Cherokee Hover-In Tennessee
June 2002

Well here it is again. The second annual Cherokee Hover-In.  We left and got into Tennessee early in the week and stayed with our friends Fred and Judy for a few days.  On the Monday before the event (Memorial Day) we pulled the hover to Jerry's house and helped him a little with the Raptor's lift fan and lift engine.  We were then invited to join him at his dad's house for a family picnic.  Believe me, Jerry's family makes you feel like family when you are invited to join them for anything.  We had a great time!

Later that afternoon we went and dropped Blew in the river near his dad's house.  Jerry and I took her down the river to one of their neighbors places that is right on the river.  Before I went to shore I decided to take Jerry for a little ride around an island.  His first comment was "I wouldn't go in there!"  Well you know what that meant don't you?  I just had to try and see how far I could go.  I made it all the way through the narrow little channel hopefully freaking Jerry out the whole way.  heheheh  I headed back to shore and while doing that we were realizing I was having some engine problems.

I hadn't been reaching full rpm for a couple running hours now and today it really started to be noticeable.  Probably because Jerry was with me.  Well we played with it a little and then I played with it some more at Fred's house.  After we got to the hover-in I was able to check the engine compression and found it was really low in one cylinder.  Well that about shot it for me, no passengers (not enough power) and no way was I risking a long trip or going more than a mile from the launch site.  Well I will still say that we had a good time.

This hover-in was almost dubbed the "Fly-n Die-In".  It seemed a lot of us had troubles of some kind.  I had to get new tires for the trailer along the highway, then the engine problem came up bad.  Harold Carter had a skirt keep pulling loose and kept filling with water.  Bill Wilcox got a little electrical problem that made some smoke under his dash and then got called into work.  Jerry had the lift engine crankshaft break.  Jeff had a rudder and lift engine problem with his 1UH (1 Ugly Hover) fast build project.  There were a few other things too but given all that we all still had a lot of fun.  It was great having everyone there giving advice and a helping hand where they could.  Even though Jerry's planned events didn't go off I think this kind of camaraderie is what hovering is really all about.

I do have to make mention that with all the harassment I gave Jerry about being able to fly the Raptor at this hover-in he did actually fly.  He won't admit it but I think I made him mad enough, often enough that he did finish the Raptor on time.  Even he will admit that it was cut awful close.  I do wish that the lift engine had held up for him, I was looking forward to a real ride, not just a 40 second out, 40 minute in run.  heheh  Overall the Raptor is a great looking craft with loads of potential.  Get those bugs out and get flying Jerry!  Or I'll call you CrowFoot in public!  ;-)

If Jerry keeps having this hover-in every year I think I know where I'll be taking vacation every year!  Thanks Jerry and I don't care what you say, I'll always call you CrowFoot!