Hello, I’m Phill

[Phill Barrett]

Hi,

I’m Phill. Used to fly RC at Croxley Moor with Brian Cooper, well had a few attempts before that as a kid but they didn’t end well. Then joined Phoenix but never flew there for reasons I can no longer remember, I think last contact I had there was with Ray. Never gave up but haven’t flown models for probably 20 years or so now - by that I mean I never thought I wouldn’t fly any more, just haven’t. Am looking to get back into it but no doubt things have moved on. I see radios have gone 2.4GHz. Are 2 stroke ic engines still tolerated or considered far too powerful and loud these days?

Thanks for any advice. Still have an original old Chris Foss Wot4, must see if I can get it going again!

Regards,

Phill.

[Peter Miller]

Two strokes are less popular and maybe some clubs don't allow them but they are still around and used.

I have a few but I do prefer fourstrokes and I have to confess that I now find electric power is quite nice and easier for and ancient modeller like me to lug up the long slope to our field but then I do tend to fly smaller models in the 45 to 55" span range

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Funnily enough Brian introduced me to RC, taught me at Croxley Moor (in the pre-buddybox days of the instructor trying to wrestle the 27 MHz transmitter from the white knuckled grip of the panicking student!) and I had a similar length break before returning to model flying just after the Millenium.

I flirted with helicopters on and off for a couple of years before my return, teaching myself to hover with a second hand Concept which I bought as a complete outfit, introducing myself to the benefits of "modern" computer transmitters but on joining a local club, found that although tolerated, rotary wing was very much a secondary activity so dug out my old Irvine 40 from the mid 70s and put a trainer together. 5 flights later I was clutching an A certificate so it seems that once learnt, like riding a bike, you don't forget the basics. I very soon found myself preferring fixed wing and eventually sold the helicopters that I'd acquired.

One problem you might find is that silencing technology has moved on over the years - that Irvine was hopelessly over the club's noise limit but after adding a second chamber, it scraped through.

Are you still in the area? I fly near Luton now but there are quite a few clubs around - and I understand that Croxley Moor still gets used occasionally...

 

Edited By Martin Harris on 14/04/2019 11:04:09

[ken anderson.]

welcome from me phil....

ken anderson...ne..1..welcome dept.

[Danny Fenton]

Welcome to the forum Phil. I had a long lay off from modelling, coming back building a Wot4 in 2006. Great plane to rekindle the flame.

Have fun and don't be afraid to ask questions

Cheers

Danny

[Phill Barrett]

Thanks all for the warm welcome and advice.

I will dig my radio, planes and engines out of my shed and see what is salvageable. The problem I may find is not having ever meant to stop flying I didn’t oil the engines or even remove the batteries from the tx or planes. Not that I’m trying to talk myself into needing new gear you understand

I’m getting over a neck op at the moment, which is really why I’ve thought about RC again as prior to the op I wouldn’t have been able to look up sufficiently to fly them, hopeful now I will again in the future.

In terms of what else I have model wise, I’m not too sure. I did buy a heli probably 15 or so years ago but never got to grips with it, I imagine most are electric these days are they? I seem to remember struggling to set the mixture up as not as easy as a plane where you can just set it on full chat. Is there a procedure for setting the mixture on a heli 2 stroke as can’t get to the needle with the rotors spinning? I do have a new OS 4 stroke, by new I mean unused, probably bought it 20 years ago, as a replacement for a model i’d just finished at the time that was stolen in a burglary. Have a few other planes in various degrees of disrepair, including one I can’t remember the name of that is small with a swept wing, a West motor and from memory flew extremely fast!

I’m near High Wycombe now, so not sure what clubs are in this area? Does Brian Cooper still fly by the way, we used to exchange Christmas cards for years but haven’t heard from him for a while now, would be good to catchup.

Thanks again for all the help,

Phill.

 

Edited By Phill Barrett on 17/04/2019 13:20:52

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Brian is extremely active in flying and the achievement scheme but has relocated to the Northampton area. He's quite likely to see this thread as he's a regular contributor here.  You could also send a PM to "Brian Cooper" via this forum (Inbox [on the top header] - Compose new message - Type in his name) if you want to try catching up with him.

When I took an interest in helis, there were devices called head loaders - basically short non lifting paddles to simulate loaded rotors. They may still be available? Were you attempting to fly before tail gyros became common - they did make life an awful lot easier!

Edited By Martin Harris on 17/04/2019 14:17:20

[Phill Barrett]

Good to hear Brian wise. The last I heard from him he said the planes has got a lot bigger!

Thanks for the thoughts on the head loader, if the heli still works I’ll see if I can locate one. Plan is once I can lift things again to sort out my shed and see what’s usable and what isn’t. Mine had a gyro, not sure I’d fancy trying without, was hard enough with! To be honest it wasn’t that hard, I just lacked confidence to actually fly it, tended to just hover taxi it mostly. It seemed to have the capacity to go wrong very quickly - flying the same on a sim was absolutely fine which is daft really.

Is there a way to send a personal message to another member on this forum, I couldn’t see the option?

Thanks again,

Phill.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Hopefully the modification to my last post crossed and you are able to follow my guide?

[Phill Barrett]

Thank you, yes, that's exactly what happened, on refreshing my screen I now see your details on sending PM, thank you. Not sure how I missed finding the Inbox before, but all good now, I'll send him a message. Tried to find a head loader online but they seem to be unavailable, but will give it another go later on. Thanks again for all the help.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

You could try a wanted ad or post a request here - someone might have one i the back of a drawer although we're not very heli-orientated on this forum.