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Simon P

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Posts posted by Simon P

  1. I will ask the BMFA themselves but are we supposed to receive a new BMFA membership card every year? I recently renewed my membership and got a welcome pack in the post with stickers and magazines but no new membership card and my original membership card shows that, on the face of it, my membership has expired. I’ve just been flashing the email I received after payment as proof of membership for the last couple of months.

  2. Thinking of an impromptu trip to the nats this evening to overnight with a small tent. Never having been before I have to ask are there toilets and showers / water at the campsite? Also what is the policy on cooking - I have a trangia or a portable charcoal BBQ but am aware some places don’t allow certain kinds of cooking systems. I can’t find mention of facilities or policies on the BMFA Nats site and obviously too late to prebook and talk to BMFA office at this point in time.

    Thank you

    Edited By Simon P on 24/08/2019 11:01:07

    Edited By Simon P on 24/08/2019 11:01:39

  3. Recreational aviation, including model aviation, in this country is under heavy attack. An airspace and land grab, the likes of which have not been seen before, is under way.

    Many of you will know of the long established Lasham gliding club. They’re about to be squeezed out of their airspace after losing the fight against Farnborough’s vanity request for controlled airspace. The CAA decision makers blithely state that they are required to accept any proposal that increases safety. Of course, looked at in isolation, controlled airspace seems safer but this ignores the wider picture wherein much other air traffic not under Farnborough control will be displaced, encouraging long detours and, in particular, pinch points with associated collision risks.

    We also have almost all our airfields in private hands despite almost all being established with public funds. Many smaller airfields are being encroached upon or built over by new build housing. This is the sad fate of Old Sarum aerodrome which recently gave notice to all its tenants that the airfield will be closing permanently at the end of October.

    While we may see things from slightly different angles us model flyers and the wider recreational aviation market are under attack from the same forces. In fact the plight of us modellers has featured quite frequently in letters to editors of light aircraft oriented magazines.

    In our case the reasoning behind the whole exercise can be shown to be completely flawed, affecting only the law abiding and making a reasonable approximation of a mugging whilst they’re at it! Structure already exists for modellers to demonstrate competence and knowledge of the law.

    The law is a blunt tool or is that a reference to those who make the law?

    Edited By Simon P on 02/08/2019 01:27:18

  4. Jrman hit the nail on the head when it comes to OS engine availability. It’s an import/export issue as evidenced by the Japanese getting engines such as the os max 11ax and others but very little evidence of them being sold else where. I sometimes feel as though with regard to model engines that Western importers have pulled products from their markets for their own reasons while claiming that the engine was discontinued by the manufacturer - which I have found to be untrue in a number of recent occasions. Enya and SWM for instance (I do wish SWM would butt out of the engine market, recently with the more exotic small diesels and Enyas etc. they seem to buy stock at the same retail rates anyone else does and then add their markup which just pushes prices up and availability down for the intended market), OS as just described, the small Saito 30 too was available for a couple of years after Americans were told they were discontinued.

    As a relatively young modeller who enjoys traditional modelling and engines I have to say it has been rather depressing reading recently. Whenever topics such as the one in this thread are raised I see many, presumably, old hands saying how it doesn’t matter because they have enough engines or whatever to see them through but what about those of us who will still want to fly their engines and traditionally built models long after those modellers have hung up their transmitters? We appear to be lucky to have been granted various exemptions by the CAA recently or many branches of the hobby may have been legislated out of existence - flat field thermal gliding for instance where 400ft is routinely exceeded. Pity the BMFA leadership chose to spend their war chest on a piece of land that benefits very few of us on a daily basis instead of using it for lobbying and recruitment.

  5. Vladimir Models Elf DLG. Tons of performance packed into a small model utilising only 2ch. I have had flights lasting hours. I have thermalled it to a speck from my first throw of the day. No fuel or large batteries required. The only drawback is it isn’t any good in breezier weather.

  6. From the pictures on Lidl's website the table on this bandsaw appears cast but the surface has not been ground smooth and there is no slot for additional attachments such as a mitre fence. On the other hand it is about half the price of similar sized models that have those features.

  7. I would be careful rubbishing the exclusive 35MHz band based on the technology available when it was widely used. We might need it one day, 2.4GHz is a free for all. I wonder if any of the techniques and technologies we have these days on 2.4GHz could be back ported to 35MHz. I know a microchip intended for wireless computer mice is a large part of what gave manufacturers easy access to 2.4GHz and there probably isn’t something like that for 35MHz FM but if a microchip were to exist and have the same ins and outs perhaps it would be possible to transfer new technology to the old 35MHz band.

  8. Perforating the underlying film is the technique advocated in the book 'Tom's Techniques' published alongside other Harry Higley books. I'd say it is a good idea and will go a long way to reducing the chance of trapped bubbles. Careful work ought to take you the rest of the way. Solarfilm and Monokote both tend to be bubble prone in my experience while Oracover is significantly easier in that regard and can be applied over the other two brands if wanted.

  9. No criticism of this sale but it has become a bit of a spectacle. It seems to up by another £100 each time I check on it. It's an Ok Model Pilot brand 3 channel trainer kit currently at I've £500. I would never have thought that it'd fetch that kind of money and if you view the bidding history you'll notice it is not just the usual coming together of two buyers who put large amounts down it is at least 3 or 4 driving it up. I would be quite pleased if I were the seller! Here's the link **LINK**

  10. Maybe I am missing some sarcasm but that is a Top Flite Taurus kit in what he claims is mint condition. It isn't worth £400 but they sell for over £200 in the USA. Add postage and taxes if you were to buy one from there and you are easily pushing £300. Also why is the fella above shouting about £16 postage for what is going to be quite a large and valuable parcel. If you haven't noticed almost all kits on eBay ask for £15 postage or thereabouts because that is what it costs.

    This thread has its place and I too have shared a few silly examples I found but very occasionally I wonder what the deal is with you folks. I don't see why the Taurus seller is getting slammed so hard. His buy it now is mispriced slightly but he also allows bidding starting at just £75.

    No, I am not the seller and no I am not going to bid on it.

     

    Edited By Simon P on 07/12/2017 20:19:14

  11. I am very glad to see one of these being built. You might recognise my name on the outerzone credits. I bought the magazines some time ago and still intend to build one for myself. I was originally inspired by this video of an electric one on Andrew Shering's youtube channel. A few months after I found this video the very same model showed up on eBay for just £60 all electronics included. It was understandably collection only and I decided I'd rather build one myself instead of driving. I have been kicking myself for that decision ever since because I still haven't gotten around to it.

  12. Very nice Ken! Love those vintage curves.

    Here is my latest effort. It is a scratch built Airtronics Q-Tee. Started with a downloaded plan then redraw everything in 3D on the computer including motor, servo and all linkages to perfect the fits and dimensions. Then I used my CNC router to cut myself a kit. For various reasons this has been nearly 3 years in the making but it is finally flying.

    CAD DesignedObligatory Balsa BonesReady to Fly Q-teeCovered Q-Tee

  13. Fellow hobby level CAD user here (CNC router). I also began and have done most of my work in Rhino but have also begun to experiment with fusion 360. It's a steep learning curve all over again but appears slightly more 'engineer' friendly than Rhino. Fusion 360 has elements of parametric modelling so, for example, you can scale things and make design alterations and other parts that are affected by the change will automatically adjust to compensate provided you've provided them with a basic set of rules to follow.

  14. This thread is a bit over the top fellas, from the over egging of JRs pause in hobby related development ('cause that is all it is in fact - read the note on their website) to the personal attacks upon BEB who, I am sure, is capable of defending himself but why the heck should he have to in exchange for expressing his personal opinion sarcastic

    As an XG8 owner reading this thread this morning made me quite upset thinking that they'd halted production but now that I have distilled the facts I am quite alright with the situation. Receivers and transmitters will continue to be made and sold and that's all that really matters. Anyone who doesn't fly JR radio or want one shouldn't give a hoot about this change.

  15. I saw that engine this morning too. I have trawled eBay enough to have seen plenty of insanely overpriced items like that engine. What surprises me most is that every now and then something like that will actually sell.

    I came here to post something from the other side of this particular coin. I'd like to know what is so special about this pair of 1/2a size propellers that two buyers will bid this high so early on? It doesn't look like the usual modus operandi or outcome of two bidders deciding to trump one another with a single huge bid. Similar has happened on another pair of the same propellers. As far as I know these props were still being sold by brodak in the states until very recently.

    Edited By Simon P on 11/08/2016 18:54:51

  16. Erflog, butyrate dope is glow fuel resistant (note, not fuel proof), whereas nitrate is only good against diesel. None of them are particularly good against fuel compared to things like klasskote epoxy but I particularly want to dry a doped finish.

    Thanks for the info regarding the 5 star butyrate, even if it were available maybe I should steer clear. I prefer a product that does what it says on the tin!

  17. I am keen to try my hand at a traditional silk and dope finish so would like a small amount of clear butyrate dope with which to experiment. The trouble is shop4glue / fivestar haven't answered me in weeks and their website says their mail order side is closed until late 2015!? Other sources are aimed at full size aircraft with quantities to match.

    My ideal would be to find a source for SIG dope products in the UK. I have, of course, used the HMG products but as far as I'm aware they're exclusively nitrate based dopes.

    Any pointers would be appreciated,

    Simon

    Edited By Simon P on 04/08/2016 12:06:20

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