Radio Control and Flying

[David Davis]

I show-cased the Telemasters at an informal event run by  a local model club last year. At the event were a number of very accomplished (younger) fliers who proceeded to demonstrate their flying skills by hovering or prop-hanging their models just above the ground for extended periods, (smoke optional.) Some were so skillful that they could even touch the ground with their rudders without damage.

 

After I'd seen a dozen or more Capexedkois perform this manoevre over a four-hour period, I became rather bored and asked myself, "What is it about this hobby that interests me?"

 

The answer I came up with was, "Seeing my models fly." I suppose it must all date back to the first free flight models I built when I was a youth when getting a model to fly under power without crashing was a major achievement. It's not that I'm against aerobatic models, I shall be flying my Astro Hog and Hooligan later today and will be looping and rolling them with the best of them and I shall only be leaving the Acrowot behind because there is insufficient space for it in the car, but I'm equally happy just guiding a vintage or scale model around the sky in climbing circuits as I am performing a, for me, perfect Cuban Eight with the Hooligan. Others, I will concede, would find this type of flying boring.

 

At last year's event a pair of young experts had crammed four or five Capexedkois into an old Citroen. The models were all different sizes and powered by everything from an electric motor to a 62 Zenoah. They were all flown with great skill and spent long periods prop hanging just above the ground. These pilots then brought out a Junior 60, a three channel vintage model, powered by a small OS Bluey. They proceded to try to prop-hang that and though they made a better fist of it than I would have done, they didn't really succeed.

 

I felt that the episode illustrated the difference between model flying and radio control and I felt rather sad for these young experts whose enjoyment of the hobby seemed to be centred around making the model defy the laws of gravity.

 

The hobby is big enough to cater for all sorts but if there had been a society for the prevention of cruelty to vintage models, I would have reported these lads like a shot!

[Pete B]

It's very much each to his own, David. Whilst I admire and envy the skill involved in flying them, F3A, Shockies and 3D flying, fixed-wing and heli, just leaves me cold.

 

I would never decry any other category, I just have no interest whatsoever - I'm quite happy with my feeble efforts at scale-like flying of representations of real aircraft.

 

Fortunately, as you say, there's enough room for us all

 

Pete

[Andy Harris]

David,

 

 Another viewpoint would be that you were lucky to see youngsters in the first place.

 

 With all the rules etc we're lucky to get youngsters trained in the first place.

 

 I believe the government should change the CRB rules so that a CRB check covers the person and not per org per person, or, clubs and societies get their CRB's for free.

 

 Lads will always push the limits, they are hardwired to do this.  Someone will put multiple props in a tail plane and call it 5D flying.  Lads are competitive on everything!

 

 I'm envious, I'd like to prop hang to the point of tail/ground contact ...

 

Cheers ... Andy

[BB]

Andy, just one point to add.  If your a member of a club and train children & V/a's and your contact 'amount' falls with gov guidelines you can get a Free CRB.

 

Back on topic - Each to their own most definately.  There are many and varied skill levels and types of flying out there. Which is what makes this hobby so enjoyable.

 

I'd love too see an old Junior 60 prop hanging next to the lastest Carlos Fandango CNC'd machine.

Edited By Basildon Biggles on 21/03/2010 09:32:44

[David Davis]

I know what you mean Andy. I was a demon on the rugby pich when I was their age and I certainly can't fly as well as them. Maybe they'll appreciate the delights of gentle flight once they've matured and mellowed a bit!

 

Your remarks about the CRB checks have also touched a raw nerve. I'm the Child Protection Officer of my local club and after a delay of several weeks my CRB clearence came throgh dated 16th February.

 

I'm a qualified careers adviser and on 22nd February I started a new job which involves helping university graduates to find work, but I am not allowed to interview clients unsupervised until a second CRB clearence comes through. This will take several weeks, a process not helped by my employer's HR department's failure to send me the CRB forms until I had been in post for over three weeks!

 

Happy Landings

 

David

[Chris Channon]

Hi David,

I know exactly what you mean, i get really bored watching electric aeroplanes at the patch just hovering and flipping inside and out then being plonked down as a landing.

BUT, the sport is for all, some of us enjoy the building and then the first trimming flights and then the pleasure of trying to make a scale flight, others enjoy the flying, others just the building, it is a sport for all.

 

I do have to agree with you though, some of these hovering antics are boring after a while.

 

Regards

Chris.

[Andy Harris]

BB -- Thanks worthy of research, club AGM coming up shortly.

 

DD -- I was out today with a 1800W Fliton Inspire 60 and a Parkzone T28, I actually had more enjoyment with the T28 because I find the Inspire on full rates a real concentration load.

 

I've looked through various sites and worked out that a club cannot approach the CRB directly and therefore need to go through an 'umbrella' body.  All of these seem to charge about £45.

 

I found this reference to free CRB checks:

 

http://www.crbchecks.co.uk/employers/

 

Although there is an admin fee £16.50 + £50 to register the organization. So the club would spend at least £66.50.

 

I appears that lots of small clubs and organizations are railing about this, school car pools in particular.

 

Cheers Andy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[David Davis]

I thought that the "organisation" in regard to model flying clubs was the BMFA. I don't think it cost our club anything for me to get my CRB clearence. I will check with the treasurer.