
Nigel Heather
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Everything posted by Nigel Heather
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Ordinary yellow tube uhu (not uhu por) or gorilla glue clear (not the brown expanding stuff).
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Tongue in cheek, whenever I see reports of inappropriate drone usage (like over airfields, military bases, private property etc.) I think "simples, they just need to note the Operator ID which will lead them directly to the culprit". In the real world we all know that the vast majority of those that register and label their aircraft are those that do and have always behaved properly. I practically guarantee that when the Police finally identify a drone being inappropriately used there will be no Operator ID on it.
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My apologies, yes I was. I have only ever done the CAA test and to be honest I always assumed that the BMFA one was the same questions but managed by the BMFA on behalf of the CAA. I know different now.
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Mostly agree with you, but a lot of the questions do have a drone flavour. For example some refer to flying when out and about, trips in the country, hiking, mountain-biking. One mentions flying whilst cycling using a 'follow me' function. Other talking about being out with friends and using your drone to take selfies. Other talk about flying over festivals, and taking videos of properties and people. Now I agree that you could do this with a fixed-wing aircraft but very unlikely and would be very much the minority. Nor do the scenarios reflect the sort of environments most of us fly in, in a remote field at a BMFA registered club. Actually, I'd go as far as using follow me on a fixed wing whilst cycling would be extremely dangerous. Having said that, I don't have any issue with the questions, they are generally sensible and the correct answers mostly obvious. And if anyone is really bothered by the questions a quick Google will find the questions and answers before you attempt the test. And remember you can do the test as many times as you want.
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Just seen the answer to my own question - although in the portal it states 'renews in 1 year' if I click on the card then it states valid until 21/2/2026.
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Question about CAA renewal. Just renewed by BMFA and CAA memberships. In the past I have always processed my CAA membership directly with the CAA but this year I added it to my BMFA renewal. My CAA membership renewal was not due for another two months - I think this is because when it was first brought in BMFA members were given an extra two months before they needed to join. Now that I have renewed through the BMFA will renewal date be honoured or will it renew now, and I lose two months. Not bothered either way, just like to know For example, in the BMFA portal before renewal it stated that my CAA membership renews in 2 months, but now that I have renewed, it says renews in one year (rather than 14 months). Cheers, Nigel
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VMC Balsa Basics Spitfire
Nigel Heather replied to Daren Cogdon's topic in Scale and Semi-Scale kits
You could have filed/sanded the wood slightly to open up the hole. -
The BMFA had options - the cost of producing the magazine had skyrocketed - they could have kept it as 'free' and hiked up the subscription to cover it, or they could have made a digital edition available for free and offered the physical magazine as a paid extra. They chose the latter, which, personally, I think was the right thing to do. Memberships are already reducing, a price hike wouldn't help that situation. And people are different, you clearly prefer a paper copy. Others might prefer a digital copy. Then there will be many like me, 5 minute skim through it when it was paper, don't bother looking at the digital version.
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VMC Balsa Basics Spitfire
Nigel Heather replied to Daren Cogdon's topic in Scale and Semi-Scale kits
I'd do an early war Mk IA with dark green / dark earth uppers and black / white / silver unders and a yellow gas detection diamond. -
Volantex Ranger 600 - less power after changing propeller
Nigel Heather replied to dbradx's topic in All Things Model Flying
Yes it is easy to imagine that if you fit a ‘puller’ propeller backwards it will behave like a ‘pusher’ propeller but what you actually get is a less-efficient ‘puller’ propeller. -
Looks interesting but can't find much about it. Anyone know whether it is easy to remove the paper covering or how light it is?
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You got me all excited saying that Elite Models stock Maker Board but unfortunately it seems the same as other UK stocks I have found over the last few years - just the 8mm stuff. As far as I can see the 5mm stuff disappeared from the UK about 5 years ago but 8mm stuff has been really available. The Flite Test models use the 5mm board. They do list 5mm board, as do several other stores but always 'out of stock'
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RCM&E Dec 2018 - Ruckus Review Update
Nigel Heather replied to Mike Freeman's topic in RCM&E Magazine
For anyone interested, I got to the bottom of the problem I was experiencing with my Ruckus - that it would climb strongly whenever throttle was applied. I tried more than doubling the down thrust - this had minimal effect. I tried moving the CoG - this had minimal effect. Added loads of elevator trim - this got it flying okay, but not great, and there was a roll that I couldn’t quite get rid of as it varied depending on the attitude of the plane. Then when replacing the clevises (I’d discovered that the supplied ones are very brittle) I noticed something odd with the elevator hinging. The right hand elevator was fine, hinged on the centreline but the left hand elevator was not. The outer and centre hinges were good but the inner hinge was set considerably below the centreline resulting in a bend in the left hand elevator. I’d not noticed it before because I’d just be checking at the tips which were fine. I contacted Century UK and they were excellent, quickly sending out a replacement tailplane. Fitted that, removed all the elevator trim and it flys great now. -
Question About Differential Ailerons
Nigel Heather replied to Nigel Heather's topic in All Things Model Flying
I’m not, I was just commenting on the statement which suggested that I was the only one out of thousands of customers that has noticed the issue. So I was saying that as the instructions say that the ailerons should move 8mm up and down that others must have noticed that was impossible - without the use, as you say, of a computer transmitter. Just to reiterate, I’m not bothered, it was just something I noticed when replacing the clevises and wanted to understand why it was like that - that’s all, as others say the plane flies okay as it is and I wouldn’t have been any the wiser had I not changed the clevises. -
Question About Differential Ailerons
Nigel Heather replied to Nigel Heather's topic in All Things Model Flying
I'm not really that bothered - I didn't notice it at first, it was only when I decided to replace all the clevises after I had two just snap on me - they are made of a hard plastic, like Airfix kit polystyrene which is very brittle. Both the rudder and elevator clevises snapped while in use - still hanging on but it was lucky that I noticed. It was only when I went to change the aileron clevises for good measure that I noticed that the servo horns were raked forward - and I just wondered why - I assumed that it was for mechanical differential but but the symmetry seemed wrong, more down than up, so I asked on here - that's all. BTW - though if all the mass-produced Ruckuses are the same as mine then it is impossible to set up the aileron throws of '8mm up and down' as specified in the manual. But as you say, at my skill level, I won't be able to tell the difference. The reason I am asking about different horns is primarily for the Gangster to be built over the winter that I would like to set up more accurately. -
Question About Differential Ailerons
Nigel Heather replied to Nigel Heather's topic in All Things Model Flying
Anyone know of any horns that have a larger than normal offset - I've looked at all the online stores that I can think off but haven't be able to find any. My preference would be to get the horns in the proposer place rather than increasing the rake of the servo arms. Of course it may not be possible as the horns on the foamy do seem to have bespoke mounting plate. -
Question About Differential Ailerons
Nigel Heather replied to Nigel Heather's topic in All Things Model Flying
The more I think about it, I think the manufacturer is just trying to offset the horn position to make the aileron movement equal rather than to introduce differential ailerons. One reason is the setup in the manual specifies equal up:down throws for the ailerons. The simplest solution would be to move the horns a little more forward, but I would need new rods for that as they are only barely long enough at the moment for my liking. But I’ve been unable to find any 1.2 threaded rod. The alternative would be to replace it with 2mm. Another possibility is to find different horns or modify the existing ones - but I have never seen any where the clevis holes are well forward of the mounting plate. I have this problem to solve with a kit (a gangster 63 lite) which has sloped top hinged ailerons so the underside front edge of the aileron is miles away from the hinge line. -
Question About Differential Ailerons
Nigel Heather replied to Nigel Heather's topic in All Things Model Flying
Got it - so what you are suggesting is that they haven't pitched the servo arms forward to introduce differential ailerons but to try and get rid of of unintentional differential from having the servo horns too far back? -
Question About Differential Ailerons
Nigel Heather replied to Nigel Heather's topic in All Things Model Flying
Here you go -
Question About Differential Ailerons
Nigel Heather replied to Nigel Heather's topic in All Things Model Flying
Yes that is what I thought- guessing that I must have reverse on. -
I have noticed the aileron servo arms my on my low-wing foamy (Max Thrust Ruckus) are both off centre by the same amount at neutral - the arms are angled forward (towards leading edge) rather than being at right angle. These are pre-installed and set-up in the factory. Because they are angled by exactly the same amount I assumed that it was deliberate to create differential ailerons mechanically, but when I check operation they are the opposite to what I would expect - they move more down than up, I thought it should be the other way round. What are your thoughts?
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Assume you mean the IDs issued by the CAA to be compliant with the Drone Code. To fly aircraft you need an Flyer ID. To get one you need to pass a simple test, which you can take as many times as you like until you pass and it lasts 5 years. If you google, you can usually find the latest questions and answers. To own model aircraft you need an Operator ID. To get one you pay the annual fee, about £12, it lasts one year. Put CAA Drone in a Google search should take you to the right place. So to own and fly a plane you need bother a Flyer ID and an Operator ID. You have to mark your plane with the Operator ID.
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CAA Competency Certificate
Nigel Heather replied to Nigel Heather's topic in All Things Model Flying
I got confirmation of the Operator and Flyer ID but never an explicit confirmation of the competency certificate - I did mine directly with the CAA - I don't think they have the concept of a Competency Certificate. As far as I can tell from the way the CAA do things is telling you that you have a Flyer ID is confirmation that you passed the test.