What's been your best model or moment/s in 2013

[David Ashby - Moderator]

With December well underway I tend to come over all reflective and think about the last 12 months - the highs, lows, the thrills and spills and what I'd like to do more of next year.

For me 2013 has been my first proper year on the slopes and very enjoyable that has been. I've dabbled with autogyros and quads for the first time, re-discovered balsa bashing and started to enjoy flying shockies.

Next year I want to dabble with a bigger camera-equipped quad, get up the slope a lot more and try some aero-towing.

All-in-all, the best and certainly most flown model has been E-flite's Splendor.

How about you, what have been your best model flying moments in 2013 and what's in store for next year?

 

 

 

 

Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 05/12/2013 15:23:15

[Gixerbenten]

At the age of 45 I finally started flying. Best thing Ive done

[Nev Haycox]

For me 2013 has been a year of two halves. I got off to a good start flying a Phoenix 2000 powered glider for the first time with key fob camera attached, had some great shots. I also brought a Acro Wot foam-e and had many enjoyable hours flying that. My Seagull Harmon rocket and BH Renegade were also having a good airing and I felt the time was close to maiden my Seagull Zlin.

Then, I had intermittent trouble with my car making it to risky to park in the middle of nowhere, bad weather every time I was off work and had the chance to fly and now I'm under the weather and off work with abdominal pains, so the second half of the year has been a bit of a flop.

With time off work I hope to finish off my Seagull Grob Tutor, depends on how I feel.

Next year I want to maiden my Zlin and Grob tutor, get a lot more flying in and talk the Mrs into buying me a turbine.

[Mart49]

Best moments? Flying my WOT4 e 30+ times without incident and thermalling the Phoenix until it was a dot in the sky. According to the altimeter it was at 1500'+/-. Just remebering that warm day is enough.

[simon burch]

Got to be my jet maiden this summer. Done a lot of things in my 30 years in modelling, but that has to be one of the most memorable.

Regards,

Simon

[Pete B]

Best moment? - thermalling my Phoenix 2000 to 2029ft on a warm afternoon. Worst moment? - realising I hadn't refitted the memory card in the DX8 to prove it.....

Pete

ps - Sorry to steal your thunder, Mart!

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

A better summer for weather has done it for me. Lots more flying than previous years.

That has got my flying confidence back to where it should be.

A good bit of thermaling for the first time ever was very enjoyable.

Finally there was also this and actually being comfortable flying it.

[Rene Wallage]

Hands down, that must've been the first time I competed in a F5J competition, and clocked 636 meters altitude!

 

(we won't mention the crash at the 5th and last launch of that same competition, where I totalled my plane...)

Edited By Rene Wallage on 05/12/2013 16:28:29

Edited By Rene Wallage on 05/12/2013 16:30:05

[chris edwards 3]

lets start with the moments i most like to forget. burning out my beloved fox jet on its first flight, flat spinning my brothers extra into the floor and my AMX edf locking out and going straight into the floor at over 100mph and of course getting a really nice dose of sunburn on my shoulders on time in the summer, boy did that sting when i got home!!!

 

now onto the high points and its hard to say which my favorite moment has been because iv had so many, i mean i have the choice from actually flying my first ever scratch build, entering and exiting a flat spin succsefuly, winning one of our clubs fun flys, getting my mustang back into the air, doing a limbo challenge with my brother (i beat him!!), and spending a summer evening with my dad and brother flying his glider he built when he was 16.

however the moment that sticks out the most for me has to be flying in the snow, despite my broken collar bone at the time (sledding can be supringly dangerous!!!!) it was absolute brilliant fun and me and my brother had some of our best days flying when its snowed because it was so so much fun.

 

now to the future next yeah i hope to get my 2.2m Mick reeves hurricane in the air, break the skis out again if it snows and at some point i would like to have a go with the old depron foam.

Edited By chris edwards 3 on 05/12/2013 16:31:54

[Stephen Grigg]

A difficult year for me as I my right knee replaced in July and my Left Knee replaced in October so In respect of mobility Im looking to 2014.But without doubt acquirung an Acrowot and flying it during the year has been the most exiting and flying a T180 Precedent with a Laser 50 relaxing

[Jon Laughton]

Ive had a great year's flying but the best moment came last week - I maidened a friends new Calamato low wing sports aerobat and found out the hard way that he had reversed the ailerons! And yes I had checked the model over before the flight and made the same mistake...doh! I'm delighted to say that I managed to get my brain around it and landed the model into wind on the runway with no damage but there were a few hairy moments along the way!

Most flown model has been my trusty Sebart Katana 50 powered by an OS 75AX: this model has now clocked over 170 flights and has just and a major overhaul to the airframe and the engine...

I was also absolutely delighted to have the help of a very experienced flyer for the maiden of my YT Spitfire XIVe with an OS 120 four stroke Surpass III - it now has over 30 flights. This model was the pinnacle or my previous aeromodelling ambitions so I now need to set a new long term goal.....would love a turbine but costs and our flying field condition will prevent that...

Jon

PS Chris your model looks absolutely fabulous!

[Jon Laughton]

Oh I forgot - next year there will be four or five maiden flights to get through!

[Per Herholdt]

It's hard to pick just one

but the maiden and the following flights with my new Hangar9 Pawnee is high on the list. It is powered bu an OS 95v, and it has plenty of power and the sweetest suond crucing at just about 3500rpm.

This plane can fly very scale, and on top of that I just feel up to more aerobatics then ever before when flying it. It can make long scale takeoffs, or be in the air after just a few yards, and the landings - uhh with the flaps Down - so smooth

Next year it would be nice to try some glider towing with the Pawnee, and I'm also looking forward to get my new Hangar9 Tiger Moth in the air, and finishing the old Spit that I got swcond hand and cowering the Flair SE5a and .......... to many projects

Regards, Per Herholdt

[Tony Bennett]

passing my "A" test was my best moment.

and meeting BEB at the nats.

but now i have car problems and have not been able to go flying for ages.

still next year should be better, plus i will have quiet a few new models to maiden as well.

Edited By Tony Bennett on 05/12/2013 16:45:25

[Depron Daz]

My highlights this year;

Scratch building my 6ft depron Vulcan and finally being able to fly it, and then it winning a trophy at the southern area BMFA meet held at our club. (Bestest moment!)

Finally flying my 1450mm FMS Mustang for several flights without the ESC burning out after 3 mins as the first one did and plummeting into the ground,

Finishing my scratch built balsa MkIV Blenheim in honour of my granddad,

Building my first real balsa kit, the Avicraft Mini Panic and using a covering iron quite successfully! (although she is awaiting her maiden),

And lastly but more importantly, being in the position to have the health to participate in this great hobby!

[Adrian Smith 1]

Well really my highlight was making the quantum leap from mainly glow engine aircraft to embark on my first 50cc gasser. I put an MVVS 50 in a Slipstream Sbach 342 using a MVVS quiet pipe. It took me a bit of time to set up ignition, engine tuning and extra electrics with a TX driven kill switch on board. All the effort was well worth it and I have had 5-6 flying hours with her, hopefully with more to come. I have now splashed out on an OS GT 33 gasser for an as yet unbuilt kit in the workshop to keep me busy this winter when the weather stops me flying.

[Vecchio Austriaco]

First successful helicopter flight-means a few circles and eights and landing it in one piece. VA

[Richard Harris]

This is an easy one for me and that was getting my Panther published in the pages of RCM&E. It was a huge gamble on Graham and David's behalf, but I am sure they will agree the response was quite unexpected to say the least. I believe the magazine sold out and several production runs of part kits have been sold, I know of about 40 Panthers that have been built and flown around the world and many more still in the building stages.

It may seem a big headed statement but I am very proud of this and thank The Ashers' for giving me a chance to design something to bring autogyros to the masses, this I am sure is the case!

Rich

[GrahamC]

It has got to be passing my 'B' test. Felt quite pleased with myself for that and having worked quite hard for it, found myself thinking; 'what shall I work on next?'

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Posted by Richard Harris on 05/12/2013 17:15:50:

This is an easy one for me and that was getting my Panther published in the pages of RCM&E. It was a huge gamble on Graham and David's behalf, but I am sure they will agree the response was quite unexpected to say the least. I believe the magazine sold out and several production runs of part kits have been sold, I know of about 40 Panthers that have been built and flown around the world and many more still in the building stages.

It may seem a big headed statement but I am very proud of this and thank The Ashers' for giving me a chance to design something to bring autogyros to the masses, this I am sure is the case!

 

Rich

 

 

 

Glad we did Rich, as you say, the response has been incredible and I think there are a good number of Panther builders out there who've yet to say hello.

 

 

Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 05/12/2013 18:31:07

[Lee Smalley]

great moments across the year, the weather, the amount of flying, but despite my brand new capiche 140 being just an amazing model, my model of the year still has to be my boomerang Intro

she is such an amazing model to fly never fails to put a grin on my face and probably the best moment for me was my first flight of her at my new club, and getting so many nice compliments and a round of applause even for my flying, that was really nice and meant quite a lot to me, i was very honored at he compliments (its all the model to be honest!) great weather= great year long may it continue!!

[Frank Skilbeck]

My 1st aerotow in October at Middle Wallop, tow releases being fitted into another 2 gliders ready for next year

[Guest]

Maidening my twice sized Debutante by Vic Smeed. Video shows it on its second day out when there was light winds which showed of RC assisted vintage flying at its best. Hopefully the link will work

**LINK**

[Levanter]

Two in quick succession earlier this summer. Watching an expert fly the two ARTFs I had put together, modified where advice suggested and successfully set up and trimmed. Both flew perfectly first time (at least while I wasn't at the controls) Now busy building as I am seriously hooked.

It's quite clear to me from this thread that us blokes like nothing better than a nice maiden!

[malcolm woodcock 1]

My brother and his wife bought, for my 65th birthday, a profile 'Hummer' and it's been the one consistent model I flown all year. I keep saying I must get on and complete some projects I have on the go but with any chance of flying, throw the 'Hummer' in the car and go flying. There were times over the summer, with early starts and late finishes, I managed to get two sessions in a day, just wish it didn't take so long to recharge all my lipo's.