Spring is here again - who's been flying?

[Adrian Smith 1]

Nice one plane there, GG. I am going to test out your flying weather theory tomorrow! 🤞

[GrumpyGnome]

Cheers. My 'go to' model. Also flew my Seagull Spacewalker.... not assembled when I took the photo.

 

My theory is now being tested as it's gone grey and cold, and the wind is increasing 🙁 but at least I had a few enjoyable hours.

[Peter Jenkins]

1 hour ago, GrumpyGnome said:

Weather forecast - heavy rain, strong gusty winds; reality - sunshine, light breeze!

 

 

 

Sometimes there is no substitute for reality!

[Learner]

The reality in the South, is the strong cold winds forecast seem to have been here forever and there looks to be no change in the foreseeable future.

 

[PDB]

1 hour ago, Learner said:

The reality in the South, is the strong cold winds forecast seem to have been here forever and there looks to be no change in the foreseeable future.

 

The two local clubs to me have now been unflyable due to saturate ground for 5 months.

[Denis Watkins]

1 hour ago, PDB said:

The two local clubs to me have now been unflyable due to saturate ground for 5 months.

 

My main club said our winter goodbyes last September, and hopes we could fly again in March 2024, but due to weather and water logging, we have fingers crossed for April.

[Frank Day]

No chance in south east today very windy, busy tying down the garden furniture and propping up the fence. Forecast for the next week is terrible.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Been that long I forgot where our field is, quack.

[GrumpyGnome]

We've only been able to park on the field itself once or twice since October/November - the field drains nicely but the entrance gets a bit......  marshy!  Luckily we can park roadside (private road) and walk the 40 yards or so to the pits. Being unable to mow the grass has been more of an irritant.

[Learner]

It's been that bad down here I've thought about moving North, but I came to my senses😉

[GrumpyGnome]

We're welcoming, and would certainly let you in. After a year or so, we may even talk to you 🙂

 

Although after 39 years, I still get my leg pulled about being Welsh.... 

[J D 8]

Conditions on the west Wales coast just horrendous, Storm winds, lashing rain and sleet, ground saturated beyond. Bit of a respite today and saw the sun before the next round moves in.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

We're lucky to be at the top of a chalk hill so our field drains pretty quickly although the downside is we sometimes find the clouds forming at ground level.  Last Thursday there were actual puddles on the field and the drag through our well trimmed grass was enough for my Vampire to reach terminal velocity before flying speed was reached but by Saturday it had dried enough to reach flying speed rather more easily...although the "slight" increase in wind speed meant that the ground roll was negligible!

[GrumpyGnome]

Myst have rained heavily overnight as there are lots of puddles on the road....

 

Although we've never had a noise complaint, I have a self-imposed rule of nothing noisy (ic, Zago, old edf) before 10:00, so snuck put for somw leccy fun. Too windy for my little PZ SE5, runway too bumpy for my Sea Fury..... out with the Hawk that ignores wind! Well, to an extent.

 

 

Doesn't look too dirty with my phone camera.

 

 

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

53 minutes ago, GrumpyGnome said:

 

Although we've never had a noise complaint, I have a self-imposed rule of nothing noisy (i

I was helping one of our members looking to find his crashed plane over 500 metres away from the runway

and was surprised to hear the prop noise of a small prop driven electric jet, whereas a bixler on FPV was flying around trying to find the lost plane was making little noise and could only be heard at less than 100 metres away.

[Adrian Smith 1]

Just gagging to fly today given the recent poor weather conditions. I was greeted at the strip by sparking sunshine and a nice steady 7-8mph SSW breeze. You can't wish for anything better so on with my varifocal over shades and off we go. 

 

 

 

When I was clearing up one of the full size flying boys came across for a chat. This time of year it's the RV8 MOT and service. Apparently, apart from the weather, they are grounded because of the delay in spares being delivered. Something that has never happened before. Their bad luck is my gain in the short term I guess. 😀

[GrumpyGnome]

2 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

I was helping one of our members looking to find his crashed plane over 500 metres away from the runway

and was surprised to hear the prop noise of a small prop driven electric jet, whereas a bixler on FPV was flying around trying to find the lost plane was making little noise and could only be heard at less than 100 metres away.

Anything with the prop near a flying/control surface (typically flying wings, pusher jets) seems very noisy. I had an early 3s edf model, an Edo Draaken I think, that was embarrassingly noisy.... I thought it even worse than my small petrol engines.  

[J D 8]

 My Zaggi power with a "hot" motor makes quite a racket, see position of prop in pic. Not an issue where I fly it

[leccyflyer]

JD8 - if you have sufficient excess length on your prop adaptor to move the prop arc back a little, you might find a dramatic decrease in noise from your Zgi - even 10mm can make a big difference.

[J D 8]

 My Zaggi power with a "hot" motor makes quite a racket, see position of prop in pic. Not an issue where I fly it

[Erfolg]

I agree, that on pusher models the relationship between the propeller and flying surfaces has a major impact on the noise. I have Four models with pusher props, non are noisy, even my small Dornier 335, in all cases the prop is some distance away from the flying surfaces, makes a big difference.

 

Yesterday the weather here was horrendous. I needed to go to Manchester, some 60 miles away. I was very, very, surprised that field after field on the journey, were partially flooded, in many cases with quite large lakes. I have never seen anything like it previously. One field my wife commented on, it was completely flooded, with just the rows of ploughed furrows to be seen. 

 

Driving was surprisingly easy, very few cars and trucks on the M6. Not that you could see them, as all was enveloped in spheres of spray. I was doing a steady 50 mph, probably 50% of the vehicles, including trucks were at the same speed. Of the remainder 25% were fractionally faster, whilst the remainder where in the +70-80 miles per hour, leaving a linear wall of spray.

 

The better halves golf and bowls competitions have been postponed, on after another. Many of the golf courses have been closed here, although those on sand (links), generally remain open. Those open (the one I see from the bedrooms) is not often been played as the members are nesh, so it would seem. Much to my wife's annoyance her first match at this course has been put back.

 

Enquiries with respect to my club (as a member, not by ownership) is open, although for hand launch models, waders, and being prepared to move the ducks and geese on, the Gulls just laugh at you. Ah, yes, a 4*4 is advised to actually get down to the club, the puddles on the various roads, can be navigated with a little care.

 

I will have the start of a problem in a few weeks time, road works are scheduled to start at the end of this month, to last a a few months on four of the three roads out of this two horse town. Surprisingly our new link road although still on programme for completion, will now be delayed for 3 months, due to the rain. It was to open at the beginning of April. Only taking 4 years by the County Council, of a two year programme, whilst meeting the all programmed date for completion, costing almost exactly the same as the cost of a Motorway (including all bridge infrastructure etc.)per mile. Much to my surprise it is a standard two lane road. The question of how long will it take to get to the club field, will it be doable. 

 

 

[Shaun Walsh]

25 minutes ago, Erfolg said:

I agree, that on pusher models the relationship between the propeller and flying surfaces has a major impact on the noise. I have Four models with pusher props, non are noisy, even my small Dornier 335, in all cases the prop is some distance away from the flying surfaces, makes a big difference.

 

Yesterday the weather here was horrendous. I needed to go to Manchester, some 60 miles away. I was very, very, surprised that field after field on the journey, were partially flooded, in many cases with quite large lakes. I have never seen anything like it previously. One field my wife commented on, it was completely flooded, with just the rows of ploughed furrows to be seen. 

 

Driving was surprisingly easy, very few cars and trucks on the M6. Not that you could see them, as all was enveloped in spheres of spray. I was doing a steady 50 mph, probably 50% of the vehicles, including trucks were at the same speed. Of the remainder 25% were fractionally faster, whilst the remainder where in the +70-80 miles per hour, leaving a linear wall of spray.

 

The better halves golf and bowls competitions have been postponed, on after another. Many of the golf courses have been closed here, although those on sand (links), generally remain open. Those open (the one I see from the bedrooms) is not often been played as the members are nesh, so it would seem. Much to my wife's annoyance her first match at this course has been put back.

 

Enquiries with respect to my club (as a member, not by ownership) is open, although for hand launch models, waders, and being prepared to move the ducks and geese on, the Gulls just laugh at you. Ah, yes, a 4*4 is advised to actually get down to the club, the puddles on the various roads, can be navigated with a little care.

 

I will have the start of a problem in a few weeks time, road works are scheduled to start at the end of this month, to last a a few months on four of the three roads out of this two horse town. Surprisingly our new link road although still on programme for completion, will now be delayed for 3 months, due to the rain. It was to open at the beginning of April. Only taking 4 years by the County Council, of a two year programme, whilst meeting the all programmed date for completion, costing almost exactly the same as the cost of a Motorway (including all bridge infrastructure etc.)per mile. Much to my surprise it is a standard two lane road. The question of how long will it take to get to the club field, will it be doable. 

 

 

Need one of these.

[J D 8]

19 hours ago, J D 8 said:

Conditions on the west Wales coast just horrendous, Storm winds, lashing rain and sleet, ground saturated beyond. Bit of a respite today and saw the sun before the next round moves in.

Back to normal today, wind, rain and now heavy missel. Not much fun being born today. Just a few hours old this calf but mum is doing a good job feeding and now tucked into hedge for a kip.

[David Davis 2]

Murray Grey cross Friesien?

[J D 8]

All continental breeds, Cow is a Belgian Blue x Simental and dad a Charolais bull. 

Despite the rubbish weather calf is ragging it around the field this morning. Cattle are tough.

  Sadly local sheep farmers suffering many lamb losses, this time last year we were into a mini heat wave. Crazy weather and no flying for me yet.