Firstar Sunrise III

...and lovely clouds

Another lovely morning from a few weeks ago, perfect for for a pre-work sunrise flight. The Firstar is a good camera platform, although I haven't been able to use it for FPV due to interference issues with my Taranis radio.

Also, the motor configuration means it doesn't climb very well. However this will soon change; I'm getting some bandpass filters which will hopefully resolve the 2.4GHz interference, and I'm planning to replace the prop with a low-mounted EDF unit to eliminate the down-thrust of the stock unit.

So, we'll see how these changes pan out; here's hoping for some cloud soaring...

Firstar V2. Sunrise Series II.

...sunrise and mist

Going into autumn I again have the opportunity to enjoy sunrises at the field as they coincide with my journey to work. On this particular occasion there was the extra bonus of mist covering the outer fields.

In the suburbs mist is a rare visitor, so I feel especially to spent time with this ethereal visitor, so quickly dispelled with the approach of the sun's rays.

The window of sunrise was quite small, one of those where the light squeezes between horizon and clouds for a few minutes, blossoming brightness growing again quickly dull as the sun heads into the clouds.

Nevertheless, it was a beautifully tranquil morning, with a mix of clouds, mist and sun...

Floater Jet. Lake & Country.

...scenic flight and more

A trip to the country was an opportunity to take the Floater Jet to see whether there might be an opportunity for lift off the adjoining hillside.

Also, an opportunity for a gentle scenic flight the next day, with a tranquil morning and the lake mirror-calm.

Not that it was an uneventful flight, with a flock of corellas passing through and a very close call with a radio tower.

And to end it, probably the worst judged approach I've made in a long time, with the docile Floater Jet over-flying and floating straight into the garage door...

Raptor Glider D-Box Pro 2000. 5 Star Morning

...gentle flying on a beautiful morning

Winter mornings are often dull and overcast, sometimes with drizzle, mist or rain. However, on occasion, they deliver outstanding sunrises and, on this occasion, a five-star morning with mist, pretty clouds, sun, blue skies and no wind.

I haven't been flying in the mornings lately as sunrise around the solstice comes too late. However, having missed my alarm on this particular morning, I assed the field with sky alight with the sun about to rise.

With the Raptor on board this was like receiving a written invitation, so I headed to the field. The cold winter morning air makes the Raptor extra floaty, so that with flaps down it approaches so slowly as to appear in slow motion.

And, with no turbulence, one is able to make low passes and low turns in absolute confidence, adding to the tranquil mood of the morning...

CL-415 Canadair 1390mm. Field Takeoffs & Landings.

...cruising on a beautiful morning

Winter can be a bit challenging when it comes to flying with grey rainy days and dull mornings. However, one bonus it that you do get to see sunrises, when they happen.

Taking the Canadair to the field the other day I was treated to a lovely sunrise, made more enjoyable by having the Canadair to cruise around.

As usual, if there's something worthwhile I get the camera out, and in this case put it on top the Canadair to get an elevated view of the sunrise. And, for a bit of extra fun, included a couple of takeoffs and landings in the flight...

Hobbyking Radjet 800. Sunrise.

...high-speed fun

The other morning I took the Radjet along with me. I hadn't flown it for a while so the launch is always a slightly tense affair, but my launch technique is still solid, with the Radjet launching into the growing sunrise. 

It's still pretty quick, although slightly off the pace when it was flying the little 850mAh nanotech, however it's quick, and stable enough that you can bring it over on super-low flypasts with confidence.

It was a most enjoyable flight and, as the battery died off, I turned the Radjet around for finals. The Radjet is surprisingly easy to land; with power off it is pretty floaty, and it glides in surprisingly easily.

Except this time when I had it headed into the tree behind me...

Fox Glider Gorgeous Morning Fun

...beautiful glider, beautiful morning

Every now and again one is treated to exquisite weather, and this was one of those days; a crisp, clean morning with lovely clouds draped high across the sky and fresh warm light from a just-risen sun.

And having a beautiful plane to fly like the Fox just makes it that much more enjoyable. The little Fox is sleek, elegant and very quick; perfect for making the most of a big sky and open landscape.

This morning wasn't for being restrained, and I was in my element having fun with the Fox, fast low passes, big loops and big vertical climbs. A gorgeous morning and a great start to the day...

Between Sunrise and Rain

...changeable and ephemeral

This morning I was treated to a beautiful sunrise en-route to the field, however by the time I arrived the beautiful morning show of pastels had faded. Nevertheless, the light was good and I have the Canadair sweeping into the sky in no time.

L

It's flight was cut a little short, however, by the arrival of a shower so, landing it quickly, I hurriedly powered up the Rarebear and let it rip for a quick blast, hopefully before things got too damp.

With tubby exercised and gliding in for a beautiful touchdown, I headed back to the car to dry off my radio, which I don't think appreciated the rain...

Fox Glider. Autumn Gorgeous.

...beautiful glider, lovely morning

A few days ago, having returned from the beach, I took the Fox for a morning flight at the field. It turned out to be one of those gorgeous mornings; cool, calm and sunny, with a hint of low mist and some clouds lending character and colour to the rising sun.

The Fox flew beautifully, as clean and crisp as the morning, with its slender swings at a slight forward angle making a very elegant figure against the fresh morning backdrop.

A lovely way to start the day...

Unexpected Pleasures

...lovely surprises

This morning I packed the Canadair 415 and the Sukhoi 29 as I headed out; the sky clear except for a ring around the moon from a hint of mist in the east.

I'd been wanting to film the Sukhoi 29, the diminutive rubber-band powered mini-plane, but hadn't had any success due to a broken rubber band. So I was hoping that this morning, kitted out with a fresh spare band, would be the day.

Heading now into Autumn, the sun wasn't yet risen when I arrived at the field, so I readied the Canadair for a flight. Glancing up at the sky I decided there was nothing worth filming, so I hit the throttle and had the Canadair skimming off the grass into the sky. I'd barely done a circuit of the field when, looking over my shoulder, I saw the rippled forms of the high clouds suddenly lit up with the first rays of sun in a beautiful spectacle.

The Canadair was immediately put on finals and fitted with the Mobius as soon as it touched down. All secure, and the chubby plane was skimming into the air again, headed for the best seats in the house to witness the spectacle of a beautiful autumn sunrise.

Afterwards I readied the little Sukhoi for another try, but was surprised by a giant tractor taking to the field to give the grass a trim. Ducking out of the way at its first pass, I started winding up the Sukhoi now that the tractor was busying itself on the far field. A hundred and fifty winds, as per the booklet, and I let the little plane go with underwhelming results; the plane tottering along the grass before coming to a standstill a few yards off.

The noise of the tractor nearing again decided me to pack things up for the morning, and I turned for the car as soon as it passed, experiencing the second pleasant surprise of the morning, the gorgeous smell of freshly cut grass...

Spectacular Cloudshow

...a stunning morning display

With rain forecast later in the day, the sky was studded with an amazing selection of cumulus and stratus.

The northeast was already tinged in orange when I arrived as the remainder still slumbered in hues of blue and grey...

The views were so spectacular and rapidly changing that I interrupted the Phoenix's morning exercise to capture the moment...

A flock of black and white Ibis wheeled across the field as they arrived for their morning feed...

The first rays of the morning ignite the head of a cumulus in vivid explosion of light...

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.

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...

Gusts & Showers

...from the desk of


A warm northerly followed in quick succession by a cold front had put paid to my aspirations for a flight this morning. I’d seen the forecast yesterday but was hoping I’d be able to beat the change. However in bed this morning I could hear the gusting through the trees and, as a bonus extra, by the time I neared the field there were showers as well.

Sitting at my desk I can see puffy Cumulus clouds, painted a warm pastel yellow, floating past at a rapid pace and the sun, not quite risen, is setting the cloudy horizon aglow. The tumultuous weather is still upon us, so the best is to enjoy the heavenly stage show...

In the Zone

first aerobatics..!

There was a spectacular display this morning of high clouds brushed with vivid pinks and oranges. This had faded a little by the time I got to the field but still lovely nonetheless, an ethereal delight.

I was feeling a lot better than yesterday and had a beautiful flight and a bit of fun with the Phoenix 2000 as well. For the first time I looped it and did a couple of wing-overs - OK although not perfect.as you might imagine for a first try.

Having watched a few of the Phoenix flights on YouTube yesterday I was eager to give it a bit more of a push and experience more of the flight envelope under full power. However that will have to wait a few days...

The Magical Things

Mornings mists are magical. They're not to be found in built-up suburbia around houses or on roads, they appearing only on the wilder stretches of bushland and paddock. That’s why they're a magic, a product of the earth yet suspended in the air like a wisp, pure and ethereal. One of the things I enjoy about going flying these cold mornings.

Another is the sunrises, or often, the vivid splashes of colours painted on the clouds before sunrise. These too are ethereal and ephemeral, colours changing as you look at them, so gorgeous and yet intangible. I’ve taken that many photos of the sunrises, yet looking back at them is somehow never boring - the images manage to retain some of the magic.

Of course the kangaroos are another source of enjoyment. Sweet-natured and very shy, they will be observing you with absolute intent long before you can even see them clearly, standing straight up and with the dark shows of their ears perked up and aimed straight at you.

On a few occasions they have been on the sports field when I have arrived, nervously edging along the fence as I walk down. I try not to frighten them, and funnily enough they don’t seem bothered by the planes, only if I approach them too close. In any case, they jump over easily enough - I’ve flown the plane for a short while and then looked around again to see if they were ok to find all four or five of them having silently disappeared...

Then the ducks occupying the duckpond-end which fills up after a few heavy showers. It is amazing how happy these creatures are with a small expanse of water a few inches deep - I find it quite touching. And the herons fly in occasionally as well.

The cattle, large and black moving slowly through the pastures, from the  swampy lowland to the sunny hillock, grazing contentedly. Unlike the shy kangaroos, they are very interested in you - first motionlessly and intently staring, then almost imperceptibly, you realise that one, no that one too, no actually half the herd has started to amble towards you looking expectantly.

Time to get out of there...

Flight of the Phoenix

there’s always something...

My first thought when I arrived at the field with the Phoenix 2000 was to make sure everything was properly trimmed. With the Floater I’d had a nasty experience launching it and having it head steadily into a right hand turn. This is very off-putting and alarming. I had managed to put the Floater down and reset the trims on that occasion, but I certainly didn't want to risk it with the Phoenix.

So with the surfaces set flush and the tail tweaked to level the elevators I launched the Phoenix fairly flat with moderate throttle. Banking a little to the right I quickly corrected but with little effect. Cutting power, the plane continued its bank into an unceremonious landing. No apparent damage, so a quick control check and we were ready to go again. The second launch, very similar to the first, saw similar behaviour except this time the left turn was more severe, ending in an uncomfortably severe thump into the ground and a bit of a ground loop. Not exactly an auspicious return for the poor aircraft!

Nothing critically wrong, although the wing root had torn a little at one of the rear mounts (bad thoughts) but still flyable. A thought suddenly occurred to me while I was checking the controls - all the reversing switches were down because that was how the Floater was set up. Hang on a minute...Checking again showed the ailerons and rudder to be reversed, which explained why my attempts at correction had ended up in a terminal spiral. Yes, more bad thoughts.

Nevertheless, few seconds later all the controls were trimmed and in the right orientation. I set the power for launch although noticed the motor sounded a little rough - the shaft must have bent. Anyway, determined to get it into the air I set about a third power and lobbed the Phoenix off.

With a small bank quickly corrected, the craft climbed gradually and displayed the elegant shape of its high-aspect wings. The flight was serene, just was I needed to give myself a bit of confidence, then I brought it in for landing. Being very stable it’s actually really easy to land. Not knowing its response to elevator I over-flared it a little, but it settled down without issue to a perfectly smooth and level landing.

It was only on the when carrying the Phoenix back to the car that I noticed about two centimetres had been sheared off one of the propellor blades. Yes, that would certainly explain the propellor running a bit roughly...

Final Flight of the Flyer

...well, for now anyway

The morning dawned very cold with the sports oval largely covered in frost. I had resurrected a pair of my abandoned cycling mitts to help keep my fingers warm. These had proved partially effective, although on mornings with temperatures hovering near freezing I had to call an end to the flying after ten minutes due to terminal finger ache. However on this particular day a spectacular pre-dawn colour show more than compensated for any discomfort.

I’d pretty much got flying the Floater down pat. Not perfect by any means but quite reasonable. The change of flight characteristics between powered & gliding flight was awkward although perhaps mostly because I had the aircraft trimmed for gliding or low-power flight which is my preference - seeing the Floater gliding past noiselessly in a low-level low-speed flypast is quite magical. And, when tempted, to open the throttle.

I had taken advantage of the sudden height gains to practice rudimentary aerobatics - loops being the, easiest although controlling the speed and tightness of the loop is more difficult. Fast tight loops look quite fake, and I much prefer a gentle swooping style. I had also managed a few wingovers, although again not the perfect type which verge on a stall at the apex.

Following a low flypast I throttled the Floater into a steep climb which peaked perhaps ten metres off the ground after which the Floater tilted its nose down. Deciding to maximise the situation, I pushed the Floater into an almost vertical dive and waited a second for speed to build up for a steep pull-out and a fast fly-by. The only problem was nothing happened. I released the elevator stick to neutral and tried again immediately. Still nothing. Resigned to the inevitable, I let go the controls and watched as the Floater thumped into the turf, did a cartwheel and then lay splayed on the ground.

Walking over to inspect the wreckage I was expecting it to be bad considering the speed and angle of the impact, and was not wrong. The canopy, very durable and flexible, had partially shattered, the much superglued nose was still held in place by the layers of tape but severely deformed with multiple fractures, and the tail boom had snapped through just behind the motor, held on only by the tail linkages.

Gently holding the wreckage of the Floater together I traced my steps across the frosty grass back to the car...

Frosty Flight

...and a crisp landing!

It was a very cold morning with the sky completely clear following an unprecedented run of cloudless weather, literally in the middle of winter. The field was consequently almost entirely covered in frost so I donned my jacket and mitts as added protection.

I have been told that there is a transmitter glove that you can get (I see it's apparently called a transmitter glove) which encloses the radio and into which you insert your hands to keep warm! An interesting concept, although for now I am managing. However, for fliers in colder climes I can imagine this would be most attractive.

The Floater launched flawlessly, as it had got into the habit of doing, and climbed happily into the frosty air. I flew the usual circuit around the field, and then a little over the paddocks, cautious of the two hundred metre reception-limit that seemed to exist - I certainly didn't want to be tramping though soggy paddocks in freezing weather searching for my plane. The thought certainly generated empathy for the poor kangaroos, standing motionless on the frosty ground waiting for sunrise to warm them up.

By now, seldom ten minutes of flying later, my fingers had gone from being cold to being numb and aching. Before things got desperate I brought the Floater around and lined up for a gentle finals approach. It touched down about ten metres over the fence and then, instead of the usual brief slide to standstill, it slid a full twenty metres across the frosty grass, making a delightfully crisp scratching sound.

The most brilliant landing, ever...