Pulled into the field early, but not early enough to be the first on the scene. Philip was already there with the SAGE Hotel open, chairs set out and assembling his flying contingent for the day. He left his RV at home and drove his sports car this time. However he also left the wing tips for one of his new gliders in Patagonia to keep his RV company. That pretty much left him with flying his DLG for the day. I forget and leave things at home too, but I only live 8 minutes away. When you live in Patagonia, or Green Valley like Kermit, then there's no going back to get the missing item. First thing on the days agenda, however, was not flying. Philip brought some brightly colored ribbon and some wooden stakes so that we could map out our new runway. We marked numerous bushes that need to be removed on the northern approach to the runway and several that need clearing so that we can expand parking to the North of the “Hotel”. Dan and Gretchen arrived shortly after Philip and I had started our surveying so Dan became the new stake pounder. That ground looks soft but believe me, it's not. Franz then arrived, timing his entrance to exactly coincide with the completion of our backbreaking task.

Kermit pulled in shortly thereafter, and this time brought his transmitter. Flying then got started in earnest and Dan was first up with a Radian. In succession Jim, Gaige and Linda arrived after going over to say “Good Morning” to the Avra boys. Jim flew his powered Spirit and Twin Mentor. Gaige brought an interesting little 3D made by Electrifly. It's a YAK 55 Flex made of soft, really flexible, foam. It's so resilient that when G cycles the rudder the entire empenage looks like a fish swimming upstream. What's even weirder about the plane is that to install the batteries you have to unzip the top of the fuselage. That's right, it has a zipper. Well, at least they're not buttons.

                     Speaking of flexing. I flew my foamy A-10 and it has a really good scale appearance until it gets into the air. Once flying the wing tips bow upward at an almost extreme angle, very unlike a real Wart Hog. It seems that the Chinese designers of the model scrimped on the carbon fiber spar and only extended it half way out the wing. Looks like a new or additional spar is in the works before it flies again.

ABOVE:  A Warthog flapping hard as it climbs away from the herd.

 After a flying stint at Avra, Paul pulled in. He brought his new Aero Works Edge 540. It flew beautifully, but like many new planes it had a slight glitch. At certain airspeeds there was a resonant vibration. Paul will figure it out. Probably a loose hatch and nothing serious. Tom Glover came by in his Case International Harvester on the way to do something to one of his fields. He got a short briefing on how we had marked out the new runway. David Brooks then showed up. First he flew his beautiful, but very fast, three meter powered glider. Philip gave him some tips on what David needs to do to slow it down.

Paul readies his Twist as his new Aero Works EDGE 540 waits it's turn to fly.

All in all a very busy day, unlike our last weekend. Lots of people, lots of flying and lots of Linda snaps. Or is that ginger snaps?   Your Rookie Webmeister,  Pete

I didn't mention my new MX5 in the narative but Linda took such a beautiful picture of it on its first flight that I just had to add this post script. 

                UPCOMING CONTESTS AND EVENTS AROUND TUCSON and ARIZONA

WATTS UP All Electric Fly In and Swap Meet    18-19 Feb.    TRCC Field 

CASL 2012 Southwest Classic   18-19 Feb      

CASL (Central AZ Soaring League) are holding monthly TD (4th weekend) and DLG (2nd weekend) contests, see their web site www.casl.net and RCGroups forums for more details.