Testing Continues – Sunday 30th October – Go Pro feedback

What had promised to be a very clear calm day turned out to be certainly clear .. but the F2 was 10 going up to 18+ Easterly. Not a problem down the runway (08) but was going to be interesting taxying …

Having opted to disconnect the steerable tail wheel option very early on in the taxy tests – I could sure use it today to assist in preventing ground looping ! I removed the two cables (spliced into the rudder cables) but only removed at the turnbuckle – leaving me the option to reconnect if I change my mind. I found that the relatively tight manoeuvring area outside the aero club meant the rudder on full deflection didn’t give the same tail wheel angle and so it dragged and flat spotted … I now get a dunk dunk on taxying – if you know what I mean .. new wheel on order from TLAC.

Engine started nicely and the go pro seems to have settled – well I have learned how to  use it more like ! This footage is really handy for learning … when you are flying by yourself there is no one to critique you … sharing the video usually invokes a few comments and very useful feedback

I sent a link to Howard Barbour (the very kind gentleman at Little Snoring ) who kindly sat with me for an hour of the most fun, active, banked circuits I have ever done .. everyone should do it .. whether you buy a Sherwood or not

Anyway, Howard said all looked fine but then noted that I wasn’t pulling full stick back on taxying .. he popped a note on the end and said ‘All the way back to the buckle on taxying’ then apologised for nagging !! Not at all … as I said to Howard .. one tip up and the £800+ nice wooden prop would be dust .. nag away Howard .. nag away 🙂

I had decided on this flight to brave the full ’round island .. everything had been settling down and it felt good time for a longer flight.

Duly lined up and the tail was up immediately – 18kt down the line … I had mounted the go pro on the rear of the wingtip this time (a la Little Snoring) so you can now see bothe Elevator and Aileron movement. .. doesn’t move much at all !

I opted for my (now usual) bad weather close circuit .. I have used this technique for the last few flights as a sort of warm up and is everything still ok …. the tower are very supportive and happy to let me do it .. slotting in or widening out for inbounds … this time it was a small one coming in to land vs the Gulfstream jet last time doing touch and go’s

That cleared I opted for a wheeled landing to just start the tail going down then went around to prevent blocking the runway for too long. off and over St Helier and into a full anticlockwise around the island …. hugging the coast and varying between 700′ and 1000′ … quite bumpy crosswind and possibly the effect of the wind over the 300′ cliff edges … mental note for landing on 08 .. keep the speed up over the threshold.

After the full around island I opted to land and check everything over before my next flight which was to include my middle son Will as checker of all things front cockpit and also to see what effect his weight would have ahead of the full LAA checks in a week or so.