Joined a CL Club.

Finally joined a CL Aero modelling club and am flying with the club on saturdays at their flying ground. I have returned to the city as my oncologist has told me the covid anti-virals and known methods of treatment and the covid jabs are now good enough that I will definately survive Covid if and when I get it in the city. Which was definately not the case previously when I had to remain isolated out in the bush.

The club has plenty of room for six ( 6 ) circles to be flying at one time in grassed park lands in the city not more than 20 minutes drive from home.  The members were flying quite large stunt planes with quite large engines and the Ukranian combat wings with Fora diesel engines.

A friend is a member and took me and introduced me to those that were there. Was great:cheers:  they explained how they setup the pits with the handles all running straight out from the wing at 90 deg to the plane sitting on the painted pit line. Lots of bits and pieces, but nothing really new or unexpected as all was expected as I had gathered over time from many of Ken's   @Ken Cook threads.

They were all a bit bemused by my having a Cox 049 TD in a home made and home designed plane.  Especially the way I finnish them. My steel lines and handle (with thong) and tube over line clips at handle and leadout etc. passed the safety test, so I was clear to fly. Nobody was in any way rude. But they were surprised at the length of the lines I intended to use ( 42 ft. ) on a quite windy day where many of them were choosing not to fly.

I had taken my home designed and built X1202A plane, which I can fly loops, wingovers and lazy eights with. They were absolutely amazed that such a plane with a little Cox engine could do loops, wingovers and lazy eights. given the wind, and many of them electing not to fly because of it, I had to fly my best to get those manauveres in on a day where my plane was lifting approx 5 feet when I came into the wind.

Glad I had a really (for me) good flight, as it was an ice breaker socially for me with other members as they all started telling me how they started with Cox engines and mainly the Pt19.

Second week I went out members wanted to see my plane fly and many who could fly the full pattern and also some combat dudes seemed quite amazed at what a little home-made plane could do, on what they thought were such long lines for such a small plane and engine.

I suspect many start with a Cox plane but move on to bigger engines and Kit models before they learn to even do loops and wingovers and lazy eights on the Cox models so they assume the half A planes cant do them. I am sure many of the members who are awesome pilots and can fly the full pattern would actually be able to fly my plane better than I could.

Although my plane is fairly ratty, it flew really well, and the engine started first go, and whilst it was a very unusual plane to them, I got points ( credit ) for having designed and built from scratch, so that was good.   I will never be a stunt pilot or combat pilot, its just not me. I love flying Half A and I really enjoy designing, building, flying, my own Half a slab profiles.  

I also really enjoyed second week out there a number of pilots asking me to help them launch their stunt planes and explaining to me how and what to do and being involved in all that was going on.

So good to spend a day with like minded people doing a fun hobby together. Especially after so long totally isolated. It was great to be with people having fun again.