From: Adam R Weston To: djaerotec@aol.com Subject: Monarch 2m Maiden Voyage References: <199702252134.QAA11419@widget.ecn.purdue.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-UIDL: c179ec2e3699b63c2e8d0fd2bebf0505 X-Mozilla-Status: 0011 Content-Length: 3394 Hi Guys, Well, I finally figured out why they have a 1.5m limit on HLG, its because they knew someone would build the Monarch 2m and blow away all the competition! I took my new 2m, knick-named Loureta (after my grandmother) out for a launch or two today. It being February I knew I couldn't expect much better weather. It was the first time its been above freezing and below gale force on the winds since I finished her. It was about 40 deg with a 10 to 15 out of the west. My first toss was just to see if everything was in working order and operational, and off she went! I don't know if a thermal came through or what, but it just went up and up, with her nose pointed into the wind. I did one circle to tentatively set up for a landing, and then another, because the first was too high, and finally a third and fourth and then some Butterfly (appropriate)mixing to finally bring it down. With the quest to get everything trimmed out I decided on one more hand launch and then reel out the high start. The second hand launch wasn't as good, I think I'm going to put finger pegs on it, but helped prove the Monarch's low level maneuverability. Once on the standard class high start, the Monarch 2m really started showing her true colors. The launch without flaps was very quick, straight up the line, for a decent launch, a nice trim flight and down. The second launch I tuned in five degrees of flaps and then let her go. Better pull but still regular height. This time I did a little reflex and a couple of rolls, and some really tight 'simulated' thermal turns, a bit of flap here really made the cornering nice. All right enough fooling around, 10 degrees of full span flaps and let her go up the line. BEAUTIFUL! with a bit of wind, she pulled straight back behind me and kept pulling the whole way up. Who needs a winch when the plane goes out of sight on a high start! A bit of reflex to penetrate, then a bounce or two and I'm in a fast moving thermal. So up we go thermaling with the wind for a bit, I did some tight turns and then some wider ones. The further down wind I got, the more that flashy tape helps. you get six different flashes as you go through a turn one off each wing LE break and one off each tail surface. Well now that its out of sight, more reflex and then back up wind to search for more lift. In what I would call not the best of conditions, I ended up with a 10 minute flight. My only complaint, and I think I'm echoing a note I saw on the Monarch homepage, is how quickly it gets out of sight. I guess DJ needs to start plans for an open class. Actually, I think I'll be able to work lighter lift close-by that bigger ships won't want to fool with, with this one, just takes a bit more effort. Once these hit the circuit, The orders are going to start pouring in! I'm going to have to take that Great Planes job, I won't work on my thesis this spring, I'll just be out flying! See you all at the field, RED