods and checked on Dan's treed glider. It had shifted a bit, but was still stuck fast near the top of the tree. Perhaps Rick will be able to shoot it down or retrieve it if it eventually blows out.
-----
LP and I stopped at a cafe in Springerville for an excellent breakfast, then decided to do some exploring. We went back through the Malpais then parked my truck/camper and I jumped in his Toyota. We set out for Mt. Taylor. We discovered what I think may be the best dynamic soaring location in NM...
LP hurled his Alula, flew a while over the bowl toward the east, then tried to DS it on the west side of the ridge, but the wind direction was too much out of the south and there wasn't a rotor there. The site would be easily accessible by anything that can go to La Bajada. And you can park right on the ridge line.
On the way back to Albuquerque, we stopped off at the Route 66 Casino and tried out the buffet. Two thumbs up!
Take care all,
--Rocky
then stripped a flap servo on landing. There was also a slight delam on the stab. He spent the night on top of the mountain and said the wind didn't relent all night long.
As Richard said, Dan & Richard, Terry, and Rocky arrived Saturday. Dawson (Flagstaff), Mark (Showlow), Rick Palmer (Springerville), and Hap (Tucson) were there also. The wind was 30 to 40 mph. No wimps allowed!
Dawson flew an LEG Spindrift,
his Le Fish, and a Zagi (or some similar flying wing). As always, the rest of us were mesmerized watching Dawson's flying skills and acumen. His snap rolls transitioning into flat spins with the Spindrift are amazing.
LP ripped up the sky with his Stingeron (right LP?), and danced his Bee II (flying wing), and Scout Bee (larger flying wing).
Mark flew a Moth (plank).
Terry flew the Schweitzer 1-26,
though it's been rebuilt since this photo was taken and sports a black canopy now. After a CG readjustment, it flew magnificently and Dawson put it through its paces, verifying the plane's abilities and strengths.
Hap tried to fly a coroplast Mig 7, but it was too light to penetrate out from the slope so he added about 4 ounces of lead solder and tried again. Still too light to penetrate.
Richard flew his 2-meter Alcyone, but it was a bit light for the turbulent, high-wind conditions. He also tried his Zagi for a while.
Minutes after I arrived, I launched Dan's big, coroplast-winged slope monster, the Local Slope Aspirant (an acronym for "coroplast sailplane"). As I threw the plane, I stumbled and fell head-first down the slope onto the sharp cinders. My right forearm bore a half-dozen bloody battle-scars. His plane looked like a Gentle Lady drifting around on a calm day--despite the howling winds! Seriously, of all the planes that I saw flying this weekend, this one was the most "comfortable" in the conditions. He rolled it. He looped it. Then he sneezed and started flying the wrong plane. In micro-seconds, the LSA had blown back over the trees. But Dan nailed the landing...
The yellow fuselage is barely visible just below the dark foreground branch at the right edge of the wing's leading edge.
Dan then flew his Bard. As LP was holding it just prior to launch, the wings would droop to severe anhedral, then snap up to dihedral as the nose passed below or above the horizontal plane of the wind flow up the slope. The difference was maybe six inches at each wingtip. The plane flew well, though, for a little while. Something happened and it blew back into the trees. The impact snapped both wings and the tail was completely broken off--held to the fuselage only by a control rod. Dan had to partially climb a nearby tree then use a pole with a hook to snag and drag the carcass down (this maneuver will henceforth be known as a "snag and drag").
Rocky flew the Kaze 40 (plank) with full ballast, but it was squirrely and had to be flown with positive control every second--no relaxing allowed! Bruce's "old" ME109 flew like a champ for two long, satisfying flights. Then a third flight ended with a dork (due, naturally to horrible turbulence and NOT to pilot error) that snapped the threaded metal rod just in front of the elevator clevis.
Dan and Richard decided to leave early Saturday afternoon, mainly because they didn't have anything else heavy enough to fly. Attempts to bribe them to stay with the promise of a t-bone steak/baked potato dinner failed.
That evening, we (Terry, Dawson, LP, and Rocky) camped where Mark had set up--the site near the base of the peak, marked "Suggested Campsite #1" on Richard's excellent map. Mark graciously offered to cook the EIGHT marinated t-bone steaks and foil-wrapped baked potatoes that Terry had brought for everyone. The greens-lovers of the crew enjoyed the fresh garden salad that Richard had left us. Mark's wife and niece joined us and provided home-made chocolate chip cookies and an excellent cobbler with chocolate fudge ice cream for dessert!
While the steaks were cooking, Terry terrorized the lee behind the trees with his micro T-28. Once he flew too high and got blown out to the dirt road.
-----
Sunday dawned colder and still blowing hard.
Mark had packed up camp in the wee hours of the morning and pulled out for home at daybreak.
Terry had planned on re-maidening the Condor (with its new, coroplast, vertical fin/rudder), but given the conditions and forecast, decided to bail and left for home.
Dawson, LP, and Rocky drove up the hill once more. Dawson's wind meter registered 35 to 40 mph with a peak gust of 54 and change. It also yielded the wind chill--a brisk 13 degrees! When Rocky saw that, he put on sweat pants!
Dawson threw his Spindrift again, but fairly quickly decided it needed the addition of a bit of ballast. He taped two packs of lead under the wings.
Dawson normally uses the weights to counterbalance his video camera on his filming helmet. I'd guess they weigh a pound and a half total!
He gave me his HD video camera and I filmed his next flight. It was impossible to hold the camera steady--I was sitting down on the slope, but each gust would buffet me backward. At one point, a gust hit the plane and it dropped out of sight below. He had just enough time to say, "Oops!" and glance at LP, and the plane leaped into view below, flying again, but now without the weights! It had shed them in the "landing" portion of its invisible touch-and-go.
Just before we left, I walked back into the woods and checked on Dan's treed glider. It had shifted a bit, but was still stuck fast near the top of the tree. Perhaps Rick will be able to shoot it down or retrieve it if it eventually blows out.
-----
LP and I stopped at a cafe in Springerville for an excellent breakfast, then decided to do some exploring. We went back through the Malpais then parked my truck/camper and I jumped in his Toyota. We set out for Mt. Taylor. We discovered what I think may be the best dynamic soaring location in NM...
LP hurled his Alula, flew a while over the bowl toward the east, then tried to DS it on the west side of the ridge, but the wind direction was too much out of the south and there wasn't a rotor there. The site would be easily accessible by anything that can go to La Bajada. And you can park right on the ridge line.
On the way back to Albuquerque, we stopped off at the Route 66 Casino and tried out the buffet. Two thumbs up!
Take care all,
--Rocky
Connie and Ernie Buenafe
May 31, 2011, 12:55:01 AM5/31/11
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Great report, Rocky. For some reasons only two of the embedded images were viewable for me. The last two.
I wouldn't have had anything capable of flying in those conditions and probably wouldn't have wanted to if I had. 20-25mph is more my comfort zone.
Ernie
Buzz Averill
May 31, 2011, 9:42:01 AM5/31/11
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Rocky
Thanks for the report, including the RC Groups post.
Buzz
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