Mark Stucky writes:
If I was to characterize the first flights in one word I
would be forced to say, INCREDIBLE. Here’s the story:
The team was pushing hard for flying on July 31st, but I
wasn’t very confident the glider would really be ready. I was probably
more surprised than anyone when the 31st came and we were heading out
to El Mirage Dry Lake to fly.
The team had made the decision that the LightHawk would
not be completely production representative for this initial flight
test. One thing Danny was pushing for was the installation of a rather
large and robust fixed landing gear assembly (instead of the production
retractable gear). He really wanted to avoid damaging the LightHawk in
what might be a relatively minor landing incident. The team ran out of
time and didn’t get the temporary brake on the flight test landing gear
fully installed but I wasn’t concerned (that was one reason why I had
suggested El Mirage in the first place).
Galen Fisher (the initial owner of LightHawk #1) was
planning on installing his own sailplane instruments but for this first
flight they were only going to install a temporary airspeed indicator
for me.
The canopy latching mechanism was also not complete
although I would have jettison capability and was wearing a sailplane
reserve parachute (a planned ballistic chute for the entire
LightHawk/pilot combo is being installed shortly). Because of the
temporary canopy closure arrangement, we would limit ourselves to what
I judged to be moderate speeds or less.
Lastly, the latest simulations had only been done with
the full-span flaperons at angles between 0 and +10 degrees so we would
limit ourselves to that range of flap positions.
We planned two low altitude (5-10 feet AGL) tows at El
Mirage Dry Lake to verify the basic stability and control as well as
the operation of the dive brakes. Then, if the team was satisfied, we
would tow up to altitude for the third flight.
For training us all, Mike Sandlin had brought along his
Basic Ultralight Glider (BUG), which is kind of a cross between an
Icarus II and a Super Floater. I had a quick flight in the BUG,
initially flying it at low altitude (as we planned for the LightHawk)
and then pulling it up and climbing out on tow. After 15 minutes, Danny
reminded me that I had a LightHawk waiting for me.
The LightHawk looks incredible, it is a series of
beautiful curving arcs -- there isn't a straight line on the glider
anywhere. Soon I was strapped in and the canopy fastened. Everyone
passed a series of "thumbs up" and we were off.
I had my hands full on the first low tow as the glider
was yawing all over the place. I immediately released and was relieved
that things immediately smoothed out. During the tow I noted the inline
drogue chute was rapidly darting back and forth across my nose. I
realized the drag of the LightHawk in ground effect was insufficient to
provide enough tension to keep the drogue streamlined. Floyd Fronius
clamped down the skirt of the drogue and the second flight went smooth
as silk.
We had a team meeting and everyone agreed that flight #3
should go as planned to altitude. I had a bunch of flight cards that
had a sample of maneuvers designed to get a quick feel for the static
and dynamic stability, control, performance, and stall/departure
characteristics.
One of the things that didn’t take place until that last
morning was the temporary quick and dirty installation of the airspeed
indicator. I watched it being installed and was concerned about a hard
bend in the plastic tubing behind the rudder pedals. I recommended the
tubing go along the floor in front of the rudder pedal but Floyd and
Ric Fritz thought I would step on it. I figured I normally use the ball
of my feet on the pedals but didn’t argue the point.
The launch and climbout for this first real flight was
very smooth and for the first time I had time to look at the airspeed
indicator (which was partially hidden behind the control stick). I
noted it was reading far too low (barely above 10 mph) and knew the
airflow was restricted. I had never ground towed in an enclosed
sailplane and it was a little disconcerting not being able to see the
tow vehicle and not having any good indication of airspeed. I stayed on
tow until I felt the climb rate decreasing, pulling the release at a
little over 1000 ft AGL. I had strapped a handheld GPS to my leg as a
backup for altitude and groundspeed and as it turned out, it and my
miniature audio recorder were the only instrumentation I had.
Within a few moments of release I had completed a quick
inventory of the basic stability and control of the glider and knew I
was at the controls of a fine-crafted machine. The LightHawk flew like
any other high performance sailplane I had flown only better. Within
our restricted flap and speed envelope, the LightHawk exhibited
incredible stability, control, handling qualities, departure and spin
resistance, and apparent performance.
I say apparent performance because after about fifteen
minutes of doing maneuvers, I realized I was not descending so I
actually started trying to thermal. In a few short minutes I topped out
at 9,900 ft MSL on the GPS (a 7,000 ft gain under mid-level broken
altostratus cloud coverage). Realize that I can’t quantify the
performance I did not have an airspeed indicator or vario all I know is
the LightHawk appeared to fly around horizontally.
Immediately after topping out I flew for twenty minutes
without doing any turns in lift or losing altitude. After an hour of
fun (to include numerous stalls with full cross-controls at bank angles
up to 60) Danny radioed to me that the winds were really picking up and
I should try to land. It took me over twenty minutes of flying as fast
as I dared, while maintaining full cross-controls and a spiral dive to
get back down to the ground. I set up my approach with a base turn as
close to the downwind power lines as I felt comfortable and turned
final, flying past the ground crew at about 15 ft AGL. I honored
Danny’s request to make as slow of a touchdown as possible, to rollout
without braking, and to keep the tail wheel off the ground for as long
as possible. I eventually landed at walking speed about half a mile
upwind! Danny chased me in the truck, hopping out and jogging alongside
me as I stopped.
I started hang gliding 28 years ago, began flying
sailplanes 22 years ago, and paragliding 10 years ago. Every time I’m
in a sailplane and encounter a good thermal I find myself wishing I
could somehow transport myself into a hang glider. During the 87
minutes I spent soaring the LightHawk, not once did I wish I was in
anything else.
Danny asked me if I thought we had a micro-lift glider.
I can’t say but I’m looking forward to finding out.
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