Flight Number 4 - Valuable Lessons Learned

[Malcs]

So, finally, after 4 nights of excuses and engine problems I set up last night for a forward launch in a nice big field.

I had fellow pilot Steve on the radio directly in front of me for guidance and I popped the wing up perfectly, it dragged me to the left a little so I followed it and brought it back in line, nailed the power and ran like hell, and kept running and running and running. It was at this point that the barbed wire fence looked a bit closer than I'd have liked and I had 2 choices, abort and definitely run straight into the fence or lean back a bit further, kick the legs up and hope for the best. I chose the latter and got away with it, just! It was a matter of inches and had I not kicked my legs in the air I'd have tripped on it and face planted in the next field.

So that's lesson one, no matter how big the field and particularly if you've no idea how long you'll have to run for then use the field, when I launched I had about 80 feet of flat mown grass behind me.

Lesson 2, lean back to the motor, I have a tendency to run tilted slightly forward through fear of falling over but quite obviously that ain't gonna get me off the ground.

So, I'm in the air but climbing slowly (having moved the hangpoints back a notch after my first time on this machine I'm not convinced that was the right move). But, my wiggle technique to get in my seat isn't working and feels like it isn't going to, my back was arched, bollocks were crushed and leg straps felt tight on the top of my legs, very uncomfortable and quite painful, climbed as much as I could to give me some height to fiddle with it, hung the brakes and pulled and pushed with my left hand but no joy. This was now one of those moments where you want to press a button that magics you back to the ground and to safety.

Lesson 3, tighten the leg straps more next time, seems I'd had them too loose so I was just dangling and hence couldn't get in the seat as my arse was too far down.

So, did a circuit of the field and did some left and right turns to lose some height, not enough though, I was heading straight for same barbed wire fence so powered up and round again and came at it from a lower height, killed the power slowed the wing and flared for my first 'stay on feet' landing woohoo! So glad I didn't fall over as I now realise the motor is still running. Lesson 4, hold the kill switch for longer!

In this huge field there was one tiny strip down the middle where the farmer had spread muck!!! Lesson 5, target fixation, if you see something you want to avoid, look beyond it or in front of it!

Poor Steve never managed to launch so that was it, just a 5 minute eventful flight but so many things learned and got rid of my fear of landing which was a major headache for me! Next flight perhaps I'll notice the view, have absolutely no clue what I flew over last night!!

Malc

[coggie49]

It sounded like a very eventfull flight, quite a workload for 5 minutes,

all these things i've got to look forward to, I can't waight.

Dave

It' better up there[/u]

[coggie49]

It sounded like a very eventfull flight, quite a workload for 5 minutes,

all these things i've got to look forward to, I can't waight.

Dave

It' better up there.

[Guest]

..........nailed the power and ran like hell, and kept running and running and running. It was at this point that the barbed wire fence looked a bit closer than I'd have liked and I had 2 choices, abort and definitely run straight into the fence or lean back a bit further, kick the legs up and hope for the best. .........................

Lesson 2, lean back to the motor, I have a tendency to run tilted slightly forward through fear of falling over but quite obviously that ain't gonna get me off the ground.

Malc

Hi Malc. Sounds like launch technique is not helping. "Run like hell" is not needed or helpfull. Lean back against the motor is good thiough. "kick the legs up" is mostly equal to "busted prop"!

If the motor is thrusting upwards you need much more airspeed than if it is tilted thrusting downwards. The technique is to resist the thrust of the motor by leaning back against it then "giving ground" and increasing your speed by resisting less and less. This puts you into a sitting position as you "run" and you get scooped up off the ground by the seat! This will solve the "wriggling into the seat" or"dangling" problems you experienced.

Another good reason to have plenty of free space in front of you is the engine may not develop full power, or cut out just after take off, and any obstructions upwind cause turbulence.

Very good point about object fixation, you fly where you look!

Suspension trauma is a real hazard, very wise to land immediately if you cant get into the seat.

One exercise you may have missed during training is to put on the motor without the wing and increasre the power whilst leaning back against it, just to feel the position you need to be in. get a mate to hold the straps, standing in front of you to steady you and use slow progressive throttle control.... you dont want to fall over backwards!