The Lockdown Restrictions Have Been Relaxed. Who's Been Flying?

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Few hours with mower today, then two flyers, warm day but a bit breezy, next weeks not looking bad.

[Geoff S]

Not been flying yet. Like Erf I'm monitoring the situation and deciding what I'll need to take in addition to models etc and that could include a bowl and some soap and water to wash my hands after dealing with the gate lock or anything else (my hands have never been cleaner! ).

Fortunately, unlike Erf, our regular 3 to 4 mile walk is as quiet as ever - I think today we saw fewer than 10 people on foot, including the 1/2 mile along a road, the whole 1.5 hours. The hawthorn is still in full flower - never has May seemed such an appropriate name for the month, or perhaps I've never noticed it properly before.

I spent the afternoon installing the motor on my lockdown Liddle Stik. Struggling for props (I have loads but none the right size) in the end I got just under 30 amps with an old 13x4 cut down to 10.5 x 4 for around 300 watts. As the model looks like it'll be about 1.2kg ready to fly (the wing is 1/4 covered - the fuselage now complete and moreover it balances just about spot-on, which surprised me) 300 watts should be more than sufficient for my style of flying. Wing loading around 16ozs/square foot!

I can see a session sometime next week! I'd better get the batteries out of storage charge hock.

Geoff

[Steve Colman]

Had a lovely sunny and warm morning at the club today with about 10 of us in attendance. All were sensible and took care to keep good distancing for the most part. Pit area is marked out at around 4 metre intervals for model prep and hand gel has been supplied for all to use.

The only negative of the morning is that a Hangar 9 Carbon Cub with just 3 previous flights became a victim of a magnetic tree on final turn towards landing. It was hung up right at the top of said tree at about 15m. With the aid of a long ladder, a saw and some strong cord the model was finally liberated from the tree only to fall inverted into the small river below. It took several more minutes to finally retrieve the model by which time it had become totally full of water. Physical damage mostly to the flying surfaces with some minor damage to the fuselage. Whether the electronics will be serviceable again remains a doubt. The owner of course is gutted.

Actual damage is worse thatn can be seen in the photo.

 

Edited By Steve Colman on 17/05/2020 21:27:08

Edited By Steve Colman on 17/05/2020 21:36:44

[Stephen Jones]

I managed to get out and fly 2 of the three 1 took the 1st one i flew was the HobbyKing TL 2000 which due to the wind was slow and on my 1st flight well on the landing i broke the prop so could not fly it again HobbyKing do not list a spare for it .

The 2nd i flew was my Sipa S-200 and i nearly pooped my pants as it took me by surprise as to how fast it is after not flying for some time and having flown the TL 2000 before it.

This is it`s 2nd flight and i opted to keep it at a low speed.

Not my best landing but i am a bit out of practice.

Steve.

Edited By Stephen Jones on 17/05/2020 22:07:59

[Peter Miller]

We had over 50% turn out (7) and everyone stayed at over 6 feet apart.

Perfect flying weather.

[GrumpyGnome]

Hopefully none on the runway

No flying today - wet and windy in East Riding.

GG

[Brian Hammond]

Went flying this morning with one other and tested my new Turbo Timber ,who needs a runway a pocket handkerchief would be almost enough! Absolutely Superb.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Was sloping on Saturday, had to keep the models within 1000 m of the slope to avoid entering Wales

[Jonathan M]

Yesterday I went flying with my Wot4 electric, the normal balsa ARTF one, for the first time since last year.

I'd just increased the wing-incidence from a tad less than negative (as manufactured!) to +0.5° and added a smidge of down- and right-thrust, also moved the CG back another 5mm, then ran it again through the usual trim tests which were fine... but still can't get it to enter a flat spin!

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Posted by Jonathan M on 18/05/2020 20:12:13:

Yesterday I went flying with my Wot4 electric, the normal balsa ARTF one, for the first time since last year.

I'd just increased the wing-incidence from a tad less than negative (as manufactured!) to +0.5° and added a smidge of down- and right-thrust, also moved the CG back another 5mm, then ran it again through the usual trim tests which were fine... but still can't get it to enter a flat spin!

Keep tweaking C.G and upping movements, you'll get there.

[Jonathan M]

Posted by john stones 1 on 18/05/2020 20:21:17:

Keep tweaking C.G and upping movements, you'll get there.

[David Ashby - Moderator]

All the off-topic posts have been deleted.

It's great to see the flying reports and pics/videos. Keep them coming.

I've managed a few trips to my club and one to the slope on Sunday. I arrived very early, and got an hour all to myself. I can't tell you how good that was. 

Edited By David Ashby - Moderator on 19/05/2020 05:59:01

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Blue skys as well David.

[Alan Gorham_]

First time out for me since October yesterday. I ruptured my Achilles and tore my calf in October then in January when I could stand up again I built a new workshop. Then just when the weather turned good I caught Covid!

My local club field is on Council land and the access is closed by the Council, so I headed off to Levisham on the North York Moors for some PSS fun. A 4 hour drive (round trip) for me and a testing climb up the slope for someone who's lungs haven't got over the virus.

However it was safe and relaxing and I probably flew for an hour all told with no mishaps. Felt good I can tell you....

Edited By Alan Gorham_ on 19/05/2020 09:56:06

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Well done Alan.

[Steve Houghton 1]

No flying for us yet in Wales The weather has been perfect for some slope fun but were not allowed out yet. This video was filmed the weekend before our lockdown.

[Erfolg]

I have just returned from our flying field, I will admit I did not fly a model, nor did I have any intention of doing so.

So why did I go, as part of weighing up the situation.

I noticed that the grass has been mowed, that no one else was there, that the track down to the field is in far better condition for many years.

In my case i have two models that have been recently finished and await a test flight.

Neither model will be flown until it is possible to pass my Tx to my test pilot.

In essence I will be starting with models that I know well and are relatively easy to fly.

As to our clubs present rules, they do not encourage any long term hanging about. Unfortunately this is something I have increasingly enjoyed. I respect that the club is endeavoring to the spirit of both the BMFA and Governments directions. It is apparent that the government is encouraging social distancing, whilst relying on our common sense to understand the spirit.

I will be honest, again, I did feel anxious on my way there, also on arrival, I became increasingly relaxed as it was apparent that no one else was present. I increasingly get the impression that the lock down restrictions will be relaxed further, although I am in no hurry to mix with groups until the virus seems a long way, away. I do believe that aerial spread is inversely proportional to distance, hence the group issue.

Part of the predicament is that the virus is increasingly political, especially for some, that hind sight is being used to the max.

Ps I have another model well on the way to finishing, as well as my Do 335 awaiting bits being delivered.

Edited By Erfolg on 19/05/2020 12:25:37

[Keith Miles 2]

Posted by Jonathan M on 18/05/2020 20:12:13:

Yesterday I went flying with my Wot4 electric, the normal balsa ARTF one, for the first time since last year.

I'd just increased the wing-incidence from a tad less than negative (as manufactured!) to +0.5° and added a smidge of down- and right-thrust, also moved the CG back another 5mm, then ran it again through the usual trim tests which were fine... but still can't get it to enter a flat spin!

That surprises me.

I have had 6 Wot4s (don't ask!) over the years, 5 Ripmax ARTF, 1 Chris Foss kit.

With recommended throws, flat spins were never a problem with any of them, especially if adding a touch of aileron at the stall. I've never had to make any of the adjustments that you have outlined.

That said, mine were all IC with either Irvine 40 and 46 but not sure if that would, or should, make much difference unless an idling IC prop helps as opposed to a stopped electric one.

I've flown other people's IC Wot4s as well and I don't think that they had to be tweaked either.

Following the demise of my last Wot4, I replaced it with a Riot and THAT is much harder to spin and even then it doesn't do it as well or anything else for that matter!

I don't know anyone, myself, with an electric version like yours to offer any insight but would agree with JS in that CG and control throws would be my primary focus too.

Engine thrust is unlikely to have any effect either at the stall or in a spin with power off and wing incidence, in my view, is only likely to raise the stall speed and affect the normal flight characteristics. That said, I've found straight-ahead stalls to be very benign with hardly any wing drop. It's a great design and well proven!

Good luck with the experiments!

[Keith Simmons]

Is your Wot 4 nose heavy? Getting into a spin normally is going lazy circles and moving around slower and slower till the turning wing tips down due to lack of lift and some cases the wing tip is actually going backwards. Forcing the wing down normally enters a spiral dive. If you can stall your model, then I don't see that you can't spin.

Better start at 400 feet as you can give yourself time to recover

Good luck

[Rod Parsons 1]

Very nice,

What is the yellow glider?

Rod

[Denis Watkins]

You do need Throttle Control in a flat spin

No particular recipe, but to watch the model, as every flight wind plays apart

But you encourage the flat spin with the throttle

[Trevor Crook]

Had my first flying session for a couple of months today. Nobody else at the field so no problem with distancing. The owner was working so all gates except one were open, sprayed gate and lock with antibacterial cleaner, then used sanitiser and wipes on hands afterwards.

Enjoyed half a dozen flights in glorious conditions with my Durafly Tundra and Mk24 Spitfire. Felt a bit lonely, but good to be "back in the saddle".

[Jonathan M]

Thanks Keith & Keith

I appreciate that my tweaks to incidence and thrust-lines have nothing to do with the spin manoeuvre, they were just things I wanted to do to tighten up the precision etc of my Wot4.

This evening (alone on the patch but for the pup tired out from manic running around and safely attached to a screw-stake) I increased the rudder and elevator throws and upped the expo a bit to compensate. While the descending part still looks a bit like the spiral dive I believed I was getting previously, for the first time I noticed a much more definite stall - a sort of flick then the dropping of one wing - at the outset.

I then added a modest 10g of weight to the tail and after mooching about a bit to get the feel of things I repeated the exercise, and got the same flick at the start followed by rapid rotations on the way down. I do think I need to practice more - maybe don't need to jam quite as much aileron in as rudder, perhaps only half as much? - but getting more confident with the manoeuvre and my timings so this should help things.

When its less gusty and I'm feeling less tired - maybe an early morning session - I'll also add another 10g to the tail and take it on from there.

Cheers, Jon

[Jonathan M]

Posted by Denis Watkins on 19/05/2020 18:45:08:

You do need Throttle Control in a flat spin

No particular recipe, but to watch the model, as every flight wind plays apart

But you encourage the flat spin with the throttle

Is this what you mean Denis? Third page: **LINK**

[Doctor Chinnery]

Out for the second time yesterday - pre-C19 our band of ancient aviators regularly flew on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and Bless my Soul, I turned up at the field last Thursday morning ( with spray, sanitizer, wipes and paper towel ) and there were 3 of the gang similarly equipped. Yesterday we had a better turnout and I guess Thursday will be the same. BUT everyone behaved themselves, standing well apart, mostly gloved up, but no masks, certainly less risky than the weekly supermarket expedition, and a hundred times more enjoyable. And the flying - Splash Bogey, Fun Cub and the Junior 60 (e).