Notes to Self #6 I felt like Schleprock

[Tim Taylor]

This episode we find our fearless leader at his shop doing paper work.

As the scene opens there's a huge Explosion in Timmy T's waiting room. Sheetrock and glass and wood everywhere! Seems this S-10 has a remote starter hooked to a manual trans truck and the starter key fob looks just like the door lock button which my tech pressed. Yup it started with no one in it and ran thru the wall.  Oh well there's a few grand out of the airplane fund.

Fast forward to that afternoon TImmy decides to go flying to relieve the stress only to find the combo is changed on the flying field lock!   &#^)*#&^%)*#$^&!* so much for some practice. I wanna strangle that Col out at the base right about now. 

Ok next day looks better almost perfect flying weather but no field. So much for any practice. Ok will stay at work today and see what happens. Well another tech tests drives a pickup after replacing the fuel pump and the hood flies open from a miss-aligned latch. Ok send the truck to the paint shop to be fixed. No need to scold the techs as this has never happened before and they're normally really carefull.
 
*^%*(%$(*^@!#^&$^# what the heck is next?

Fast forward to this weekend for the contest, Hmmmmm the weather report doesn't look good 20-30 mph winds and rain, ok it's only 100 miles so we load up Friday around noon and head to the contest site. At the site the weather is calm but over cast and looks like rain, get one quick flight in before the rain starts. Flight looks about as well as one can expect with no practice and being off for ten years. Ok we're ready for the contest.

Sat morning opens to cloudy skies which the weatherman says will clear soon which it does but those 20-30 mph winds turn into 25-35 with gusts to 46 hmmmmmm Better take the tent down. As Timmy T walks over to the trailer and looks for NFB (New Flying Buddy) (Old Flying buddy has been retired but you knew that) There's a strong gust of wind that just takes the canopy and rolls it across the cars parked in the pits!!!!!!!!  )(&^!)(&#%&%@~* people running over to help be get the canopy off Gary Harris van and we survey the damage. A few scratches to Gary's van and a broken tail light, one broken windshield to Don Szczur's station wagon and one small dent in Joey Hayes truck. Oh man this sucks. Gary tells me he has a tail lamp lenses for his van so don't worry about it and Don says the windshield was already cracked and he was planning on getting a new one anyway. Joey is getting his fixed and sending me the bill. Damn this is getting to be an expensive week!

Ok the pilots meeting takes place and after Gary did a test flight everyone decided to not fly in this wind. I think it was Eric that properly stated  "It took a pair to fly in that wind on the first flight and brains to not fly the second flight!" Well contrary to popular belief Gary has a brain. Being the first contest of the season we all stand around and BS the day away. Next day the wind has let up a bit and the CD says "Let's FLY"!!!! if you can call 20-30 a bit less.

Ok go to start the airplane up and find a blown plug....... Hmm ok change the plug and start the engine for the first round , man that engine sounds funny" Seems to run ok though, let's go. Take off is decent and about the end of the procedure turn it doesn't seem to have near the power it had last night. Ok press on and do about 1/2 the flight and it is losing even more power, ok earn a few zero's for flopping around in that 25 mph wind and about this time the 4 point is coming up and I'm still in a turn around at the center of the box!!!!!!!  Seems our fearless leader needs A LOT more practice. Ok so much for this round and this contest as I've had enough of this wind. So our fearless leader isn't so fearless after all as he bails on the last few maneuvers and lands only to find the engine hanging loose in the motor mount! No wonder I didn't have any power. Ok that's enough fun for this weekend so we pack up and head home. 

Welcome back to the contest trail! I dunno how much more we can stand of this. :)

And the sun sets on the back of the trailer as our not so fearless leader makes his escape.
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