Nats 2018 Adventures II

Monday morning early there was barely any wind and I thought I could no longer put off flying the Witch Hawk 500 I had built, having completed it not long before the Nats. This was my first larger glow powered free flight with 60” wingspan powered by an old K&B .19 Greenhead. I was really nervous to fly the model but then I didn’t build it to hang from ceiling. This was the first time using bladder pressure and using an electric starter strapped to a stand. If there wasn’t so much equipment needed I would have flown it far from the flightline. 

I Had a Before Picture Taken

First Flight

First short flight it climbs completely straight and stalls. The wing pops off but only damage was a broken propeller. Adjusted the rudder a tiny amount to the right, next flight it climbs slightly right and transitions great. With no wind to drift it the glide circle was going right over the cars and people. I was so afraid it would hit a car but instead it hit a golf cart breaking the wing in half, worse than that it broke the Texas Timers Max IIIa timer. I have the wing almost repaired except for covering.

Super Pearl E-202

Wednesday was the E36 event and I flew the first e36 I built the Super Pearl e202 which is still flying well. Except on the first launch I did not have the stab adjustment screw on the platform, the plane went up rather flat and the glide was a dive, luckily no damage. My next two official flights were okay but short of a max. On the last flight the Pearl makes a huge circle around the edges of the field, I lost sight of where it landed but I had my tracker. This was my chance to use the tracker; I get a rather strong signal from the area by the two metal buildings across the field. 

Dave Comes to the Rescue

As I walk by the buildings I see at least two models but not mine. A guy cutting grass tells me there is a model in the next field beyond the buildings. I walk over there and these were high-tech FAI models, so I walk back towards the camp grounds. By now I am really doubting by ability to use the tracker; Dave Sechrist drives by on his little Honda motorcycle. He thought it could be by campground but drove in that direction and found nothing. It has to be towards the buildings and in a short jaunt on his cycle he found my plane real close to a building. He offered a ride back on the rack of his motorcycle and I accepted. Later I checked my smartphone as to how far I walked that day and it was a little over 14 miles. At least the flight was a max but my only one. What rather shocked me was looking at the results how even experts had poor flights that day.

Not just sure what I flew after that, I think it was catapult glider. I was really tempted to skip the event but thought at least I would try. Still using the catapult glider that I had so much trouble getting to transition early in the 2018 season but it is still flying. I was actually happy the flights were rather short because I did not want to walk too far. As I ended a gentleman gave me some advice on launching which helped, the guy was Ralph Ray.

I stayed out to the field rather late as that was the NFFS banquet night. Really a great meal and program afterwards, I really like the funny speech Bob Hanford gives, and great choices for the Hall of Fame members. Think I need at least one more blog post to cover my Nats adventure.


Bill Kuhl