Summer's finally here, how much flying are you getting in?

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Well done Concorde sounds like you had a great day. Doesn't it feel great when you get everything right

[Turbycat]

Despite the wind and rain I managed to get a couple of hours on Saturday evening. Got out of work early so headed to the field. Was a bit breezey to start with but I stuck it out and was rewarded with the wind almsot dropping to nothing and the sun even came out! Just about finished trimming the Matrix out and had a bit of fun with my Wot4. All in all a good few hours

Andy

[MikeS]

Not flown for a week now with work etc. The wind & rain are keeping my fleet grounded and the weather looks set in for a week or two.

At least its time for repairing and building.

[FunnyFlyer]

Yesterday, the sky was silent dynamite for flat field soaring. Very light breeze, with cu-nims piled up everywhere in the warm sultry conditions.

Had a two hour flight with my Easy Glider from a 20 sec motor run. Not a bad return on power investment!

[David Ashby - Moderator]

That's very respectable FF

We managed a long session yesterday which was a huge surprise given the forecast a few days before. Just a few drops of rain but low wind and warm so, all in all, pretty decent.

[fly boy3]

Wind and rain ceased for a little while, so it was my di- hedral tipped Pipe Lagger time. 9 mins on a 1000 Mah lipo. Long way up, great fun for £25. cheers.  Then down came the rain, what a summer !

Edited By fly boy3 on 11/06/2012 10:57:05

[Tony Bennett]

i got 1/2 hour in with the southerner before the wind picked up yet again.

practiced cross wind take off and landings.

[Concorde Speedbird]

Posted by Chris Bott - Moderator on 10/06/2012 23:15:16:

Well done Concorde sounds like you had a great day. Doesn't it feel great when you get everything right

Feels fantastic! Can't wait to go again

[Codename-John]

Just been up to our site, wind at home is hardly a breath, get up there and jeez and crackers its winter again, managed 8 mins with my wot 4 foam e until i could hardly feel my fingers, used hardly any battery though, didnt need any more than quarter throttle with the wind, floating back up wind then shooting off back down

[Vecchio Austriaco]

What a difference last weekend! Saturday wind with up to 30mph with nice gusts which I like during landing... (have a repair job in the shed....)

Sunday morning practically no wind at all, good chance for a sunburn! Son tried inverted reverse hurricanes with good success and I did my usual timid loops, rolls, stall turns and similar stuff. Two models out - two models back in perfect condition. Late spring / early summer gave us another half day of good flying weather.

How long will we have to wait for the next day with these conditions?

VA

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I'll bet you've realised why the British are obsessed with the weather by now, Gerhard!

[Erfolg]

My return to the UK by aircraft, from Italy, was to a Saturday evening, with dark skies, evidence of extensive rain and oh so cold. Yet although the weather in Gerhards old stomping ground was in the high twenties, blue sky and just a little welcome breeze, I was glad to escape the petty fine (of high cost) atmosphere, that must makes residence very trying.

As I disembarked from the plane my thoughts moved to Sunday, would I want to go out in this?

Come Sunday morning, I reluctantly went to the field, with a model I seldom fly, but flight ready. It is strange how quickly we acclimatise to the UK weather, by mid morning, the temperature seemed pretty good. I had left my lounging chair in the car, thinking I would not be staying very long, another misjudgment.

I decided to have a flight eventually, after luxuriating in the good old UK summer weather. The model climbed away, with little conviction. Another mistake, must have put the Lipo into a storage condition. Non the less a 5 minute flight was made.

I eventually decide to go home thinking, the UK can beat Italy, in many ways, in particular the way authorities seem to want to get their hand into your pocket in Italy, if you blink.

The last time I went on a foreign holiday, the luggage allowance, did allow me to take a model, the Tx, being the bulkiest item in some respects. Now that luggage allowances are so restricted, this is a thing of the past for me. Now flying electric gliders in the USA is really good. Good to be flying in the good old UK though.

[TheFlyingCrust]

After nearly 2 weeks of wind and rain here - and not able to get airborn I eventually had 1/2 hour with "Minnie" today. The wind was a bit iffy but she's a hand launch thermal soarer so managed ok.

The rest of this week looks dire for more flying. Oh well. Off to the building board in the hangar.

Ian

[Erfolg]

Wednesday arrived, although bright, the sky was not clear blue, nor was the big Yellow Disc apparent. Very little wind though.

Yes today was very much a flyable day.

On the drive to field things did seem to deteriorate, a light dusting of moisture appeared on the screen. I pressed on, after my experiences in Italy, the UK is much nicer, weather and all.

At the field, the gate was open, two figures were lounging in their camp chairs. Another two were positioned beside a model the size of the Spruce Goose. The air now just felt damp, no apparent rain. From the road many passing motorists must wonder what these old men are doing, week after week, sitting there, or standing about.

I just took my model into the field, not bothering with my camping chair. Afetr all, rain was scheduled and the air had a certain dampness.

Joining the group, it was apparent, that the two reclining people, were are new members. The remaining two, our clubs keen competition flyers. The big model, was a "Pike", "Something or other". The cost of purchase on par with the deficits of many Southern European countries. I have seen pictures of Pike Superiors, this was something different. I was told what, and promptly forgot. The model went up, like Ickarus. Yet pure height was not the objective. This was all about landing, the model hitting the delegated spot. Seemed really, really good to me. Apparently not! The two immediately went into a deep, protracted discussion, with respect to what happened and how. Now to me the flaps were the size of barn doors, the ailerons reflexed significantly. Switching in and out of the flight and landing mode, had all sorts of things happening, including the elevator doing its thing. More programming was undertake, notes being made into a record book. Another launch, another landing, I am sure I heard something about a Lazar and ridding the beam, but then again I had moved of, was talking to our newbies.

I was asked if I would stand with our new pilots and help if necessary. I did this readily, as our newcomers are quite proficient, after a short time. They also know, I am not much good at instruction, though I will assist to the best of my abilities and accept these caveats. The models being flown are Radian Pros. I have been very much impressed with this model, there being several in the club now. Yet until recently I had no experience of the type. The one being flown, had crashed several times to date and just had a major repair, having crashed a few days earlier, the nose separating, the top of the wing retaining body, having broken out. Now it sat there, little evidence of what had occurred. None the less, I checked the surface sense to the Tx inputs. Then a hand launch. Boy does the model float, on and on. Needed walking boots to retrieve it. Very little was wrong with the trim settings.

I launched the model and took it up, just in case, there was an issue. No the model was true, benevolent in its handling. I passed the Tx to the owner who flew it, doing left and right hand circuits, positioning the model at specific points etc. Climb to height, were undertaken, from time to time. Yes all was well, everything Hunkey doorey. That was until it apparent that the model was in a truly vertical dive. Impact with the ground was seconds away. The Tx was passed or snatched to me. I immediately pulled tentatively up elevator, nothing. Yet more elevator nothing, The wings could now be seen to be rippling like the sea. I now became aware, that the throttle was wide open. I shut this down. Again tentatively, pulled in the elevator, this time there was an effect. The wings still rippled, but now also had a disconcerting bend. I dare not pull in full elevator. Yet almost instantaneously the model was now horizontal, close to the ground. At one point I had considered a bunt, yet this mental debate was dismissed as you must be joking, just stick to slowing the model down.

I guess there was a lot of aero elasticity taking place with the whole airframe. Yet it did not break up, as many conventional balsa ply, models have, under less severe conditions. For a died in the wood, balsa basher, I can only acknowledge the toughness of this type of model.

I had a flight of my own. As I landed I became aware of another person being with us, a fifth. There was a dull awakening of distant memories. Then it clicked, another modeller from the past. He to not having flown in over twenty years. He to, was considering returning. What model should I buy, was the question? My opinion was if you have old models why buy another one. It turned out he still Had a Phoenix 100 and 100 Algebra. I have tried to convince him to strip out the old gear, stick in a Brushless motor, lightweight servos and a Lipo. A bit of rearrangement would be required. The Phoenix being a really good model in its time. Not as light as most modern electric gliders. As for the Algebra, I explained that I had converted my 3m Algebra. I do not fly it, because the wings take some moving about, time is required to assemble it. Above all, once at height, it just stays up, inspite of me. I then got my 2m, +20 year old Sagitta, and demonstrated how with modern electrics, it could if required climb straight up, time after time. The cost, well a £12 inrunner from HK, a £10 Lipo, and 2* £4 GWS approx 9g servos and a £10 ESC, pretty low cost. I do hope we have some one returning to the fold.

Yes, I am pleased for the moment to be back in the good old UK. I just hope we do not go the way of some countries.

[ken anderson.]

greetings fellow earthlings .......we've just returned from a few days away in our caravan and enjoyed some rays(sunshine)....until this morning when we setting off for home when we had a heavy spell of rain...it stopped about an hour ago......but is forecast to start again later......met some other caravanner's who hailed from the other end of the country(down south) they said..wherever that is.....am now getting ready for the footie......

ken anderson ne..1 .... caravan dept...

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Another holiday ken!

We've booked sun for Greenacres so you'll be ok.

[flyeruk]

Went flying this morning,disaster struck. I was flying my Pulse XT40,which i had fitted with a OS46FX yesterday. Flying well for arond 8 minutes,then,dead stick.I was about 150ft coming into wind,turned back downwind then back into wind to try and loose some hight,but just got muddled and in she went.

Another flyer who saw my mistake,said i would have been better staying flying into wind and do gentle turns to bleed of the height.

Damage was fuse snapped in half,wheels ripped out and wing retaining bolts ripped out.I took it home and have already started to assess and rebuild her.This is the same plane that i crashed a while ago and rebuilt.

Anyway,you learn by your mistakes,being self taught,but she will fly again.

Edited By flyeruk on 17/06/2012 23:22:04

[Concorde Speedbird]

Well a mixed day. Took my Funfly, and Dad took our (around) 45inch Stearman.

I took the Funfly off and the first flight had no problems, engine fine, I did rolls, loops and my first inverted circuit! Landing was good as well!

While that was going on, Dad took off the Stearman and a few minutes in, the engine stopped. He landed her fine, but the engine had no compression, he found a broken valve spring, meaning that plane is grounded for the moment sadly.

So I let Dad have a go with the Funfly, but the engine stopped. He landed it, and then I took her off again. After some flying, the engine stopped again and I went for my first dead stick. Dad told me to turn, he meant s-turns but I thought he meant circles, so that is what I did. But it sent me in the wrong direction, too low and she disappeared. We went to get her, and found the poor plane upside down in a ditch. The plane had bounced off the road on the undercarriage, and landed in a ditch. Happily the only damage was slightly bent undercarriage, fixed in seconds, and a small hole in the covering on the wing, an easy fix.

It was a good lesson, and the Funfly will be back in no time. The engines have not been run in a long time, so don't let it put you off.

Still loved it!

CS

Edited By ConcordeSpeedbird on 18/06/2012 22:22:20

[Erfolg]

Todays fying took in Sunday as well.

On Sunday I did not expect to go flying, getting my Sunday paper required a Golf Umbrella to stay dry. I was thinking about my Promised Parkzone Albatross promised later in the day when my daughters would be visited.

Yet, looking ou of the window after breakfast, I could see the Sun was shinning. The car was quicly packed on of the the field. On my way there I was pondering would I find anywhere to park? As this now seemed to be the problem.

But no! there was no one there, just me. I opened the gate, and another car arrived.

This turned out to be a member who has recently suffered bad luck. He had been at home, locking his car, when he stepped back, tripped and consequently fell over. The injuries being very severe,after a long stay n hospital, with further non related traumas, convalescence, he was at last out for the first time, barely able to walk.

After some talking we slowly made our way into the field, where I had a single flight. It being obvious that my friend was in pain, plus no one else was coming.

By coincidence I was talking on monday, to the manager at a local restaurant/pub. He said that he was surprised at the rise of covers he is now making on "Fathers Day", as many seemed to prefer this to other alternatives. Is this where all the club members were? Gorging themselves on food, imbibing copious quantities of drinks?

Today is another day, the same thoughts went through my mind on the way to the field. Yet arriving there, there was just one other car. Perhaps modellers are taking the good weather for granted? It now seems like winter, where often there is just me, if I am lucky another member arrives.

I flew a few models, until our two new members arrived, on their request I assisted them and offered some guidance (for what it is worth).

Later a modeller who lives some distance from us joined us, showed me his Komet which flies. I have taken some details to compare with my non flying Komet. Perhaps more interestingly he had brought an electric F3b (I think), which has been electrified, which is being used to verify the idea as an alternative to winch launching. It certainly goes like stink, floats like a Schmettling etc.

I had the opportunity to try a Radian Pro, yet another really nice model. The Radian that I usually briefly fly, has now been crashed possibly up to a dozen times, seen extensive damage. Been repaired, yet still flies well.

After sweltering in the Sun for some hours we all decided you can have enough of a good thing and went home, all pretty happy.

[Codename-John]

I went for a couple of hours after work yesterday evening, being a Welshman and not interested in football in the slightest.

When I got to the field, nobody else there but the grass looked freshly cut so there had been previous activity by the looks of it, tho for some reason they`ve started cutting just the runways and pits and left the rest to grow jungle style ? It was warm, hardly a breath of wind, managed 3 flights with the wot foam e, 2 with my alfa f-86, and 2 with the edge, im still amazed that I get around half an hour at least from a 12 oz tank with petrol, its just a shame we can only fly until 8 pm and the farmer was busy in the adjacent field, I could have stayed till it got too dark.

[ken anderson.]

we have had two nice days........and down at our club site we had the normal.....day shift.....red hot-slight breeze...and some nice flying........shame about the lads who had to go to Work.....

ken anderson ne..1 ...... day shift dept...

[Alan Pennington]

Out here in France we are having hot weather but due to health problems stuck in the garden or in doors. With luck soon will rejoin club and start flying again, but at this time just a bit of building and cleaning of models trying to keep the dust down on them.

[Turbycat]

I've managed at least 2 hours every day from last Sunday(17th) Just the Wot 4 and the Matrix, as usual. Think my other models will be getting jealous. Good job my fuel got delivered before I came to work this evening!

Andy

[brfc7]

 

we have had two nice days........and down at our club site we had the normal.....evening shift.....red hot-slight breeze...and some nice flying........shame about the lads who had done the day shift.....

 

brfc7 ne..1 ...... evening shift dept...

 

Had a walk down with the dog tonight and it was nice to see 10ish flyers down, most i've seen together for a while and they were all still their when I left at 8.30

baz

Edited By brfc7 on 20/06/2012 22:59:16

[Rob]

In answer to the topic question , next to none . My days off from work seem to all land on days of torrential and high wind.

Yesterday was beautiful (although I was at work) , Calm breeze and gentle sunshine ,today I wake up to rain rattling of the bedroom window. Checking the weather forcast for the next few days it looks to be more of the same and then when(if) it clears I will be back at work. I think I shall retreat to the shed and whittle some balsa in hope of that gorgeous evening calm that we may get later.

This year I am feeling more like a model builder than a flyer. I think I shall spend some time with the plans for the Sandow and get some wood ordered later.

Rob