Had Whittier to myself today!

Went out to Whittier Narrows today to fly three of my planes. First time I'd gone there on a weekday. The place was empty! I went out Sunday and couldn't fly because every circle and grass section was taken.
Today I tried to fly on the grass, but it was too long for take offs. I fly on grass because I tend to crash a bit. Moved to the Carrier and had a bit better luck. Finally, I moved to the vacent circles. I ran out five tanks on my fat Akromaster, three tanks on my ARF Nobler(what a sweet plane, makes even me seem to know what I'm doing!)and flew a Combat wing with my re-worked Cox .049. What a great day. No crashes, no damage. I'm getting a little better at this!
Glad I blew off work!(no bosses allowed to read this, really I was sick).
Rob Johnson
Orange,CA.

Rob, why don't you come over and introduce yourself? We will always make room in the cycle to let you fly! Yesterday was darn near perfect, and it wasn't THAT long a wait between flights. Besides, how can we admire what you have and offer lame suggestions if you aren't there.

Or has one of us behaved badly toward you in the past? If so, I would love to know who to chew out! (Hope it isn't me)

Larry,
Everyone I have met at Whitter have been great guys, very helpfull.They let me ask all sorts of stupid questions without getting the least bit annoied. They have all been members of the Knights of the Round Circle.
I was at Whittier early yesterday. Got there about eight, left about nine. Watched a Combat flyer for awhile that was amazeing.Also watched a guy flying a Nobler that was flying perfect. Very Smooth, fun to watch. Watched how he worked his hand while flying the pattern. Helped me out alot today.
Suddenly I'm a kid again. I may be a bit aneal sometimes when I'm trying to get something right, but this hobby has really taken ahold.
Rob Johnson
Orange,Ca.

The guy with the Noblarf that actually works well is Antone Kephart. Sunday, there were 3 of us playing with Hyper Vipers. Antone and Ray had good success, I had engine problems (of course). A killer when it ran, but intermittent. I think I had a leak between the crankcase and the backplate. Should be fixed now.

How about next weekend? All the "hot shoes" should be at VSC. I'm not going this year.

Rob,

I was going to try Whittier Sunday even though it isn't the closest field for me. It was on my way to a birthday party though. I was worried whether anyone would be there!!! Instead I went out of my way up to Sepulveda Basin....

We had gorgeous weather and no wait at the basin. I got there around 10:00, and we had 5 pilots or so and more than a half dozen planes. Got the first two flights in on my newly reassembled SuperClown. Need to replace the tank, but the (crashed) engine runs good and the plane seems straight!

Got a chance to help a "returnee," too! Said he hadn't flown C/L since the fifties. He had what looked like a modified Twister(?) that he said he had built in a day or so. (I can't build a HANDLAUNCH GLIDER in a day!) We preflighted it and fixed what we could. He was determined to get it into the air, so that's where it went. Can you imagine my surprise when someone who hadn't flown in 40 or 50 years flew a O.S. .46 powered Twister on a 6" pitch prop on 40 or 45' lines? (I set that needle purty rich, buddy!) When the engine quit early (maybe after a minute or so) he was running backward and somehow managed to land ok. Did I say the outboard wing flew about 6" high in "straight and level?" As far as I'm concerned, he must have been a world champion flier back in the days.

Lot's of jealousy here on your Monday Hooky Plan. Hope you enjoyed it enough for all of us workin' stiffs...!

Dave
LA_Flyer
"Newbie Profile Puke"
from somewhere near Manhattan Beach

I am going to The Basin tomorrow around 3 PM. A buddy is putting an old Kirk Mullinex Chandelle back in the air to use while he builds a model. I am breaking in my PA still.
Chris...

Egads! We're surrounded by Hooky players! Maybe enough for a whole Hooky Team! I'm gettin' more jealous by the minute....

Hope the PA break-in goes smoothly. (Think SAFE!) And don't use up all the sunshine. Save a little for the workin' stiffs on the weekend!

Dave
LA_Flyer
"Pukey Profile Pilot" and workin' stiff

I lucked out and am on vacation this month. Weather has been great, what wind?
Chris...

P.S. Hookey is for the NATS.

Good news for Sepulveda Basin C/L folks. I understand that the City of LA posted official signs yesterday (3/15/04) that say NO R/C cars anywhere past the first fence out by Woodley Ave. The R/C car guys shot themselves in the foot by leaving trash (rocks and dirt) all over the circles and not offering to clean up. That, along with running their cars in the parking lot finally led to them being banned. Several times they were offered help in contacting the City to get their own area but their attitude was always the same - bad! I understand (I haven't been out there yet) that there is a Municipal Code cited on the signs and anyone having problems has only to call the LA Police and the offenders will be escorted out and/or cited. Come on out and enjoy some of the nicest circles in So Cal. Now if we can get some shade and grass.....
Ron Duly
Valley Circle Burners

Does anyone know if there's any flying out at the old MCAS El Toro?
I think I heard somewhere they were flying RC out there, but what about CL?
Rob Johnson
Orange,CA.

Ron,

It's a start!

Before I left Sunday, a couple of guys showed up with a BIG RC car. They might have been really good, but having them spin out 20 feet from my newly repaired plane (even if it is just a Pukey Profile) did nothing to engender much sympathy here. Next they were running laps between a handle on circle 2 as our new "returnee" flyer set up and the other end. A car that size hits you in the ankle and you got a busted leg!

Now all we have to do is get the word out and enforce it.

Dave
LA_Flyer

PS -- Who pushed this change thru the county paper mill?

The sign is there, one for each gate entrance. Some guy was running a pavement car for a while, but he wasn't a bother. I told him about the the area being for model airplanes only and he told me it was for "controline models airplanes only". He wasn't a problem.
Chris...