Beechmont sunday

[mikey100]

Have just returned from a full day at Beechmont in winds from 15-25kts...and a lot more up higher. Some notable events-
* Andrew DSing his foamie and getting how fast was it Andrew.
* Sean goin 148mph in a dive.
*Sean DSing and getting 147mph with his Erwin.
*Gerard and Garth cracking 105mph in dives...a lot more but cant remember exact speeds.
*Garth throwing out his 2m thermal Starling Pro in 25 kts and getting 120mph in a dive and fly-by. He flew it like a slope racer all day.
...and my awsome Bluto, after heaps of awsome flights and landings..... it went down way down low. After a couple of searches, I had to give up the search. Flat battery in plane; no excuse; I just flew it and flew it and didnt bother to charge it; so after probably over 2 hrs airtime, it just went flat...when the plane was way out and to the east side of the slope, so if you find it...would love to get it back.

[windsock]

Had a really great day, what a location. First time to Beechmont and I have to say it's one of the best locations in SE QLD. Really happy with my 108 mph dive, not bad for piece of foam.

[thevon]

Gerard and I made the 1.5hr drive and got there to Beechmont at 10:30, just after Mike and Garth. Great wind, fairly south.

The boys got the foamies out while I made coffee.. Gerard with the Ozprey was in his element with heaps of height and dives so I got the gun and it didn't take too long for Gerard to crack 106 then 108mph from a dive! Pretty impressive for a light foamie like that. He was stoked.

Garth had Skyzking's cut-down Reaper 72 going. A real lead sled, and it needs a bit of work, but it flew pretty well. He was carving it up but put it into the trees a couple of times - the 2nd time breaking a servo horn. Out with the AvB mobile workshop and a new horn and epoxy, plus some tape to cover the daggy wingtips had it airborne again and flying better too. It soon got 122mph (I think) in a dive!

I got my JW60 up there, and tweaked some throws to get it stable and stop some pitching in turns, then soon gave it a maiden DS effort. I was impressed with it. Despite the weight it flew “light” and tracked well, even with the corro fin. Its 1.7kg hulk got 108mph - wind moderate. Then I tried the "new" line over the big trees to the east and just couldn't get it working. That was the case all day - Sean and Kane also tried but there was no shear. It must need more east for that spot.

Somewhere in there Garth came over the backside and said "now how do you do that? Can I have a go?" and he proceeded to dive the mutant Reaper behind the trees and put together a few good looking laps! Not bad for a first timer! But it ended with a belly laugh as she crashed into the treetops on the lip! Took a bit of tree climbing to rescue it.

Sean turned up and started making star wars noises around the slope with the Erwin. Meanwhile I got the Nemesis airborne, just as the lift really came on - the best it was all day. Sean said "who needs to DS when you can fly frontside in these conditions!" He was doing laps back and forth rolling constantly, then got gunned at 148mph in a huge dive! That's the fastest dive we've ever recorded for any plane. We northsiders rarely experience lift like that.

It was totally unreal lift. The Nemesis must have had too much coffee - it was totally manic. Frontside was so much fun, but I was keen to see if I improve on the 136mph I got last time. I went over the back and the DS effect was really strong, but I had to work hard to hold the tight line as some laps it seemed to get pushed high over the back, and other laps got sucked down. I started to nail it and it felt really fast. Can't say for sure but it seemed quicker than when Kane gunned me at 136 there. Had to go low and close overhead to get the best speed. Mike had heard the noise and was coming over with the gun, so I went frontside for a bit then dived in again, and 2nd or 3rd lap holding a good line she just went down on the track and exploded.

Bummer! Terrible feeling when it all stops like that. It's all concentration and intensity, then it stops and everything's quiet! Mike put me back together again and we found the bits. It can be fixed. As these planes get more repairs (this one's had about 7 major rebuilds) they get tougher due to all the glue and foam in the wing!

Sean then impressed us totally with some Erwin DS. I looked across from the lookout and wished I had a video - it was really spectacular. Very good to watch. Best speed was 142mph (less than in the dive!) but the wind was losing strength.

Kane had a go then with his Zipper. Got up to 94 (more on the dive-ins). It was pretty scary with some close calls, but Kane was having balance problems with it. He then DSed the Vento (great looking F3F plane) but the speeds weren't much better- wind was easing.

We had to hide out of showers now and then, but it never got very wet. The wind was quite south mostly. On the frontside it was beanie, jumpers cold weather and over the back you got hot!

Somewhere in there I also flew the Miraj. I've re-done the linkages and servo positions etc, and was so impressed with it. I took it down the hill and frontside DS'ed it for a while. Amazing plane. We need some F3F timing sessions! I would have liked to try it over the back but it seemed too risky. One smashed plane is enough for a day!

There was more ... Garth's Starling Pro is a really nice looking plane, flew like a cross between a slope racer and a thermaller, and was such top value for money.

Poor Mike with his downed Bluto. A real shame as it was a good plane - I was impressed with its characteristics and I think Geoff did a great job of that build. Mike loved it. So easy to make mistakes like the flat battery.

[chamm37]

Not good Mikey Looks like everyone had a great day yesterday ;D Wish that I could have come and get some footage of Sean DSing tho, by the sounds of it Andrew it was beautiful. Saying that tho, every time Sean gets at the sticks and starts hitting those laps it is always good and spectacular to watch...


Regards,
Chris ;D

[ezza]

Wow. Sounds like a really fun day. Great reports. Spewing I missed it but I have been pretty lucky lately with alot of flying.

Can't believe the speeds you guys are getting in that tight little groove!! Must look rediculous. Congrats. Sean now has the hill record.

Sorry to hear about the Nemisis Andrew. I know you will have her going round again in no time.

Eric

[sean]

Man that was a fun day yesterday - the kind of day that reminds you why you're so addicted to slope flying... The frontside lift was insane in the first half of the day, everyone's planes looked rocket propelled blasting around the front.

As always the Erwin didn't disappoint, even managed a few rolling loops which was a first for me with a glider. The DS was fun too, crazy tight circuits that had the Erwin's wings bending very noticably, and a few nasty looking shudders through the wings. The tighter the laps with this plane the faster it goes . The fastest speed I remembered hearing was 142 but Mike mentioned to me as I was leaving yesterday that the fastest he recorded was 147mph.

I tried the new Beechmont DS site a few times but it just didn't seem to be working, at least with the Erwin as it needed bigger laps than is ideal for the Erwin, and there was no obvious shear layer. I can see how good it'll be in the right conditions as there's plenty of room.

I was flying so much I didn't have much time to watch everyone else, but I did gun for Kane while he DSed his Vento and Zipper, and briefly for Andrew while he DSed the JW. Really impressed by Kane's Zipper, really quick on the front and back though takes quite a lot of space to land... Kane's long landing approach under the wires to gently touch down a few metres away was great to watch. One servo on the Zipper was playing up in the air, I'm sure he would have got more speed out of it if the servo had been OK. Also really impressed by the build quality of the Vento. Real shame that Mike lost his Bluto, it flew really well. Also sad to see Andrew's Nemesis damaged but I'm sure it'll live to fly another day!

Sean.