Tired of trying to program the flaps on my ultra stick .40 and waiting for someone I trust to help me maiden, I just went ahead and did it. BUT I still don't know how out of trim it is because the wind was blowing WAY too hard for level flight.

I shoulda known better. The field was empty and it's never empty on Friday afternoon/evening. I gave-up on the whole flaps/flaperons/crow thing and Y'ed the flaps and ailerons together for one long aileron. I knew it would be bad when my hat blew off as I made my first take off roll.

The plane wanted to weather-vane even under-power, but it took off and got friggin man-handled by the swirling wind. I managed to get it back to the runway and made some trim adjustments on the ground...flew like that 2 more times before I decided it was tail-heavy, at least it flew tail-heavy. I removed the battery from the hatch I had cut in the rear of the fuse and put it under the wing behind the tank and secured it with some balsa scraps and CA. I flew it one more time and it landed MUCH better with the extra nose-weight.

I watched as plastic chairs blew accross the pits toward the runway and continued making adjustments to my plane. I figured I had done so many touch and go's and practiced landings for so long that all I had to worry about was the whole ...'earth to airframe interface thing', and I could handle that....so I did.

I was really happy to make my first maiden and, given the conditions, I got a real confidence boost from doing it myself and managing the wind. There was no wind direction, unless...'all of them' is a direction. I had to bang the sticks around to keep the thing in the air where it really had absolutely NO BUSINESS being in the first place. I noticed that my stick movements were completely automatic and that was a relief. I have spent hours practicing in the wind with my foamies and it really paid off. I recommend high rates for windy conditions as you will need them to correct for a sharp wing drop or shear.

Satisfied with my first maiden and not wanting to push my luck, I packed it back in the truck and left the empty field behind with a great sense of accomplishment and a renewed respect for crosswinds and tail draggers.

I wonder how it will fly in um... safe flying conditions.

agexpert,congratulations on coming of age. You seem to have handled the windy conditions like a master, and performing a maiden flight to boot. Conditions like you described , are a real challenge to the best of fliers, and you handled them well, as your model is still in one piece. Well done.
So now what is going to be your next challenge ???????
Bill,from down-under

Good job Mark, well done. I know you're still grinning.

NOW you can say you're a pilot!

Congratulations on a major milestone!

Minn,

It seems I just felt a bit...'stupid' asking my instructor to maiden another plane for me. I am not too proud to ask for help, in fact I do it too much it seems. But this time I felt it was best to do it myself. I did it when no-one was there and in poor conditions. I did not want any added distractions or .....um.....witnesses.

I have done first flights on all of my foamies...of course. My next maiden will be in better conditions and likely a SIG Mayhem 3-D.

I feel I am almost beyond the 'beginner' stage and moving slowly into the 'dangerous' stage. I have seen over-confidence cause more than one crash...and at least one serious injury.....(TWO lost fingers and the end of an RC hobby).

When exactly does a student/beginner become a proficient flyer? What are the key skills and/or milestones that separate good flyers from perpetual beginners and/or 'weekend' flyers?

I mean, I know I need to work on a lot of things....and I really would like to fly basic IMAC someday, but I feel different about my flying now. There is far less 'mystery'. I am armed with information, some experience and a really good BULL$h!% detector. (There is no shortage of bad advice out there, believe me).

Anyway, I can't wait to go flying again tomorrow.

I CAN STOP ANYTIME I WANT!!! .... (sheesh...who am I kidding?)....pass me a foamie....for the road.