Spring has sprung , who's been flying?

[Erfolg]

I am not sure that I approve of bank Holidays, now that I have retired. Firstly, who is working to pay my pension. I worked for 40 years to pay for others.

Then there is the issue of feckless teenagers in our flying field car park, three cars abreast, another set back, with a young woman making up her face. She must have needed a lot of work, as she seemed to be in there for about an hour, looking in the mirror.

I spot the one club flyers vehicle. Where are the others, as the Emails flying about, asking who was going to the field indicated a full turnout. Just the one though.

On the field, there is a group of some 15-20 people having a picnic on the edge. How did they get here I thought, surely not walked, as this is at least 1-2 miles down the lane.

But where is the club mate? I stroll up to the flight line, considering all the problems of picnickers and youths. I then spot a figure some distance away, on the edge of the trees, who then disappears. I wander over, to find him, some way into the copse. This is my instructor and tester, I assume that he is planning the next package of work, to manage this part of the woodland. Only to find that his model is stuck in a tree.

It is about 80 feet up, how to get it out. The club has members well versed in these dilemmas, having retrieved more models than i have had hot dinners. The plan focuses on getting a rope over the branch along which the model is trapped. After 2 hours of struggle with ropes, a large roach pole of about 20 foot length, two other modellers joining us, the model finally hung almost free. As luck would have it, it was now hung up by the Lipo lead, the lipo having come out. Finally it was out, just loosing its ailerons.

I did have a fly, once the picnickers had gone and the teenagers found somewhere better to entertain themselves.

My final parting discussion was with a group of 6 horse riders who wanted to ride on our field.

Bank Holidays, bah humbug.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Odd, isn't it. I spent the years between 5 and 58 looking forward to each and every Bank Holiday (and for many years, Maundy Thursdays and the Queen's Birthday due to my employer's heritage with the Civil Service) - but for the last couple of years, I've found myself resenting the intrusion of hordes of people who should have better things to do - clogging the roads, panic buying in Asda due to the odd and closure or day of shorter hours, not to speak of those who seem to think that flying and building aren't appropriate activities on these days (actually, this aspect hasn't changed since the onset of matrimony)!

[Geoff S]

Posted by Erfolg on 27/03/2016 11:38:43:

I am not sure that I approve of bank Holidays, now that I have retired. Firstly, who is working to pay my pension. I worked for 40 years to pay for others.

I used to enjoy them, particularly Easter when I always rode the Land's End Trial run by the MCC (the Motor Cycling Club is the oldest motor sporting club in the world). So I enjoyed a few hundred miles on my motor bike over Good Friday night from Kenilworth to Newquay climbing a few 'sporty' hills on the way. These days, in retirement and more interested in toy aeroplanes than motor cycles not quite so much.

Still Friday was quite good but there were surprisingly few people up at the field. One of them was our ace Polish F3a pilot whose new own design and built model featured in the BMFA this month. It's a beautiful model with contra rotating props driven by 2 motors with concentric shafts. He says it eliminates torque reaction and the fuselage design makes knife edge performance spectacular. He executed a perfect huge knife edge loop as a demonstration.

Geoff

[cymaz]

Not forgetting the hoards of people working the bank holidays.

I was about ready to throw the lorry radio out of the window as Chris " I speak sooo fast on the radio I slur my words" Evans kept banging on and on about the long Easter break.....lucky, lucky him.

[Terry Walters]

Lovely Spring day yesterday which brought out about 12 members to fly in the afternoon. Trusty Wot4 XL drew a lot of attention and positive commnets from those who hadn't seen it before but I actually got talking to one french guy who did know all about Wotties and Chris Foss.

Three flights in a beautiful blue sky and a good old chat with my fellow club members. Got home and found I was sunburnt!!

LOL!

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

The first day of Spring 2016. at the airfield Piket -Croatia.
Sweeping flight from very rare CA65 by Cpt Pierre Matas.
The man without a head within 0:10th seconds..... it's me

**LINK**

Edited By Josip Vrandecic -Mes on 27/03/2016 19:14:31

Edited By Josip Vrandecic -Mes on 27/03/2016 19:16:52

[Steve Colman]

How's your head now Josip, back on your shoulders again as it should be?

Today we had the same beautiful sunshine but accompanied by what seemed like gale force winds, so no flying today. I think I'm going to get myself one of those off road rc car thingies for days like today.

Steve.

Edited By Steve Colman on 27/03/2016 21:05:57

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Thanks for asking Steve, my head is returned to the designated place, but the weather, after a fine first day of Spring is bad,so I'm at home and I play with my grandson.

Have a fun

Joe

[Erfolg]

On my way to my new house i considered the difference in distance between the present club and potentially my new club, if they will have me, a difference of 2.5 miles and 7 miles. Getting on to a factor of 2 or 3.

On my way to the flying field today, this relative difference was drifting through my mind. What impact would this have on the number of times i fly. My mind then drifted to BEB and mixing business with pleasure, that is drone flying for the uni and club flying. Hmm, I thought, I like engineering as a hobby, for myself, although professional activities in engineering were a tough, hard experience. Where goals/standards, money and time had to be made to align, when they did, there were some who could still find a negative,

Enough of this I thought, my mind now focussed on the differences between Glider Guiders and Power Sports Flyers.

Since putting my gliders to one side, I have not seen anything like the number of high end Txs, almost weekly yet another, bells and whistle Tx, Then there are the models, expensive moulded Carbon fibre, sometimes even a carbon and Kevlar model, all immaculate, with quality expensive power trains. Never mind all the fancy mixes for powering out, and wing camber settings, nearly always with a minimum of crow braking.

Then I thought how different power flying is, a real mix of models. Some expensive, some fast, most pretty.

Yet non of the +100mph speed runs, wing straining turns, and stretching a flight, with a centimetre perfect precision landing. Yes, very different demands and rewards.

Ah, I am at the field, now.

Now down to 2 models, I decide to fly my Delta. Oh, dear very bouncy air. After some time I decide to launch, as i have initiated the timer, then reset it. Not a clue as to how long i have been flying. Plus the model has suddenly gone on its side, then righted itself. My first approach, is to high. The second has the model drifting towards the edge of the trees. Then it wobbles, goes on edge again, suddenly is swept into the trees. Before i can collect my thoughts, it has hit one tree, then plummeted down.

I now have one model, the Albatross, not suited to very windy weather.

On my way home i think, perhaps this is time to buy a new ARTF model. Although I have not got even the most basic tools to set one up.

Edited By Erfolg on 30/03/2016 22:33:34

Edited By Erfolg on 30/03/2016 22:35:00

[Erfolg]

Perhaps we need a thread, titled, modellers crashed and damaged models.

The following picture may provide further evidence that Depron, that dirt cheap (from some places) modelling material. The material is 1/4", glass clothed, using Wickes (I think) Water Based Varnish (WBV).

As can be seen it has not disintegrated from the (oh, so noisy) crash into a tree, then a 40-50 feet vertical plummet into the ground.

Unfortunately the model will not fly now for some time, as i have nowt ta repair it wiht (getting into that Lancashire accent).

[Geoff S]

It was a super day on Thursday up at Ashbourne and I managed 5 more flights with my recently completed (almost - a few more details to add) DB Tiger Moth. A club mate was at hand with his super camera and he took a few flying shots for me. So credit goes to Dave Probert, photographer extraordinary for these.

And finally a retro shot on the ground. If it weren't for our resident wind turbine it could be 1935

Geoff

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Geoff S]

Yes, that right rudder trim is a bit of a pain. To get a decent loop I have to put in even more, not sure why. I didn't build the wings although I had to separate the top wing to get the sweep back and dihedral corrected and I think that's OK. So I guess it's the bottom wing but it flies hand off straight and level it's just loops and verticals before a stall turn that are wrong. Rolls are a bit iffy, too - I only do 'em two mistakes high.

I think the main problem with Moth wings is that there's no L/E sheeting and that makes them prone to warps, particularly when covered with 'tex. I did strip and recover both wings so it could be my fault

Love flying it even though I'm still getting used to it. Needs a fair bit of rudder in the turns even with lots of aileron differential to minimise adverse yaw.

Geoff

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Geoff S]

Yes, that's it, Percy.

Anyway, I got the rigger (he's also the pilot ) out this afternoon to set up the controls mechanically and zero all the trims. I'll see how that works out. It could be the elevator halves aren't exactly aligned. Those closed loops look good but they all come from the same servo so need to be set up identically. So now I've reset to zero I'll retrim as necessary next flight.

I'll try a bit of right thrust after I see how my rigging adjustments affect the handling. IIRC the drawing doesn't show any down or right thrust for an ic engine.

Geoff

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Lovely day today and nights are drawing out as well, scrounged a go on a couple of glow models as well

John

[Bravo Delta]

First time fixed wing flying for months , indeed , the first this year , nice to get the thumbs working again

Kept an eye on the weather , rained last night and the wind was forecast to be higher than is comfy , but wind didn't pick up until flight 3 and the ground wasn't too soggy , so the 2016 season begins at last !

[Bravo Delta]

Wow no flying for months and two days in a row !

Forecast rain in morning incorrect so had an hour to spare to get the Axiom Delta out which certainly blew any remaining cobwebs away . Followed by a test of the Alien frame mutirotor

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Blossom is out in full force here in tropical Yorkshire

Looking at the sky it's Monsoon season again

John

[John Privett]

I got my timing all wrong at the weekend and encountered the changeable British weather on both days!

On Saturday I arrived just as most people were leaving, as it was drizzling. Another flyer turned up though and the drizzle stopped long enough for him to have a flight, and then just as I was about to fly the rain returned...

Sunday was similar, except that the rain didn't arrive until I'd had one flight. But then it chucked it down! Oh well, hopefully there'll be better days ahead.

[Geoff S]

Posted by Bravo Delta on 04/04/2016 18:39:56:

Wow no flying for months and two days in a row !

Forecast rain in morning incorrect so had an hour to spare to get the Axiom Delta out which certainly blew any remaining cobwebs away . Followed by a test of the Alien frame multirotor

Certainly no flying for me today. We had a torrential hail storm about lunch time complete with thunder and lightning then another smaller one later in the afternoon. Not worth the drive if I don't get a few hours at the field.

At least my new heated fingerless gloves have extended the temperatures my hand works at and hence the days flying I can get in.

Geoff

[trebor]

Went flying yesterday when the sun was out Had a maiden flight with the Hanger 9 cub which I bought as a plane needing repair. Major work done to the fuselage , wing tips and the engine, she flew fine.

Plus the trusty old Funcub which it always the first to go up.

[Ben Kelly]

Hi Geoff,

I hope you don't mind but i decided to have a go at removing the wind turbine from your photo to give it, as you said, a more vintage look.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]