The Falcon is just too much fun!

  No real prizes for the picture again today.  The plan was to get some good air time with the Saker- a model that I have been enjoying for the last few weeks.  But after the rain interruption cleared, the Falcon looked to be an easy option to fly and get back to the car quickly if the rain came again.  With the few other pilots on the slope today heading home for a warm drink I held out for 10 more minutes.  Wow was it worth it.

  With the wind good and smooth patches coming as the clouds cleared, the Falcon just ripped the sky up.  I've taken to experimenting with having a setting for snap-flap driven quick 'pinging' turns and a setting for the more open turns to carry the high speeds through.  Safe to say in less than perfect conditions, the open turns were just so much fun today.

  In terms of any practice or specific things to focus on, today was a wash out.  But for sheer fun screaming around the sky- it was great!

  Now here's a  thought, can we have a 100" F3F class?

 

First storm flying of winter

   After soaking up the last warm days of the summer, this weekend it was time for the first rain dodging storm flying of the winter.  There's a certain mad pleasure in being on a hill whilst you see different showers rolling in and experience the powerful drafts which blow through. 

  Launching your model in these conditions can be tricky to physically man handle but also mentally choosing to throw you off into these conditions.  The Saker rewarded me with its predictability and when the air came through, pure speed.

  A happy if slightly damp pilot and slope dog!

Production Saker Maiden

 I know I'm excited about a model when I'm working out if there's enough daylight to get to the slope for another flight in a fading breeze. There was, I loved it and here's the picture!

A bit of a Sunday evening dash to test fly the Production Saker, so not time for pictures.  The production model has come out at 300g less than the test model I have been flying and loving.

  Lots of setting up to do but, just as you'd expect, she flys very much like the test model but with a more responsive roll rate.  I'm a very happy lad!  Now to manage a day away in some good conditions to give it a good thrash and some pictures!

Feels like the last day of summer

 I hope I'm wrong but a week after the focus of the Welsh open I joined some club mates thermal hunting in light breezes. Perhaps the last time this year I could be flying without my coat on. 

  After reflecting on the Welsh open I know that I have to get to know the saker better, both with set up but also ballast. It didn't really workout, with ballast being left in bag all day. 

  The Falcon has been a companion to me for so long that I find it so easy to snif out and center on any lift. It's tempting to fly just this model all the time. It's amazing how easy it is to get used to the bigger Saker. A few months of tweaks to come!

Welsh open day 1

 Just on the way down from the hill after day 1 of this year's Welsh open.  After a wet morning, racing was started on mickies. With the wind in an awkward direction it was always going to be a day of wide ranging times and grumbling pilots. 

  I'm sure when the leader board is published there will be some surprising placings.  I've been very happy with the way my Saker has flown all day. Even as round 3 petered out and the wind swung so far off the slope, I felt confident in the model. 

  A well run, top day on the slopes with some good mate- what's not to like?

Bounce crest tested!

 After watching Greg putting the saker through its paces last weekend I couldn't wait to tweak the Saker and get it going my self. An easterly makes the Crest an obvious and ballistic slope option. It also means that as the wind picks up the rotor and landing conditions can get a handful. 

  As a setting test the Crest is a tough one, the Maker's in built benign qualities and abilities means that she went fast and when a thermal picked up- very very fast!  Although very different to the Falcon the Saker was so easy to pump bigger and bigger reversals- the wings and joiner were definitely stress tested.   Some less than perfect landings also tested the wing tips!

  I'm loving this Saker and cant wait for the first production models to arrive. Just my thumbs slowing it down!

English Open part 1 and Saker thrashing

   After a fun time at day1 of the English Open my Falcon was sitting in 9th place. Dad taxi duty clashing with day 2 means I have to thank the organisers for a really fun time in some variable and challenging conditions.  I'll post some reflections after a night's sleep.

  But the end of the day had the biggest buz for me as I handed the controls of my the hot off the bench Saker to Greg Dakin to have a thrash with- turns out it is my thumbs slowing the models down!  great to see it put through it's paces.  Even with a very green set up the pace and Handling had Greg happy.