Well, the Skimmer rebuild saga is now officially over: The S’Timmer (T-tail Skimmer) had a wonderful and uneventful first flight this past Tuesday at the Lafayette Cloud Jockeys field Roll Call Tuesday gathering.
![](https://garrisonaerodrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/STimmer_Pre_Launch-682x1024.jpg)
![](https://garrisonaerodrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Stimmer_First_Flyby-1024x683.jpg)
The down thrust built into the nose was definitely necessary as the bird pitches strongly up under full power.
Running 7×5 folding prop on 3S 800 mAh pack draws right at 10 amps static. It’s enough to make the bird really climb well, but not like a rocket.
Power off performance is light and responsive. I flew most of the first flight at 50% throws and it felt quite acceptable. I did bump the rudder up to 75% a bit at the end but it had to be handled carefully to avoid jerky flying.
Elevator is VERY responsive. I do not need anywhere near as much throw as I have and 50% D/R is just right.
This experiment just proves that Skimmers and even S’Timmers just fly right. They’re fun and responsive, little gliders that zoom.
All in all, a very satisfying project. Thanks for following along with the build.