I enjoyed this years's AVC even though I didn't win anything. I always do but this one felt better for the lack of organizational conflict. I didn't get to see it but I am told there was a flying highlight of some sort at the big show in Oshkosh. Thank you EAA, that kind of support is special ... especially compared to last year.
There was a 109 mile SARL cross country race called the Mt. Vernon 100 on Saturday before the bif AVC race to Oshkosh on Sunday morning. Less than half of the AVC racers entered but those that did enjoyed it I think and it caused some to be better prepared for the Sunday race.
In the MVN 100 I took off and headed southwest for turn 1 and things seemed a little slower than usual but sometimes we have to expect headwinds. About half way to turn 1 I was down to 154 knots and Canadian Gary Wilcox called from his very fast RV-7 to inform me that he was passing on the right. At that point I was sure something was amis because he cruised right by and we both had the same wind. I start looking at everything and to my horror I saw the throttle knob was about 2" back from the "go fast" stop. I pushed it in and the speed started coming back. I looked down at the offending control only to see it 1/2" back again. Of course then I realized it wasn't friction locked - I pushed it in again and torqued it down good! When Jeanine and I built the plane we installed a vernier throttle cable but a few months ago I installed a friction lock cable in my aborted attempt to satisfy the requirements for Reno. Obviously I learned a lesson. I re-passed my friend Gary but he took off behind me at the start and I could not make up the time differential. Third isn't bad but it counts for 30 points less than second (the scoring rules say 20 but you get an additional 10 points for each racer you beat). The strongly learned lesson that friction lock controls will move it not locked down was worth 30 points.
I bought some food and drink at the Circle K, filled the tank on my rental car and holed up in my room to study the winds aloft forecast and plan my race altitude strategy. I ran a couple of strategies but there was really no option but to go low.
I had plans for a good night's sleep but that just didn't work out - too excited I guess. I got up at 0630 and was in the shower when the alarm went off. No not the clock - an emergency evacuation of the building alarm "use the nearest stairway and leave the building by the nearest exit." I threw on some clothes, grabbed all my stuff and headed out - I wasn't coming back. Once I was in the hallway people were coming back - it was a false alarm. I did not go back.
At the airport we started engines in three time staggered groups - fastest group first. RV classes are in group 2. Within your group you taxi out to the runway in what ever order you happen to happen to be in. The officials launch the planes individually to provide a safe margin. We took off on runway 23 and fly a left teardrop back around to cross the numbers "23" and head north 355 degrees to Dixon, Illinois. At Dixon is the first "turn" (one degree - turn to 356 degrees) to Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. At Wisconsin Rapids is a hard right turn to 095 degrees for the quick 35 mile run to the finish line at Waupaca, Wisconsin with a tailwind.
Each of the turns for this race were setup as penalty free fuel stops to discourage people from stretching their fuel to exhaustion. I planned to go all out and make the stop at Dixon for fuel. We had to make a 5 mile inbound call to alert the turn monitors and another call as we passed overhead. If we were going to stop for fuel we were to include the word "Pitstop" in the 5-mile call. I did that and refueled.
I saw my friend David Adams in his Long EZ Race #83 landing. In the cordial greeting process I learned that he had an ignition problem - blowing a circuit breaker. I made a call to Captain Sal the in Chase #6 the flying toolbox to see what we could work out. All Sal was able to do at that point was provide a power tool to help speedup the cowl fastener removal process. Since the clock was stopped on me for the moment I told Dave I would wait until we worked something out. Dave made a couple of checks and determined that the electronic ignition module was the problem. We were at an airport on Sunday with no activity but local RV builder Jason Tremble offered to do anything he could to help.
We decided to tie down the plane and I would finish the race with Dave and he could try to get a module at AirVenture. So that is what we did. Klaus Savier was kind enough to lend Dave a module and I flew him back the next day and that fixed everything.
Other notes:
At Dixon - several racers landed to refuel serious but very good spirits. The most charming was Carri Hoagland in her Taylorcraft BC-12. She said Eric Whyte Let her take off long before the regular race start so she could make it to Oshkosh in time for the evening award banquet.
55 miles before Dixon - This probably would not be noteworthy except for all the trailer I have see for the soon to be released movie "Planes." YES - a low wing crop duster was making high turns at the ends of his passes and because all of the races were running low it looked like he (the plane) wanted to join in but then said "no I've got to do my work." It brought a smile to my face.
Bob Axsom
There was a 109 mile SARL cross country race called the Mt. Vernon 100 on Saturday before the bif AVC race to Oshkosh on Sunday morning. Less than half of the AVC racers entered but those that did enjoyed it I think and it caused some to be better prepared for the Sunday race.
In the MVN 100 I took off and headed southwest for turn 1 and things seemed a little slower than usual but sometimes we have to expect headwinds. About half way to turn 1 I was down to 154 knots and Canadian Gary Wilcox called from his very fast RV-7 to inform me that he was passing on the right. At that point I was sure something was amis because he cruised right by and we both had the same wind. I start looking at everything and to my horror I saw the throttle knob was about 2" back from the "go fast" stop. I pushed it in and the speed started coming back. I looked down at the offending control only to see it 1/2" back again. Of course then I realized it wasn't friction locked - I pushed it in again and torqued it down good! When Jeanine and I built the plane we installed a vernier throttle cable but a few months ago I installed a friction lock cable in my aborted attempt to satisfy the requirements for Reno. Obviously I learned a lesson. I re-passed my friend Gary but he took off behind me at the start and I could not make up the time differential. Third isn't bad but it counts for 30 points less than second (the scoring rules say 20 but you get an additional 10 points for each racer you beat). The strongly learned lesson that friction lock controls will move it not locked down was worth 30 points.
I bought some food and drink at the Circle K, filled the tank on my rental car and holed up in my room to study the winds aloft forecast and plan my race altitude strategy. I ran a couple of strategies but there was really no option but to go low.
I had plans for a good night's sleep but that just didn't work out - too excited I guess. I got up at 0630 and was in the shower when the alarm went off. No not the clock - an emergency evacuation of the building alarm "use the nearest stairway and leave the building by the nearest exit." I threw on some clothes, grabbed all my stuff and headed out - I wasn't coming back. Once I was in the hallway people were coming back - it was a false alarm. I did not go back.
At the airport we started engines in three time staggered groups - fastest group first. RV classes are in group 2. Within your group you taxi out to the runway in what ever order you happen to happen to be in. The officials launch the planes individually to provide a safe margin. We took off on runway 23 and fly a left teardrop back around to cross the numbers "23" and head north 355 degrees to Dixon, Illinois. At Dixon is the first "turn" (one degree - turn to 356 degrees) to Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. At Wisconsin Rapids is a hard right turn to 095 degrees for the quick 35 mile run to the finish line at Waupaca, Wisconsin with a tailwind.
Each of the turns for this race were setup as penalty free fuel stops to discourage people from stretching their fuel to exhaustion. I planned to go all out and make the stop at Dixon for fuel. We had to make a 5 mile inbound call to alert the turn monitors and another call as we passed overhead. If we were going to stop for fuel we were to include the word "Pitstop" in the 5-mile call. I did that and refueled.
I saw my friend David Adams in his Long EZ Race #83 landing. In the cordial greeting process I learned that he had an ignition problem - blowing a circuit breaker. I made a call to Captain Sal the in Chase #6 the flying toolbox to see what we could work out. All Sal was able to do at that point was provide a power tool to help speedup the cowl fastener removal process. Since the clock was stopped on me for the moment I told Dave I would wait until we worked something out. Dave made a couple of checks and determined that the electronic ignition module was the problem. We were at an airport on Sunday with no activity but local RV builder Jason Tremble offered to do anything he could to help.
We decided to tie down the plane and I would finish the race with Dave and he could try to get a module at AirVenture. So that is what we did. Klaus Savier was kind enough to lend Dave a module and I flew him back the next day and that fixed everything.
Other notes:
At Dixon - several racers landed to refuel serious but very good spirits. The most charming was Carri Hoagland in her Taylorcraft BC-12. She said Eric Whyte Let her take off long before the regular race start so she could make it to Oshkosh in time for the evening award banquet.
55 miles before Dixon - This probably would not be noteworthy except for all the trailer I have see for the soon to be released movie "Planes." YES - a low wing crop duster was making high turns at the ends of his passes and because all of the races were running low it looked like he (the plane) wanted to join in but then said "no I've got to do my work." It brought a smile to my face.
Bob Axsom
