Bruce Collinson

25 p Lifewatch on mine but marked as declined. Calling bank.

If not (evidently) familiar with operating IC engines, a tip I found very helpful; if you need to change a plug, use a short length of fuel tubing to start the threads. That way you can’t cross thread it. Spare my blushes and don’t ask how I know. BTC

It’s hereditary. It runs in families.

KC, Thanks. Extending my amateur structural engineering home-spun philosophy, is the difference with a thick wing section that because the spars are further apart, braced by the ribs to the l/e and t/e, they are better in torsion than if they are closer together? If there was a single spar mid depth in the ribs, would there be significantly less torsional stiffness? Loads can be counter intuitive. Early water wheels were over-shot with thick spokes, presumably to accommodate the weight of the water at the top of the wheel. The perfected version was under-shot over a variable sluice and with skinny spokes, like a bike wheel. Someone twigged that all spokes are in tension. They could equally easily be string. BTC

I'm slightly hesitant to intervene here given the seniority of some of the contributors, but something about "a thin skin to resist torsion" just rang a faint bell and started me conjecturing a D-box wing with shear webs and which structural element might be in torsion. Could it be the webs and therefore the spars? Thin balsa would have little compressive strength but would add tensile strength if adequately restrained, i.e. glued down to the l/e, ribs and spars. Maybe it is torsion, restrained over short lengths by being attached to ribs at relatively narrow centres. Maybe its little compressive strength becomes adequate when so restrained too. I suppose hypothetically I could build a rig and twist it to failure but the workshop contains higher priorities. I did spend time one Xmas with several yards of 1/4" square building king post trusses to see whether the king post was in compression (everyone's assumption) or tension, as I suspected. It was inconclusive and I now suspect that the upper part above the diagonal purlin braces is in tension but the part below is compressed. Equally hypothetical. For clarity, this is designed to stimulate debate, not a criticism. BTC

Baby socks from a supermarket make a good cheaper substitute.

I desperately want to approve/like that, but … would I get cancelled?

Mine won't do that.

Well obviously I do that too; it's a BMW after all, but at least I indicate whilst doing so.

As a confirmed Beemer driver, I would just say in mitigation that mine appears to be the only car which ever indicates correctly at the mini roundabout in the next village. Must be OCD.

Agree, there's far too much content focussing on the emotional trauma, mencal elf issues etc and too little metal bashing. Repair Shop is a classic example. BTC

Does sound like longer bands then. I have used double looped bands for all sorts, including restraints on the model stand indoors. Those don't get harangued by nitromethane or ultra-violent light but they seem to last just as long with a joint as without. I stick to SLEC bands, they seem to be consistent (as opposed to unknown cheapies). Thin bit of c/f rod at the point on l/e and t/e where the band would otherwise dig in? Might be possible to inlet it enough to be unobtrusive. Whichever, good luck with it. B

An interesting article Peter, adding variety to the regular F3A piece; always good to be reminded, especially after my New Year maiden flights last Saturday (nothing broke). Always rusty after a lay-off. BTC

And, mechanically, don't bands afford more grip if they are not diagonal? An old hand at my club suggested putting the requisite number of bands on parallel to the fus, then a pair of diagonals last on, to retain the others. It feels right. BTC

Loop to loop, surely?

So is NLMFC’s site. We co-exist and co-operate with LBA quite satisfactorily. Some of my club mates fly off Basildon regularly, as have I, and there has never been an issue with LBA as far as I am aware. With the greatest of respect, you do seem to be unduly pessimistic about this situation.

Or cause the site to become registered in the same way as a club site would be; e.g. round here, Baildon Moor is a popular slope soaring site but not associated with any specific club as far as I am aware. It would be high on the list to register it and thereby exempt it from RID ... good RIDdance? That is my understanding of where BMFA hopes to direct this.

As I understand it, BMFA club fliers and fliers at other non-sensitive sites which are acknowledged by the State.

Not been following this very lengthy thread, but whilst at Buckminster Fri/Sat the message was firm and clear, if enough of us respond to the Consultation along the lines suggested in Andy's last email, it is thought that RID is quite unlikely to be a requirement for most recreational plane fliers. We have until this Weds if I read it correctly. I have asked my club Hon Sec to re-send it, to try to get everyone's attention. BTC

One more point of potential failure plus they take up room in smaller fuselages. Why not standardise connectors across your fleet, e.g. XT 60 for anything upto 4S then XT90 anti-spark for 5S and above? My LMS changed a dozen Deans to XTs for the cost of the plugs and they are much better at soldering than me, although I still had the sockets to do on the ESCs. This might spark off another debate on connectors but I find XTs best for numerous reasons. BTC

Can you "fool" them by using an unregulated charge just to get some charge into them, to get them over the threshold where the LiFe charge programme thinks they are too low to be charged at all? I recall seeing some Yourtube videos using this to resuscitate NiMhs, but I wouldn't take my eyes off them. BTC

To paraphrase Dave Allen, if 10% of collisions are caused by drunk drivers, then why not get the 90% off the road?

Andy, Do let us know the outcome. Bruce

Very useful. Mine (now) has ball links throughout. 165/rear of the tube is a long way from 145 and will certainly get it much closer before ballasting. Funny how often the wing tube is about right for c of g. Thanks for going into your loft! Bruce.

Is it etch primer? BTC