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Q-talk 146 - Sun-N-Not-So-Fun-2011

[EDITOR’s NOTE: Jerry Marstall and D Michael Bergen hosted the Quickie Forum at Sun-N-Fun this year despite the tornado induced carnage. The following are reports from the guys who made it there.]

CX-4 PASSES WINDTUNNEL TEST, SETS WORLD RECORD

Report by Jerry Marstall

As everyone knows by now, mother nature dealt a nasty blow to this year's Sun N Fun. 60-70 aircraft totaled or seriously damaged with scores of other sustaining lesser damage. Nancy and I were there volunteering at the Homebuilt Parking area. We were on the flight line when the storm hit. As always, pictures don't do a situation justice. And although we saw it first hand, it is difficult to adequately describe the carnage.

However, there is one situation where mother nature showed a little tenderness and care. On the line every year, Mr. Thatcher brings his CX-4 and parks it in the homebuilt area, pulls out a chair and talks with anyone who wants to learn about the fabulous little LSA he has designed and built. He was there again this year, tied down right in front of the Homebuilt Parking registration building. He had her tied down well before the storm hit and he headed for cover. When the storm passed, the CX was gone from its tiedown spot.

Nancy and I had evacuated to a steel hangar and did not see the following, but several of our co-workers stayed in the wooden registration building and were eye witnesses to the following:

The CX was pointed west, into the wind. One row behind the CX, approximately 30 feet away, was a Pazmany II tied down. The witnesses saw the tornado tear the CX from its tiedowns, pick it up level above the height of the Pazmany and levitated it backwards, over top of the Pazmany and another 75-yards before sitting it down, still facing west, about 15 feet in front of a fence. Throughout this backward flight (which is a world record for backwards flight by any aircraft other than a helicopter or Harrier, the plane remained in a level attitude and landed in a perfect 3-point attitude. The only damage sustained was a slight scratch on the right wingtip.

Mr. Thatcher couldn't believe his eyes when he saw his precious little CX quietly awaiting his return from hiding to reclaim it. Mother nature does occasionally show a compassionate side.

QUICKIE FORUM

Report by D Michael Bergen

[ EDITOR’s NOTE: I called Jerry Marstall and Michael Bergen on Thursday night right after the tornado ripped through the field. They both came through fine. The devastation was a bit much and they both seemed in a bit of shock but otherwise well. They both reported lots of wreckage scattered about and lots of airplanes stacked on top of each other. Several of the vendor tents were completely flattened while their next door neighbors came through without a scratch. As of Thursday there were NO Quickies on the field yet. (Mostly RV-7's). Michael was unable to get back to his tent on Thursady night due to the field being closed, but he was able to make a run out to the local Target to buy a fresh towel and dry off a bit. Michael provided the following thoughts and pictures when he returned. ]

Mike Dwyer's Q-200

For the Quickie Forum on Saturday morning we had about eight people show up. One lady was actually a VariEze builder, and looking for any support she could get. We easily used up the allotted hour we had for the forum.

Mike Dwyer was the only Q brave enough to fly in to Sun-N-Fun this year. When we departed via runway 27L on Saturday evening, I was in my Bonanza, to the left and one behind Mike and Liz Dwyer. I witnessed their departure, and realized how cool this design still looks even after all these years! It was a real shot in the arm for my own project!

It was a pleasure to meet both Mike and Liz Dwyer, and I want to thank them personally for being the only “Q-bird” to show their colors!

Mike and Liz Dwyer at Sun-N-Fun


LONE Q-200 at SUN-N-FUN

Report by Mike Dwyer Q200 N3QP

The wife and I flew into Sun N Fun Saturday. The procedure is fly over the powerplant and a controller will tell you to rock your wings. First he told the low wing to rock your wings. As I got one low and one high there was no wing rocking from me, no one else around either. So then he says Dragonfly rock your wings and as that's pretty close I rock em and he says thanks. Ahead of me are two fast movers a seaplane and a twin Aerocomander. So I get to 112K (supposed to be 100) and buzz anong with them. No problem until on downwind for RWY27. The controller has me on downwind and says turn base now. Well that would put me in front of the aerocomander on longer final so I say no thanks. He then says somethng like work the spacing out yourself (I like that better anyway). The aero is down and I'm right behind him on the orange dot or later (that's the controlers instruction). The aero kept up his rollout speed and everything worked out great. Pulled into the homebuilt area and was met by the smiling face of Jerry Marstal in his official airplane parking jacket. Only thing better would be if his wife was working the red paddles also but she was busy at the registration booth. 9:20am I think we shut down in front of the homebuilt registration. We got our vendor passes from our buds at Warner Aerocraft and headed to the forum building where Jerry hosted the QB forum. We had 1 builder Kevin who is getting pretty close, another that is dormant. I guess I was the only Q as Roy didn't bring his Q1 over this year. So there doesn't seem to be much Q activity in FL these days. Later in the morning a couple of Dragonflys parked next to the Q200. Would have liked tt talk to them but didn't get a chance. They had some Cessnas parked in the homebuilt area to make it look more full. 20 years ago it was packed, recently not so much, Saturday maybe 1/2 full.

We asked our buddies that were in the tornado on Thursday. They escaped harm as the trailer they were operating out of blocked the wind for their display aircraft. But right in front of them were several planes blown down the ramp and mangled. It rained hard much of the day but by evening Sun N Fun had some cranes and flat beds and were busily picking up wreckage and moving it to a hangar. There was an engine in the homebuilt area sitting by itself. The plane it came off of was tossed end over end resulting in the engine seperating from the airframe which continued blowing. One light plane pulled loose from it's tie downs and flew 150 feet downwind - over the top of another plane without hitting it and landed on its gear without a scratch visable. The police ran everyone off the field with the threat of arrest. This is totaly unacceptable to me. If I had a damaged plane I wouldn't want some yahoo doing more damage with a crane. I'd want to be present. I wonder how many lawsuits there will be after that? One manufacturer did threaten Sun N Fun with a suit if they touched his planes - they left his alone. In the interest of cleaning up the field a lot of corners seemed to be cut. I guess the field was up and operating Friday after the storm but was a muddy mess.

By Saturday the place was drying out and looked pretty normal, except for quite a few places where there were missing vendor tents (probably blown away).

After the airshow the field was open at 6pm and we pulled the tiedowns and prepared to fly home. Unfortunately the wind favored Rwy 27 which means a looonggg taxi. As we went by the Blue Angel crew they were looking and pointing at the Q so we waved. They all waved back. Lots of planes leaving even tho there was still 1 day left. 30 minutes later I'm showng 220F oil temp and not real happy. The Q bird needs to get in the air to cool down. The feds are using big rwy 27L to launch two side by side with taxiway 27R launching another set of planes. I think if the wind is out of the west I may just buzz out prior to the airshow next time.

Quite a different year at Sun N Fun... kinda sad year.

PHOTOS FROM SUN-N-FUN 2011

Photos by Pat Panzera

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