Spring 2018 is here...been flying?

[pete taylor]

I finally got around to blowing off the cobwebs yesterday and nobody else was at the field

In fairness, everyone else had been flying on Saturday and it was a tad breezy, but nevertheless, the Venom handled it with aplomb and I went home smiling.

[Alan H]

I ventured out to the club field for the first time this year last Friday. Weather was absolutely superb, warm with clear blue sky and light winds. I took an old favourite with me, my Sebart Shark, a delightful model to fly (sadly now discontinued from the Sebart range). Had a couple of flights with the Shark then enjoyed my picnic lunch, a few more flights then off back home. Today the weather is back to normal April, I hope that super weather last week wasn't our summer!

[Colin Carpenter]

Two of us out at 9 in dark deepest Somerset ! ! Can't believe the change in weather overnight ! Sweaty to cold damp ! We had three flights each and then the wind increased so packed up . Colin

[GrumpyGnome]

Had a lovely time flying my Wot4 on Friday afternoon. First ic flights in 3 years
Mixed bag Saturday - forgot wing strut bolts for Tiggy so could not maiden it.... Wots wot motor seems broken.... On the positive side, my ancient Nigel Hawes small flat plate wing Tucano flies better than ever under brushless and LiPo motivation!

Looks like Saturday May be it for a while though.

GG

[Cuban8]

First day flying over the field yesterday since the winter (mud) layoff. Strip and outfield in superb condition. Half a dozen flights on the H9 P47 and a similar number on the Seagull Sea Eagle. Lovely day, great company as always but a tad breezy, with the wind getting stronger as the day progressed.

Got there at 10.00 left at 17.30 - left my sandwiches in the kitchen at home so pretty hungry come the end of the day.

[Erfolg]

It has been a long winter and a very disappointing spring here,

Just a week ago there was nothing much to be seen in my garden, all of the bushes and trees apparently dead or dormant. Then in the space of a few days and I mean a few days, everything changed dramatically. Suddenly the garden was full of daffodils, then just a day or two latter appeared the Tulips. Everything crammed into the space of less than a week. The earache I had suffered about "you should have planted a few hundred Daffodils ceased.

For three glorious days I spent half a day at the field, either morning, afternoon or both. Each day I loaded the car I was greeted by this sight.

In the space of just a day or two the blossom came, and now is being blown away by the very strong wind, winter has returned.

Each day I took at least 4 models. Yet even in heaven there is a cloud and that was the wind direction, directly across the field. The excellent news was that the field was now mowed, not once, but twice, in the space of just two days.

For my small models this is really good news, as the bad habit I had entered into of holding full up in, to avoid a nose over, right up to take of was no longer necessary. Take offs were no longer a case of leaping into the air at take of followed by a hefty dose of down elevator. In my case the take off was ugly, and could end up with a near stall or worse still a stall. Even the issue of the model racing across the ground, zig zagging, this way then that, as the wheels ricochet from one tuft to the next.

The landings are a real pain in a cross wind, not just drift, but due to turbulence from a coppice of trees, played havoc with my lack of skill and the models. As a smooth decent, would suddenly have the model veering this way and that, as I fought to get back on the intended track. Not withstanding the slight difficulties, no model suffered any damage. nor revealing any need for repair.

All to soon, I am back here, typing about what has been,

[Erfolg]

The weather has really turned for the worst here, Wednesday, then Thursday and now today, all un-flyable for one reason or another. Unlike many local areas, that reported torrential downpours, here on the coast just drizzle. Other days have been blighted by +20 mph wind.

Now that my wife has retired and became a Golf widow, I am awakened by the the light from a mobile phone, as checks are made as to which course are open, most importantly her own, followed by those of her playing partners. Most courses in this neck of the woods have been closed due to ground conditions. Although the course next to us, a true links, is apparently always open. But with a joining fee of several thousands, and equally high annual fees, it is beyond what most people will or can pay. Even the courses with very much lower fees are now struggling for members. That is just like us

Last Friday should have been a warning to me. I was chatting with other members, when I spotted a bird of a genus which I did not recognise. Being a glider guider for many years, I have always been looking out for typical birds such as Gulls. Are they gliding between places, worse still flapping, better is their a ball of them thermalling in a boomer. Then there are the swallow, House Martin type, are they swooping past my ankles, or high in the sky chasing those horrible midges. More recently, it has been Buzzards, much easier to tell what is happening by watching them. In this case it was non of the above, although it seemed to be a Raptor, no hovering like a Kestrel, non of the efficient flight patterns of a Buzzard and no sign of a mate, that is so typical. This bird was quite a bit lower, but not at ground level, as the Sparrow Hawk, that from time to time flashes through my garden. Pointing the bird out, our resident ornithologist, said Hmm, yes, a Hen Harrier, see the white tail? No baring as with a Buzzard. Normally they only come down to the coast and the marsh in winter. I would have thought it would have headed back into the Trough of Bowland by now. How stupid I am, never thinking, Spring has not really sprung yet, defiantly no Summer, and now 4 months into the year. So much for Global Warming, no 0.2 degree increase in average temperature around here.

Even as I bumped my way back up the dirt track, it was only a fleeting thought, in spotting a Rabbit some way up the rack, that I had seen no sign of the apparent infestation of the blighters that I would cheerfully observe in previous years. No kits, nothing.

Now as I await what Tomorrow or Sunday will bring, I can only reflect what an awful year it has been for us RC Flyers, local Golfers, Farmers with waterlogged crops and also the local wild life so it seems.

Here's hoping, that I will soon be bragging about my wonderful skilful flying.

 

Edited By Erfolg on 27/04/2018 16:06:24

Edited By Erfolg on 27/04/2018 16:07:34

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Ronaldo]

Water water everywhere, .......... I'm sure I saw salmon leaping on my flying field ! ........

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Quack Quack, I've developed webbed feet.

[Rocker]

Looks like we gone back into winter here in Lincolnshire .Wet windy and cold .Will the spring ever arrive .Mmmm thing we had our summer last week .That's it now back to wet, dull windy gloomy days

[Dwain Dibley.]

Rubbish weather, so I am indoors in the sports hall at work, in my Dinner hour of course, before you all yell Skiver........, with some depron (4site) and some plastic (micro helis)

Might even get some pics and footage for a laff, EH??

D.D.

[Ronaldo]

I'm indoors in my nice warm and dry workshop, I've started my 'winter project' model early. Too wet to fly here, even the moles that invade our club field are coming up for air and wearing snorkels !!

[Peter Miller]

As I have said many times.

I just wish that I was back in Aden in 1961

[Dwain Dibley.]

The Year I was born Peter....

D.D.

[Geoff S]

Posted by Peter Miller on 28/04/2018 12:18:33:

As I have said many times.

I just wish that I was back in Aden in 1961

I just wish I was as old as I was in 1961 - 21! Though actually I'd prefer to be 30 - the best age IMO.

I'm in the workshop instead of flying as I was last week this time! I just that isn't summer over and this is the autumn it feels like here in Derbyshire. At least I'm getting on with the final 10% of my winter build which seems to be taking 70% of the time

... and I've got the Ballerina and the foamie Hurricane to repair.

Geoff

[Peter Miller]

I was 24 when in Aden.

Just been looking at Khormaksar airfield on Google Earth.. Never go back. It is unrecognisable

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Ron Gray]

Went up to the field this afternoon. Only got one flight in with the 30cc Sbach, had to end it as it was somewhat difficult to see through my rain spotted glasses! Back home now and going out to the hangar to continue the U Can Do build.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Had a reasonable afternoon. Occassional rain (even hail once!) but OK. Quite a breeze and eventually I did start to feel a bit cold (I must be getting old!) so packed up while I was still enjoying it and came home!

BEB

[Dwain Dibley.]

As promised, some vid of the indoor session at work during Lunch, had an epic fail of the connection from the battery to the ESC just before take off

 

All soldered up now and working again, but what an anti climax. I had more success with the little Heli though.

 

 

 

Edited By Dwain Dibley. on 28/04/2018 19:53:27

Edited By Dwain Dibley. on 28/04/2018 19:59:24

[Chris Barlow]

Really starting to get into this quad copter thing now. After replacing the flight controller to a FrSky F4 RX and FC in one and getting the info I need on the display I've flown 4 batteries yesterday morning and another 4 in the after noon. Replaced the FPV camera for a Turnigy one and flew another 4 batteries again this afternoon. With a better understanding of Betaflight and Air mode I was even able to play with loops, flips and rolls. Very addictive!

Today I also dug out my old Boomerang for a shakedown before letting the boy loose with it! Very wind at the field with some showers threatening but still had lots of fun with touch 'n go's and very high approach landings.

[Chris Barlow]

First attempted flip yesterday, plenty of flips rolls and even an attempt at a loop today but with plenty of crashes in between!

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

What quad you got Chris ?

Flips n rolls are easy, I cracked up doing loops n broke a leg...need air mode doing.

[Chris Barlow]

Air mode is the way to go John. Full control at zero throttle!

My quad is an Eachine Falcon 250 but I replaced the FC with a FrSky XSRF4O as it came with a CC3D board which I matched to a V8 6ch rx. The XSRF4O is definitely a better FC and easier to work with in BetaFlight and with the X12S

​I also agree, flips and rolls are easy, now! At least they are after you do the first one and it doesn't crash, fall down, burst into flames etc! lol I have 3 flight modes setup too. 1 is level for take off & landing, 2 is level with alt hold in the event I loose vtx and 3 is acro/airmode. Landing in airmode can be very bad!