Hello all,

After lurking on this list for some time, I finally have a maiden flight report of my own. Mine is powered by a Super Tigre 90, currently with a 13x6 prop, based in what I've read in this thread, but I have a 14x6 waiting. The engine turns 11,200rpm on the ground with the 13x6. I am flying with a Futaba 6EXAS, with ailerons on ch1 and 6, including flaperons mixed in. I am using -25% expo on the elevator on both rates, since I've heard on this list and from another Vectorflight edge owner at the field that the elevator is twitchy.

54 degrees F, winds calm to 6mph, aimed straight down the runway to slightly behind me when it was blowing. Take off was straight down the runway, elevator all the way back and pressure on right rudder, rolling into the throttle, ease up on the elevator, add just a touch of right rudder, tail comes up, then plane is airborne. Yikes, need left aileron right away, lots of it!

Get plane level, let it climb at full throttle, let it bank right, steeper than I want to, but still needing left aileron to keep the plane from rolling over. Finish the turn, heading downwind, needing lots of aileron to keep it level, but I do keep it level. Next turn, steep again, plane is starting to scare me, and I noticed it is twitchy in roll as I fight the tendency to roll right. Let it climb more, ease off on the throttle some, and finally reach down and put several beeps of left aileron trim in. I managed as S turn as I did this, not entirely on purpose, but at least I know the plane will actually bank left.

Plane is now flying wings level, and I relax some. Still a bit twitchy in roll, but less so now that I can hands off the aileron in straight ahead flight. Needs some up elevator, but not much, a couple beeps maybe. Fly a couple laps to relax a bit, plane maintains heading, still becoming accustomed to the turns, which are very big. My pattern is huge, but I don't feel like yanking the plane around with elevator while it is banked so steeply in the turns. Funny how I always thought my fellow flyers bank too much, now here I am doing it.

Try a roll at 1/3 throttle. Interesting. Plane rolls right around that spinner, which is (can't think of a better word) really, really pretty. Cool, just like you guys all say, axial rolls! It is slower than I expected, but I have not sealed the hinges yet and I'm only at 1/3 throttle. Try a few more, then a two point roll. Plane stops roll instantly. Cool. Needs some elevator pressure to stay level inverted, but I am used to that with my other planes, and I can fix this one(thrust angle, CG). Try one roll at hight rates, now that's more like it. It's like someone is holding the spinner and rotating the plane, they're so axial. I really impressed!

After six minutes(don't how fast this engine drinks fuel yet), try a landing. Thanks ALL TO YOU GUYS, I fly it in on several clicks of throttle, fly it to the runway, reach the runway about one or two feet off, and cut to idle, ready on the elevator for it to drop. I must have the golden touch tonight, as the plane slowly descends, add elevator, descends faster, add faster, matching it because I am ready for it, slight rudder pressure as wind comes up behind me, and three point the plane right on the center stripe with full elevator. No bounce, nothing, just greased it! Believe it or not, I practiced in my head, running through the advice that y'all provided, and it worked beautifully. I am SO psyched, this means I can handle this plane.

Sit down, make several notes on my PDA about the plane's behavior before I forget, wait till my fingers stop shaking. Fill up the tank; cool, tank is not even half empty(15 turns out of 40 on the old hand crank fuel pump), so I plan next flight for 10 minutes. Adjust idle(it was a tad fat), then it occurs to me: after all the preparation, I never did check the lateral balance. Idiot. Hoping this is why I needed so much left aileron, my buddy helps me check it. Sure enough, it tips over towards the engine cylinder. Requires 1/2 oz of wing weight, which is not much, but my hopes are up. Also, add -25% expo on ailerons, both rates.

Second flight, here we go. Another nice take off, engine responding better as I roll into the throttle faster, get airborne, and sure enough, now I need pressure on right aileron. Climb out, take out some of the left aileron trim and enjoy the plane. Fly at 1/2 throttle now. Try some loops, and sheesh they are big. And a little corkscrewed, but I chalk that up to me not entering level, for sure, but suspect need more right thrust. Try a vertical, and yup, plane wants to tip over to the left. Odd, I have right thrust built in. Plane far less twitchy in roll, looks like aileron expo was the right move, but I also think -25% is too much. Play with throttle, especially full throttle, boy those loops get big. Ten minutes later, come in for another landing, not as nice as the first, not enough rudder and I land barely into the grass, just a tad harder than the first time. Getting too comfortable with the slow speed, vow to let it touchdown faster next time, as I ran out of elevator again. Tank needs 24 turns out of 40 to fill up, still room for error.

Inspect plane for damage, find none and tailwheel is in good shape, but YIKES, one engine mount screw is gone and engine mount is wobbly loose. [X(]ok, better fix that before trying verticals and judging if I need right thrust or not. Call it a day, sensing I am pushing my luck.

So, overall, I reach main goal 1) landing. The turns will take some getting used to, because I don't like them steep, but I also don't like them so huge. Next, more discplined trimming exercises, and learn to use more rudder more in the turns to kick that tail around and shrink their size. Sorry for the long post, but I am way excited about finally flying this thing, and especially building confidence in that landing. Thanks for all the posts about landing, and the rudder-while-turning-tips, which I forgot about until I wrote this post. The plane is awesome, but will take me a while to get really comfortable with because it needs lots of space. I guess moving up from 40 size plane to 90 size should not have surprised me.

Ed H. in Michigan, Vectorflight Edge 540, ST 0.90, 13x6