Radio failure of some sort? Spill it! That was a good flying airplane.

The wing bolt and the wing tube failed. Which one went first? Probably the bolt. Lack of maintenance on my own crap.

So, I said I wanted an empty shop for a bit...not THIS empty!!!

Like Arch said, I wanted to build my own finally anyway. I just consider this extra motivation.

Can batman finish 2 planes between now and the middle of june, trim and get enough practice to actually not suck at the nats? Will the joker kill batman in the giant cake??? I guess I'm going to find out.

Quick Robin, to the batcave.....

-Mike

please oh please i don't wanna be ROBIN lmao... maybe batgirl or something hey how about Wonder Woman ? heehee (sorry had to )

Ok Wonder woman, get over there and wonder up batman some composites for his new plane!!! Why are you typing? You should be waxing VF3 molds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And so batman commits suicide by RCU.....

off to bed, it's gonna be a long summer...

-Mike

Hey all,

I am about to post photo's from the meet, but first I want to thank Larry Odom for hosting a really good time and a great meet, you pulled it off perfect buddy. The Probusters of Lakeland have a fine facility and a great group of guys came out to help out and watch. Local pilot Danny Brunham came out for his first meet and had solid flights. I also want to thank Chris Odom for being a great host and a great kid...

MAN !!! Did I have a great time

Here are a couple photos and yes Chris is that BIG !!! LOL

AND Mellissa Hester ! the best score keeper on the planet!

Thanks Mellissa!!!!

Okay here are the pilot pics by class...


Sportsman:

1. Tom Stennis - Black Magic VF3

2. Danny Brunham - Larry's Focus

3. George Gordon -

Intermediate:

1. Dean Funk - Black Magic VF3

2. Austin Wingo - Black Magic VF3

3. Larry Odom - Focus

Advance:

1. Gary Courtney - Aggressor

2. Chris Odom - Black Magic VF3

3. Mike Wingo - Black Magic VF3

Masters:

1. Humberto Pomales - Osmose

2. Joe Walker - Gary's Aggressor

3. Marcio Jorge - Osmose

FAI:

1. Jim Woodward - Pass-Port

2. Ron Ellis - Element

3. Bill Holsten - Partner

I put up a large photo gallery at my site - what a great time - count the smiles in the gallery

http://dragonfirecustoms.com/lakeland_09


enjoy !!!!

Hi Guys,

Was the weather tough or what this weekend? It was nice to see everyone learning the wind corrections and such as the rounds progressed and to see the planes being kept in good positions. There is a lot of strategy needed for that kind of weather. I don't think ANY of us leave the house on days like that. I hadn't flown either of the FAI sequences in cross winds that strong until this event.

Thank you very much Larry for getting the club support and putting a new event on the schedule. I was sorry to see Mike lose his plane. It was good to see everyone again and share stories and coaching tips. Maybe next time on Saturday afternoon (weather permitting) we can do a class-by-class run-through of all the flying we saw and critique some of the general flying/maneuver trends taking place. Guys can think about it overnight and maybe pick up some more points on Sunday's last rounds when it counts.

Masters was down to one point between Humberto and Joe! Congrats to everyone - it was tough to fly well for sure!!

Thanks,
Jim

Mr Hester, Please tell me it ain't so! You and I just talked about me flying the ho. I am very sorry to hear of your loss. Gosh, to me it's like losing a member of the family when you have had a plane that long. Kirk S. told me he thought it was the same plane you let he fly at the Huntsville Contest last Sept. Hope I didn't jinx you. I see by the results of the Lakeland Contest Mr Pomelas & Mr Woodward were giving lessons again! Wish I could have been there. Will talk to you soon____TNWalker

Hi TN_Walker,

I think its fair to say that Mother Nature was giving all of us a lesson or two. Dean also flew well enough to get the "backup" plane out for Sunday (Congrats to Dean for Saturday's performance). Gary "Move Up" Courtney (as the chant went) and Chris O. were very close too in Advanced. Masters was divided out pretty well with at least three round winners I know of (Humberto, Joe, Maurcio). I didn't get to see much of the Sportsman flying though.
Thanks,
Jim

Jim, I want you to "pit stop" here in Nashville & fly with me at the Madison Field on your way to the Nats this year. Everyone else in D3 is also welcome to drop by if they are in the
vacinity. The runway has been resurfaced & the poles are up. See you soon___TNWalker

Thanks Jim...

I think it would be great to have a "class-by-class run-through" talk...

Thanks again for the stick time on the pass-port, I enjoyed that and the help during the meet. It was very exciting flying in the high cross winds.

Yo Everette!

yeah ya jinxed me dude LOL

Nahh it was just lack of maintenance. After close inspection, the tube had a lot of indentions and grooves and broke fairly clean right where it goes through the fuse side. It COULD have broken and then popped the bolt.

The bolt was tight prior to takeoff, but wasn't broken, laying in the plane intact. The threads in the root had gotten pretty worn. So it could have popped during the snaps etc.

Either way, it was lack of maintenance. I should have replaced the tube and redone the wing bolt and threads about a year ago. but, I have been a little distracted with other stuff.....so it was inevitable. After over 150 gallons of fuel it was pretty tired. if you have a carbon tube, check it occasionally and if it has grooves etc......replace it for safety.

However, I sold the wreckage to a sportsman pilot for $20 and he swears it will fly again soon so....it was a ho to the last!!!!!! I wouldn't try and repair it and fly it in anything higher than intermediate though personally. but then, I DO have the kits for new ones right here.....just gotta do some glueing....

Back on topic, Larry did a great job this weekend. Lakeland is a great place for a contest. The field works, the club is great, and it was beautiful all weekend with challenging winds. oh did we mention it was WINDY????

Sportsman class: was awesome as usual. Tom Stennis is returning to pattern after a long hiatus and flew his new VF3 to victory (Loctite Tom!). Second place went to a local club member who had never flown pattern before and just decided to give it a try with Uncle Larry's Focus, and he flew very well.

Intermediate was closer than it looked, Dean was just flying very solid. Austin blinked slightly more than Dean and that was that. Both are looking REALLY good and the nats should be interesting.

Advanced.....well, Gary is just that good. Chris was flying lights out stuff but Gary's experience and coolness won out on Sunday. Chris is making solid progress though, and so once again those 2 are going to be quite a show come July.

Masters continues to be a really fun and competetive class down here. Humberto won by less than half a point in the last round. I would have loved to play in that field ya know but...well, dookie happens. I'm probably done until the nats, or Arch's contest if all goes well. I intend to make it go well..... [8D]

FAI, well Jim was the class of the field. Ron flew well and Bill did the best he could with what he had to fly. That wind made a hard pattern REALLY hard. But I'm impressed with the way they handled it.

All in all it was a lot of fun and a total don't miss for next year. Although I was technically the CD, Larry and melissa did the lion's share of the work and made it a cool contest for all of us.

I'll see you all in Muncie.....I won't be at any of the may contests but will probably be at Andersonville to help out, and most likely Arch's contest in late June.

-Mike

Mike, Now that's what I'm talking about! She was truly a $20 ho to the END. I know you spanked her & pulled her pigtails right before she took the dirt dive! Hopefully. I'll over-
come this minor health problem/inconvenience & see you, Melissa & the rest of the gang later this year. Oh by the way, please have Tom Stennis email me with the details of his set-up. I'm aware that the performance of his electric VF3 was phenomenal! Thanks Again___Everette

Larry:
You put on a great contest. I had a good time at the contest despite my poor performance due to lack of not knowing the pattern, the wind, and most of all lack of practice. Just went out and purchased more fuel to get ready for practice.
Perhaps you can add BPA to the event next year.
Again thanks for a great contest and also my thanks to Mike H and Batwomen, er Wonder women for the fine scoring.

Orlando

Hey Mike! You need to be at the Prattville contest next month. I will have the plane ready to fly the masters pattern. you have done the same thing for me and Im going to return the favor. what do ya say?

Chris Odom
Team Black Magic

We'll see.....I have a bit of work to get done.

Thanks Chris. if nothing else I MAY be able to swing a Saturday. Too early to tell though.

-M

Well Mikey all I can say is tighten you @$$ up and get-r-dun. Now we have a race. Me with my built wings covered, built stabs covered and 3/4 built fuse against your total scratch build, I think I might can get mine ready before yours. MAYBE!! So let go, matter of fact I'm headed to the shop now. Oh yeah, I forgot Dean took a picture of my shop, I'll get him to post here on this thread.

Lawrence

Here are some pictures I took.
Jim