RCU Forums - GP Tiger Moth Maiden Flight!

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GP Tiger Moth Maiden Flight!

WOW!! I finally finished my GP Tiger Moth. What a pain to assemble at the field. Anyway on Saturday, after the Magnum .91 four stroke was tuned, I walked the Moth out to the runway for take off. With this being my first Bi-plane I taxied out and back on our grass runway, No Problems. My spotter Held the Plane for one final run up, back to idle, the pattern is clear. I hold full up elevator and ease in the throttle, and before I Know it the Moth lifts off in about 30 feet......STRAIGHT UP!! Then it does a buitful stall turn to the left, I didn't know I could do them so well, especially at 15 feet. I manage to recover headed right at the unoccupied end of the pit fence. then it climbed straight into the sun and I lost sight of it. My spotter yelled "ITS HEADED FOR YOUR TRUCK!!" So I hauled back on the right stick, then I saw the Moth again, headed at the gazabo!! Barelly missed it. OK back in the pattern so shook up that I ask my spotters (I had three of them now) the trim the plane while i tried to keep it straight and level!! Whew add right trim, more, more! There is no more!! Ok I can at least hold it now. Down trim, more!! There is no more!! Ok flying in circles. One of the spotter says "Try this trim" and I replied "Hell No I'm landing NOW!! I set up for a standard approch. Throttle set just above idle, turn base, still a little fast and high, ok slip and hold the nose up a little. Good glide path established, slow, slower, slower, Man this thing will fly realy slow!! Flair gentle main wheel landing full up elevator. stop! It survived better than I did. Decided that I hated this airplane!! really tempted to take it back up and CRASH IT. But I resisted. Made some adjustments Sat. night. Back to the field Sunday morning, 35 minites to assemble. ARG!! Ok I fuel up complete my preflight. All ready for the Moths second flight. Oh weight I need to move the trash barrel, sweep the gazabo, can't put it off any more. My fellow fliers are starting to chuckle and chortel, OK down right laugh. I start the engine. Check my controls and taxi out. I line up on the runway and start easing in the throttle full up elevator. It starts to roll, more throttle, ease back pressure the tail lifts off, Straight as an arrow 10 feet half throttle.............the mains lift off nice gentle climb. Ok now a right turn......Oh needs a little rudder input.......Ok down wind nice and gentle.......just a touch of right trim and a little up trim. Nice gentle three point landing. I made two more flights and dead sticked on the last flight (about 20 mins). Once trimmed this plane is a joy to fly. Slow flight, Big scale like loops and stall turns. Barrell rolls. Its flys very scale like. It likes a lot of rudder in the turns, in fact rudder only turns are almost better. Properly trimmed I would almost make a good trainer except for the need for throttle and rudder control. GREAT FLIER!!