Scratch Built 2 chan Babe Bee Powered plane - The Northern Flicker

Sunday, Feb. 28, the Northern Flicker got her first flight...

One of those rare Sunday mornings when the kids let Mom and Dad sleep in... When finally we arose, we were greeted by sunshine, -6C and near dead calm winds. We broke fast, caffeinated ourselves liberally, and I grabbed some fuel (Omega 15% plus extra castor), a couple glow starters and my 1/2a head clip, along with the transmitter and the Northern Flicker.

Our flying site is an abandoned gold mine's former leach pond, a big pile of quarter-minus gravel with a kidney bean shaped pond about 80m x 20m in the middle. The mine has long been out of service, so only the pond makes a good runway now, alders growing up in the area. It's about a half km walk and another half km snowshoe for us. My 5 year old son brings his Playmobil glider (highly recommended, durable, flies GREAT!)

The wife and kids set up on the side of the pond, near midpoint, and fly the glider. I hump to the downwind end of the pond, and get out my gear. Tx on, Rx plugged in, fuel the mighty 1960's vintage Babe Bee. Then the incantations begin. Prime, glow, wind, release, repeat. Initially I get some starting bursts, but soon they go away.

Thank the gods I brought 2 glow starters. My usual one seems dead. Backup one hooked up, the sizzle returns, and I see starting bursts again... After each, I rich the mixture a touch, until finally it catches and runs. I rich the needle further to the 4 stroke side of the break, point the plane into the wind, pull out the TX ant. with my teeth, and release the howling yellow beast.

(photo from an attempt the week earlier, when the glow problem went undetected, and no flight was achieved)



It gathers speed well, and almost instantly the tail flies. I leave it skimming across the snow for about 20m, then touch the elevator. She climbs easily, the engine flirting with the 2-4 break, now clear of the alders. The kids and wife cheer!

Turns take a bit more rudder than I'd anticipated, especially as the plane transitions from the calm wind of the pond's bowl to the light breeze over-topping it, but it comes around reasonably well. I spend the powered flight keeping the plane near the upwind end of the runway, turning circuits and figure 8's, climbing... As the fuel burns down, the Bee cleans up to a near-peaked 2 cycle note, and the climb becomes quite strong indeed. Moments where I over-pitch the plane show a docile stall, with simple nose-drop. Nice.

Finally, with one final spurt of lean-peak power, the Bee's prop chutters to a halt, and the scene overlooking the Bay of Fundy is broken only by chickadees and the funny noises of a pair of HS-55's in the now glider. I orbit the upwind end of the pond a circuit or 2, and begin my final approach. This plane glides wonderfully, picking up speed easily when pointed earthwards, slowing up to a jogging pace when asked.

Naturally, I near run out of pond. I've spent my entire RC career carefully avoiding dead-stick landings, using timers to ensure I land with fuel margin, but this plane is in a fuel emergency before it leaves the ground. And so, here it is, half the pond behind it, still 4' in the air. I pull back gently to shed some speed, allow it to settle to within a foot of the snow, and then release the back pressure. The skis sink into the snow to mid-strut before planing their way back to the surface to ski a final 8' or so. The kids cheer. I let out my own celebratory Whoo-hoo!!

J