Hello all,,,
I don't think I have ever posted on the forum as being a rookie tailwheel pilot and rookie biplane pilot, I just don't feel I have much to add... Unless anyone wants a Newbies impression of flying this airplane....
I have been a member of the forum for some time... I came here to learn and I have learned so much from all of you.... Last summer I began flying my newly purchased Baby Great Lakes, N30RB.... At the time I bought the plane, I had zero tailwheel time... I got checked out in a 7AC Champ, which was a fun experience... From there,,,, I started taxiing my plane around, did some short aborted take off runs... I found the ground handling very pleasing compared to the champ... The locking/full swiveling tailwheel seemed to be just right for this little airplane.
Feeling confident that the plane is super stable and controllable on take off runs and having read all the flying reports and advice on flying the Baby Great Lakes, well, it was just time to go fly it... So, that I did.... It's been a real pleasure... The plane has pleasantly surprised me at every aspect of flying it... Landing is of course a little demanding and when I have been slow to flare it to land, it has let me know it did not like that... I have had two go arounds after touching on the mains only, but, three point the airplane and it behaves great, tracks straight, no drama. I have had some of my best landings ever with this plane... Forward visibility in this plane is great.... In the pattern and on landing I have great forward visibility, only in the flare do I lose that.. Even then, it's small, the nose is not very wide and I am not sitting so far back, so slight S turns to see straight ahead is all thats required on the ground.
After pretty crummy summer weather our fall in NW Illinois has been as usual ideal. So, a couple nights ago, I dug my iPhone out of my flight suit front pocket and took some video...
My plane was completed in 1977 by Robert Baringer of Midland TX.... A true craftsman... Robert was meticulous and documented everything... It has since had two other owners who took immaculate care of the little airplane. Empty weight is 570 pounds... It has a O-200 with Vetterman exhaust and a McCaulley 66x52. Clip Tip prop... Performance to this old spam can driver is pretty exciting... It's no rocket but boy is it ever fun... WOT yields about 118-120 MPH at 2800 RPM... I cruise it at 2400 rpm and that yields a little over 100 mph... It feels like that is about at half throttle. Stalls, spins, hammerheads and an aileron roll is as far as I have ventured... The plane stalls power off at 60mph.. If you spin it kicking full rudder, the spin rate is incredible... A spin with about half rudder is a much more enjoyable experience...
I am proceeding slowly as I learn the airplane and just enjoying the heck out of it. It's the most stable airplane I think I have ever flown... It will fly hands off forever and go straight and level all day long.
I thought I could upload a video but it looks like the file is too large.....
Anyway, just wanted to share what I could, I know it's not much... This little airplane to me is quite a gem and delivers a whole lot of fun flying at a very affordable price. The small size comes in very handy when you have to wipe bugs off or push it around too.
I would like to thank you all,,, You may not have known it, but, you all have helped me immensely in transitioning in to flying my little airplane.
My local friend and biplane pilot Larry Lyons gave me great advice on flying and his advice to join this group has proved incredibly valuable.
Thank you all,
John Mitchell
Freeport IL. KFEP
Baby Great Lakes N30RB
I don't think I have ever posted on the forum as being a rookie tailwheel pilot and rookie biplane pilot, I just don't feel I have much to add... Unless anyone wants a Newbies impression of flying this airplane....
I have been a member of the forum for some time... I came here to learn and I have learned so much from all of you.... Last summer I began flying my newly purchased Baby Great Lakes, N30RB.... At the time I bought the plane, I had zero tailwheel time... I got checked out in a 7AC Champ, which was a fun experience... From there,,,, I started taxiing my plane around, did some short aborted take off runs... I found the ground handling very pleasing compared to the champ... The locking/full swiveling tailwheel seemed to be just right for this little airplane.
Feeling confident that the plane is super stable and controllable on take off runs and having read all the flying reports and advice on flying the Baby Great Lakes, well, it was just time to go fly it... So, that I did.... It's been a real pleasure... The plane has pleasantly surprised me at every aspect of flying it... Landing is of course a little demanding and when I have been slow to flare it to land, it has let me know it did not like that... I have had two go arounds after touching on the mains only, but, three point the airplane and it behaves great, tracks straight, no drama. I have had some of my best landings ever with this plane... Forward visibility in this plane is great.... In the pattern and on landing I have great forward visibility, only in the flare do I lose that.. Even then, it's small, the nose is not very wide and I am not sitting so far back, so slight S turns to see straight ahead is all thats required on the ground.
After pretty crummy summer weather our fall in NW Illinois has been as usual ideal. So, a couple nights ago, I dug my iPhone out of my flight suit front pocket and took some video...
My plane was completed in 1977 by Robert Baringer of Midland TX.... A true craftsman... Robert was meticulous and documented everything... It has since had two other owners who took immaculate care of the little airplane. Empty weight is 570 pounds... It has a O-200 with Vetterman exhaust and a McCaulley 66x52. Clip Tip prop... Performance to this old spam can driver is pretty exciting... It's no rocket but boy is it ever fun... WOT yields about 118-120 MPH at 2800 RPM... I cruise it at 2400 rpm and that yields a little over 100 mph... It feels like that is about at half throttle. Stalls, spins, hammerheads and an aileron roll is as far as I have ventured... The plane stalls power off at 60mph.. If you spin it kicking full rudder, the spin rate is incredible... A spin with about half rudder is a much more enjoyable experience...
I am proceeding slowly as I learn the airplane and just enjoying the heck out of it. It's the most stable airplane I think I have ever flown... It will fly hands off forever and go straight and level all day long.
I thought I could upload a video but it looks like the file is too large.....
Anyway, just wanted to share what I could, I know it's not much... This little airplane to me is quite a gem and delivers a whole lot of fun flying at a very affordable price. The small size comes in very handy when you have to wipe bugs off or push it around too.
I would like to thank you all,,, You may not have known it, but, you all have helped me immensely in transitioning in to flying my little airplane.
My local friend and biplane pilot Larry Lyons gave me great advice on flying and his advice to join this group has proved incredibly valuable.
Thank you all,
John Mitchell
Freeport IL. KFEP
Baby Great Lakes N30RB
