What do you take to the field.

[Erfolg]

I recently read a thread, where an electric flier took all manner of items to the field with him.

This has stuck in my mind. It is not something I recognise, for myself, nor for any of the other club members in the club.

Personally, I take my models, then my transmitter box. In the transmitter box, I have a pair of pliers, a screwdriver (for wing bolts), a packet of elastic bands and any spare Lipos's.

Essentially i turn up with model and Tx. All preparation done at home, in the house.

Yet it seems some turn up at other clubs, with car batteries, chargers, a full tool box. Spare lipos in dedicated carrier and so no.

How do others who fly electric fly as our, club (minimalist), is it the standard approach, or is the kitchen sink model the more typical?

[Flanker .]

Naughty me, I fly IC. I take a car batt, small "starting box " - pliers, s drivers etc. TX case with a few bits in it, restraint poles (with foam outers) Plane and that's it.

For electric I'd take TX, plane, tools for plane and batts.

Interesting.

F

[Tony Bennett]

i take.

tx

plane

spare lipo's

screwdriver

pliers.

thats it.

[David Gilder]

Funny how you both state that you would take the car battery....

I tend to take the car !! Then I can power the charger off it directly if I need to recharge any batteries!!

But for me,.. Planes, Lipo's, Screwdriver set, Tx, Charger, Sunglasses (in the hope of the big ball of fire showing itself!) and a drink!!

[Concorde Speedbird]

For electric, I take the transmitter, plane and screwdriver (and I always seem to forget the batteries!)

For IC, a car battery, plane, starter and the flight box with lots of tools and fuel in it.

CS

[Erfolg]

I remember flying IC. Part of what turned me off, was all the junk I took, and the weight of it all.

In my case an electric starter, a Pb Battery, the fuel. In addition for some reason I needed, quite a few tools, rags etc.

I guess that is what attracted me to gliders. Model, Tx, bungee, that being all. Slope soaring even better, a walk, a view, then you just fly. Eventually I guess I found electrics more attractive because I did not need the bungee and got higher. Then I found I could fly faster if I wanted. In short pretty versatile.

I guess like many ex IC modellers, I still have all my engines, I still like them, as pieces of engineering and art.

[Alan Randall]

If I go for a good seesion with several planes, I take my TX, a steel case with lipo bags of batteries, and a small toolkit of screwdrivers, glue, etc. Plus my flask. My mates seem to make more use of my tool kit than I do.

At this time of year where I am often only down the field for a couple of hours, I tend to take take my Parkzone extra which goes in the car ready assembled, a bag of lipos, my Tx. and my Flask.

A kneeling mat and a plastic boot protector stay in the car all the time, as they form part of the wheel changing kit.

[Steven Buckingham]

I'm in the minimalist TX and plane crew, I have spare Lipos in the TX case and carry a multi tool and that is it! I did used to go down with all the peripherals in a big tool trunk, but figured its so much quicker and easier to invest in extra battery packs rather than cart a charger and car battery around.

I actually take more with me when flying indoors, it all still goes in the TX case but the above also includes spare props, spare bands and glue.

[Nev Haycox]

Being all electric I take two or three planes, tool box, lipos, car battery, charger, Tx, a small buffet and the latest copy of the RCM&E just in case I find I'm the only member at the field.

Nev.

P.S. and a black bin bag that I hope I don't have to use ........again

[Masher]

For electric flying, it's minimalist for me. Today it was WOT 4 FoamE fully aembled, Tx and 4 batts but I forgot a very important item - my £2 timer which I usually velcro to the Tx. Being an improver, I find it hard to judge elapsed time and don't want to risk running out of juice so I set 10mins on the timer and feel "safe"

[Stephen Grigg]

Im ok I leave everything I need in my truck all the time,only taking Lipos and Tx in doors for recharging.Of I fly electric I just take my Funcub assembled and a bag with batteries and Tx.If IC I drive into the field unload Toolbox ,fuel starter battery and usualyy 3 models,a chair ,lunch brolly shooting stick ,restrainer.

[MikeS]

Hmmmmm. Well I take a lot with me to the field.

Normally three planes two IC and one electric back up.

Fuel, starter battery, two starter wands, two tx's in boxes, back up flight lipos, lipos for the Pulse XT 25, flight bag with spare bolts, props, tachometer, electric starter, spare spinners & spare plugs, spare fuel pipe & spare engine.

Tools such as screw drivers, plug spanner, adjustable wrench + other things in my spare box I cannot remember that I will not need but!!!!!!!!!.

Mike

[Erfolg]

Ahh I should have confessed to having my lounger in the car to and suntan oil in the flight box. Totally unused, this year ( i removed it a little time back I came to think it was a bad Juju).

It does seem that most if not all electric fliers are minimalist. I did wonder if our club was out of step, with the rest of the world.

We are so minimalists, that when from time to time someone wants to get the club back into bungeeing. The response is, you put your bungee out, just keep out of our way, and let us know when you go up.

The idea of using a winch, now, is greeted with wide eyed amazement, that any body can be bothered, with all that fussing.

Edited By Erfolg on 16/12/2012 13:40:55

[Dave Bran]

I have a large estate car, why should I worry over what I take??

[Martyn K]

Set routine...
I always take :
- Tx (usually 2)
- toolbox (leave in car while flying contains screwdrivers spinners spanners spare nuts and bolts linkages etc)
- Flight box (a very old mothercare baby box with Lipos chargers, instruments, spare props, elastic bands etc

- IC flight box - fuel mototcycle battery, starter, pump power panel, cleaning materials (won't take this if flying electric only)
- Usually 2+ models
- Folding chair

- Ground mat
- Wellies
- Walking boots
- Flask of tea

- Waterproof coat
- 2 pairs thick socks
(Mat, chair, coat boots socks live in the car)

Everything has its place in the back (2003 Astra) of the car

That's about it:
A set routine for loading means I rarely forget anything except I forgot the Tx's this morning but reembered before I got too far.

Martyn

[Erfolg]

I have wondered at the practicality of charging at the field with the advent of Lipos.

The first issue being that most seem to use for field use, at least 3s, which is pretty close to 12v nominal voltage of the car battery.

The other issue seems to be what happens to your car battery. I just remember, in NICad days, when a member had used his battery in the car, we had to give him a push start, having drained his battery.

The other was a club member who found that some things in the car no longer worked, having used the in car cigarette lighter socket to recharge something. It turned out from memory that it was a fuse which had failed.

But I guess why I would never contemplate charging at the field, it seems inconvenient, compared to charging at home and carrying some spare Lipos.

[Stuart C]

I always take a strong poly bag, big enough to put all the crash debris in!

[Frank Skilbeck]

Tx's, Planes (& helis), Lipos, battery checker, some tools and sometimes a flask. I use a camera rucksack and can take a camera and enough lipos for 6-8 flights. With backpack I can take2 Txs and carry 3 models so only one trip to the car.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

It depends on why I'm going! I can be going for a "quick fix" - especially after work in the summer! Then its:

1. A foamie - either the PZ Extra or the PZ Spitfire (depending on how aggresive I feel!)
2. Two or three 3s 2200 Lipos
3. Marker flags for the strip (club requirement)
4. Tx.

Or I can be going for the day on a Saturday/Sunday. Then its:

1. Usually 2 to 3 models - mixture IC and Electric
2. IC Flight box (big affair includes starter, glow stick, plug spanner, spare plugs, fuel etc.
3. General toolbox - small spanners, screwdrivers, hex drivers, pliers, tape, cyno, tacho, battery monitor. Also small labelled tubs with the required screws to assemble whichever models I have with me.
4. Car battery
5. Charger
6. Model restraint
7. Folding table - fixes on the tailgate of the car. Used, along with item 8, to help assemble models - I hate scrabling around on the ground looking for 3M nuts!
8. Model stand
9. Kneeling mat
10. Battery bag with assorted Lipos 3s to 6s
11. Tx in case
12. Folding chair
13. Butties and 2-3 pieces of fruit
14. Flask of coffee
15. Kitchen sink (!)

As you can see - I don't travel light!

BEB

 

 

 

 

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 16/12/2012 19:22:09

[Tim C]

Everthing other than what I need!!, I will have a spare prop, but no hex key to remove the adaptor, a lost collet, but all in the spares box are the wrong size!

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Oh - I forgot, sunglasses and sun-lotion. But I think you'll understand why I forgot those

BEB

[scott finnie]

Oh sorry guys ive went posh here, forget the car battery i take my leisure battery ( very heavy) , duct tape (who knows what will happen) , pliers, 3 lipos, fire extingusher ( it is me ) , spare crevises, spare props, field charger, spare servo, aa batteries, ski mask and balaclava (does wonders on cold days) , transmitter in its case, and two aircraft, normally a motor glider and a sport aircraft , albatross & radian or Precision aerobatics katana & Energic 2.5 hot liner, this balances my day out perfectly, a mixture of slow and fast flying ....... oh and a can of FOSTERS for that moment when it all goes wrong

 

Scott

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 16/12/2012 21:02:28

[Turbycat]

Just about everything I can fit in a mondeo estate. Tx, normally 3 planes, flight box, spare fuel, chair, mat, spares box (used more by mates than me!!!), windsock, wellies (winter), sunglasses, hat or baseball cap depending on the season, field charger and battery.

If I'm just going for a quick fix it'll be 1 plane, tx, flight box, windsock and chair.

Andy

[Bob Cotsford]

Waterproof motorcycle overtrousers (bib'n'brace type), selection of hats for differing conditions, insect repellent, lined boots, gloves - oh and some models!

How did I manage to get a horsefly bite today? Don't the damn things hibernate or migrate or something?

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I got biten by something down at the field last week as well. Very strange - I too didn't think there was anything about this time of year that went it for that sort of thing!

BEB