diggs_74
Posts: 1296
Joined: 1/20/2004
From: Emerald,
WI, USA
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The following is a write up from our out of town racers Rick and Austin Miller..
Wisconsin Pylon Racing -- Red Eye Style
An accounting of Rick and Austin Miller's road trip to compete in the North Central Pylon League, NCPL, Quickie 500 and Quarter 40 racing event, in Amery Wisconsin.
The Trip
Well we loaded up the VW wagon with Quickie 500 planes and a full tank of diesel fuel and headed off to Amery, WI. We had to wait to leave Mead NE until 9:00PM on Friday 9/21, due to Austin's Pep Band responsibilities at the High School Football game. Man, this is going to be a red eye trip.
I keep seeing these red lights on the horizon in northern Iowa, it was weird they were all bunched up but at different heights, like transmitter tower lights only they were at different elevations??? My eyes were red and blood shot by this time and I didn't need to focus on the these weird lights, although there were multiple groups of these lights as we drove by, strange??? We arrived in Amery WI about 4:00am, woke the Motel attendant up and signed in and hit the sack about 4:30 am, thank you Red Bull energy drink.
Saturday Quickie 500 racing
Up and out of the sack at 7:30am, speed eat some breakfast and off to the races, we were on our way! We found the contest site and were setting up our Pits at about 8:20, practice starts at 8:30am. The planes were charged Friday just before we left and Austin put the wings on, thanks Austin, he's a great helper especially when you land the plane way down the field, he he. We grabbed our stuff and we were on the starting line, I asked Austin to bring the backup Q500 plane, an older Predator ARF with a less than fresh Nelson engine on it, out for a test flight. We wiggled the sticks and the control surfaces moved properly, so we fired her up. I got behind the plane and in position for the start, gave Austin the nod, and off we go. The flight is going well we rounded turn one with a quick bank and yank heading for turn 2 and its feeling kind of soft on the controls. Well we made it around the course heading to turn 2 again and bingo no aileron control. Shut her down, thankfully its flying level so I just controlled it with the rudder and elevator. That worked until we set it down a little short and just off the side of the runway, nice we saved it I think.
As I look to find Austin to run after the plane which is way down at the end of the runway, I see he is already on the way running all the way there, those youthful legs are great. I think to myself could have a bad aileron servo?? Upon inspection, as Austin is back now, thanks Austin, it turns out the battery is low on charge!! Its getting colder and batteries don't hold a charge or charge as well in the cold and I should know better! Remember the "Flight of the Stinging Stinger" article that I wrote last year. Well the plane is fine, that's a relief. The charger and battery is way over in the pits, I ask Austin to go get the charger box. When he gets back from the pits a football field away, he ran all the way, we put the battery on charge and check the plane and set it off to the side.
I tell Austin, lets try out the ( Lyle Larson kit ) the Bird of Prey ( BoP) the good plane, with the good engine. But, lets check the battery, even though it was charged and checked back at the house. Guess what, the battery is not up to full charge in this plane either. Thankfully I have two chargers in the box and both are charging while everybody else gets their practice trim flights in. I vow to Austin that this will not happen again.
After the battery charging is behind us, its time to go to the Pilots Meeting, darn it we didn't get to practice and trim the BoP. Well we get all the details from the Main Man himself Mr. ( heavy on the mister ) Lee Lavalley of the Amery Wisconsin area. After the instructions we got a little extra time to get that trim flight in and dial it in and we are READY to race. These folks make it easy to have fun, and really know how to run a race, my salute to the organization and people ( like Julie on Pylon #1, Eagle eye ) putting on this event. Advice here, don't cut the pylon that Julie is watching, pick a different one if you have to cut a pylon, she IS WATCHING. Thankfully we are in heat 3 of round 1 so we have time to see how the race is run. I take the opportunity to show Austin how they are running the race and the starts because it different than what we practice. Austin is capturing the race highlights with a movie camera all day, when we aren't in the race or when others aren't borrowing him for starts and calling he seems to be getting more popular. Of the 4 planes taking off two launch first then the other two go, it works great! These folks use an observer for each pylon and with radio communication the event goes very quickly.
Well its time for our race:
* We put our plane on the line, #3 starting position ( no time to waist )
* Prime the engine with fuel, not to much ( I'am getting nervous now )
* Hook up that new Glow starter from Darrol Cady and check the Plug its ok now switch off the glow starter till start time
* Turn on the radio
* Turn on the Plane and check the control surfaces
* Call out our channel and checkout " shouting wiggling 23 "
* We wait and then comes the announcement " 60 seconds your on the clock" ( come on baby start !!!! )
* Click the Glow starter switch to on ( 4 LEDs lite, OK )
* Pull off the Fuel line shut off pinchers ( HERE WE GO hurry up hurry up )
* Crank the engine over with the Electric starter using 14.4volts of NIMH battery juice
* She's screaming now and surging, she's a little rich I shout, hold on to that monster Austin ( she's jumping around big time )
* Pinch the fuel line, she really jumps up on RPM
* Lean her out a little more and she letting you know she wants to GO not a whole lot of pinch left 19,000+ RPM according to my excellent Fromeco Tach
* Put the starter stuff back in the race field box and set it off to the side of the runway
* Step back and check to see if the aileron and elevator moves,, it does and I am ready
* The starter guy looks my way and I nod that I am ready ( three positive thoughts now, Here's your opportunity, Here's your opportunity, Here's your opportunity, )
* Now I am Just staring at the plane as the engine is screaming as Austin is holding the plane and watching the starting lights
* And it seem like an eternity until until until Austin sends her off ( that kids reflexes are like a cat, quick quick )
* Off she goes are we all the way to the pylon ???? Bank and Yank ( I hope that wasn't a cut )
* Around pylon 2 and 3 and 1 lap in and then 2 and 3 laps, were on the way
* I here Austin calling for me, 4 2 3 ready Turn, 5 2 3 ready Turn , 6 2 3 ready Turn,,,,,,,,,
* ( we got a guy getting close to us and sticking on us, well if you want to get close I will show you close, I flew combat competition for years , this is so much fun !! I love this )
* Make that 11th lap in case I cut a pylon ( you get docked a lap for cutting a pylon and Zero points for cutting more than 1 pylon during a heat)
* Close the throttle valve, kill the engine and put her in the landing pattern
* Bring her in for a landing and Whoa baby wow those new ball bearing wheels really roll, the plane stops at the end of the runway as Austin runs there to get the plane
* Austin turns the switch off at the far end of the landing area and signals to me and I turn off the radio, thanks Austin ( We are a Team, he really like this stuff too )
* Now lets check the score??????
Well it seems there was a nut loose on the control sticks, my plane some how had 3 pylon cuts. Seems there was 2 cuts on Pylon 1 and 1 on Pylon 2, no wonder I caught those guys so easy. That means a "cut out" I got a big zero for points in that heat. Actually the first 3 heats, I cut out each time, 3 heats and 0 points, time for lunch and a talk with self. The races commenced after lunch and I actually got points each Heat I was in for the rest of the day. The racing was awesome, close and fast. These guys fly a lot, and it shows in the racing and piloting skills. I finished up the day in 7th place an outstanding finish considering I had so many zero scores.
Quarter 40 Racing
During lunch break on Saturday the Q500 race day, I inquired as to the availability of a " Pre Owned " Quarter 40 plane, that could be entered in the next days race. It needed to be setup already flown, balanced and ready for racing. I found one, thank you Kent of Princeton, it was a used Matney Napier, only problem was it needed the engine replaced.
As others relaxed after the excitement of a day of Q500 racing. Austin and I worked on the purchased Q40 plane. We were short a front Bearing for the Crankshaft. And I believe it was Jesse who set us up with a front bearing, Thanks Jesse. Then we took the Crankshaft and Piston and Cylinder Liner and Venturi and Glow Plug out of a with a bad case and put the parts in a different engine case. Then we set the Deck Height to 195 and Head to 15, your standard type setup. This should run good, it won't be a record setter by any means. That's when I needed a Q40 prop and spinner that fit this plane and setup, which Pat let me borrow, Thanks again Pat. The plane apparently had been owned and or flown by a number of the folks at the race and it showed some wear and tear but still was in sound shape, and was almost ready to race.
It was a fantastic day, great fun, great people and excellent racing. Now we were off to the party at Lee's place. Awesome is all I can say, Monster sized beef steaks , wonderful dishes of food and a bonfire, with refreshments, these folks know how to do things right.
After a while around the bonfire, AJ asked if I was going to be able to enter the Q40 event, I told him that the only thing left was a landing gear issue. That's when Lee told me to grab my plane and lets head to the shop, in 10 minutes the plane was all set. It was looking good that I might get to pilot a Quarter 40 race plane finally.
Well Austin and I only had 3 hours of sleep the proceeding day and we couldn't hang with the party. We needed to get some sleep and get to the field early, we needed to set the trims for my preferences and that would take a few trim flights to get it where I like it.
I really wanted to race the Q40's, now you know when you start racing, a lot of things happen in the beginning like,,,, crashes. So when people let you borrow things for your first race, they really are good folks, thanks Pat, Lee, Jesse, AJ, Dave and all the others whose names don't come to mind. I really appreciate all the help.
The trim flights are all done the plane flew as I was told it would straight and true. The engine was not a record setter but for the first race it doesn't need to be.
Well its time for our race:
* We put our plane on the line, #1 starting position no time to waist
* Prime the engine with fuel, not to much
* Hook up that new Glow starter and check the Plug its ok now switch off the glow starter till start time
* Turn on the radio
* Turn on the Plane and check the control surfaces
* Call out our channel and checkout " shouting wiggling 23 "
* We wait and then comes the announcement " 60 seconds your on the clock" come on baby start !!!!
* Click the Glow starter switch to on ( 4 LEDs lite, OK )
* Pull off the Fuel line shut off pinchers ( hurry up hurry up )
* Crank the engine over with the Electric starter using 14.4volts of NIMH battery juice
* She's screaming now
* Pinch the fuel line, she really jumps up on RPM 21,000+
* Lean her out a little more perrrrfect
* Put the starter stuff back in the race field box and set it off to the side of the runway
* Step back and one last check to see if the aileron and elevator moves,, it does and I am ready
* The starter guy looks my way and I nod that I am ready
* Now I am Just staring at the plane as the engine is screaming
* And it seem like an eternity until until until Austin sends her off
* Off she goes are we all the way to the pylon ???? Bank and Yank
* Around pylon 2 and 3 and 1 lap in and were on the way Wow these Q40's really are faster that the Q500's
* I here Austin calling for me, 4 2 3 ready Turn, 5 2 3 ready Turn ,,,,,,,,,,
* Make that 11th lap in case I cut a pylon you get docked a lap for cutting a pylon and Zero points for cutting more than 1 pylon during a heat
* Close the fuel supply off Q40's have a Venturi and a fuel pinch off arrangement
* Bring her in for a landing keep the speed up and she lands just fine
* Austin turns the switch off and signals to me and I turn off the radio, thanks Austin
* Now lets check the score
With no cut outs or zeros in the Q40 Heats, I ended up in a 3 way tie for 2nd place with Lee and Jesse. Lee said that his fuel tank is bad and Jesse and I toss a coin.
And that's how I finished 2nd in my first Q40 event that I competed in. I really finished 4th though, everybody's plane was faster than mine.
With a goodbye and having returned the borrowed parts we head out towards Omaha about 2:00 PM.
On the way home I find out that the funny Red Lights that my Red Eyes had seen in northern Iowa on the trip up, were Wind Generator Farms. Hundreds of Giant Wind Mills. Austin is still going strong, but now that were on the way home, he has to do his homework for school.
Were home now and I wake Austin up, it time to unpack the car.
You know with folks like these to spend a day or two with while racing planes, I really don't care what the score is. We all win with this group.
It was so much fun that I will be back, we will plan on it.
On a side note, Dave Norman had an interesting Dubb Jett engine in his Plane it was ( Nelson LS type fast ) and easy to needle too,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,?
That tired engine does need to be replaced????
Thanks for the memories
Rick Miller President Western RC Flyers ( and now an experienced Q40 pilot )
Austin Miller Caller / Helper / Team member extraordinaire and movie camera man )
< Message edited by diggs_74 -- 9/25/2007 7:20:02 PM >
_____________________________
Lee LaValley
NMPRA# 33w
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