ChrisB

I'm doing some research into getting a portaloo for our club. Renting one is an expensive game long-term, so I've thought about buying one. The problem is that buying something worth having is proving a challenge. Does anyone know of anywhere, ideally in the midlands, that sells decent quality used chemical toilets? Are any clubs looking to sell theirs that we could buy? I'm sure i'll get to the bottom of it in the end! CB

Ours is a rear discharge hence the lines. I knew it would leave lines when we bought it and having coped up til now. I had wondered about fashioning something like a rake or push cylinder mower to tow behind somehow. Alternatively i’ll try a sweeper without the net

Thanks Stu. As you say, its alway a challenge with rotary mowers. I cut it yesterday, after only 5 days since the last time and the grass was 2 or 3 inches think in tramlines. My hope was that the brushes would disperse the grass somewhat!

Clamp and a £300 release fee!

I do the mowing at the club and currently have to go over the cut grass with the deck raised to help scatter the grass and remove the tramlines, this adds time and uses more fuel. Has anyone used a tow behind leaf/lawn sweeper and are they any good? I dont intend to collect the grass, just to scatter. CB

Many years ago, a clubmate took off with his extra 300 and after doing some mild aerobatics he shouted that he'd lost it. The model started climbing in knife edge, the YS110 roaring away, fish-tailing as it went. It go to about 1000ft at which point the canopy came off and the plane started to descend and disappeared. About an hour later we found the model 3/4 of a mile away. Safe to say everything was destroyed including the engine. It turns out the receiver battery broke loose of its mount and disconnected itself from the receiver, leaving the engine YS 110 glow engine to carry on. Of course, in this instance the failsafe couldn't activate, as there was no power. The moral of the story is to secure your battery and use a lead lock.

Posted by Old Geezer on 05/04/2018 00:15:03: I guess, assuming the plane was set up with fail-safe, the correct decision would be to switch off the Tx. That would be 'Best Practice' - the outcome might have been exactly the same - but It's less likely blame could be attributed to someone whose actions in the circumstances were 'Best Practice'. I’d never advocate the above. I’d always keep trying to fly the plane all the way down to the ground.

Nothing wrong with 35meg. Works perfectly well provided frequency control is observed. I fly a combination of spektrum Dx9 and JR9x 35

I don't wish to alarmist and I have a P47 with HK bomb releases. BUT is it wise to have a thread discussing this theme, given the likely sensitivities by certain 'authorities' or clandestine activities. More perception than reality of course.

as long at it’s done safely and in a controlled environment it’s fine. If it’s done in a silly manner and with added extras like water or flour or blanks etc then it becomes an issue.

Dry means without a battery. The best option is to join your local club as it will be one of their members who will be teaching you and it’s highly likely that they will use something called a buddy lead which connects two transmitters together and allows the instructor two give you control via a deadmans switch, thus he can take control more easily. However, you can only use the same make transmitter so they’ll talk to one another. Therefore the make you get will usually be determined by your instructor, unless you want to buy two transmitters and a lead that is. If you visit bmfa.org you’ll be able to find your nearest club.

Next time I go flying I’ll be sure not to drink the fuel and instead I’ll use it in the engine.

DB Sport and Scale kits

Thanks. We are looking at getting some training but I wondered if Defibs were becoming more common at flying sites? Edited By ChrisB on 15/03/2018 13:00:18

Acrowot, either kit or ARTF

Any news on when the online site will be open? It’s been several weeks now.

Also be aware of your cars jack points and style of jack points. Many modern cars use seam/sill points and not pads. This can result in crushing as the weight of the car is taken on a narrow surface area. The grease monkeys often don’t care and just merrily jack away then deny all knowledge afterwards. Some hockey pucks with cut outs or blocks of wood will help.

At a recent club meeting we discussed the topic of first aid including first aid kits etc. One member asked if we should/could/would look at getting a defibrillator. It’s something we have been asked about before but with the cost of around £1000 it’s a massive outlay for a small club. My question is, do other clubs have them or access to them and if so were they grant funded, if so how, or were they purchased? Thanks CB

I still use 35 along with 2.4. Never have any issues at all. No reason not to use it.

Like OMG lol

My club hold two or three sessions each year when the local ATC about four individuals and a local school, again, about four individuals come along and have trial flights. The ATC visit twice and the school once. Most of the youngsters, aged between 12 and 17 enjoy it but tend to get bored after a couple of hours and a couple of flights each. Its generally a different group each year, although some do revisit. There are usually one or two shining lights amongst them, who could easily be capable of progressing to solo flight very quickly and they show enthusiasm and ask lots of questions. The main problem is access, cost and the willingness of their relatives to engage. If they are under 17, then they won't have a car, there is a cost to flying, even if its a basic set-up, or second hand and with the best will in the world, if they don't have any support at home from a relative who can assist them, be it getting to the field or storage of models, its a challenge for them. Its difficult for club members to get too involved for a variety of reasons, be it cost, time, fear of interfering or if under 18, child protection etc etc. Although our hobby is superb its not as accessible as, say, football or other activities that can be played in a back garden or local open/green space within a 10/15 minute walk from home. Flying requires a lot more than that, even if its indoor. All we can do is encourage, particularly youngsters and their relatives!

I think the golden thread of this discussion is that of basic English language being eroded, often by American Television and self important ‘executives’ trying to reinvent the wheel.

  Particularly in schools it often comes down to politics. A clubmate of mine works as the head of design tech at a secondary school. He was going to enter the school in the schools BMFA Lift challenge but was overruled by his boss as a well known ‘premium’ car and 4x4 manufacturer is running a programme for schools and that was the preference, especially as the company is local and would rather that than rubber powered toy planes. I say rubber powered toy planes, as the perception of model aircraft is men over 60 wearing straw hats and smoking a pipe, standing in a field throwing chuck gliders. Over the years I’ve tried to get work colleagues interested by showing them videos and pictures of mine and other people’s aircraft and I’m met with pretty much a brick wall. The only vague interest comes when I mention the D word and even then 1 in 10 look mildly interested. There is so much choice these days, people can do lots of activities far more than they ever could. Equally many people don’t have hobbies of any kind at all. They wake up, see to the kids, go to work, go home see to the kids, do some work late at night and then go to bed and do it all again the next day. Weekends consist of looking after children going to see family playing in the park and doing work emails before Monday starts again. That is the ’life’ many people I work with. My boss says his hobby is running, not in a club, just by himself. It helps to clear his head and think about work matters. Unfortunately many people think that their job is their life and everything else should fit around it, these are the people who end up retiring and then die sad, and lonely as their job was their life. There is no easy answer. Edited By ChrisB on 28/02/2018 12:18:28

So, as we move forward towards transformational change we need to look to new horizons as we get off of the day to day routine of silo working and ensure we are very clear that at this moment in time we touch base offline and reach out to get some quick wins by close of play to ensure that actions are met and we can each bring to the table some game changing low hanging fruit. Any new ideas ping them to me, as i'll be hot-desking in the break out zone with my helicopter view hat on. Edited By ChrisB on 26/02/2018 19:12:17

One thing that niggles me is when people say 'off of'. You don't say "i'm going to get off of the bus", you say "i'm going to get off the bus" Or "That chap off of the telly"........NO!! what is it with people, particularly on prime time TV and radio? And, people starting a sentence with So.