The Marske Pioneer IID

windows media (xp) video clip of the launching of the Pioneer IId november 2002.

Our story follows:

Sept 27, 2005. Well Mat hasn't done much except work on the new shop but that has not stoppedMike Couts from being very busy! Below you will see the lid for the Pioneer trailer being made. This was quite a long time in the development.... and certainly attests to the team effort we put into developing it.

The Pioneer Trailer in the making...good work from Mike Couts!

July 3, 2005. The flying season at Marion has been very poor as the very hot weather has really put a damper on our cross country. And it finally happend that Mike Landed out with the Pioneer. Mike stuggled for an hour before he left Marion, first heading to Morrow county then Galion and Shelby. He was actually very happy to see that Devin and his Discus landed at Shelby and felt that it would be quite a feather in his cap to overfly Shelby and ask Devin just what happened to the Discus... which he did, but unfortunately he met the same fate as he could not get enough height for a safe return to Marion.

	Mike ,a happy cross country pilot ready to take the bird apart at Galion Airport.
	Mike putting on the final touches
	Ready for the road!

Mat manned the chase vehicle and the recently designed and built trailer worked as planned. We each reminisced a fateful day a number of years ago when Mat landed the Monarch out and it took about 4 hours to get the Monarch loaded.

We assembled the Pioneer the next day and Mat took it for a flight.

June 21, 2005. Mat has made the first cross country of the season flying about 228 km from Marion to Findlay, bluffton, Lima, Kenton and back to Marion.

Mats Report:

I had a rough start to this flight. I had forgotten to clip my microphone where it would be useful and I had unplugged the GPS and forgotten to put it back on. Luckily I was able to make these corrections on tow. My GPS trace is missing the first 1000 ft of tow but otherwise intact.

I found that I was very rusty but within a coule of hours I was much improved to the point where I was extremely happy with the handling. The extra 5 pounds in the nose has made all the difference..... but still I could use more in cruise mode. Nearing the end of the flight I was thermalling just above 40 mph and hitting 75 in the cruise between thermals.

Yes I did get low twice in the flight to about 2500 AGL... over Lima and then near Kenton but both times I just took weak lift and stayed with it until I was assured that I could make a good cloud.

I followed my path on a regular sectional and was delighted to see objects such as power lines. Over every airport I announced my position and called in to Marion 5 miles out so they could let other aircraft in the area know of my intention.

The landing was very good... although I had a hell of a time trying to get out of the sky!!! there was lift everywhere when I reached Marion.

OK Mike its your turn!

-mat

April 17, 2005.

Mats report: I flew the Grob 102 on saturday the day before, and felt quite comfortable with my flying so I decided to to give the Pioneer its first flight of the season with the new mass balances on the elevator and ailerons.

The tow was particularly disconcerting....I was uncomfortable with it. Unlike last year when I felt so at home in it, I was struggling with aileron pressures. I had forgotten last years dependency the rudder to solve this problem.

I was a little nervous off tow and gingerly flew the various turns. It still has its turn to the left but after some very strong lift ( I was actually flying just ahead of rain storms), I began to feel comfortable once again. the most noteable thing was the obvious performance advantage over the Grob 102. I landed well and then the rain came.

It is easy to see that the flying wing has definite advantages over the elevator on the tail but at this moment they do fly differently and this can be rather discouraging for ones first flight in a Marske flying wing.

	Mat preparing for the test flight.
	the takeoff roll
	lift off!

Past history of the Pioneer rebuild

RETURN TO: MAT'S FLYINGS WINGS HOMEPAGE

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