Spring 2018 is here...been flying?

[cymaz]

You must be joking

[Keith Sharples]

Here in South Wales, if it would stop snowing and the wind died down, I would put the skis on the Tundra and fly!

Edited By Keith Sharples on 01/03/2018 15:24:29

[Colin Carpenter]

. Next week ? Colin

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I love your sense of humour!
BEB

[Peter Christy]

We're on the edge of the "Red Warning" area down here in Devon, but still snowed in!

That's us, on the extreme left of frame! I saw the farmer's son's Subaru get up and down the hill a couple of hours ago, but nothing since! All the main roads are blocked. The council say they will send the gritters out at 3pm TOMORROW! What do we pay these cretins for?

Still, a chance to get some building done!

Wings and tail feathers already complete:

Ah, well, back to see if the glue is dry yet......

--

Pete

[ken anderson.]

up here in the sticks,the A1 is closed between Alnwick and Berwick. The east coast line is done for and the buses are getting nobbled...there was me thinking it was 2018...........oh and I've lost count how many road traffic accidents are been reported......

 

ken Anderson...ne..1...sticks dept.

 

PS....don't eat the yellow snow......  ........ deadly stuff.

Edited By ken anderson. on 01/03/2018 17:14:57

[cymaz]

Just had this fool/ idiot/ twit park up 5 mins  ago....why on a slippery hill for goodness sake

Edited By cymaz on 01/03/2018 17:21:54

[David Ovenden]

Posted by Keith Sharples on 01/03/2018 15:23:29:

Here in South Wales, if it would stop snowing and the wind died down, I would put the skis on the Tundra and fly!

I took my ski-equipped Tundra out yesterday and flew it as the snow tipped down. Tx was safely inside a clear plastic cover. See video **LINK**

[Ace]

Stopped snowing in Yorkshire but wind is now drifting the powder - oh and thank goodness for heated front screens

Edited By Ace on 01/03/2018 17:47:54

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Yes, I must be honest I didn't take much notice of the fact that my car had a heated front screen - dismissing it as a bit of a gimick to be honest - but it been invaluable the last few days!

Regarding "idiots doing daft things in the snow" I think part of the problem is newer drivers who just haven't experienced these sort of conditions before. I've watched some of them brake or accelerate hard-ish for the conditions and look genuinely mystified as to why the car is sliding sideways!! They have this touching faith in technology!

BEB

[Former Member]

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[Bucksboy]

I think experience has a lot to do with it. I'm working in Eastern Ukraine at the moment, we had 3" of snow today alone. This is on top of the existing stuff that has turned to solid ice over the Winter. There are no gritters, snow ploughs or anything, they don't salt the roads, nothing. The agencies that would do these have totally collapsed. It falls to -20C overnight and struggles to get to -10C during the day. And yet, cars, buses and lorries continue to slip and slide but generally reach their location. Admittedly some can afford studded tyres but most cars are doing well to have visible tread on them, never mind studs. Most cars here would be scrapped by British standards. But everyone carries on here fairly much as normal, I can only assume that it's because they get a lot of practice each and every year.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Keith Berriman]

Hi Tom It must be us modelers thoughts. I made the same comment to my wife earlier today as I was gluing a ply fusalage together.

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

I went Tuesday. Grand day it was to.

Hope it lasts till Sunday.

Kev

[simon barr]

I hope it stays till August, Kev.... I'll bring a model with skis... Never flown off snow before!

[John Tee]

I see in the travel news you had snow today Simon near Corbiere. Should be some up on your field.

John

[simon barr]

Yeah, but we also have force 8 gales....!

[cymaz]

Well so far, snow , force 9 wind, freezing rain tonight...and for good measure there is a flood warning on the southern Cornwall/ Devon coast!

[Alan Jarvis]

Someone ran into my son's car and smashed it into two others. When the recovery vehicle came my son asked him if he was busy. He said he had another 65 cars to pick up.

[Cliff 1959]

Two flights first thing today, all on my own but worth the trip, wind was 8 mph gusting to 13 mph so the windchill was starting to bite, just had to get out in the fresh air though. (Quite the contrast to yesterday's warm indoor session) Note the artistic picture 

Edited By Cliff 1959 on 07/03/2018 20:42:45

[Denis Watkins]

My favourite aeroplane

In my all time favourite livery too Cliff

[Erfolg]

It does seem like another century since I flew a model in the UK. I did have a dabble with a very cheap plaything whilst on holiday a week or so back. On Wednesday however, I was encouraged by verbal abuse from the better half as she left the house to play golf, by suggesting that I was a total wus.

Although we returned as the snow descended on the UK, what had previously prevented me was the seemingly continuos wind, rain for the last 3 months. Plus the action of the farmer and his contractors that had turned the 1/2 mile track to our field into a rutted mud slide, complete with pot holes. Whilst holidaying I came across this, which I thought is what I really need.

My ten mile journey to the field, that nothing changes in this world (that is the UK) fast. United Utilities still have even more road works, redoing work that seems to have not been done properly. Rail Track still have multiple bridges on the Fylde Coast totally closed. The fracking protestors are still camped out, now with brand new yellow safety jackets, the last time I passed they were dirty yellowish, with a campsite more frequently seen in disaster areas.

Yet the track down to the path, was almost super smooth, pot holes filled, ruts leveled, until the final 100 yards to our fields turn off. Here it was reminiscent of pictures of the Somme, where contractors were removing Silage or something. Now I lusted after a red destroyer of the environment, that depleted the world of all resources. I did get through.

Much to my surprise, I was not Billy no mates, another was there and flying. The sun still shone, but the wind, it was not the 10 mph promised, it was blowing at +15 mph at ground level and gusting. I contemplated going straight back home, whilst moaning about the unfairness of the weather. It was suggested that the longer I waited for that first flight, the less likely I was going to fly this year. Stupidity prevailed after the smooth talking and I elected to fly my Delta.

Ah, yes, the flight! Well nothing to say really, I just flew circuits, no loops, inverted, 1/2 Cubans, just straight forward circuits. I could not but notice how fast the model went down wind, how slow up wind, that the red was showing up well, the yellow, far less impressive. I did note that at this time of the year the sun seems to be not only lower on the horizon, it seems to be more to the South West.

My companion discussed why models do not react as predicted by many on the various forums, when turning etc. It was a short discussion as we both agreed that RC models are not flown relative to the wind, but the ground and that many of the arguments assume a equilibrium/steady state situation, which is transient in the real world that is the Fylde.

I went home, model intact, moaning about why it takes so long to do anything in the UK, only to come across a tribe long lost Victorian water engineers still installing a mile of piping, or was that just a dream.

[Erfolg]

Yet another day, Saturday, is alright for flying, Saturday is allright is right for crashing. You get the gist, it is Saturday.

Same old trip to the field, same old moans.

Same old Fylde weather, of rain, then a little more.

I trundled down the track, everything is alright on Saturday, that is until my car lurches sideways, traction lost. Gentle application of power, a tentative turn of the steering wheel and the car slides forwards and yet more sideways. I get out of the car, look at the situation, it looks bleak, a little more sideways and I will be in the field. There is mud every where. Hmmm, what to do, no one for some distance, stuck on a muddy track.

A bout of madness overtakes me, I will have to be braver, or is that even more stupid, I will steer straight momentarily, whilst keeping low power on, then turn up onto the road. Like all brilliant ideas, the car slides even further to the drop into the field, then when all is lost, the front wheels respond, the traction control starts to operate and the car clambers back onto the track.

I slipped and slidded to the field, open the gate, had one flight. Just the one, all the time thinking of the climb back to the road. I could not get the issue out of my head, could my car get back up the track?

I quickly climb into the car, formulate a plan of keeping the car going.

Yes the car did manage the journey, with a few mud induced twitches here and there.

Although the weather id supposably better tomorrow (Sunday) I am not sure, that I want to experience the same issues. Life is a ............................., but when will I fly again without trauma?

Edited By Erfolg on 10/03/2018 20:33:11