Huntersville report... New updated pictures and info

Here's my report. Anyone else with a story to tell is welcome to use this thread for our entertainment too..

I developed a bum shoulder and a mean little fever Friday afternoon. What glorious timing,  Lol. Maybe it was that pneumonia shot I got Friday AM, I don't know, but I was afraid I wouldn't get any practice in Friday, and had no idea if the Ukey was balanced after adding 2 wheel gear. But I finally limbered up and flew some loops and a wingover and it seemed my balance guesses were spot on. Great, that's the plane I'd be flying Saturday in profile. Though I hadn't flown a pattern in a month, my confidence was warming up. The Ukester was being my friend, rock solid in the shifting winds and my handle adjustments were perfect. I felt good, and it turns out the line tension keeps my shoulder from hurting, never a twinge during flight. I'd lowered the pitch on the .25fp to slow it from 4.5 seconds where I'd been practicing at the Fort. A 9x5, down from 9x6 was putting me right at 5 seconds with great authority in the climbs, so if the wind moved I could still fly in front in the best POV for the judges. I slept well, no worries, and my fever was down too. By gosh, we were in Huntersville, the funnest October destination on the whole calendar! And with my beautiful wife, the best support any contest pilot could hope for.


I felt much better Saturday morning, as the sun warmed us up, and I requested a late starting assignment, and got it, #17 in round 1 and#13 in round 2. I was flying with the likes of Tom Morris, John Saunders, John Tate, Dan Banjock, Will Davis, Artie Jessup, and John Rake... the list is impressive. On the lower paved circle, I pulled off the two best takeoffs I have ever done, works of beauty! The wind was tricky, switching directions, but the narrow Ukey has no side area to act like a sail and plows right through it, In round one I did an hourglass with the wind in my face, and it didn't complain in the least. Allen Buck and Dave Wenzel were two good tough judges, so their score sheets are useful, looking over points for maneuvers to see where I might need work. Of course I didn't win against these guys, but they are lots of fun to fly with. My landings were pretty good for me, and I had flown at least as well as I had hoped. I am pretty much over my bouncy bottoms, still 10' high or so, but flat and good for me.


Plenty of sunlight left to try out the old re-built Oriental. I had made some guesswork changes in my handle line positions, so Wayne and I took her over to the mostly grass practice field and launched her. Boy, what a difference 4-1/2 ounces makes in line tension. Not as heavy as the Magnum though, and she took off and flew as sweet as I could have hoped. Something still wrong in the fuel feed though, so I made the call then to stay with the Ukey for PAMPA Stunt on Sunday. Too bad, because the Oreo will fly a far superior pattern. But I figured I would be flying against less polished competition, and I was well practiced and confident now with the Ukey. So I spent the rest of the day meeting people, shaking hands, and going hoarse from talking too much, Lol. Happens every time, so many people and so much talking. Good thing I'm not a Rock Star Singer. Axl Rose had the same trouble with his voice... yep, Me and Axl.

Sunday came early. We always get started early since so many have long trips home. It's chilly, in the high 30s and the grass is wet too. But I've got my routine down pretty well by now and I was fueled and ready to go. Mike Londke and me were the only Intermediates, and he hadn't gotten enough practice time to remember the pattern in the heat of competition, so I went out with him into the circle to call the maneuvers in the right order. Being a Combat veteran, he has the reflexes we all envy, and he put up a beautiful pattern. Like me, he's his own worst critic, but the judges marked him up pretty well, and rightfully so. I flew next and he was a few points ahead of me after round one. Very nice flight and shapely maneuvers for both of us. After a break, we flew #2 and again he did well again. I greased a nice takeoff, where I was hoping to gain some points to carry me to the top. Somehow I got out of sorts on the down leg if the first half of my wingover, a maneuver I've never had trouble with, and couldn't pull out. The video looks like a burst of wind screwed my timing up and I drove it into the ground dead vertical. Got great pictures and it's on video too. Ken and Shawn Cook were watching as were as a bunch of others interested in this friendly impromptu rivalry between Mike and me. Shawn was pitting for me. The outboard wing broke off the ukey, and the engine was full of mud, but I cleaned it up, glued it back together and got it ready for a re-do. Since I'd never made the bottom turn, it was scored as an attempt only, making me eligible for another go at it.

https://youtu.be/sXIy7yKoMWE



That's Ken Cook, Mike and Sam Londke, Joe Colly, Wayne Robinson, Me and Will Davis. I don't know where Shawn had gone off to.


The frantic repairs are under way. That's Joe Colley, beginner pilot helping me.

The cool temps and epoxy didn't quite make a good joint, and the wing did not hold up. It started blowing apart in the outside loops. I could see it moving, and it finally let go in turn 2 of the outside square loop. It rolled like a CL stunter shouldn't be able to do, and caught the lines so hard it folded the steel Fox bellcrank in half. Also badly damaging my shoulder and elbow. The arm is useless tonight and I hope it gradually repairs with ice pretty soon. I went to the ground and scared all the onlookers. When you watch the video, first watch the plane. Then back it up and watch my arm. I tried to zoom in on the sickening arm jerk when I made the movie, but it didn't show as much as I'd hoped. I find it shows best with VLC Video player.

https://youtu.be/FQDIknL8jMg


Mike won first place and I won second on the merits of my first  and only complete flight. I'm disappointed, but still had fun. Mike flew better than I did, and deserves every bit of first place. I think if everything had aligned for this day, I could have won, but it just wasn't my day. I'm glad Ken got to watch me fly a decent pattern, after all the help and advice he's provided me with along the way.

Rusty