Flight Chronicles Vol VI 082210

Well. I’m not happy. The bigger blades are killing me. Flight coach, Josef, says everyone flies better with them. Rainmaker says the Mongoose is much more stable.

…the list of pro’s goes on for the more experienced group of guys.

So Rainmaker says, “Ask Josef to put the original blades on for you. He’ll do it.”

I thought about it and my initial reaction was *singing* “I’m just a girl, little ‘ol me…” Don’t wanna be a pain in the ass. I am not a whiner. No one else has a problem with them. I’m the only one having a hard time with the bigger blades. I find it extremely hilarious that all the guys are digging these bigger blades. What is it with “bigger”?

I guess, since I’m the one who has to be comfortable in the driver’s seat, some adjustments will have to be made. And if that means I’ll be removing, substituting, and replacing the blades as part of my pre-flight check then… Hey, wait. I’ve never done a pre-flight check. The guys usually do that. I am going to have to brush up on the rotor head parts. I’ve seen Rainmaker install a set of blades on several occasions.

So, the Mayan Princess made the trek with me and Rainmaker. I was dog-tired from the night before so I slept on the way over. (Sorry Rainmaker!) I’m usually an alert co-pilot. We had so much fun. The weather was beautiful. It wasn’t too windy. Not too many people showed up. I wound up enjoying the company, weather and assembly/repair more than my flight time. Bummer. I’m sure I would eventually get used to the bigger blades but I was already quite comfortable with the original smaller ones. The Mongoose felt so much more responsive to my commands. I was in sync with nearly every move, every twitch…Josef said, “Lisa likes it SNAPPY!” He smirks because he can appreciate the speed to which I am accustomed. He knows I love the wind. Maybe it’s the challenge I enjoy. Nevertheless, next weekend or the weekend after that, I will be smiling again as I fly with smaller blades.

I can’t unlearn what I’ve learned. I learn hands on. I master one way before I can tackle another. Am I being stubborn?

Flight Time:

8 mins, give or take a few

Terminology:

Nothing to contribute

Bigger is NOT always better! Give me one concrete example…

Flight Chronicles Vol V 080710...

or "Is Bigger Always Better?"

Oh my.

Bigger blades.

Is bigger always better? I say, no. Of course, I’m the only one who thinks so. I happen to be the only female on the field and in the shop. I feel comfortable with the “snappiness” of the standard blades. But the guys say now the Mongoose is more stable.

Well, maybe its pilot error . Call me crazy but the guys were doing fine without the big’uns. Then, El Maestro, Josef, my flight instructor said, “Perfect for training!” That, I agree. So, now I’m forcing myself to get used to the lag between my commands and the heli’s execution of my commands. She sure looks sluggish up there. I might be one step ahead with these new blades but it doesn’t seem “real time” to me. Am I crazy?

Terminology:

Nothing to contribute this time.

Flight Time:

20 mins.

Shop Time:

2 hrs.

Road trip:

2 hrs.

Going flying tomorrow! Yay! The Mayan Princess will be gracing us with her presence. Wonder what color she's like?...