Geo XL

LAST EDITED ON Jan-31-04 AT 08:52 PM (CDT)
 
Aaron and plane.
Bill <><

Well, he is at least cuter than pop!! Thanks, Mom.

Great looking ship. What does it weigh and what is it powered with. What paint did you use etc.

the weight ready to fly came in right around 60 oz, that was with 1oz of nose weight

i used auto paint, acrylic laquer because we have a ton of it left over.

it is powered by a pa61/pipe, the pipe is at 17.25, the prop is a bolly 12 X 4, i plan on bolting on a 12.5 and going down in pitch just a tiny bit, the plane was in almost a four cycle the whole flight and that was in the wind at KOI.

so far i like it but i need more time on it.

Hey Arron,

Are you going to put wheel pants back on the plane or go with gear doors? I thought it looked better without the pants so I vote for doors. Either way the plane looked good in the air!

Looks good Aaron, Hope to be flying with you and your dad soon!

Hi Derek,
Aaron, and I, have discussed a plan to get down your way to fly with you and your Dad, plus do some I-Beam work.
Bill <><

Aaron looks inebriated in that picture....too many dope fumes mayhaps?

just kidding dudes. Looks like a good plane there. Guess I'll be taking a drubbing on the contest circle this season against the likes of that plane!

Hi Seve,

You have the ability, I have seen it first hand. Just hone up on the latter part of the pattern and you will do great all season!

LAST EDITED ON Feb-02-04 AT 10:21 AM (CDT)
 
Steve,
Remember, absolutely no one is going to cut you any slack because of your poor mouthing.
Bill <><

Sorry Bill, sometimes my New Jersey roots show through!!!

Jim, thanx for the compliments. Right now I'm suffering through a crisis of confidence, wondering if my good season last year was the plane or the pilot. Before the yellow Nobler I was just an average pilot, then that thing seemed to elevate me to a top three every time I went out in Pampa. When it broke at KOI and I pulled out the Time Machine 50, I was back to just being another average pilot again. Logic tells me I can't get worried until I have really worked with the still new TM 50 for a few months, but I'm getting antsy wondering if it was the plane, or me, and no way to find out until this lousy winter is over. The TM is trimmed okay, but still has a vastly different feel compared to the Nobler, and while easy to fly, the TM feels very difficult to fly super sharp and feels nervous, like you really have to stay on top of it. Anyway, I suppose just whining at this point. Spring will tell if it was the plane or me that was any good....

Steve,

It takes a little time to get used to any airplane and its tendencies.
The skill comes from the pilot not the airplane!!

Hi Jim,
Not to "argue" BUT........
There are a few pilots who can take any airplane and give most everyone else on the planet a whooping.
But I have also found that with aspiring fliers that the plane (well trimmed, good power train) can make a world of difference.
The 35 size Classic stunters can be made to fly extremely well, but given a trimmed "new" PAMPA plane with a modern power train (equal practice time, etc.,) that pilot will fly a better score with the latter.
Yes pilot skill is the determining factor in the end, but the plane used can be a great big factor all else being equal. Two pilots with identical skill, one flying an ARF Nobler, the other a modern ship, same practice and coaching. My money is on the latter to win.
Bill <><

O.K. Bill,

Not to argue either but - it is a known fact that John Simpson flying his Cavalier has won just about every Classic event he has ever entered except VSC of course, and in fact has finished in the top 20 at the Nats in Open competition with that airplane. John has also won and placed high in about every stunt event in the southeast and some in the midwest. John claims that the airplane is capable of even better but that he (the pilot) is the limiting factor. So if what you say were actually true - then he shouldn't be able to even get within eyeshot of placing at a standard PAMPA open event. However, John is extremely skillful with his Cavalier. I, as you too bleieve, that if John actually did have his hands on a modern PA plane he liked, that he would also be a frequent visitor to the Top 20 at the Nats and potentially even the Top 5. Is all this based on just the airplane - well like you say, to some extent yes, but still the major determining factor is the skill level of the pilot. The higher the sill level of the pilot the better any given airplane becomes.
Jim Pollock

OK, Jim......
Yep, we both said the same thing! LOL!!
I will see you at Brodak's if not before.
Bill <><

who can probably do a 500-point pattern with a bowling ball!

I am honored to call John Simpson my friend. He could fly just about anything and do well! He is a very talented pilot.
I think what was lost in my original post was that any pilot, no matter how talented, will do better if he has a "better" plane.
What's "better"?? Well in John's case it is another Cavalier! He has built at least a dozen, I think, since I have known him. Different engines, etc., but the design has remained his own original plane. Close to 40 years of flying the same "plane"! Could John do "better" if he went to a SV/Impact/Geo XL/Saturn/Avanti/TM/PM type of plane and practiced a ton? Maybe....... but I honestly believe that John isn't interested in doing that. Which is fine.

I have seen Bob Hunt do some amazing things with a Mackey Lark, then turn around and fly the wings off a Saturn. The Man can do the same with one of his "old" planes and one of his "new" planes.
The same with any of the other top 20-30 pilots in the country.
But I do not see them flying a Green Box Nobler on top 5 day.
Bill <><