Kami_Flight

11/26/06
Maiden flight at Eagle View today. Balance was pretty close, little nose heavy. Got it up to around 160 mph DSing on the backside, maybe more. Didn't feel as heavy as she is. Turns hard with a lot of wing flex. Tossed it out at about a 45 degree down, let it sink out about 20 feet and pulled gently. Needed a little up trim but I think she's nose heavy. Flew 3 or 4 hundred cicles and feels super stable. Didn't like the joiner since it seems to cause a little bit of flap through the boundry layer, needs upgrades on the next one.

11/29/06
Flight #2 at Mission Ridge, blowing a good, 30-35 mph. Dom launches herand she sails off. This time we've got a radar gunner. Couple laps in and it's already in the 200s. Couple laps later pulls off a 236, new PB for me! YeeeHa! Couple more circles and its 244. Looking a little hairy with a lot of wing flex coming through the boundry layer. Little while later popped off a 253. Man this thing is smoking, way easier to control than the 2m Kami. Kept going a little longer, couple more in the 240s and a 250. Dom's sounding a little concerned about the plane by the way it's being pounded in the air so I go and land. Not a perfect landing and put a little damage on the fuse. Everything else looks sound but the plane is done performing for the day.

2.5m Kamikazi: Prototype #1, Double Carbon Wing

12/2/06
Flight #3 at 3-Rocks. blowing around 40. Dennis launches and she sails off. Gain a little altitude and head to the backside. Couple circles to pick up speed and the Kami starts cooking. Too bad I can't hear any of the gun readings. Couple of good periods roll through where I think shes really cooking, still can't here the readings. Finally, got her screaming fast as a nice set of air rolls through, couple of circles and it's really feeling good, nice and stable then at the bottom turn, snap, there she goes spiralling in. I think Ken had the best description... "If you can visualize this thing ripping around 200+ (actually 250+) and at the bottom turn one side of the wing meets the other side with a big clapping sound. In one micro second this thing looks like any other wing failure. But wait, one wing rips clean off. Pieces of elevator follows with a high speed spiral. Or was it parts of the other wing panel? Then this thing is still cooking and all of a sudden it vaporizes. The fuse picks up speed and now becomes a dart until out of site."

Lots of lessons learnes... RIP with new PB at 256 MPH. Just wait for the next one!

2/2/07
Kami S/N 2 is finished:
Learned a ton more on this one but had to chop the wings a little. No joiner and only an 81" wingspan..

2/8/07
Quick drive out to Sierra Rd to get a maiden in before it gets dark. No wind in the valley or on the drive up so I'm wondering if I'm even going to be able to launch. Get to the top and it's blowing 15, maybe gusting to 20. Figure that should be enough so I do a quick range test and toss her out. Plenty of lift to do some basic test maneuvers and checks. Little nose heavy but flies nice. No trims required for the ailerons so it looks like these wings are coming out nice and straight.

6/5/07 Kami S/N 3: 256mph at The Slot
Blowing but not quiet in the right direction. Got some good laps in and some hairy ones. Pins in the wing ended breaking loose. Guess the repairs on the wing from Diable were not up to par. Darn!!! Wing is salvageable but the fuse is toast.

4/16/07 Kami S/N 3: Maiden At Goat Rock, 222mph
Took me 2 hrs 20 min. to get up there, about the same to get back. Forget that during rush hour. Maiden flight with a bunch of lead hanging off the nose. Flew fast, 202 mph, best maiden to date but was definitely nose heavy. Took all the lead off the nose and tossed out again later. Topped out at 222 for the day, third fastest and only got beat by Mickey Crawley and Ken Gregory. They're way better than me so I'm feeling pretty good about this plane. No wing flex so it looks like I've got those issues worked out.

5/6/07 Kami S/N 3: 207 mph at Diablo Mountain
Check out the reports and it's peaking over 50 on top of Diablo. Give the guys a call when I get in the truck and they're already packin. Pull into the Juniper camp ground and park. Dennis and Vern are talking about checking out a new ridge, I' game! Hike around for a while and Vern launches. Takes us about 45 minutes to find the right spot. Ends up with a 174 on his Opus. Dennis is up and I'm thinkin twice if I even want to lauch at those speeds. Gets his bait Opus up to 178. Perfect landing just like Vern. Finally the work on me until I agree to launch. Start crusing the circuit to get the feel, huge laps in the 130s to 160s when some wind rolls through. Wound her up to 200+ on a couple of laps, pulling full up elevator, really cranking the turns. I can see some wing flex but the guys didn't so still looking good. End up with a 207 but getting way too close to the top of a tree. So I land, couple attempts then fall short and dork the landing. Minor repairs required but she'll fly again. Top speed of the day today! YeeeHa!

7/23/07 Kami S/N 3: New Fuse finished, wings repaired and ready to fly!

8/15/07 Kami S/N 3: 251mph at The Slot
Finally make it out to re-maiden the plane. Wind was blowing pretty good. Nice smooth air running consistent laps in the 230s Top speed of 251 but she's humming. Land and find 2 servos have loose gears. Looked good when I put them in but must of had some minor internal damage. Done for the day... Repair job is looking good with no issues except for the humming aileron. Should of put new servos in.

10/6/07 Kami S/N 3: 263mph at Castle Ridge
Put on the same hinge tape on the Ailerons and tried out another taping test. Completely got rid of all the control surface humming. Looks totaly solid now. Doinked the landing on the first flight and missed the best air. All 4 of us went over 250 up there!

10/21/07 Kami S/N 3: 257 at 3-Rocks
Great day on top of 3-Rocks. Got 2 rippin flights in. Topped out at 257 on the first flight and 253 on the second flight. Fastest guy on the hill today against some great pilots flying Opus MC3s. 250s starting to feel pretty comfortable. Fuse repairs from Castle look solid, can't wait for some bigger air now.

11/28/07 Kami S/N 3: 282 at 3-Rocks RIP
Another great day at 3 Rocks. 2 flights. First one at 262, second flight at 282. Flying supper low aggressive circles. Plane went in on the ridge line on the down line. Looked great at 282. No flutter, no issues! Final numbers for all pilots were 301, 288, 282, 282, 276, 198. Best plane yet.