With only having Saturday to go flying this weekend, I monitored the weather and leased with the family to find a window of opportunity to Maiden my new SAS Wild thing 46.
I had completed the final control throw range and COG checks on Friday evening as per the instructions.
On Saturday morning I checked the weather and a positive SW wind was blowing but a good chance of rain from 13:00.
I headed for Mill Hill and arrived at 12:oo, partly cloudily, sun peering through now again, I was the only one up there apart from the usual dog walkers, I set myself up behind one of the bushes and carried out my range check.
Now all set and happy, with a good consistent blow I launched my Wild thing, she went up straight and level from the start, I tracked the slope, with a dog in toe chasing and suddenly plummeted.
Being a foamie, I just picked it up and checked over and walked back up the slope, it was either my flying or I hit some dead air.
So I launched again and flew further out of the slope, now there was masses of lift, I tracked the slope left to right and felt happy.
From kit setup I have 30% expo, 12mm elevator and 25mm aileron either way and found the elevator perfect but the aileron a bit sensitive. after a few minutes I got use to it but may increase the amount of expo on the ailerons to desensitizes them, instead of the amount of movement, so I don't loose the full range.
Now settled I thought lets see what she can do, rolls loops not a problem, the roll rate is quite fast and nice big loops, I did find either I wasn't directly into wind or a bit out of trim or a build fault, it would be more of a cork screw loop.
After ten minutes, I thought I would land and call it quits after a positive flight, I checked around me and got some height and made a left had turn back to slope.
I made it round two foot off behind me up the slope and it carried on gliding, this was a go around situation or push the nose down, I went for the push, still carrying speed and damp grass she landed and slid 10 feet down the slope.
Over all very happy with the flight and model, now looking forward to mixing it up in the sky with you other guys.
Brilliant write-up Nick and so pleased the Wildthing went well. They're pretty bullet-proof models really......
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