Sun N Fun starts Tuesday and runs through Sunday. Aeromarine booth is way out in Paradise City away from any contagions besides great aircraft. I know at least one blog reader plans to attend. The other one is stuck on the other side of the pond. Lets start with the Vtwin news. We painted the […]
Today I flew the Merlin Lite. Finally better weather, kind of. MVFR with 1,300 foot ceilings. Perfect for an ultralight to make a few laps around the pattern so that’s what I did. My taildragger skills (or lack of) can always use the practice. I noted the climb was around 500 FPM. Cruise was about […]
Here is your periodic news brief: Another 4 Merlins are in a container and on a ship to USA currently. Plus the new Merlin Lite long wing is finished and shipped in this container. There is a slight chance I can get a wing from Dayton down to the Sun n Fun show starting April […]
I usually don’t write blogs when there is little to report. But one of my 13 followers thought covid did me in. Not just yet. And here is proof: A rambling blog. Last trip to Dayton was 5 days of snow and cold with no flying. Day 6 was sunny and clear but hangar door […]
Now that I have moved the Merlin Lite to Florida and mostly recovered from COVID I am finally back in the hangar. This week I installed new windscreen and wing root fairings and reworked the tailwheel geometry. This short hop was to check the handling improvements. I could say I tested the gear on purpose, […]
Good News #1: I have been Covid-free for a month now. But my lungs are still not fully recovered. Every hockey game I play gets a bit better however so I think in some weeks or months I will be fully recovered. At least I hope so. Need to get my blazing speed back. Oh […]
Not your usual post but 20 days of fighting the Kung Flu is not normal either. I am healthy athletic, and with no underlying conditions yet Covid sent me to the ER. A solid 2 weeks of misery and now just recovering. I will spare you the details. Let’s talk wings instead! In the world […]
I know, been quiet. And my 10 readers are expecting some test flight news too. I sat in Ohio for a week waiting for flying weather that never arrived. Then I remembered I live in Florida. So I packed up the merlin Lite and shipped it to Lakeland. But that also required a complete reorganization […]
As I was about to begin another round of flight tests with the new Merlin Lite the PPG engine monitor crapped out. I ordered a new one from Polini to replace the PPG meter I had left over in the hangar. By the time it arrived the weather crapped out. I spent a week in […]
Great idea for installing the wings without a helper. Randi has the only Merlin taildragger in USA and recently finished and flew it. I will ask him for his impressions. Here are some of his build comments: Have ~0.7 on engine in taxi tests, am very happy with engine all the temps look good. have prop […]