127nm soaring flight in the Phoenix

3 days ago the weather was looking pretty good for a distance soaring flight. So we hopped in the Phoenix at noon and flew to the Wallaby Ranch hanggliding site (they tow hanggliders aloft with ultralights) which is outside of Kissimmee, FL. After 20 minutes of powered flight, we shut down the engine and proceeded to soar north past Ocala, landing in Lake City for a 127nm flight.
You can watch a YouTube video of the flight at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOjB1kOdt8I

After a short break on the ground to stretch, make a couple of phone calls, and top off the tanks for the night flight home, we departed Lake City bound for home in Melbourne.

It was really fun to just do a straight out flight as far as I could get to without having a retrieve crew, and trailering the glider back home in the middle of the night. It was completely worry free, and great fun! Can't wait to do another one!

Flying back home at sunset.

Parked at the hangar back home in Melbourne at 7pm.

Treasure Coast Airpark

We had a nice flight south of Ft. Pierce to the Treasure Coast Airpark. Three very experienced pilots were waiting to fly the Phoenix. They own various types of aircraft and it looks like their hardest chore each day is deciding which ones to fly. We had some light lift on a mostly blue day, but we were able to gain a few thousand feet in lift and enjoyed a pleasant day.

Flying with a Carbon Cub.

After flight debrief in the shade.

Jim, Tom, Syd, and Randy discuss who found the better thermal.

Syd is a CFIG and Randy has owned a series of gliders so they knew what to do with lift. Jim (Carbon Cub owner) had his first glider flight and got to experience some new things like in-flight engine shut down, searching for lift, speeds to fly, and landing without the engine.

Sun n Fun 2011

We're looking forward to Sun n Fun this year are you?

Long Wing Cruisin'

We have had the opportunity to do some cruise flights with the long wingtips and check out speeds. With the prop set for cruise, we can easily hit 108kts and up to 110kts at 5000rpm. We're burning about 3.5gph at this setting, which is the best overall for noise, vibration, fuel economy, and comfort. The take off climb rate at this prop setting is "only" 800fpm.