STEARMAN LINE-UP

Sunday 6th November

I arrived at Classic Flyers late this morning for another session of circuits in "03".  I had heard a few weeks previously of two other Stearmans (?Stearmen) imported from the USA which were to be based at Tauranga and there they were, lined up and ready to go.  I watched them start up and leave, one for a few circuits and the other to taxi to its hangar.  The noise of two radials starting up was fantastic!  Glad I had the (little) camera with me:

Biplane line up: Classic Flyers' Agcat "RTA" with Stearmen "262" and "343"

Wooden prop on "343"

Start up for "343"

To make any American reader(s) proud

Then it was down to business for me; some circuits with Pete.  There was enough wind to make it "interesting" - about 10-12 knots on the surface, a little variable with an intermittent crosswind, but 20 knots or so at 500' and on my first circuit I was reminded to widen out my crosswind turn to compensate.  Generally, my flying was OK, the first take-off a bit rough but a second go after a stop and go (for wake turbulence) was much better.  However, we did encounter a radio problem after 3 circuits, on the fourth approach not being able to hear the tower at all so after touching down Pete told me to make it a full stop.  I could near him perfectly via my helmet so that wasn't the problem.  The fault seemed intermittent and dependent on volume position so maybe a "dirty" potentiometer.  Never mind, I was pretty pleased with my efforts =)