Daily Archives: April 22, 2021

Hey fellow Flyers!

April has been amazing for flying, and summer is almost upon us. Enjoy the cooler temperatures while you can.

This month Jovi and I are going to talk about different sides of a couple of similar items.

  We have received our signed copy from the City of our right of entry permit to enter and use our flying site in Mission Bay Park for the next 36 months. A couple of things I have to mention: article 27 in our permit clearly states that our premises shall be utilized and operated in a Smoke, Vape, and drug-free environment. The permit also states that an inspection can be conducted at any time, without notice. Please take the stated activities ( NO Drugs!) into your personal vehicle if you have to do them on site, and not in any outdoor areas of Mission Bay Park. Our permit also requires us to ensure that all persons utilizing our site are a full member of the AMA and a SEFSD club member that has signed the city of San Diego waiver of liability with SEFSD. Sometimes we get the occasional Lawyer who tells us that they don’t need to join the club to fly, and we have it in writing that they do.

 Next, I want to touch on the use of gyros, and the impression of confidence they can instill.  Jovi has a good story about his RC airliner. Recently we have had quite a few new members show up with aircraft that have safe receivers installed. While I appreciate the way new pilots can use SAFE technology to understand the basics of flight and resolve initial orientation problems, some pilots are continuing to rely completely on the Gyro to fly the airplanes, some on their 4^th or 5^th plane. If something happens and the Gyro is disabled, or they think to themselves that they are “ FLYING MASTERS” and buy a plane without a Gyro and take to the skies – then there’s an accident in the making. It would be a shame to destroy an aircraft, or hurt somebody.  Once you understand the basics of how to fly, please get one or two mistakes high and turn SAFE mode off and learn to fly without it. Use it as a tool, not a crutch.

Covid. Please continue to do what you feel is necessary to protect yourself and your family! As positivity rates and people suffering severe sicknesses continue to decline in the county, we will be considering returning to a more normal event routine. This month saw the return of your Electroglide contest, and we just had our fourth T 28 pylon race of the year. Stand by for more information about a possible event in July, and restoration of club meetings at the field with fun flies. Jovi is considering what event to kick off with when it’s determined safe to gather outdoors in groups potentially larger than 50 people.

One last note, as you are calling out your activities on the field such as taking off, landing, or on the runway, please ensure that you are communicating loudly enough so other pilots in the air can hear you. Sometimes I hear people whisper to themselves, and then takeoff without looking and nearly caused a catastrophe. Don’t be that person, loudly announced your intentions! If you hear someone weakly call out, feel free to pass on their information in a loud voice for them. On Race day we had a member use his child voice to say ( quietly) “emergency landing”, then come in a few feet over Franks and Brad A’s head as they were on the runway at the time.  SAFETY has to be first in our thoughts guys!

It’s again time to think about replacing your ailing lawn furniture before summer, please think of us and bring your less than ideal looking – but serviceable- old chairs to the site.

I am looking for volunteers to help me keep the perimeter rocks properly arranged. We often have people move rocks to gain access when the gate is locked and we need to keep that under control. I seem to keep hurting myself moving the rocks alone, and would appreciate help!

Thanks to Dennis for some great Weedwacker work this month, and Nico for painting NO PARKING onto the poles as you head towards the gate.

PLEASE Lock the gate if you are the last member leaving. If someone is there and you are not sure if they are a member, please take the initiative, and ask. Tell them you are locking the gate. Most of them will leave.

I have included pics of my 5^th 40% plane and the motor installed. Size is no longer a limiting factor for electric flight, and Big flies better. Feel free to contact me if you want to start a big project and would like some suggestions.

Have a great month, and get your flying in before it gets too hot!

Brad

Club News:   We have received our three-year Special Use Permit to continue to operate out of South Shores of Mission Bay Park.   Special thanks go, to Quan Nquyen for renewing the club’s insurance and Special Use Permit for operation.  Thank You Quan!  I had created a Facebook account so I could post some weekend flying on the clubs Facebook page.  However, upon making my post, I immediately got locked out of Facebook and I am no longer able to get in.  So please bear with me, for when this nightmare is over with, I will continue to keep you all informed on happenings of our club activities.

COVID 19 is still continuing to shut us down for our Monthly meetings and most of all, our club Hot Dogs.  Can’t forget Mark’s Salsa sauces.  But it does look like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.   That is as long as you can get an appointment.  It’s been a little frustrating in getting that appointment.  But you will get it!  Easter was great, just happened to be lucky and got our appointments.  Both my wife and I got the J&J vaccine, one shot only.  First 24 hours, just my wife got headaches during the night, next morning she was good. Me no problems.  State wants to achieve at least 70% herd immunity of Californian’s being fully vaccinated, then we just might be able open up our events fully, like our monthly meetings.

“Heads-Up”, which has three meanings:  Adjective – showing that you are very aware of what is happening around you and it also goes for heads-up football.   Noun – a message that tells or warns someone about something that is going to happen as an example, gave him a heads-up that an investigation was pending.   Interjection – used to tell someone to look up because of possible danger or to clear a passageway.   Out of the three definitions of heads-up we are more commonly known as to Interjection.   There are times out at the field, you hear heads-up and sometimes we just don’t look because someone say heads-up, especially when the voice projecting heads-up is not all that loud and, in most cases, we keep our conversation going with a fellow pilot until we hear from other pilots on what just happen.  Aircraft down….

As part of the club’s safety, we need to Shout Out heads-up when your aircraft is in danger and you are over the pits or parking lot.   The end of March there was an incident, well names don’t need to be mentioned……Ok, fine it was me and I was flying my Hawaiian Air.  Take-off was perfect, then 30 seconds into the flight I was in trouble.

On my bench I have the Top-Flite Bonanza which I started back in late 1998.  This was built to take a Satio 120 four-stroke.  Wingspan 81” and the length, 63.6” also included are the following:

• Robart Air Retract w/scale Robart Struts
• Scale Navigation lights that work off two 9-volt batteries
• Scale Interior Cockpit that is all removable

As time went by, I really never complete my Bonanza.  But as of late, I got my hands back into it.   She is almost ready to go, however I have a few things that need to be done, one is to replace my flap servos.  I had to replace the v-tail servos.  When I was moving them, I notice that the servo arm was going around in oblong circle.  Not good.  Change them to newer Hitec servos and were back to perfection.   The retracts are old and not holding pressure.  It is holding pressure for a good 10 minutes in which I only need about 6-7 minutes…. Maybe some risk here…I’ll keep working that problem.

The biggest task I had was figuring a way to change batteries without taking the wing off like I have to do with my Cessna 182.   The Canopy is bolted down with four socket head cap screws, problem with that was getting to those bolts.  I removed them and now I have a quick latch to remove the Canopy.  You’ll see what I mean in the pictures.   It’s actually very cool how this works.  I can put the wing on and I don’t need to hook up the connectors or the air lines.  Once the wing is bolted, flip the Bonanza, unlatch the Canopy, remove the interior and I have access to everything in the aircraft.  Hooked it all up, connect the airlines and place the interior back into place.  Where the fuel tank would have been are where the batteries now sitting.

Balancing was next, I did a rough balance and she seemed to be good with the batteries mounted up front.  Out at the field on T-28 Race’s, April 10, was the day she was going to maiden!  Complete check out was preformed and she was now certified to fly.

Brad did the maiden flight!  She took off like a F-14 Tomcat heading towards the Sunset.  As he was trimming her out, he was noticing the balance may be off.  She acted very weird.  He flew her around and she looked very nice up in the sky, you think it was a full-scale Bonanza.  Time was running out and Brad was preparing for landing.  She came and touched down and just rolled down the runway.  I was happy, but the next flight, I am going to dial in the balance and hopefully that helps out, which it should!

Ok, I have made enough noise!

Grab your planes, batteries and radio, and let’s go Flying!

Jovi