More P5-1 flights and Skydiver has problems…

Three more flights today on the P-51 today.  I think they were number 10-12 on this bird.  She flies well with adequate power from the DA-50 and with full flaps the landings are getting to be smoother all the time.  No appreciable bounces today and 2 landings that were totally greased in.  I may have to start saving to modify the retracts to electric power and consider installing them if I keep this up!  The Top Flite is a really nice flying model.  Once you get the flaps dialed in with a little up elevator mix on deployment it isn’t too bad to land.

On the skydiver front, George had a bad day.  After a successful early jump, the next two were ugly.  First, the release mechanism didn’t and he stayed firmly attached and then on the next attempt he did a “hanger” and simply drug along behind all tangled up and just to add injury to insult his arm busted off when I landed… 🙁

He has already been repaired and is ready for the next attempt.  Also had a scare with misplacing his “static line” that attaches to the plane and allows his parachute to open upon his exiting the airplane.  I eventually found it but it has inspired me to build a second one as a spare.  If I can find a little cheap metal spring hook I think I will be in business.  The rest is easy… just a release pin in the middle and small patch of hook and loop on the end and I’m in business.

 

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