May 2, 2003 - Morgan, UT in SGS 2-33, 54 minutes dual
Jay asked Scott Stanford (I think that was his first name) to go with me on my final check ride. We took a 3,100 ft tow to the ridge. Again, the lift was spotty but we had a great flight. Scott and I mainly worked on the techniques of centering thermals and at one time got up to 3,800 agl. We wished we could have stayed up longer. This time I focused further down the runway and the landing perspective felt normal again to me. Great flight!
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May 14, 2003 - Cedar Valley, UT in SGS 2-33, 4 tows .9 hours total
I took a few hours off from work hoping to take 2 pattern tows and then go for a few hours on the third tow. The conditions were just starting to build but with also high cirrus clouds hiding the blue sky. The first 2 patterns were great. The third tow I released at 1000 ft thinking that I would now prove that I could still soar even in the weak conditions present. The spotty 300ft per minute lift was quickly replaced with 1000 ft sink so I tried to scratch. I tried too long and sweated clearing the ditch at the end of the runway. Thank goodness to ground effect. I was pretty mad at myself for getting so low. I hope I learned on that one.
I then took a 4th tow to 2000 ft and didn't fare much better. It was great to be back there in Cedar Valley and I was again reminded my first day of the season there of my limitations. I was very pleased with the way I set all 4 landings down nice and smooth. With tomorrow's flying with York in his Grob, I should be ready to fly my Phoebus this Saturday. I really think I will be ready as long as I don't try to stretch things out like today. Lesson hopefully learned.
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May 14, 2003 - Morgan, UT in Grob Twin Astir N27TA, 4 tows 1.7 hours total
What a thrilling 4 flights! York Zetner owns the Twin Astir and was good enough to help me get transitioned over to a tail wheel configuration. What a difference in lateral stability a tail dragger makes on takeoff and landing! It really added some more things to think about during an already hectic part of flying.
I really had to relearn from my ASK days how slippery glass ships really are. It took me all of the 4 tows to get real comfortable on tow as well as coordinating turns. I was absolutely amazed at the performance difference of his 38:1 to the 23:1 of the 2-33's I have been flying. We seemed to stay up forever.
York says I am safe and am ready to fly my Phoebus this Saturday if weather permits. Here are the main points I need to really focus on for my first flights:
- On takeoff keep the wings level. Steer with the rudder.
- Get the tail off the ground asap so I can even steer with the rudder :)
- I have to fly the glider, my cg hook will not do it for me like the front hooks I am used to
- SMOOTH control inputs! Don't churn butter
- Relax!!! - smaller inputs on the controls
- Watch airspeed closely
- Once I land keep flying.
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May 17, 2003 - Morgan, UT Weight & balance / putting together for first time
Today I was supposed to fly for the first time, but the soaring gods thought better (too windy). It is probably better that way because I was able to spend the whole day from 9am to 7pm helping do the weight and balance and tinkering with stuff. For pics of the day click here.
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The Phoebus is an interesting glider to do a weight and balance on. For some very strange reason, there is no information on the station of the pilot so you have to extrapolate the location from all the other info you have. Aaron Thomson and I got a great deal of help from Stan (Morgan's resident guru glider guy for the past 30 years) and had a great time doing the calculations and measurements. One of the interesting things we found is that the main wheel on an "A" model is 1 inch aft of the retractable main wheel of a "B" model.
I put in my adjustable arm on the left side of the cockpit for my portable gps. We also took out about 8-9 lead plates from the nose which should reduce my weight about 20 pounds. I need to lose another 10 pounds myself but with my chute and everything else it looks like I will be within weight limits. Yikes! I'm glad I've lost 43 pounds so far.
Putting the Phoebus together is not a big deal at all. I thought it would be much tougher since everyone now talks about automatic control hook-ups. The biggest pain of any glider setup is just luggin the wings out of the trailer and trying to get someone to hold one end while you work the spar into the fuselage. If all goes well with the weather, I am going to try to fly this Wednesday evening after work.
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