QuickTalk 6 - LETTERS
- Details
- Category: Q-Talk Articles
- Published: Sunday, 31 October 1982 06:11
- Written by Jim Masal
- Hits: 2490
"The last QUICKTALK (Issue #5) is the best yet, and that's saying something since they've all been excellent. Of course, the thing that really made it good was the illustrated story of Five Romeo Mike, which I really appreciated.
"I'd also like to comment on the letter from my (evidently) distant cousin, Alan McFarland of Sausalito. He has put into eloquent words the feeling I've had for a long time - that we'd all be much happier if we got rid of the idea that the world would end if we didn't get that backordered screw yesterday or sooner. Building my two BD-5's, my Quickie and now my Q2 are among the most enjoyable events of my life. Because of that I thank God for Jim Bede, Burt Rutan, Tom Jewett and Gene Sheehan (Oh yes, and Garry LeGare).
"The few weeks I've waited for a few Quickie parts are nothing compared to the years I've waited for Bede's, and yet I've never regretted the day I saw a BD-5 on the cover of Mechanix Illustrated...."
Robert McFarland (#23,2061), Wormleysburg, PA
"I would like to tell of an incident that I had early in my testing. After only a couple of hours on my engine, I decided to get some taxi time while putting hours on the engine. After about a half hour on the ramp, I decided to head down the taxiway. My Quickie accelerated rapidly with only half throttle. At about 40 mph a gust caused the tail to lift and the plane to weathervane into the wind. I reduced power, but was then off the taxiway and in deep sand. The tail lifted, breaking the prop and damaging the lower cowling. When the tail came down, the tailspring broke and the tailcone fractured forward of the vertical fin. My advice to others is:
1. Follow the QAC test procedures.
2. Be ready for flight whenever you are taxi testing.
3. Trim or hold the elevator down.
4. Do not taxi test if there's any wind, especially a crosswind.
5. Do your fast taxi testing on the runway, not the taxiway."
Don Ralph (#300), Marquette, MI
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