Elad,
Regarding the dihedal thing your instructor told you about. Well, that is true to a point. But there are many trainers out there with high dihedral. I built my trainer with the highest dihedral. 3" prolly. I am not sure why. I can tell you that it seems to be taken by wind ALOT easier than a plane with less dihedral or a flat wing. On the other hand, I believe it is the reason I have more tip stalls and rarely get wing overs when I 'get jiggy' and test the limits of the airplane I am using.

Smoking is messing with more than just my lungs and heart I think. I think it is affecting my brain also. I've been smoking for about 15 years and am noticing strange pains in the heart area, especially after smoking a cig and immediately rushing back to my office while thinking of something stressful. I went as far as to even have an ekg done a couple years back when I started having this probs. Coupled with a raging anxiety from a very stressful job..I was a mess. I'm better now, not the same as before but better...although like I said I think cigs are doing something to me. I will probably turn into a health nut soon. I doubt I will ever completely quit smoking however. Everything in moderation is the key...and more so proven each and every day. I just hope some of you 'older fellas' think about this. Almost 10 minutes after you quit smoking, your heart starts to 'get better'. The longer the better. After 10 years of smoking, it damages your heart slowly everyday. These are things a doc told me, actually several. Ever hear about those people that quit their bad habbits and kill over in a year or two after? Sometimes I wonder if our body isn't capable of such extreme changes. But I think if exercise were mixed in, there has to be postive result both physically and mentally that would assuredly occure. Nuff on that.. Whew.

Elad, regarding your computer issue. Laptops aren't very cheap to fix. The friction pads he is speaking of COULD be several things. Sometimes they are broken hinges on the inside from hyperextension. That could be around 50 bux for the parts alone ...or more. IF you can get them. The video card can not be upgraded BUT the memory may be able to. You can probably get a desktop computer with a cheap graf(x) card in it for under $400 with a monitor. I would however ponder about how well the real flight sims will help you out, or if you just want to do it for kicks and giggles. I have met several people that have practiced on these, show up at the airfield with their resident expert trainer, and immediately crash leaving me wonder...
If I were you, I would see if the sim you are going to purchase has the plane you are currently flying. See if it handles the same. I know one thing, there is NO accounting for weather and actual stick time. Like I said, kicks and giggles...great. For learning, I think the only thing it will really teach you is how to overcome directional dyslexia.
(elad btw if you need help with your computer issues let me know, I was somewhat a big wig computer guy before I switched careers)


Tom, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I have the plans I believe to turn it into a taildrag'r. HMMMM. It's and Eagle II btw.

Current project of the week. Gluing 3 pieces of balsa block together trying to figure out HOW they have me fitting anything but a .30 sized engine in the space given much less a .90. Sigh. New pics a coming... I spent two hours finding my thrust line and centerline. Sanding the nose to an even surface to place the nose circle that will determine the shape of my final huge sanding project. Which may all have to revamped once I get the engine of choice. I am going to have a HUGE time installing the engine on this sucker. It will be inverted. Joy.


In the pics: you can see the progress. The dark brown sheeting is a 1/64" ply that wraps to make the canopy area which will eventually be cut out to seat two pilots. The front is the choas which includes 4 blocks o fun which will eventually be sanded and shaped to create a more fluid look. The problem is following the instructions: glue your sides, bottoms, and tops...should definetely tell you to pay carefull attention to tapering the front to meet the fuse nose circle that will envelope the spinner. Also, wondering what sized engine is going to fit in there really. We shall see! Believe it or not, lotsa work has been done since the last post. Probably a good 8 hours.
S