I had a chance to fly one up at Sal's house in Vermont. It was outfitted
with flaps and ailerons. The only way to go by the way.
We flew on his 'testing' hill which is most like the less than perfect
sites that most guys in the USA get to slope on. Lots of tall bushes, sort
of a mulit-shaped face, and the occassional large obstruction on the way out
into the distance to cause rotors and varying lift conditions.
That day we flew everything that he had in the catalog including all the
60" Euro moldies in the typical 'Sparrow' configurations....you know planes
that all look alike, either V tailed or some version of conventional stabbed
but looking like mini F3B ships.
The Shark stood out in everyway. It looks unique, more like a slope
aerobat, or slope stock car....when the lift would lighten, a touch of camber
in the trailing edge kept it sailing, and working thermals where the others
would be heading back to the hill looking for the lift zone. With the lift
up, the roll rate was great and the rolls looked like rolls instead of some
barrelled version. With the trailing edge mixed with Elevator, square loops
were pretty cool and coming into the slope at terminal speed then pulling
hard snappy 180 turns in front of Sal's nose were a real giggle :-)
I have to say that considering value and performance, you can't go wrong
with the Shark. It is the least appreciated kit out there. This is becuase
it was introduced just after the glass 'Sparrow' style ships got popularity,
and since its fuse was wood, it got passed over during the purchasing process.
I doinked it plenty of times and that ship is still flying. That trip
was two years ago and that Shark has done lots of time at the Cape. I think
one of the reasons it has held up so long is its nimbleness.
Build it full house for sure and use the camber and Flaps capability to
really get all the talent it possesses. 90 degree flaps with a little crow
will put it in your hand no problem on those hard to land slopes.
Most of the kit is Laser cut so assembly is a snap. No specail tools
needed and the wing skins can be two way taped or 3m'd or epoxied (bagged or
pressed).
Use the Pearlescent Monocoat on it too! It deserves it.
Gordy
Atlanta today
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