The Best Made Plans

...end up sleeping-in on a Saturday morning

Well, so much for flying with the hot-air balloons. I woke up at quarter to seven this morning and lay still, checking of I could hear anything outside. No branches rustling, no gusts of wind against the window. All seemed quite and peaceful about. 

Also very peaceful under the blankets. Too peaceful. Not to mention warm and snug. I'd gone to bed too late the night before so didn't feel like getting up. Plus the impending disruption of the tiler made for less than conducive circumstances to bolt out of bed and dash off in search of an empty field.

So tomorrow morning, if it's calm, I plan to take the Walrus out to the field and do a little flying. And the hot air balloons might be there again...

Grounded

...by the windy weather

Been a few days now on the ground with the windy weather putting flying out of the question. So I am settling for enjoying happy snaps on my desktop picture, this is the one I'm enjoying at the moment

I have also enjoyed not having to fix gliders I've smashed and hope things stay this peaceful. I have been giving the Walrus free reign when possible, but have also been very sure I'm not pushing my capabilities without ample scope for recovery, in case anything should go wrong. I also haven't dared take a photo of the Walrus in the air lest that should be tempting providence just a little too much.

So, it looks like suburban flying will be on the menu, it's just a matter of coordinating weather and time. Tomorrow morning looks like it may have potential. If it's calm we might meet the hot air balloons again, and I'll make sure to switch the camera on this time...

Walrus Magpie & Retriever

...not the most peaceful flight ever

I had a quick fly at the local field just down the road this morning, but it turned out to be not as good as I had hoped. Being between two busy roads made it quite noisy, also there are a couple of lamp posts to be careful of as well as some trees and cars parked at the end of the field. Not very relaxing.

Moreover there were a pair of territorial magpies nesting in one of the trees bordering the field who flew into attack me as I walked onto the field. I ended up having to defend myself from their repeated attacks with the Walrus. I'm not sure whether it was me or the fact that the Walrus looked like a large white bird, perhaps the latter as I had an angry magpie following inches behind the glider for the whole flight.

The video actually looks a lot more relaxing than the flight actually was - you don't get to see the magpie trailing about two inches behind the wing with its feet down and beak snapping, although you can hear it calling during the much of the early part of the flight. In fact I was half expecting the magpie to physically attack the plane and cause it to spiral out of the air. However the "attack" remained just a scare tactic - it didn't bother the Walrus but I must say that I found it a bit off-putting!

And finally, after a nice smooth landing, the Walrus nearly got retrieved by a friendly dog out on his morning walk at the field. He couldn't resist coming in to have a sniff at the just-landed aircraft, despite the strident yells of his owner calling him back. He probably thought it was just a high-tech version of a stick being thrown. Fortunately he didn't actually take the plane - whilst it would have made a lovely video I'm happy just to have the Walrus in flying condition.

Wicked Wing Cam

...comes in small packages

Having watched this morning's flight video I am again hugely impressed at the quality that the tiny RD32 wing camera manages. I must admit that watching gives me the feeling of actually being in the plane and experiencing the flight, anticipating moves and generally really getting the feel for it.

It was also nice to see some new scenery - there's little better for gaining perspective than an aerial view. So, as usual, if the weather's benevolent I might try the field down the road. It's two fields adjoining of different levels which might make for interesting flying experience. 

And of course we'll  have the camera on so we can enjoy the flying again after we get home!

Lovely Flying Morning

...had a lovely fly today.

It was an absolutely beautiful morning, crisp and clear with some high cloud and just a hint of breeze. I ended up going to my back-up field a few kilometres away so it will be interesting to see the video of it.

It's a nice open space, and of course the blue sky and bright morning sunlight made it a visual treat. Virtually no wind meant that the Walrus could fly straight and true so that, after a while, I was confident enough to fly a few big, slow loops and some barrel rolls. The agility of the craft is quite surprising and, giving it a bit of a run-up, will climb vertically for a surprisingly long time.

The only obstacles are some trees at the perimeter and some tall nets, fortunately I managed to avoid all of them and, after a generous flight, came in for a nice slow approach over the fence and settled in for what must be the best landing I've managed in the Walrus so far...

Happy Sunny Show

...the wing-cam likes the sun

The sunny morning actually made for a nice quality video; amazingly the wing camera being much happier with the morning light conditions. I had expected the low sun to cause problems, however it seems that the electronics cope with this much better than the low-light conditions of dawn!

The sun also makes the Walrus's white propellor more evident, although I think the circle of streaks is quite groovy. I have ordered a pair of carbon propellor blades, so I might change over the original blades to make them less visible.

It didn't really seem that apparent at the time, but on my first landing approach I came so near that tree, and then almost put the Walrus into the duck pond. Happily though I did neither, but ended with a nicely flared landing in the dewy grass...

First Prang of the Walrus

...off to a nervous start

I felt a little unsettled today - I don't know why as it was a beautiful morning with the sun just rising and barely a hint of wind. Maybe it was because it's a Monday...

I launched the Walrus with the flaps down which requires less power to prevent it from porpoising. However I set too little power and the Walrus unceremoniously nose dived into the turf and lay there with the ESC emitting warning beeps and the propeller twitching ominously. I immediately feared that the propeller had snapped but, picking up the plane everything seemed intact, and a flick of the throttle proved that the motor was none the worse for the little incident either.

So, after giving the Walrus a cursory wipe-down to remove the bits of soil and grass, it was back in the air again, this time without mishap.

The breeze was growing stronger as the sun rose, so that by the time I finally brought the Walrus round for landing it was struggling to make headway against the wind, just creeping over the fence with a little hop but then steadying up for a nice landing.

So this evening the Walrus will get a bit of TLC - I'll take off the prop and make sure everything's set properly again, and give it a nice clean...

Lots of People

...not so much flying

Well, the suburban flying has not been too successful after my enjoyable Saturday-morning fly. I ventured for another outing late on Saturday and again late today but was foiled on both accounts by too many people. Particularly it seemed to be end-of-season celebration time at the local sports fields, so I settled for kicking a ball around for a while as evening crept in.

So we'll try again tomorrow at the usual place. I'm wanting to give the Walrus a go again with flaps down to see if I can get some better low-altitude footage sweeping across the fields with the wing cam, and maybe some good shots of the kangaroos and cattle, as long as they're not scared of the plane. However it is very quite under low power, and they don't seem to fussed with anything in the air, not having any concern of unfriendly advances from that vantage.

I also want to have a bit more practise with the aerobatics, although very aware that I don't want to risk damaging the Walrus. Nevertheless, barrel rolls and loops, particularly getting the hang of entry into the loop, is on the agenda. I'd also like to have a go at inverted flight but I think that might wait as the consequence of getting that wrong (hang on, which way is up?) would definitely be substantial damage, which is not on the agenda.

Anyway, we'll have to see what sort of weather Monday morning offers us...

Slow Cruising

...flaps-down flying transforms the Walrus

This morning I took the Walrus for a suburban fly. Having managed to avoid the lamp-posts last week, I managed to find a deserted sports field without any major obstructions. Three fields in length it offered enough room to fly but, being only the width of a small soccer field, wasn't very roomy.

This was the perfect opportunity to try the Walrus in slow-fly mode with the flaps adjusted to about twenty degrees or so (I haven't actually measured the angle). To be on the safe side, I launched the plane with the flaps up so I could have it flying before putting them down so as to avoid any nasty launch surprises.

With the Walrus up a little, I set the flaps down and was pleasantly surprised at the transformation, with the plane becoming a slow flying floater, just like the Floater. In fact I'd say overall it's better because it doesn't have the pitching effect that can make the Floater awkward. Just smooth, slow and very stable.

I was joined by a hot air balloon, which drifted slowly across the field and lined up for a landing in the field across the road. I took the Walrus up for a look but, with the balloon still quite high and having decided to avoid any risk to my now-lone glider, I didn't get too close.



I had hoped to get some interesting video out of this but, unfortunately, I didn't press the record button properly, so when the Walrus landed I found that the camera, having nothing to do, had kindly turned itself off.

However, when later checking to see whether it was still working, I did get a cute video of our giant cat licking the wing camera...

DX5e Disassembly

...to see if I can sort the aileron issue

I had a go at trying to fix my other transmitters issue with chatter on the aileron control. After having seen instructions on how to disassemble the DX6i while I was reading through that controller's instruction manual, I bit the bullet and decided to have a go with the other.

There are six screws at the rear of the unit which need to be undone, then you simply pivot the back down at the bottom and lay it down flat. There is sufficient cable length to make this easy, and it's obviously how they assemble it.

What was immediately clear, however, was that replacing the potentiometer on the aileron control would not be easy - it's well integrated and unfortunately not easy to disassemble. That's why there doesn't seem to be any spares on offer, at least for this particular unit, with the exception of a replacement antenna, which simply slots into place.

Retrovision

...looking back at my happy snaps

Looking out of the skylight at home I could see the tops of the trees heaving about in the wind, so definitely no flying this morning, unfortunately.

I was looking  through the Walrus splurb again last night and saw that it's actually mentions the aircraft's capability to fly extremely slowly with flaps down. Well, seems we both came to the same conclusion, except that I haven't had a chance to give it a go as a flight aid as opposed to just for landing.

As an antidote to lack of flying I have taken to using my flying photos as a background on my work computer. I've currently got this gorgeous image of the Phoenix 2000 cruising in past a burnished sunrise...

Its nice to look back through these photos to relive the exquisite sunrises, misty mornings and serenity of the gliders' flight...

Evening Rain

...four seasons in one day

The breezy morning turned into an immaculate day, becoming an overcast afternoon which  developed into showers, finally becoming an evening of settled rain. At this rate I can't see much change of getting into the air tomorrow.

Anyhow, it's nice to be inside listening to the patter of rain on the roof and garden, particularly as it's been a week or two since we've had any rain to mention...

Antenna Fix

...put a pin in it

The pin had somehow fallen out of the antenna joint on my DX5e, meaning the end piece would often come loose while setting the angle. I wasn't sure where I could find a replacement pin and didn't want to  have to buy a whole antenna replacement kit.

Foraging around in the cupboard I came across a cheap household fasteners kit, which included a slim black nail, a near perfect fit for the hole, slightly tight so it wouldn't fall out. It was a little too long, but a quick trim with a pair of side cutters sorted that out.

Now the DX5e's antenna's sorted out, I hope I can fix the chatter issue with a bit of a clean-up of the aileron potentiometer...

A Bit Too Windy

...so we'll just have to think about flying for now

No flying today unfortunately as it was too windy. I stopped in at the field just to be sure, but one look at the treetops waving in the wind was enough to convince me to turn around!

I have reduced the flap travel from one hundred percent to sixty five. I haven't checked this on the Walrus yet as I reprogrammed it while I was waiting at a traffic light. Anyway, I'm very interested to try as I think this will give the best of both worlds at the flip of a switch! Well that's the theory anyway, hope to be able give it a try soon...

Walrus Flies a Goal

...and a smooth landing

Grey clouds hung heavily in the morning sky, with just a int of colour showing through above the horizon. Not the most spectacular dawn, however the morning was still and cool, perfect for flying which was great!

The kangaroos were on the field in force this morning, grazing on the pitch. They seemed a little less shy this morning, hanging around near the fence as I prepared the Walrus. However the noise of the propellor revving up for launch was a bit much for them, and they had hopped off to join their friends in the paddock by the time the Walrus had cleared the fence.

I had a few good flights this morning, just easy circuits with a few low passes nearby. I also managed some good landings, without flaps though, as I still haven't changed the settings for the flaps.

One thing I have been missing is the relaxed floatiness of the Flyer. That's not to say I don't like the Walrus - it's a great straight flyer without the pitching characteristic of the Floater. However the Floater does produce magic when it floats silently past you, seemingly weightless.

I've just been considering flying the Walrus with flaps (on a reduced travel, perhaps twenty degrees). I think this might give the best of both worlds, clean flight for straight balanced handling, and flaps deployed for slow, floaty relaxed cruising. If the weather permits I think I'll give that a go tomorrow.

On the last flight this morning the Walrus flew a goal, flying its approach through the posts, a first for me...

Raven' On

...up with the birds

Had a lovely flight this morning, with just the gentlest of breezes coming through. With my revised control settings with expo now at a more pedestrian forty percent, I managed my first loop in the Walrus and my first ever barrel-roll!

In a repeat of my first flight in the Phoenix 2000 I had a couple of ravens chasing the plane. I was a little too far away to be able to judge the distances well, but I had a little play with the birds which was fun.

On my first approach for landing I deployed the flaps when the Walrus was above the field. The result was the plane rearing nose-high, another repeat of my early Phoenix flights.

Fortunately I managed to recover to put the Walrus down for a landing which was a little rough, but functional. So I think I'll be moderating the flap travel so the effects are a bit muted as we definitely don't want a repeat of that again...

In a Flap

...and a bit of flying

I managed to get the Walrus up this morning, although the breeze was already starting to pick up by that time.

I had a minor incident this morning when I accidentally launched with flaps deployed. I must have snagged the lever, most likely when setting the throttle for launch. Anyway, it went up fine, as you would expect with the extra lift, but then went very floaty and nose-up, a bit like the Floater Jet flies.

I turned it around  into the wind when I spotted that the flaps were deployed, immediately explaining its strange behaviour, so I just shut off the power and pushed the nose down to bring the Walrus in for an unscheduled landing.

A quick check there were no other issues and the Walrus was back in the air, climbing steeply into the steady breeze then turning into a large bank over the paddock with the cattle enjoying their breakfast. The strong breeze quickly pushed the glider downwind and my efforts to bring it back were making little success.

Trimming the nose down a little helped it push through the breeze more successfully, and I felt most relieved as it again approached the field. As always, losing track of the Walrus' orientation at distance is a constant risk, and I'm sure the odd false input will be evident in the videos!

The final bit of fun was trying to get the Walrus down. Having successfully cleared the fence without collecting either the tree or posts I deployed the flaps to steady things down and hopefully settle the Walrus down with the extra drag. However the clean air-frame, even with the RD32 camera atop, continued to surf the breeze until it was clear I wasn't going to make landfall before I reached the bank, so I powered round in a mini circuit for another go, the flaps making the downwind transition flawless. 

I eventually got it down, next to the almost-empty duck pond, a good end to some challenging  flying in the breeze...

Zen Flying Official Trailer

...watch it on YouTube

I had hoped to sneak in a flight this morning but the weather was blustery. And it hasn't improved since, with the metrology reporting wind speeds in excess of sixty kilometres per hour. At that rate the Walrus would have slowly receded into the distance... 

However the day has not been wasted, with cheeryman creating an impressive Zen Flying Official Trailer.

I'll certainly be watching the weather to get the Walrus and camera out to have a good fly, and to collect some video footage which I must admit to enjoy watching afterwards.

I can certainly understand the appeal of FPV flying...

Dodging Lamp Posts

...a brief run on a slalom course

This morning was fairly calm so we headed out for a quick fly with the Walrus, the challenge being to find an empty local field with enough room to move.

We ended up at a large sports ground with three fields end-to-end, promising enough except for the floodlights dotted around. My concern increased soon after launch with a turn to miss a post on the right soon followed by an even sharper turn by the Walrus to avoid its adjacent colleague on the left.

One lap around the pylon circuit was enough, and I brought the Walrus in to land, having to fly around another post in the process. Already freaked out, I mis-corrected the incoming glider's wing-down attitude with an extra dose of the same, resulting in a mild ground loop. No damage, just not particularly elegant.

The control response was also still a bit fast for me, although I again didn't have much opportunity to get comfortable with the plane. I've now set the exponential rate up to forty percent, so we'll try and see if that's sufficiently moderate.

Anyway, I have another field in mind which may be more accommodating, so here's hoping for another window of calm weather...

Too Sensitive

...the expo setup's all good

Last night I set the expo rate on the controls - easy now I'm got used to finding my way round the menus on my DX6i. I set the rate at plus thirty percent which seemed to work well, although I was only flying the Walrus on the desk.

So the controls now look promising, easier to control small movements but still leaving good travel for big manoeuvres, which sounds like a good setup. Now just hoping for another flyable window - very blowy again this morning unfortunately...

Walrus First Flight

...and it's still in one piece!

After a very windy last evening it was most surprising to wake up to the firmament being calm and still. This unexpected bonus had me feeling suddenly nervous considering that I'd recently trashed both of my other planes, and was now facing a first flight.

I arrived and got out the car to conduct a quick weather report. A breeze had picked up by this time, although it was nice and steady, definitely flyable. So out with the transmitter and Walrus, time to fly!

The duck pond was as full as I'd seen it, and a group of kangaroos grazing around the borders casually jumped the fence on my approached.

The wing-cam was already mounted on top of the fuselage using Velcro. This setup was similar to that I'd used on the Phoenix 2000 and worked fine despite its rudimentary nature. I opted to leave the camera on for the first flight having found it to have negligible effect on flight characteristics, certainly at the relatively low speeds I anticipated achieving this morning.

So, with little ceremony, I got the Walrus connected, started the camera, set the throttle and lobbed the Walrus on its way. Now, I'd been particularly nervous about the launch, not because I'd had problems with either of the other planes in this regard lately, but rather because the Walrus fuselage is so wide it makes getting a good grasp for launch a bit awkward. 

Nevertheless, the launch went without incident, with the Walrus taking to the air quite readily. It should be remembered, however, that I was launching into a steady breeze which would have helped.

What I did immediately noticed was how responsive the Walrus was. The Phoenix, with two metre wings, had a fairly slow roll rate, while the Floater, although about the same size as the Walrus, has its ailerons set quite far inboard so that the roll response is quite muted.

The other factor was that I'd set the control surfaces with fairly large travel, although I was still only flying at seventy percent. The result is the jerky movements evident in the video.

What I think I need is to activate the exponential rate on the transmitter to dampen the response around centre. Then we'll take the Walrus out at the next opportunity and give it a bit more of a run...

Still Grounded

...the crappy flying weather continues

Unsettled weather is forecast to carry on for the rest of the week, which is rather disappointing. Even early this morning it was gusting considerably.

Gliders like the Phoenix and Walrus are certainly not the best to fly in unsettled conditions, with their large wings making them very prone to buffeting. Perhaps I should try something with a higher wing-load, like a Starfighter...

So Near

...psyching myself out

The Walrus almost has its first flight this morning, but it wasn't to be. My usual field was occupied with dog-walkers, and so was my second option. Arrived at the last field, the breeze had already picked up by the time I had got everything ready.

So I was standing indecisively in the middle of the field, wafting the Walrus around in my hand trying to determine whether it was worth risking the breeze or not when my musings were disturbed by new arrivals at the field.

Taking this as a sign, I packed the things up and decided to settle for a stroll around the park instead...

Calm Outlook

...fingers crossed

The very windy gusty and rainy day has subsided and cleared into an immaculately clear and still evening, the stars shining in a dark silky sky. Despite the forecast for moderate winds tomorrow I am now hopeful for a flyable morning, with the Walrus and camera waiting to go.

I think the Walrus will be good to fly - I've noticed that the control surfaces are quite large so I think it should be very manoeuvrable and fun to fly. Also I'm hoping the flaps, at a moderate thirty degree setting, should be good for landing and settling things a little if necessary...

Safe and Sound?

...or flying on the edge

Having gone through the process again of building up the Walrus from scratch I have a new appreciation for the amount of effort required to get it to 100% flying state. First appearances would indicate otherwise, but there are fiddly bits to contend with, and of course there are always mistakes you make along the way.

Which begs the question, should you always fly conservatively to guard your investment. Or should you push the envelope on the basis that, if you never try anything, your skills will never develop. Well I'm not sure now. Having mastered basic flight with the Floater, I was wanting to push it a bit to explore more of the Walrus' flight envelope and try new maneuvers that I'd previously not considered due to the risk.

However, since having totalled two aircraft, I'm considering whether safe and sound is better, along with a more pedestrian rate of skill improvement. Just enjoy the flying without having to be a master at it. I must say I have missed the mornings at the field, the beautiful sunrises and the friendly fauna of the paddocks.

So I am hoping to get the Walrus in the air this week, although the boisterous breezes of spring seem to be evident more and more. However I'm hoping for a morning calm enough to risk throwing the Walrus up and enjoying a bit of morning tranquillity...

Recycle Magic

...how useless becomes invaluable

I have been amazed at the value that insignificant items assume when you have a change in need. I've put things away knowing they have intrinsic value despite being surplus at the time.

For example, velcro pads supplied with heater vents which I never used. Now I've used every last one of them for attaching receivers, cameras and batteries.

Another case in point is the cooling vents I've put in on the Walrus. I'd read that the ESC tends to overheat, which would be even more so in my case with it located partially under the battery tray. I drilled two cooling slots on the underside of the nose, however drilling though EPO doesn't give a very clean finish. A bit of brainstorming on improvement led to a lightbulb moment.

I hauled out our tub of drinking straws and found one that fitted perfectly into the 6mm holes I'd drilled. Trimmed with a slightly raised rear section acting as a scoop, the result is much improved and looks pretty good.

For the total cost of zero, compliments of a Slurpee straw...

I'm All Walrussed Out

..but still got the wing cam to go

Well, after a Herculean effort, the Walrus is assembled, packaged, tested and ready to go.

Apart from the usual head-scratching over servo orientation, the cockpit proved the biggest challenge of all. Despite the generous appearance of the fuselage, it doesn't really provide a good packaging. 

Yes it is wide; I eventually installed the battery and receiver in a tandem layout. However the the cockpit is only just long enough to fit the 1800mAh battery - it literally butts up against the motor at the front, which is not optimal for cooling, and narrowly misses tail servo arm travels at full stretch.

I also had to make up a battery tray to allow a space for everything and provide a secure mounting for the battery. After having installed the tray for the second time (I removed it to swap out ESC's during my no-power troubleshooting session), I discovered that there was insufficient space for the bundle of servo cables going to the receiver.

So I removed the battery tray again, and cut a large slot through which the cable loom could pass from underneath, now running alongside the ESC under the tray, with the battery velcro'd onto the tray and the Orange R620 receiver velcro'd to the side wall of the fuselage in the canopy area. The R100 satellite receiver I stuck to the rear bulkhead.


But that's not all, with all this kit crammed into the cockpit the canopy wouldn't fit. So, I had to do extensive modifications to the canopy, cutting out the lower section, as well as a small cutout to clear the satellite receiver at the back.

However everything is now installed and working, control surfaces trimmed, flap travel set etc etc. Just the wing cam that now needs a home - external mount or internal canopy installation - some deliberation still required. I reckon the Walrus cockpit layout would qualify for a packaging award...

Bend my Control Arm

...why aren't you all in the same position?

I'd finished the constructing the Walrus - pretty much straight forward with a robust glued tail section and screwed-in wings. 

Having previously had issues with servo centring, I left off connecting the control rods until I got it powered up so I would know where middle is. I consistently find this to be a problematic stage despite its innocuous appearance.

The Walrus servo arm positions aren't quite lined up, more of a problem on flaps which don't have side-to side-trim. For these, I adjusted the control arm length to suit, not ideal though because different crank positions have different travel distances (that whole sin/cos story...). It's less troublesome on ailerons fortunately as these have trim adjustment available.

So far I've done the flaps and ailerons, now for the elevator and rudder. I'm sure they'll be simple. Please...?

Why's there No Power?

what's going on...?

I've encountered a mystifying problem when I connected the receiver on the Walrus to the control leads. The setup in this particular case was as easy as you get, with each lead having with a numeric tag and the receiver having corresponding labels.

To make life even easier, the ESC already has an XT60 plug to connect straight to the battery. The only change I needed to make was to put an extension lead onto the control lead from the ESC, as this was just way too short.

However, when I powered it up nothing happened. Usually one hears a momentary chatter of the servos powering up, but this time absolutely nothing. To cut a long and most frustrating episode short, after having swapped ESC's and receivers to no avail, I have transplanted my six-channel receiver from the Floater with success.

The Floater, by the way, is still resting in the study...