Summer is here!!....Who's been flying??

[Erfolg]

My yearly morning walk for a newspaper, contained a high light. A intermittent squeak, caused to think, what is that, it is not wing beat of a pigeon, so frequently heard. Looking in the direction of where the noise was coming from, I spotted a bird, flying maybe 20 foot high. The legs were dangling down with something between them, it was from here that the noise was originating, as it was flying out from the Golf Links. My first thought were, aha, must be a Kestrel, then spotting the rather blunt wings, hmm must be a Sparrowhawk. Then as it clearly came into view, I knew it was an Owl, that flat face, hmm maybe a Barn Owl? As for what was making the racket, I guess a young rabbit, seem to be to big for a Vole. As to where it lives was my next thought, most probably not on the Link, must be somewhere in the housing.

At the patch, I flew my PT 19. Take offs have been an issue, swinging heavily to the Left, with no aileron reaction on take off. This time I held in a bit of rudder as it accelerated across the ground. Quickly feeding in down elevator to initiate a slow climb out. You know what, it looked like any other take off.

I then decided to fly my now trouble some Arcus. Having removed the "Y" lead and inserting another extension lead using channels 1 & 6. Resetting the wing to a 2 aileron, remembering to reverse the throttle channel being a Futaba radio. Setting the sub trims and end points to obtain equal throws and finally the exponential. Everything now should be OK having removed the differential that the previous set up was exhibiting. How wrong i was, I found that my timer settings were gone, far worse I only had high rates, it seems the rate setting do not transfer across either. So that model did not fly. After all the careful checking with carbboard template, could not have been done properly. Perhaps more of a concern, is that checks which I did, obviously were not done at all properly, in that some functions were omitted.

I flew around a bit, talked a lot, gloated over others models, carefully wiping my drool of them to avoid causing offence.

I went home, along the coast, I had not anticipated the crawl, due to holiday makers just going to the beach, crawling along, looking for that elusive parking spot, and those going to the Blackpool airshow further along the coast. That is life.

[Jon Laughton]

The almost continual high wind gusts have meant that I have been grounded for three weeks...the only days that is has been flyable have coincided with other family commitments....

Never known such a prolonged period of gusty weather. Very frustrating

[Bob Cotsford]

It was a lovely day yesterday so I charged for a mixed session - Seagull Sea Fury(ASP120FS), WM SuperChipmunk(ASP/Magnum hybrid FS91) and a box of 3S packs for the Acrowot and Wot4 foamies. I even remembered to charge a backup glowstick.

Don't need the tool/spares box, not with a selection of models, but mustn't forget fuel and transmitter. Off I went, about 5 miles before realising there was too much space in the back of the car - the foamies were still leaning against the wall in the living room. Never mind, I've still got two models.

Got to the field feeling very laid-back, in fact so laid back I felt content to leave the models and sit and chat in the sun.

Finally I dragged out the stand, wings, fuselages and started with the Fury. I was struggling to get the wing bolts to engage the nuts - peeping under the trailing edge it was obvious that the bolts were about 10mm too short - odd as I always screw the bolts into the fuselage for storage. Maybe they got swapped last time I had the model out about 12 months ago? So much for adopting a minimalist approach and leaving the spares at home!

This all left me a bit apprehensiveabout the Chippie. At least it went together ok. Fuelled up with some Contest 10 I'd been given, plug on and a dab of the starter - starts straight up and after a few seconds it's ticking away steady as a rock. Well, something had to go right, didn't it? I'd forgotten what a fantastic model the Worlds Models Super Chipmunk is to fly, and with the wheels tucked away it looks superb flowing through big open aerobatics. It's a 5* recommendation for this one

I just had that one flight but do you know what? It was still a great day out after being out of it for 6 weeks with a cast on my wrist.

[Erfolg]

Bob and Jon

Your stories emphasis that there is a lot more to our hobby than just flying around. The hobby is a life experience, which influences and is influenced our daily life and its routines.

Just flying would be so boring.

[Bob Cotsford]

Yes Erf, it definitely helps being a member of a good club, not neccessarilly in terms of resources but with a good crew to have a bit of a crack with.

[Erfolg]

My travel problems just keep increasing. I will not be going to the field as infrequently. The field is just 10 miles away by Sat nav. Yet on Sunday it took over 1.5 hrs to get there and using an alternative route +2hrs to get home. To make matters worse, United Utilities have now erected traffic lights and coned of half the road, this is the second of the two northerly routes out of here (there are no other routes). As is usual, not a single worker is to be seen, in this case not even machinery or site huts etc.

Non the less, it was a lucky flying day, yet again I was saved from my own incompetence, by my test pilot. My previous flight with my HK Arcus was not at all satisfactory. The pitching up and down had been eradicated by moving the CG further forward than the recommended position. My test pilot who had kindly flown the model, did identify there was still an issue in that the left and right aileron turn was not balanced. This was identified as unequal movement.

At home I quickly identified that as a "Y" lead was being used, the fix would need a 2 channel (1 &6)aileron wing setting. This I did, although the model needed to be essentially dismantled. As stated previously, I have been caught out in the past doing this. At home I had reset the timer, re-introduced rates, so all was well for another attempt, right? Apparently not! I asked my model tester to stand with me in case i got into trouble, although quite confident, that the model would be back to how it used to fly. My Test Pilot suggested that given all the changes, another check should be undertaken. This he did, to announce, well whose a luck boy then. The ailerons were reversed as was the elevator. I changed the sense on these. The Test pilot decided that he would take control of the situation. After take of he announced that the model was now fine, it just needing a smidgens of up elevator. Part way through the flight I took control of the model, which was flying on high rates, which is a bit twitchy for me, wheras low rates provide insufficient control. I landed the model on second attempt, strange how all your confidence can just drain away.The low rates will be increased.

THE BIG MESSAGE FOR ME IS THAT WITH FUTABA (fg8) CHANGING WING TYPE, IS THE SAME AS ENTERING COMPLETE NEW MODEL FOR ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS. That is everything previously set is lost. It has take a number of years for this to be recognised.

I flew my Sterling Fairchild PT19. I thought I had made a good take off, holding in and increasing rudder to the right as the run progressed. Just when I thought I had the measure of the model, at about 10 foot up, it started to swing left, intially full right aileron, just held the model, with the left wing low. I pushed the nose into level flight, perhaps slightly down, the model responded. All the signs are that it is low on power. This model now needs another watts check. Before I decide what to do.

At present I do not seem to be doing that well building or flying.

[Colin Carpenter]

Blimey ! Erf ! If I were you I would phone the Samaritans !!! Or move again !!!😨😈  I got out , had four flights and back home in just over an hour !! Colin

 

Edited By Colin Carpenter on 22/08/2017 15:22:37

[Steve Houghton 1]

Being a glider guider and living in S Wales, there was a good westerly blowing on Saturday, so a trip to fly off Rhossili Downs just had to be done.

Once there I marched up to the top of the slope and at the trig point I moved to the ridge line and measured a wind speed of 55 mph, gusting to 59 mph in the compression zone. So I decided to move down the slope a little where it was only gusting to 50 mph with a steady 46 mph.

The conditions were absolutely awesome and reminded me why I enjoy slope flying so much.

Steve

A470soaring

[ken anderson.]

I had my first of two flights today for two months..... we've had a fairly strong wind nearly every day.....

ken Anderson...ne...1....... wind dept.

[Braddock, VC]

I enjoyed playing with my seagull i-sport 60 powered by a laser 80. I am experiencing difficulty coping with the flaps, at full deflection she balloons hugely and at 50% flap she doesn't slow enough. Given that she's a helluva floater and is marginally nose heavy I decided to trim back on the throttle, when I went to low throttle I'd overdone it and the laser cut. Deadstick 30 foot up over the threshold isn't where you want to be but I got her down safe and unbroken.

More practice needed.

[AndyD]

nice sunny day and no wind so a good day to maiden my pussycat,two dodgy launchs but once up a delight to fly.my fav colour scheme is yellow and black but as most of my planes have this I thought I would go completely different and go black and yellow.also I nearly lost my small bh chippy due to flat battery (only enough to power one ailron) on a friends tester showed zero completely flat,it was charged first thing this morning and the charger charged as norm so battery or charger needs investigating.

[John Privett]

Two days (yesterday and today) of almost perfect flying weather! Warm, sunny, and almost flat-calm. I wonder how long it will be before I can post a similar report...

[John Privett]

Andy - one of the models I was flying this weekend was my Pushycat. I launch mine underarm with the left hand whilst holding the transmitter with the right. Thte only time I have a problem is if I try and launch not directly into wind.

[AndyD]

ialso launch underarm but ithink I'm using to much power and launching it at to high a angle but she does fly nice,on rails as they say.

[cymaz]

Having a great weekend. No work on Monday.....thankfully .

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Great turn out today, weather perfect, not too bad after dark either.

[Erfolg]

No longer do i look to see if the Pennines can be seen, as i walk past the Golf course to get my paper in the morning, as apparently it matters not if they can be seen or not. i do not tend to take any notice of the trees and bushes, are they moving due to the wind, as again it has little to no bearing if it is windy at the flying field. If the Flag is flying on the Golf course, that does give a clue, when horizontal, it is windy, if it just hangs there, there is probably still some breeze. It is my mobile and the weather app, that guides me.

I have learnt what a Link Course is. It is a place where golfers can play even after a monsoon, as they drain freely. The other courses in the area have a clay sub soil, this apparently gives me ear ache, as that is what my wives club is built on, boy do my ears get a bashing.

United Utilities have completed their work on part of my route to the flying field, this has knocked of anything from 15 minutes to 1 hour of the journey whilst they were present.

Ah, flying, well I have re-motored my Sterling Fairchild PT19. The original motor was producing 240 watts initially, dropping to 200 watts after a few minutes. The take ofs were reasonable, thereafter, the model spent most of its time being nursed around, even loops required a bit of a dive. Now the watts start at 450 Watts, dropping to about 400 watts. Now the model looks and feels much, mush, better. Early days though. The UC now needs work. Beech blocks will be inserted, the present construction is just not up to the job.

A few weeks back, i managed to crash my HK Waco SRE on take of twice, the second time damaging the tailplane. On undertaking repairs, i was rather shocked to find that the Balsa has all the qualities of chewing gum. I repaired the cracked members with splints. I now know that this model should only be flown like the full size, gently. This should be OK, as it is so light, I am not convinced that anything even at 10 mph the model will cope well.

To continue my tail of woe, even my PZ Albatross is showing its age. I could not but notice that when looping, it was consistently going of line, requiring aileron to bring it back on to the original track. On landing I discovered why.

The cracked cabane strut, allowed the LE in the right central region to increase the AOA. I have now repaired this. Although there have been other issues where the cellular structure is starting to separate into individual grains. I have carefully (that is what you are supposed to say isn't it) filled the region with cyno. I guess it must be at least 5 years old now. I guess foam, even EPO does not last like wood.

Thankfully my other models are soldiering on for the time being, i just hope that this continues.

[Erfolg]

I was going to say it has felt like a year since United Utilities started their roadworks, on the principal road to the flying field. Well it is pretty much a year 22/8/2017 since they started (see my post of that date), now, thanks be to god, they have almost finished.

The Frackers now sit forloneyndly in their make shift Shack by the roadside.

Ah yes this is all about flying!

I have been getting quite a bit in recently, the weather is so good i now take my old cycle water bottle with me, I have broken two folding chairs, and am now onto the third.

The grass on the field is now really short, grass is normally green isn't it? Ours is a yellow colour like straw. Great for taking of with small models, even better for landing.

Ah, yes, it is about flying.

There is good news and bad,

I will start with the bad, that is normally found to be more amusing, for others, that is. My +10 year old Dornier 335 is nearing the end of its life. Firstly the rear motor broke loose and destroyed the back und, that is the fus, lower fin and part of the elevator. All was well as it zipped along, there was a bang and not that much control. This was repaired with great effort. The next flight the front motor stopped working, again sorted out, the front motor was not that secure either. The third flight, the back motor stopped working mid flight, on the approach, both motors stopped. An examination now shows the body halfs are partly separated. Now awaiting enthusiasm.

The second issue was my TH Clean Sweep, after fixing peeling film on one wing, using Balsaloc. Whist flying the other side peeled back. The only way to keep any control was to fly at pretty much full throttle, and try to land gently in the out field long grass. At this I failed, in that it was not gently. Now repaired awaiting a new prop,. All of the spares pretty much consumed.

The third issue was my Cloud 163. After a long full throttle take of run, the wheel fell of the drop of trolley, a "e" or some call it a "C" clip came of the axle. A hand launch had it tip stall in. A watt measurement at home showing 80w, against the 350w recorded when new. After numerous Lipo checks and so on, the Lipo has died, although all the vital sins were showing life. That is other than the Amps, the volts being where they should be and a Internal resistance load check showing nothing unusual.

The good news our club ran a fantastic fly-in with over 50 modellers present and +100 models. They have just run a 60 year in Existence event again with great success.

All my standard models have to date continued to fly, that is Slingsby T67. PZ Albatross, my Delta, my canard, the Sterling Fairchild PT19. Now my junkers 263 joins the ranks, although this needs to work to cool the motor.

pics just in case you wondered what a Junkers/Me263 and Slingsby T67 looked like.

I guess all is pretty much well with the modern world, what about you?

Edited By Erfolg on 27/06/2018 18:00:28

Edited By Erfolg on 27/06/2018 18:03:55

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Well I've been flying Monday, Tuesday and today! Shattered I am! It was almost too hot to fly today,....almost, but not quite!

But I'm feeling the sun, need a breather tomorrow I think; then knuckle down for the serious flying over the weekend. Its a tough life, but soemone has to do it!

BEB

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[trebor]

You should stop playing football at your age ! As you can tell I can't sleep it's too warm

[Andy G.]

Had a great morning on Sunday at first, tearing up the local airspace with my old and very battered Teksumo and indulging my hooligan side, then onto a small balsa 3D lightweight I recently built. First 2 launches it throws the prop. So... 3rd flight I fit 2 O rings onto the prop saver and launch with less power. It sags to the ground and breaks the prop!!!!! By now I've run out of O rings!  Some days you just can't win!

Edited By Andy G. on 28/06/2018 07:57:53

[Cuban8]

Went over my local field on Tuesday afternoon (just a fifteen minute drive as opposed to my Sunday site that's just under an hour away) and only three of us to enjoy perfect conditions, if a bit hot. I left at 1800, so maybe a few more turned up for the cooler evening session. Only models that go in the car in one piece during for weekday activities, so plenty of flying with my little Seagull Sea Eagle (ASP 61FS) and the HK Vampire which never fails to put a smile on my face.

[Erfolg]

Although I am very reluctant for this weather pattern to come to an end, and I applaud the government for managing the present good weather, the sun at our site is so strong, that rather than standing out in the sun, or sitting in our camping chairs, we have taken to sheltering under the veranda of our club house.

What, the weather is not down to the government and their good management, it must be Jeremy blames them for the rain or anything else. It must be.

There is another down side, at least for me, every Horsefly for a twenty mile radius makes me their favorite human. To the extent, I wear a sleeved shirt, also because of the sun and long trousers.

I have not gone flying today, getting prepared for the England game early evening, preparing todays dinner and also getting tomorrows dinner prepared.

Now I am going to spray my Gee Bees wing, yet again. The cooling mods on the 263.

All so I can go flying tomorrow!

Till tomorrow I bid you Guten Ei, or Bon Oeff

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Yes Erf, I'm similar. I sit in the shade of the tailgate of the car sipping my drink and just venture forth to fly, then back to the shade! Great isn't it!!

Tom, I don't know what weird mode it is that requires the use of your hamstrings to fly a model - and I don't think I want to know!!

BEB