Galloping Ghost
07-12-2013, 08:52 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Galloping Ghost
For all you tail waggers out there, it's nice to see how many of you are having a ball with these vintage and really unique pulse propo rigs. Even more rewarding is to see you guys flying these things and educating the next generation about our R/C roots and heritage. You guys are perpetuating the legacy and passing the torch in so doing.
I have an interesting story to relate that should get a few smiles:
Recently, after a long hiatus of over 10 years, I broke out my Hobie Hawk to fly at an excellent Pacific ocean bluff located at the deactivated Ellwood oil field north of Santa Barbara airport, near Goleta. This is where a Jap submarine shelled the Winchester refinery in the sole attack on the west coast during WW-2.
Things have changed so much since the new millenium that my 6 meter AM radio seemed arcane compared to the 2.4 GHz micro-processor rigs we have today, which are configurable to do everything but fly the plane themselves.
Standing at the precipice of the cliff, looking at my green and black ribbons attached to the antenna, trying asses the wind speed, I had a lump in my throat as I tossed the Hawk into the lift and threw all caution to wind, in more ways than one. Yes, I have done this many times before, and yes it should fly just fine, but some how, it was like the very first time all over again, butterflies and all. To my great releif, the Hobie just did what it knows best and began to climb into the lift. Now it was up to me to do the rest; get airspeed and altitude while running the slope, and then make that first turn away from the slope for another pass, and hopefully not loose too much airspeed and tip stall. But in so doing, my nerves got the better of me and my wrist could not stop shaking. Steady, nice and easy Jay, you've done this a millions times, piece of cake I said to myself. But that control stick was wagging like a dogs tail when his master comes home, and as the Hawk flew by the rudder and elevator were banging the stops. Now for another turn, and get some more airspeed to make a climbing turn into the lift. The Hobie was doing it's thing, inspite of me, performing flawlessly, because as we all know, good planes basically fly themselves if you let them.
Suddenly it hit me, no need to worry, you're flying pulse proportional, well more like nervouse proportional as Big John used to call reed flying. Gotta hope the batteries don't die due to all the wagging of the controls. Digital rigs work just fine doing pulse proportional duty as it turns out, it's all in the wrist action as they say.
After a couple more passes it was back to normal, just like falling off a log, no problem and the shakes went away, phew!
I have an interesting story to relate that should get a few smiles:
Recently, after a long hiatus of over 10 years, I broke out my Hobie Hawk to fly at an excellent Pacific ocean bluff located at the deactivated Ellwood oil field north of Santa Barbara airport, near Goleta. This is where a Jap submarine shelled the Winchester refinery in the sole attack on the west coast during WW-2.
Things have changed so much since the new millenium that my 6 meter AM radio seemed arcane compared to the 2.4 GHz micro-processor rigs we have today, which are configurable to do everything but fly the plane themselves.
Standing at the precipice of the cliff, looking at my green and black ribbons attached to the antenna, trying asses the wind speed, I had a lump in my throat as I tossed the Hawk into the lift and threw all caution to wind, in more ways than one. Yes, I have done this many times before, and yes it should fly just fine, but some how, it was like the very first time all over again, butterflies and all. To my great releif, the Hobie just did what it knows best and began to climb into the lift. Now it was up to me to do the rest; get airspeed and altitude while running the slope, and then make that first turn away from the slope for another pass, and hopefully not loose too much airspeed and tip stall. But in so doing, my nerves got the better of me and my wrist could not stop shaking. Steady, nice and easy Jay, you've done this a millions times, piece of cake I said to myself. But that control stick was wagging like a dogs tail when his master comes home, and as the Hawk flew by the rudder and elevator were banging the stops. Now for another turn, and get some more airspeed to make a climbing turn into the lift. The Hobie was doing it's thing, inspite of me, performing flawlessly, because as we all know, good planes basically fly themselves if you let them.Suddenly it hit me, no need to worry, you're flying pulse proportional, well more like nervouse proportional as Big John used to call reed flying. Gotta hope the batteries don't die due to all the wagging of the controls. Digital rigs work just fine doing pulse proportional duty as it turns out, it's all in the wrist action as they say.
After a couple more passes it was back to normal, just like falling off a log, no problem and the shakes went away, phew!
