jpurcha's blog View Details
Posted by jpurcha | Sep 05, 2015 @ 06:11 PM | 17,662 Views
Well after a summer of trials and tribulations my son Brent passed his MAAC Wings test on Thursday Evening.

July 10th
I have to admit Joe Bridi designed some tough planes. I'm repairing my 4 Seasons 40 after an "incident" on Tuesday evening. It spiraled straight in down field. My 10 year old son was practising "touch and goes" (he was awesome), then it got to far out on one lap. John and I will check the full range of the tactic receiver before flying this plane again. We did the walk of shame to the crash point (400- 600 meters) and we quite surprised to see the plane in one piece. It looked like just end of rear of the fuselage broke after the wing. A crack on the left fuselage side; crack just before and behind the wing section. The wing was still bolted to the plane, engine looked fine. Stab and fin were together on the tail section. One bad servo for the elevator. Presently fixing for next weeks training.



July 16th - Back in the air.

August 4th-

I don't mind losing a plane in flight (Ok I do mind), but arriving at the field to find the tailgate had opened on your pickup and the fuselage is not in the back.

Drove 15 Km did not find anything on the highway or ditches. More likely the tailgate opened up at the bottom of my driveway, as I found the extra bottle of glow fuel across the street on the corner of the neighbours driveway. Where did the fuselage go? Luckily I live in a small town. I'll have to post something at the grocery...Continue Reading
Posted by jpurcha | Jan 26, 2014 @ 10:24 AM | 16,225 Views
I picked up my first model airplane magazine at Ebbling's Pharmarcy in the southdale shopping mall in January 1974. How 40 years has gone by quickly. The feature plane was Bob Violett's Shrike pattern plane. I had a paper route so I could afford to purchase a set of plans. Still have them to this day. Searched for a fibreglass fuselage with no luck. Working on plans for a balsa build.

My first Midwest Sweetstick had an Enya 0.35 engine and a World Engines 5 channel radio. The plane didn't last long, I built a warp into the wing and it barrell rolled on take off. My parent's felt sorry for me, and gave me a Goldberg Falcon 56 Mark II as a Christmas present. I built it and used it as a part of a science project in high school. I like the metallic blue and red on the Blue Angel pattern plane, so I covered it in monokote blue, red and white. Flew great.

When I went to University to pursue an engineering degree I put most of my hobby stuff aside for a while (also looking for work and an interest in women). I tried to get back into flying with a high wing trainer (blue and yellow kit from M&H Balsa, I believe). It was in fact an M&H Balsa Sport 40 R/C. When radio's went from AM to FM, I tried to give up the powered planes and take up model gliders. I sold every thing at a club swap meet and put money into a Futaba 7UAP system. Started a glider, but both sat on the corner of the basement for ten years. Every few months I would venture into the LHS to pickup a...Continue Reading