Spring is here!!! Who has been out flying??

[trebor]

Your not related to Robert M Pirsig by any chance ?

[Hogster]

We had a good turn out for our clubs annual warbird day.

[Dave Hopkin]

Sunny spells and quite blustery but a few hardy souls braved the elements this afternoon and despite the quite strong winds no models were harmed in the writing of this post... well apart from someone's nose wheel leg which decided to just snap...

Sorted out the Beaver ESC/Sound Card Issue and took it down, but as its still, in the words of the test pilot "a bit of a cow" we decided against any more test flights this afternoon - though the sound system producing its radial engine start up coughing, whining wheezing, spluttering sounds before settling into a steady roar turned a few heads!

For £25 pretty good value really

Used up all the LiPos I had for the Pioneer getting about 6 mins off a 3600 3S and the inevitable large doses of nattering

[leccyflyer]

Last day of four day break and, between the heavy showers, had great fun on the slope.

The day didn't start well, since I was first on the hill and launched my Norrriesaurus sloper into the blue yonder. As a slope newbie I had picked up on the adage to never let the wind see the bottom of the model, but didn;t execute that in my launch. The Norriesaurs swept up vertically and was whipped back over the hill in a half loop, with insufficient space or airspeed to recover and hit the gorse bushes hard. Five prickly minutes later I'd recovered he model, but the leading edge at the wingtip was burst through by a branch.

The post mortem suggested that the model was flyable with a field repair, so the wingtip was taped up and the model launched again. This time she got away well and I was chucking her about the sky in a decent 20mph blow. However the Norriesaurus was trying to tell me something, as the trim had changed dramatically, far too much for the extra drag of a damaged wingtip. Anyhoo, after a decent flight and a controlled landing I was surprised to find one half of the horizontal stabiliser broken off and the elevator snapped. No drama on the landing to explain that, but then the penny dropped - the tail had been damaged in the crash and I'd been flying with a floppy tail, hence the serious trim change. Now the model needs a much more substantial repair than just a patch on the leading edge.

Luckily I'd taken another couple of models - wanted to maiden my Cambrian Spitfire as a PSS conversion, having seen Derek's Spitfire fly so well. The looked the part on the ground, but sadly couldn;t get any pictures of them together in the air. Mine got away okay from the handlaunch, but I think is probably a touch heavy on the elevator throws an I stalled her, having a lucky escape landing on the front face of the slope.

Given my earlier luck I let discretion be the better part of valour and turned to the Zagi for some aerial photography. That turned out to be great fun and managed to get some decent footage, provided that the viewer has stocked up on air sickness pills. A few "gun camera" shots from the chase Zagi confirms at least a couple of victories.

[Cuban8]

At long last a decent Sunday with a moderate wind and sunny warm weather. Got over the field at 0930 to find all the early birds flying electric gliders in preparation for a club comp. Helped out with timing and had a great time spotting the lift - must get a glider again. All over by 1230 so spent the rest of the day getting half a dozen flights on my H9 P47, another four or five flights on my trusty old Goldberg Chippy, lost count with the little HK Vampire and three flights on my Trex 500 clone. Done 3/4 gallon of fuel but worth every penny.

Packed up at 1900, if it wasn't for hunger and weary legs/aching back, I'd still be there for the night flying!

[Andrew767]

Have we decided that as the weather isn't getting much warmer .we don't need to switch to a "summer is here" type thread?

Andrew

[John Privett]

Saturday was a 'no-fly' day for us, on account of 20 or so very expensive, full-size helis arriving, occupying and departing our flying strip. Not to mention Her Majesty and about 100,000 other folks in the immediate vicinity watching some horses run around. (Apparently a Mr. Detorri won.)

Today was a flying day though, and with very pleasant weather for a change. We were accompanied at the strip by huge flocks of seagulls, attracted by all the debris scattered around and still being collected up after yesterday's events. If nothing else they were very effective in showing the one (powered) glider pilot present where the thermals were, as they circled effortlessly in them. The also proved much more able than any of the model flyers present in realising when a model-seagull mid-air was likely, and ducking out of the way!

Fingers crossed for more decent weather like this in weekends to come.

[cymaz]

Dear wife and I have just spent a lovely at the Ghost Squadron Fly-in at Cheddar, Somerset.

Beautiful day, however there was a sad crash.

This , sadly, never made the end of the day. Apparently, there was a problem with the wing warping. Such a pity after all that work....

More pictures....

[andyh]

Posted by John Privett on 07/06/2015 21:41:04:

... watching some horses run around. (Apparently a Mr. Detorri won.)

pretty impressive for a little fellow - who was the jockey?

[Dave Hopkin]

Interesting day at the field today - nothing out of ordinary from the club but we have occasional guests from Manchester University Institute of Science and Technology - today we had a Post Grad Student doing a project on avionics - He turned up in a flat bed transit style vehicle loaded with interesting and expensive looking cases...

Anyway after setting up a launching catapult, he assembled a fixed wing Pusher craft of about 2m Span - Launching it from the ramp and flying it through a normal TX he then flicked a switch on the TX and transferred control to the auto-pilot which took guidance data from the laptop connected to the telemetry system and proceeded watch it fly very tidy circuits....

The next toys out of the box was a buggy they use to test the auto piloting software (buggys dont crash they just get lost!) he drove the buggy to a central point in the field then left it there, next the drone was commanded from a website through the internet to fly to the buggy and set it as it base location - it needed to "authorisation" switch to be thrown on the TX after that it took off climbed to about 40 feet and hesitated for a few seconds while it established comms with the buggy, then flew straight to it and landed next to it

Later of we were nattering and he demonstrated the type of things the system can do, he called up a web site and told me to choose an option from the list - things like "take a snapshot", "Crop Survey", "Transport to", "Transport to" etc --- on the web page was a map of the field so I selected "take a snapshot", and set the cursor on an area of the field, clicked and confirmed the tasking - the Drone TX started bleeping and he authorised the flight the drone took off, flew to where I had clicked, hovered then flew back to the buggy - and uploaded the photo onto the web!!!

Impressive technology indeed........

Edited By Dave Hopkin on 10/06/2015 15:07:31

[ken anderson.]

two days running we have at last something that resembled summer weather ..in ne...1 land......long may it last..

ken Anderson...ne...1.... weather dept.

[Erfolg]

I went out yesterday, wish i had not

Being a boring type, I as usual, flew my Delta, which on launch sank to the ground before I could get any up in. No damage, so launched again, and flew out to the timer.

I then flew my HZ Stinson Reliant, because although I have purchased a few new batteries for my HZ Albatross, I have not changed the plug. So I flew the rather boring Reliant. Although the landing was less than good in a cross wind, my fault, I should have used some rudder, on reflection. I was just fascinated by it crabbing, until touch down, needed to put in rudder at least just at touch down. With hind sight, I know what to do.

Then it was time to either fly my trainer or my HK Accuros. I decided on the trainer this one.

All went well, that is initially, that is until I decided to turn after a few minutes in the air. When it spiralled in.

A few weeks ago, you could walk down to the river easily, not now. Feeling like Livingston, I fought my way through increasingly high grasses as I approached the river, Nettles and other plants that reached head high, until the ground fell away to a flood bank. The slope was to steep and definitely treacherous, to try to descend. By now I was stung to death, through my trousers and shirt. Plus I knew in my mind that it was either in the river or on the other side.

So I went for an uneventful 5-6 miles drive, which culminated in going down single track lanes and eventually a dirt track.

Now I was left with probably 1/2 mile trek through horse filled fields towards the river. Fortnuantly horses are not like cows, which are so nosey that they will trample you in their panic when one decides you, just might, be a threat. Then much to surprise there it was sat in a field, looking in one piece.

A climb through a electric and barbed wire fence, had me by the model. A quick examination revealed that I have lost a hatch, broke a propeller, and the body seemed a bit spongy. Then i became aware that I was not alone. Turning round, I was eye to nostril with a horse, plus two of his mates. Rather bravely I said go away, he did nothing, other than move his head nearer. Almost in panic, I took of my hat, waived it, that did the trick he stepped back. Then he snorted, plus his mates joined in. The initiative was now definitely with the horses, a few more waives of the hat, a few more steps backwards by me. All thoughts of the hatch now gone, as the four of us undertook our undignified dance, back to the fence. Thankfully, the horses lost interest, I guess I had no apples, or anything else they thought was worth their efforts,

Back at home, as is usual I found that their is damage, I have started the repair. There are a few pics, just to show the novice ARTF modellers, that you can rebuild, with not to much effort. Again I am not a craftsman, rather rough and ready.

The first job at the crash sight was to pick up all the bits I could find. Although the hatch is missing

As can be seen I have pushed them all as far as possible into the same places where they came from, and then super glued them in place.

I have then marked out the damaged area

I have made a side piece, with fingers, similar to how used to make up big sheets when making open class gliders.

I then pinned the template onto the side, cut around it. If the sheet had been thinner I would have pinned a marked out sheet over the spot, then cut through both sheets to get a better fit.

I have just got to do the other side, top and bottom, then return to do the bottom of the inserted sheets to do the lower parts.

In the meantime all work has stopped on the FW 190D which I was painting. I cannot do the plug for the Albatros, nor solder the new BEC on the Me 110.

So I will just be flying my less favoured models.

It was a bad day at the field.

Ah, yes, one last thing, the sudden spiral in. I think I probably stalled the model at high speed. Although not terribly high, all the trees around our site, the model quickly went out of sight, in conjunction with my rather inadequate in this case efforts to recover, lead to disaster.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Nice repair Erf

Soon be Summer and the longest day ....then it's all downhill again n Winters on it's way

Just thought i'd try cheer you up

John...aka misery guts

[Erfolg]

Hi John

As you will know, I am a long way in time from getting the fuz back in one piece.

To some extent it is incidents such as these that actually do make aeromodelling fun, it is the video game that has us on tenterhooks, but for real. Just one error of judgement away from the game being ended.

There was a poll recently run by David as to how you react when to crash/damage your model. I can truly say that I just see the event as not important, that there are far events which really do matter.

I am however wondering can you buy "Agent Orange" on EBay. Being an allergic type, nettle stings have some effect on me. I then think the "Environment Agency" who I understand own or are responsible for the banks, in all seriousness should do something about all the Knot Weed present.

Any way hope to be out again shortly.

[Erfolg]

I have grown accustomed to being initially a Billy no mates, there was no need to rush to the field, as no one would be there until about 14:00hrs. I am still repairing my trainer, well actually that is cleaning up the pile of balsa and film that seems to breed all by itself, if only it was money. The better half is at my daughters/son-in-law child minding.

The sun is really hot around here, so I loaded the car with my predictablse, first my delta, then Pushycat and finally my 2m Sagitta. Grabbed a sandwich, I make the most awful sandwiches, tasteless and dry as a bone. They must be healthy I thought as I eat, just the one, no need for a second.

Drove to the field, with the air conditioning going initially at full blast. I was thinking when i finally get around to purchasing a replacement, I must also make sure it has air conditioning, and it must take care of itself, and yes those reversing bleepers are a must have and automatic dipping mirror. AS I drifted along I thought the country side really does look good at this time of the year. Although I was rather disconcerted to see all the cows in one of our flying fields lying down, that normally means something.

At our new field, there were already two cars, what is going on, I thought?

Now the weather is good when I take my folding chair, model and my professional aluminium Tx case with me. I have noted how much better my flying is now with my blingy case.

Was I surprised to see that one of the fliers was some one I had not seen in possibly 10 or more years. A one time BARCS league competitor in Open and 100s. Talking with him I found that he still was a competitor. Not only that he had two electric winches out. Four large Open Class models were on the ground, two each. Even our F3b/J flyer does not bother these days.

Our club now has two new members, almost as myself, still not quite as our oldest member Methuselah I believe the name is.

I strolled towards the centre of the field, picked my spot, with all the other chairs. Said my hellos and proceeded to take in the Sun. although these days I do this with my shirt sleeves rolled down, my cap on, and factor +30 whale oil plastered on. Then finally got around saying hello to the other usurpers to being first. They had. that is, all four of them, been there since 11:00hrs.

A little later our F3b flyer tuned up, with a magnificent Pike Superior. I can only marvel at the quality of the build. This one is powered by an in runner with gear box.

I watched in awe as these glders, just make a nonsense of the performance of my 2m Sagitta. In a height which I am thinking, hmm, its a down wind landing and a long walk. These big machines, just keep on going, to where I am thinking. Then enter a turn, dodgey I am thinking, bound to catch a wing I think. Then I am thinking, how can they still be so high? Finally, when I think they will overshoot, the crow brakes are actuated and they land essentially at there feet. Now dare I ask my wife for a few thousand pounds? I quickly decide no!

Those of us sitting down discuss the latest news about the NFC. I am thinking, can I get to the meeting, not only is it a long hard drive from this neck of the woods, family issues could mean I will not even get to Greenacres, ever mind Nottingham.

I finally get around to flying my delta. How I do like the sun, although it makes me even lazyer than usual.

Then in the distance, the farm gate opens, one of those giant tractors with equally large what appears to be a small building stands in the lane. The farmer strolls over, explains, there is no need to go, he is just spreading fertiliser pellets. Now for some reason, lots of cars have parked up behind and in front of the ensemble.

I decide to go non the less, just in case my wife is coming home, must get dinner on I think> I casually mention to our farmer friend that I must go, and complain about tractors slowing me down, he laughs. Walks back to the tractor and I go home, to read the BMFA missive.

[cymaz]

Another excellent set of scribblings, Erfolg. Involving and entertaining as usual

[Pete B]

Summer thread has started over here - I'll lock this one off now

Pete