Flying Seniors - Geeze Louise

This week, I flew a couple model planes – sucessfully. A 2m glider called the Pulsar. And a 1.5m cub-like model called the Tundra. (Been flying nothing but drones since 2010.)

Where a month or so back, I decided I was too old to fly planes - after crashing the never flown before Tundra – right there in front of the Geneva RC Club membership - with family in attendance. I put on a game face, as I carried the wreckage off the field. Hearing one old timer remark that it looked like it was flying nose heavy. Old timer? Really? I’ve got to be one of the older guys at the field – Geeze.

Thinking back over that embarassing bit, especially the “old timers” remark – and accessing the plane’s behavior while I was trying to land – it just wouldn’t glide – yeah – it could well have been a bit nose heavy – meaning - I didn’t finesse that while figuring out where to mount the battery (battery placement is how we control COG (Center Of Gravity).

So – I finally finessed it – and yeah – the battery wants to be 2” further back from where it was – to balance in the middle of the COG. In that Tundra.

And that Tundra, the one with the batt 2” further back – it flies like a sweet heart.

But Geeze - I use to finesse the COGs in my planes – AND - the old ones that I setup back in the day – all still fly well. But .....Continue Reading