Looking up at the Mig-27 as it comes for a low flyby.  What a perfect day to be flying :-)

- Flight Summary - 

Date: Thursday, November 14th, 2002
Location:  Flying Gators Model Airplane Club field, Archer, FL
Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm (3 total flights)

Weather Conditions:
Wind:  Variable between S-SW @ 6 knots, calm periods
Skies:  Mostly sunny
Temperature and Dewpoint:  Who knows? but it sure felt good

 The Mig-27 breaks ground and takes off on the first flight of the day.  This was the first attempt using rubber wheels in place of the early foam ones.  Better ground control and less rolling resistance... but still bouncing the landings :-(
Here's another take-off, a little farther down the runway.  The field here at Flying Gator's MAC is shaped like an inverted bowl.  The center of the runway is the high point then it's all downhill from there.  This can present a problem if pilots overshoot the early landing zone and touchdown near the apex.  Many a plane has rolled the length of the hill into the high grass.

Airborne at last :-)  Here the Mig respectfully tips a wing to the amassed onlookers.  If only this plane had retracts...
Here's a shot taken during the low-altitude maximum performance figure-8 sequence.  The Mig has excellent handling characteristics, even at extreme control surface deflections.  The combined sound of the O.S. 61FX and the airframe wind noise makes for some hellacious sounding fly-bys.

Things are beginning to get a little interesting.  I'm starting one of many aerobatic sequences that included continuous loops, cuban-8s, immelmans, hammerheads, 4 second hovers, rolls, and other unnamed stick convulsions.
It's unclear whether this is a shot of an inverted flyby or at the apex of a loop.  Regardless, the Mig flies great, right-side up or not!  Although the wing sports a Clark-Y airfoil and the elevator area seems relatively small, there is plenty of authority to fly inverted box patterns and the like.

A particularly serene moment for the Mig-27 as she gracefully roars by the Moon.  Is this a tribute to the NASA heritage or simply a yearning of astronomical proportions?  Whatever the case may be, it's an amusing shot :-)
The Mig comes in for a low, slow flyby (read aborted landing). 

On approach from the North.  Yes, those are plane-eating trees in the background.  This direction is particularly challenging to land owing to the close trees and runway shape.  Despite it's draggy-looking appearance, the Mig carries speed well at engine idle.  I'm seriously considering wheel brakes to help manage landings.
Breathing slows, heart rate quickens.  By this point, I'm holding my breath entirely and awaiting the moment of truth where the wheels finally touch the ground (hopefully sans bouncing).  The Mig went on to roll almost to the other end of the runway.