Was fortunate to fly four different airplanes in the Month of September-- A Maule, Bücker, Pitts S2B, and Technoavia SP-91. My own plane was out for maintenance of a brake pedal and cylinder.
The Bücker was at the contest in Warrenton, Virginia and belongs to Greg Stringer. It has really sweet control characteristics, like my Pitts. It doesn't have quite the vertical penetration-- more drag, slightly less horsepower. It doesn't go up so far when you point it up.
Greg let me enter the Sportsman category with the Bücker. I fell out of every vertical maneuever, including the hammerhead, which came-out more like a torque-roll tail slide. Best part was just flying the plane. Second best part was Bill Finagin gave me a ten on the one turn spin.
Near the end of the month, Rob Mars flew me out to Cold Spring in his Pitts S2B. While there, Gus took me up in the SP-91.
The flight in the Maule was with Peter Kirchner. We left out of Poughkeepsie for a picnic over at Candlelight Farms.
The contest at Warrenton was a bit of a wash. It rained. Then there were low clouds. Everyone got one flight. That was the best that could be done. Just to add insult to the weather, the FAA was there ramp checking everyone as an exercise.
