Maidened the Showtime this morning. 3 Hours at the field, 5 10-15 minute flights. I was YSed again. The balance of the time was spent starting the YS watching it idle for 18 seconds and then die, adjust, watch it idle for 10 seconds then die, start it again watch it idle for 15 seconds and die, adjust, start...well you get the picture. Ah YS,...Ya love until you hate them. 5 Flights, 5 deadsticks. Never did get it to idle. Will work on it tonight.
But, lets talk about the plane. The YS handled this airplane with ease. I was surprised how much power it had. After my earlier tests about thurst I was worried and in the Yak I felt underpowered but not today. I could hover with ease and fly straight up. The pull out wasn't like YNOT (160) but acceptable. And I really love this plane. The only thing I've flown that is even close to this baby is my UCD46. Wow, what a ball to fly!!!! I could do very tight waterfalls and one time had it just spinning there with no fall whatsoever. Kinda a hover while flipping. This plane flat spins like I want to. I could get it very flat and it would kinda just pinwheel there but would roll out. Need a little more practice or trim or something to do them like the UCD but it will do them. KE was good but not nearly as good as the Yak. Keep in mind I didn't have my SFGs on and won't put them on until I get the YS figured out. Every landing a deadstick, some aren't the best. The ground handling was superb on this plane. I didn't know you could actually turn with the tailwheel. Everyplane I've had the tailwheel was just a decoration and adds weight but this one will steer. I had about 15 MPH winds, no problems, this beauty just cuts through it. In hover it tended to torque roll very fast and I'd lose it after 2 revolutions, but again that's just getting used to the plane. It falls into hover very nicely and as I mentioned pull out was nice, not rocket, but enough. I'm using the 16x6 prop and I have my CG at 7 3/8" after all was said and done. A recheck of my weight gives me 8lbs 12ozs right on the nose. I'm now wondering if the fish scale was at a little angle with thrust ratings, yet maybe 12lbs thrust feel like this. Anyways, just an update. I love this plane, feels like a UCD60 only souped up to fly like a UCD46. It is a thing of beauty and is the first plane since the UCD46 that I really have FUN flying. I wish I could have gotten the YS to run, I would have been calmer and tried more but this baby will fly. Did some very nice rolling circles as well. The easiest I've done by far.
Thanks,
Barry