The Cows Come Home, Late
My friend Matt Frederes built this fine model airplane to enjoy with his family.
The VERY impressive striping is modeled after the 2008 Cessna Skylane I sell. Nice job Matthew!
So, Matt selected me to be the test pilot for the maiden voyage of the "PT-40" today. We met at this flying field:
All the Von-Frederes were present, except little Joseph was still sleeping in the Frederes bus.
The thing about being test pilot is, that this really is an experiment. Normally these little models don't fly well until they're adjusted from the results of a first flight or two. So Matt thinks I'm a good bet to be at the controls. Just happy I'm safe on the ground. That's what I think.
Some preflight inspection revealed a couple of adjustments and questions. We comprimised on a couple items where the pilot and the design engineer did not agree. One item we agreed to leave alone was the asymetric travel of the ailerons. Matt said it was built exactly per the specs. Let's start'r up!
Taxi performance, all systems go. Take off good. Climbing out straight, trimming, adjusting and into a right turn to the south....
Uh oh. It's not turning now. There is no aileron control! Only to the right sluggishly, no left at all. Uh oh - rudder control not enough to compensate.
The model was getting too far away and no way to bring it home. I had to make the difficult and timely decision to damage Matt's model. I brought the engine to idle, pulled full control up and left to cause it to spin. I'm sure anyone wondered why I was chosen to fly this beautiful thing!
Spinning is the slowest uncontrolled crash. (Take it from me, an old accident investigator.) If the model flew away, it would be lost. If it flew into the ground it would be oblitereated. Now, it fell to the earth like a spinning leaf. "Thud."
Into the Silverado, the emergency vehicle.
Here's what we found: a herd of cattle, the big ones up close examining this UFO.
Like crossing a field of battle, through the barbed wire, electric fence, mud bog, we raced to discover....
NO INJURIES. Thank heavens. And, the model was only slightly damaged. Whew!
I comforted Matt (not sure he was ready to accept) that this one - a six pack would fix, easy.
This blogging is done bare foot. Here's why:
Think we'll head to the "Happy Landings" model field next flight!
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