Hello fro Minnesota!

[GaryR]

My name is Gary and I have been on this forum for. some time but have never written a intro
I am a retired farmer(still help the next generation) and always wanted to fly. I took lessons many years ago but never soloed. I also was involved in RC flying. I looked at PPC and an almost ready to cover 20 year old Mini-max the aerolite103 and talked to Chris at Badland about a kit. Then a ready to fly,serial #4,F3 only flown by Chris came up for sale and it moved from S.Dakota to our heated garage after Chris flew it several times. That was a year ago and I went over every nut and bolt and made several upgrades and additions that Chris and I talked about,I went to Ohio and took lessons in a Taylor craft and quick silver and aerophrat and worked on my 900 ft runway and bifold door on a shed so I could open the door and fly. I feel I could fly but not too confident about landing on my own without a CFI sitting next to me. Bottom line is it’s winter in Mn and I’ve only taxied up and down my runway but never let it lift off. Maybe training in a two place that is more a kitfox would be different but my feeling is that a little training in a lite sport 2 place is not adequate. I think a ground coach like the ppc folks do would be a big help. Several pilots in the area but no one interested in being on the radio coaching a old, new pilot in a UL airplane even if it looks like a real airplane! But hope springs eternal and having this fine plane here to work on and getting ready to fly has been great. And yes the workmanship of Chris is unbelievably good. Just need more people with his skill and enthusiasm for flying!

[LA F2 Flyer]

Hi Gary, and welcome (officially) to the group. We would love to see some pics of the bird, the hangar and the strip if/when you get a chance.

I'll bet even just taxiing was pretty exciting and probably felt like a milestone. I am getting closer to that step myself...in the process of building a trailer and getting my UL: out of LA and into the desert where I have some room to spread my wings...literally!

I am in the middle of flight training myself, and starting to get a bit more confident than I was when I bought my kit. I still feel like I have a way to go before I feel comfortable flying the plane by myself, but hey, baby steps is fine too.

Again, welcome to the group! We look forward to hearing (and seeing) more from you!

-Peer

[ksatter26]

Welcome.

I keep saying that I'm getting close to finishing my F-3, but as always, the last 5% takes more than 50% of the time.

Structurally "done". Oratex covering about 30% ... half-naked fuselage and both flaperons complete with vertical stabilizer about 75% done. This morning I cut out the pattern for the rudder ( the last of the Sky Blue ... plenty of fsbric left). Both wings, elevator, and horizontal stabilizer (all Fokker Red) remain to be done.

Still fighting the Polini 303 no spark problem but I found a mechanic with his own paraglider 303 willing to work the problems with me. He's only an hour and a half away. I have the engine removed and mounted on a test/shipping stand (again). I hope to get with him early next week.

I have a 700' grass strip that still needs some leveling work so for testing I plan on using a local (15 miles away) airstrip with 3000' asphalt and at least two 4000' grass runways.

I converted a16' boat trailer onto a flat-bed fior just such transport.

Like you, I'll probably do much run-in and taxi testing here at home before trailer transport.

[LA F2 Flyer]

Unfortunately I don't have the space for taxi testing (living in the heart of the San Fernando Valley) here in Los Angeles, and I keep brainstorming for locations closer to home than El Mirage lakebed to do so. El Mirage is about a ninety mile drive. Hopefully I come up with something much closer juste for taxi practice.

The trailer is coming along nicely. I am considering posting a sort of build log, but first I need to see if my design pans out.

[Badland-F5 Pilot]

My name is Gary and I have been on this forum for. some time but have never written a intro
I am a retired farmer(still help the next generation) and always wanted to fly. I took lessons many years ago but never soloed. I also was involved in RC flying. I looked at PPC and an almost ready to cover 20 year old Mini-max the aerolite103 and talked to Chris at Badland about a kit. Then a ready to fly,serial #4,F3 only flown by Chris came up for sale and it moved from S.Dakota to our heated garage after Chris flew it several times. That was a year ago and I went over every nut and bolt and made several upgrades and additions that Chris and I talked about,I went to Ohio and took lessons in a Taylor craft and quick silver and aerophrat and worked on my 900 ft runway and bifold door on a shed so I could open the door and fly. I feel I could fly but not too confident about landing on my own without a CFI sitting next to me. Bottom line is it’s winter in Mn and I’ve only taxied up and down my runway but never let it lift off. Maybe training in a two place that is more a kitfox would be different but my feeling is that a little training in a lite sport 2 place is not adequate. I think a ground coach like the ppc folks do would be a big help. Several pilots in the area but no one interested in being on the radio coaching a old, new pilot in a UL airplane even if it looks like a real airplane! But hope springs eternal and having this fine plane here to work on and getting ready to fly has been great. And yes the workmanship of Chris is unbelievably good. Just need more people with his skill and enthusiasm for flying!

Welcome Gary. I've got an F5 on order with Chris and hopefully soon will be training at Holliday Aviation in Florida. My house sale closes next Friday and into the New Year I'll be moving from Dallas to just south west of Jacksonville. Having flown back in the late 90's, I am also a little concerned about landing my future plane. The people at Holliday told me not to worry, they will let me know when they believe it's safe enough for me to go up and come down in one piece. I think it'll also help for me to remember when my CFI many years back had me land the 152, pull onto the taxi way, stop, and he got out of the plane. As he closed the door, he said "3 times, don't wreck my plane". Meaning I needed to do 3 take off's and landings for him, solo. The last part about don't wreck his plane was his way of telling me, I'm ready. I think the same will happen with Holliday. They'll be training me in a Breeze two seat ultralight registered as a light sport. That should give me a more relational flight to my F5. Since you've got some concerns about landing, I'd try and find a CFI who you can work with and get that comfort level so your first and after landings will be non-event full. I won't say good luck because I know you're going to have the skill eventually. Feel free to ask questions. We all love to chat here.

Todd

[LA F2 Flyer]

Yes we do love to chat, so any updates on progress (hell, even lack thereof) are more than welcome!

[Mountain Cat]

Landing at 30mph, you don't have much time to get in trouble once all 3 wheels are on the ground till you are stopped. You will have a blast just taxing and running up and down the strip. I've got a 1900' grass strip nearby so I can crow hop and then land. But the time will come that you have to bite the bullet and fly it. Its the big leap, no baby steps, and you will remember it forever.

[LA F2 Flyer]

Today would have been the day to do it...120 years to the day since Orville and Wilbur took that leap of faith!

[Bruce_L]

Welcome Gary !!! You have excellent taste in aircraft for sure. Chris is a great guy and a great fabricator. I think a lot of us who are fresh to ultralight flight all share the one issue with getting some training that is relevant to what we will be flying when we first take off and fly in on Badland F model.

Training on a Cessna 150 with a control yoke as opposed to a stick is a big enough issue. My concern is how much control effort or inputs is the correct amount for smooth flight without overcontrolling the aircraft. Then there is the pucker factor as the nerves kick in.

The crow-hopping method on a long grass strip is probably how I plan to get over the fear factor. Even if I have to trailer several miles to get there.

I have been riding my dual sport motor cycle on a empty country road with an open face helmet trying to get a sight picture of what 40mph looks like.

That's going to be my target speed to set down at assuming no wind conditions present.

Not sure I can look at an air speed indicator with my attention focused on a million other things while on approach.

Then there is the whole taildragger thing to conquer as well. My plan here is to taxi all around the hangar rows with my wings off and my hands off the stick. Maybe even add some weight to the tail, and just buy another replacement tailwheel when I wear mine down to a nub practicing my ground loop techniques. HA HA !!! Need to develop some muscle memory for my 2 left feet. Rudder for me will be tough to learn.

I think take off is going to be easier, apply some throttle, add a bit more, be ready to add some rudder and wait for enough speed to ease the stick back and climb out. (Then you can breathe!!!) Sounds easier than it will really be when its me at the controls.

As they say, "Take offs are optional, but landings are MANDATORY"

The guys here are great are are very helpful. They have already helped me with info and pictures too. Ask for help if you get bogged down or need some motivation.

Please keep us posted on your progress. You are off to a great start. I still have a long way to go before I can even start to worry about my piloting skills since I still have an entire plane to finish.

[LA F2 Flyer]

Bruce, funny thing, but I have been doing the same as you...determining exactly what 40MPH feels like, then 50MPH, while driving down the road. I don't have a country lane to take my motorcycle down to test this on a bike so the car will have to do for now.

One thing to consider that Chris told me some time ago (and his thoughts on this may have changed since then - he said to me on a phone call "It's pretty basic with the Badland. Take off at 50, cruise at 50. and land at (you guessed it) 50." We will see. I plan on doing a lot of taxi testing and possibly crow hops as well before taking the plunge and climbing out.

What level of training do you currently have in any aircraft? (You may have mentioned it in a previous post, but I don't recall.)

[Bruce_L]

No training in an aircraft at all. My instructor (to be) sold his plane 2 days before my scheduled first lesson. It was a Citabria taildragger with stick control. Would have been a great start. We were even going to practice spin recovery. He is replacing it with a Beech Bonanza. Not doing spin recovery drills in a big heavy underpowered Bonanza, no thank you!

So now I am on my own.

I do own a nice helmet though. Hmmmmm......

[LA F2 Flyer]

Haha, a helmet is a good start. And any training is better than none. If you can get good at landing the Beech, and then maybe transition to a high wing (152 or 172) even better. Of course the best option would be a Cub or something similar, with stick and tailwheel.