----- Original Message ----- From: "Skip Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <Soaring@airage.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 9:40 AM Subject: Championship flight at the Nationals
I know there are many flights that allow pilots to achieve top ten finish at the US Nationals, but one flight in particular should not go unnoticed. Personally I was bouncing around in the upper group after, hitting a very poor landing earlier in the day, knowing my fate was sealed. I was calling air for Cody in the previous flight group, my back to the winch launch line, when I heard a very high speed flutter by some competitor on launch in the next group. I turned, expecting to see a model that I had seen flutter numerous times, and much to my surprise...it was a Pike Perfect...and Peter Goldsmith was piloting. I said to Cody "I think he just fluttered an elevator...yep...I see flaps going in and out." And this was a "National Championship flight", last round, and Peter was sniffing around a top spot. It's the "last round thing which all competitors know all to well." The air was no gimme, with 30% of the flight times not being achieved. After Cody landed I said, "I've got to watch this." This appears to be a REAL championship flight! Pilots in Peters group were not happy, many falling out, yet here he was and his PERFECT ...appearing to be guiding this object...barely in control...flaps going in, flaps going out...oddly circling..appering to have half flap in all the time...you know...no elevator, hunting, falling, rising...maybe 5%-10% control! No one on the ground knew what was really wrong.... he had actually blown out on the over zealous launch and was hitting a well timed thermal, the elevator servo, and BOTH aileron servos... yet I heard the beep, beep, beep of Peters digital trims being pushed to the max, trying to urge the PERFECT to do its job. So here was the PERFECT, coming up to 9 minutes...all other competitors in his group had fallen from the sky, and Goldsmith was inventing a new class...F.R.....FLAP RUDDER!!!!! And getting his time!!!!! Then it appeared there was trouble as the model kind of started galloping around the sky below 100 feet, trying to set up for landing, the controlling became more difficult...that ground thing appearing in its future, spot landing, all coming into play. Flap rudder has its limitations! No he didn't get his landing, BUT he DID land within the field boundaries, overflying the slot by 25 seconds (10:25) and qualifying the flight. Amazingly, we later found out, had WON the group! Most others would have tried to land the injured bird, and probably crashed it, but Peter hung tough, literally a National Championship position on the line, his years of aerobatic training coming into to play. As our modern day computer mixing radios were not up to the task, it was in his thumbs, his mind, and his judgment that was getting the job done. Yes, I know Daryl had a wild one with a blown out stab flapping in the breeze at the Worlds, but at least there was some assemblance of order...all servos were working! This flight secured his 3rd place overall National finish, and will be a flight remembered by all who witnessed it for a long time. When we looked over the PERFECT on the ground, the culprit was a nylon geared elevator servo that had stripped from launch pressure...the elevator kinda flopping around, and then noticing that even the control horns on the aileron servos were broken and flopping....Yes this was a "National Championship flight." Peter was "giddy" after the flight, also stunned and amazed at what had just occurred. We stood there dumbfounded, looking at his wounded PERFECT, basically agreeing "this can't fly." He won 3rd overall...AMAZING!!! I just had a moment to reflect on this "Championship flight!" Well done Peter! Skip
----- Original Message ----- From: "Skip Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <Soaring@airage.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 9:40 AM Subject: Championship flight at the Nationals
I know there are many flights that allow pilots to achieve top ten finish at the US Nationals, but one flight in particular should not go unnoticed. Personally I was bouncing around in the upper group after, hitting a very poor landing earlier in the day, knowing my fate was sealed. I was calling air for Cody in the previous flight group, my back to the winch launch line, when I heard a very high speed flutter by some competitor on launch in the next group. I turned, expecting to see a model that I had seen flutter numerous times, and much to my surprise...it was a Pike Perfect...and Peter Goldsmith was piloting. I said to Cody "I think he just fluttered an elevator...yep...I see flaps going in and out." And this was a "National Championship flight", last round, and Peter was sniffing around a top spot. It's the "last round thing which all competitors know all to well." The air was no gimme, with 30% of the flight times not being achieved. After Cody landed I said, "I've got to watch this." This appears to be a REAL championship flight! Pilots in Peters group were not happy, many falling out, yet here he was and his PERFECT ...appearing to be guiding this object...barely in control...flaps going in, flaps going out...oddly circling..appering to have half flap in all the time...you know...no elevator, hunting, falling, rising...maybe 5%-10% control! No one on the ground knew what was really wrong.... he had actually blown out on the over zealous launch and was hitting a well timed thermal, the elevator servo, and BOTH aileron servos... yet I heard the beep, beep, beep of Peters digital trims being pushed to the max, trying to urge the PERFECT to do its job. So here was the PERFECT, coming up to 9 minutes...all other competitors in his group had fallen from the sky, and Goldsmith was inventing a new class...F.R.....FLAP RUDDER!!!!! And getting his time!!!!! Then it appeared there was trouble as the model kind of started galloping around the sky below 100 feet, trying to set up for landing, the controlling became more difficult...that ground thing appearing in its future, spot landing, all coming into play. Flap rudder has its limitations! No he didn't get his landing, BUT he DID land within the field boundaries, overflying the slot by 25 seconds (10:25) and qualifying the flight. Amazingly, we later found out, had WON the group! Most others would have tried to land the injured bird, and probably crashed it, but Peter hung tough, literally a National Championship position on the line, his years of aerobatic training coming into to play. As our modern day computer mixing radios were not up to the task, it was in his thumbs, his mind, and his judgment that was getting the job done. Yes, I know Daryl had a wild one with a blown out stab flapping in the breeze at the Worlds, but at least there was some assemblance of order...all servos were working! This flight secured his 3rd place overall National finish, and will be a flight remembered by all who witnessed it for a long time. When we looked over the PERFECT on the ground, the culprit was a nylon geared elevator servo that had stripped from launch pressure...the elevator kinda flopping around, and then noticing that even the control horns on the aileron servos were broken and flopping....Yes this was a "National Championship flight." Peter was "giddy" after the flight, also stunned and amazed at what had just occurred. We stood there dumbfounded, looking at his wounded PERFECT, basically agreeing "this can't fly." He won 3rd overall...AMAZING!!! I just had a moment to reflect on this "Championship flight!" Well done Peter! Skip
----- Original Message ----- From: "Skip Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <Soaring@airage.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 9:40 AM Subject: Championship flight at the Nationals
I know there are many flights that allow pilots to achieve top ten finish at the US Nationals, but one flight in particular should not go unnoticed. Personally I was bouncing around in the upper group after, hitting a very poor landing earlier in the day, knowing my fate was sealed. I was calling air for Cody in the previous flight group, my back to the winch launch line, when I heard a very high speed flutter by some competitor on launch in the next group. I turned, expecting to see a model that I had seen flutter numerous times, and much to my surprise...it was a Pike Perfect...and Peter Goldsmith was piloting. I said to Cody "I think he just fluttered an elevator...yep...I see flaps going in and out." And this was a "National Championship flight", last round, and Peter was sniffing around a top spot. It's the "last round thing which all competitors know all to well." The air was no gimme, with 30% of the flight times not being achieved. After Cody landed I said, "I've got to watch this." This appears to be a REAL championship flight! Pilots in Peters group were not happy, many falling out, yet here he was and his PERFECT ...appearing to be guiding this object...barely in control...flaps going in, flaps going out...oddly circling..appering to have half flap in all the time...you know...no elevator, hunting, falling, rising...maybe 5%-10% control! No one on the ground knew what was really wrong.... he had actually blown out on the over zealous launch and was hitting a well timed thermal, the elevator servo, and BOTH aileron servos... yet I heard the beep, beep, beep of Peters digital trims being pushed to the max, trying to urge the PERFECT to do its job. So here was the PERFECT, coming up to 9 minutes...all other competitors in his group had fallen from the sky, and Goldsmith was inventing a new class...F.R.....FLAP RUDDER!!!!! And getting his time!!!!! Then it appeared there was trouble as the model kind of started galloping around the sky below 100 feet, trying to set up for landing, the controlling became more difficult...that ground thing appearing in its future, spot landing, all coming into play. Flap rudder has its limitations! No he didn't get his landing, BUT he DID land within the field boundaries, overflying the slot by 25 seconds (10:25) and qualifying the flight. Amazingly, we later found out, had WON the group! Most others would have tried to land the injured bird, and probably crashed it, but Peter hung tough, literally a National Championship position on the line, his years of aerobatic training coming into to play. As our modern day computer mixing radios were not up to the task, it was in his thumbs, his mind, and his judgment that was getting the job done. Yes, I know Daryl had a wild one with a blown out stab flapping in the breeze at the Worlds, but at least there was some assemblance of order...all servos were working! This flight secured his 3rd place overall National finish, and will be a flight remembered by all who witnessed it for a long time. When we looked over the PERFECT on the ground, the culprit was a nylon geared elevator servo that had stripped from launch pressure...the elevator kinda flopping around, and then noticing that even the control horns on the aileron servos were broken and flopping....Yes this was a "National Championship flight." Peter was "giddy" after the flight, also stunned and amazed at what had just occurred. We stood there dumbfounded, looking at his wounded PERFECT, basically agreeing "this can't fly." He won 3rd overall...AMAZING!!! I just had a moment to reflect on this "Championship flight!" Well done Peter! Skip
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