Autumn's here, who's been flying?

[Erfolg]

The same here, light drizzle most of the day, in conjunction with very strong blowing wind, from the north I think. At least that is what it seemed riding my push bike, when going for my newspaper.

 

I now in the possession of a new bodied Wot 4e, a re-motored own design, a repaired Park Zone Albatross, I am now titivating a 1/4 scale Cassutt (a modified PM design, scale sized body).

 

In the case of the PZ Albatross, yet another of the plastic cabanes had fractured, at the upper end. No wonder that it was almost uncontrollable, put it it another way, I was very lucky to get it down in one piece.

 

It seems I am ready for when the wind abates, and hopefully our field dries out a little. Hmmm, so that will be June 2024, or it could be 2025.  Our new lnk road could be finished then, ahead of programme, in its 2 year build, after what would be 7 years. 🤨

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by Erfolg

[Outrunner]

56 minutes ago, Futura57 said:

Met up at Epsom Downs today with three other flyers. Took my Top Quark P2 to get in some proper setup flights. The ESC would not initialize and the Spektrum receiver would not bind, despite the transmitter being several meters away. Odd, it was perfectly ok last week and I haven't touched it since. Anyway, I now carry a binding plug in my transmitter battery bay so did a rebind and gave her a flight. After a couple of minutes the model stopped responding to my commands and made its own way to terra firma. Luckily for me I was flying straight and level into wind at around 100ft when control was lost. The failsafe kicked in and everything went to neutral and the motor shut off. She glided at around 10 degrees with the wings remaining level the whole time. Long grass and soft ground meant only the propeller got broken and the cowling a little scuffed. Darned annoying though.

 

So out came the trusty P1, already with 93 notches on her belt. Around 30 flights ago I'd fitted a Spektrum receiver also. Guess what! The darned ESC would not initialize and the receiver would not bind. So out came the bind plug again. This time the flight was uneventful. But now I'm not trusting my Spektrum gear. The lesson is clear DO NOT BUY RECEIVERS FROM THE BMFA CLASSIFIEDS!!!

 

Thankfully, a third model did bind normally on powering up and flew fine as usual.

 

 

Prototype 2 - Thankfully still with us

 

Same fault two different receivers are you sure its not a transmitter problem?

[Futura57]

3 hours ago, Outrunner said:

 

Same fault two different receivers are you sure its not a transmitter problem?

The thought crossed my mind, but the third model/receiver did the auto bind on power up as normal. That said, my transmitter did lose some exponential settings and a reversed rudder setting earlier this year.

 

The first problem receiver (AR8000 DSMX) could be dud, since I had to use the binding plug again when I powered it up at home. Then every time after powering up. It simply will not auto bind on power up anymore.  I replaced this receiver with another AR8000 and it is behaving normally. So now, writing this, I'm wondering if the the cable to the satellite receiver has a dodgy plug or loose cable. I hate these problems.

 

The second model/receiver is behaving normally since the rebind at the field and the third model/receiver has been fine all along.

 

I'm beginning to wish I'd kept all my Assan receivers in my models and carried on using my JR Tx and Assan 2.4GHz RF module.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Futura57

[kevin b]

Had some good flights on Saturday, but as they say "Not tonight Josephine" (45mph+ winds)!

[Erfolg]

As so many others I keep reading the weather forecasts, it seems that it always the same, either rain, high wind, more often than not both. However it is predicted that Saturday has a low probability of rain, and 9 mph wind from the north, then on Sunday all returns to high wind and rain.

 

Then in anticipation, I think, will the track down to the field be passable by my car, if so how long will the grass be now. ? Even then a North wind is a cross field take of and landing, with a flight line issue to boot. Only a southern wind is worse, with the addition of tree turbulence as an additional problem.

 

My plans to test my repaired models has metaphorically flown out of the window, it will be mostly my hand launched models, plus a model for testing, just in case,

 

Even the golf links next to my house appears to be closed, I have not seen or heard the clunk of club on ball for some time. Yesterday being the first time I have even heard the sound of ground maintenance for some time. My wife's golf club has now been closed for playing for some months now, the expensive and extensive drainage, being on clay, not coping with the weather. How she wishes that she had joined a links club, rather than a standard lower club fee course, by an estuary.

[Futura57]

No doubt about it, this time of year is better suited to those Winter build projects and indoor activities in general. Time to tackle that backlog of kits.

 

Wet and/or windy is mostly on the menu, cross winds usually, accompanied by boggy patches (and golf courses). When blessed with a calm sunny day it's invariably bitterly cold this time of year. But sometimes you just gotta scratch that itch, and I did yesterday, but it was one I want to forget. Today we have club members scheduled to fly, but the wind/gusts are forecast (by XC Weather) even higher than yesterday. I'm admitting defeat and holding onto hope for Saturday.

 

Our club has begun monthly indoor flying sessions but I just can't get too excited by it. Last winter I borrowed a mate's indoor model, a Vapor, but it was a bit too pedestrian for me. Mid air collisions are frequent and repairing a Vapor wasn't my idea of fun. But I will go along for the craic.

 

Looking on the bright side, I'm retired, healthy and I have a very understanding wife (most of the time). Anyway, gotta go, I have two cats lying on me in bed and my tea is getting cold.

 

P.s. What forecast provider do you find to be the most accurate, say, three or four days ahead? (Another thread?)

Edited November 23, 2023 by Futura57

[Ron Gray]

29 minutes ago, Futura57 said:

What forecast provider do you find to be the most accurate, say, three or four days ahead?

Defo on another thread!

[GrumpyGnome]

4 hours ago, Futura57 said:

Our club has begun monthly indoor flying sessions but I just can't get too excited by it. Last winter I borrowed a mate's indoor model, a Vapor, but it was a bit too pedestrian for me. Mid air collisions are frequent and repairing a Vapor wasn't my idea of fun. But I will go along for the craic.

I too started with a Vapor - got trashed on its second outing. Not easy to fix. Got a Vapor-syle model from Ali Express. Soon got boring.

 

So I got a twistedhobbies Crack Yak SuperLite, and now sessions are MUCH more fun. And being made of foam, it's easy to repair. Can't recommend his too highly.

[Tom Gaskin 1]

Billy No Mates here at the SRFC field today - upside is I don't have to share my chokky biscuits 😀

 

HP and a Sig Kiwi were hooliganed in the wind.

 

Tom

[David Davis]

Took my ARTF Acrowot and my Big Guff to the flying field earlier today. Talk about chalk and cheese! The Big Guff first flew in 1938 and was probably the first model aeroplane to be designed specifically for radio controlled flight. As for the Acrowot, well we've all seen one of those haven't we? What they have in common is that they are both powered by Laser engines, a 70 in the Acrowot and a 62 in the Big Guff.

 

The wings on the Big Guff are retained by elastic bands and as I was fitting them I remembered being told as a novice r/c pilot over thirty years ago, to hook them over the front dowel then stretch them over the wing diagonally to the dowel at the trailing edge. Why do we do it this way? Somebody once explained why but I couldn't understand!

 

Pictures of the Big Guff below. You all know what an ARTF Acrowot looks like!

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by David Davis

[aidan mcatamney]

Had two good flights at the field yesterday following our AGM.  The Cessna 177 always peforms well with the Saito.  I have this plane a long time now and it's still flys very well.  

[Eric Robson]

Depron Dauntless coming in to land,  flew the Spitfire and 109f today but not for long 6° and no sun 

[leccyflyer]

Up early to get loaded up and left at 8am, in freezing conditions, got to my old club field about quarter to ten to find the surrounding field full of vehicles, easily more than a hundred cars, with loads of folks milling around and a full on cycle cross course laid out right next to the flying area.

We have a club rule that there is to be no flying if the sports centre has an event on, which uses the field where we park, but normally there is an email the week before to say that the field is closed due to an event, however no notification at all this time. You can guess that I wasn't best pleased at having wasted a three hour round trip and a braw flying day.

[Geoff S]

5 hours ago, David Davis said:

Took my ARTF Acrowot and my Big Guff to the flying field earlier today. Talk about chalk and cheese! The Big Guff first flew in 1938 and was probably the first model aeroplane to be designed specifically for radio controlled flight. As for the Acrowot, well we've all seen one of those haven't we? What they have in common is that they are both powered by Laser engines, a 70 in the Acrowot and a 62 in the Big Guff.

 

The wings on the Big Guff are retained by elastic bands and as I was fitting them I remembered being told as a novice r/c pilot over thirty years ago, to hook them over the front dowel then stretch them over the wing diagonally to the dowel at the trailing edge. Why do we do it this way? Somebody once explained why but I couldn't understand!

 

Pictures of the Big Guff below. You all know what an ARTF Acrowot looks like!

 

 

Now we all know why you moved to France!  I was up at the Asbourne field yestersday wearing my padded one piece suit, thermal underwear, gloves and ear covering hat. It was lovely day with clear skies and light winds but about 4 or 5 deg C - chilly.

 

Still managed another couple of flights with my Gladiator without any problems. It really does fly well.  I took the Riot for warm-up flights.  There were quite a few there, including a young lad (11/12ish) with his younger sister and parents having a buddy flight with the secretary's Junior 60.  That's always good to see.

 

David, I always use 6 wing bands . 2 diagonal, 2 straight then 2 more diagonal.  So there's room for at least 2 failures without disaster.

[David Davis 2]

9 hours ago, Geoff S said:

 

Now we all know why you moved to France!  I was up at the Asbourne field yestersday wearing my padded one piece suit, thermal underwear, gloves and ear covering hat. It was lovely day with clear skies and light winds but about 4 or 5 deg C - chilly.

 

Still managed another couple of flights with my Gladiator without any problems. It really does fly well.  I took the Riot for warm-up flights.  There were quite a few there, including a young lad (11/12ish) with his younger sister and parents having a buddy flight with the secretary's Junior 60.  That's always good to see.

 

David, I always use 6 wing bands . 2 diagonal, 2 straight then 2 more diagonal.  So there's room for at least 2 failures without disaster.

 

I always use six bands too but why was I advised, all those years ago, to attach the bands to the front dowel first, then stretch them over the wing to the rear dowel, in other words to fit them front to back rather than the other way around? 

 

PS. It was cold here too yesterday. I wore my NCB overalls.

[aidan mcatamney]

I always use 6 rubber bands on my trainer to hold the wing secure.  

[Cuban8]

I'm pretty well finished for this flying 'season'.  Local club field will be like a bog with all the rain we've had recently, and my other club, although not suffering anywhere near the drainage issues of my local site is a bit too far to travel for just a quick flying session before the cold and damp gets into your bones. If we get a nice sunny and  crisp winter's day with no wind and hence no wind chill, I'll be out there to blow the cobwebs off though.

I don't do winter cold, cloudy and damp anymore - plenty of other more comfortable distractions to keep busy, with models to finish or maintain, researching new projects and club admin to keep on top of. I've the opportunity to some indoor flying, so I might get back into that again.

That's the beauty of this hobby - you can taylor it to suit yourself,your circumstances or your preferences - particularly as age and health begin to affect your activities.

Roll on Spring!

[Erfolg]

On Saturday, everything was as normal, a 2 mile tailback, as LCC/Blackpool were again digging up the same bit of road, four way traffic lights in operation. Still no obvious progress on the Moss Road. All will be better when LCC take over the running of the whole region.

 

I feel, well, a little better now, weekly rant out of the way.

 

Ah, yes, took my repaired my Wot 4e for a first flight. A total success, in that I stuffed it in, with no real damage!

 

I then flew my ancient glider, that never started the new club competition class as hoped. It is the middle one of the third picture. When built, it was intended to go straight up for 30 sec. This often causes terror, for some in this power club, I am now launching and generally flying as a power type model. I have just altered the thrust line with down, so hopefully it can cruise on power, rater than pitch up.

 

The remaining two are of my Canard, it is called Ente. Nothing much to say other than I got some stick time in.

 

There has been a mass population explosion in the club of small DF models. The sky is alive with them, who knows which model is which, as soon as one lands, yet another joins the swarm. I watch a number of other standard models, totalling around, by now I am freezing, the wind has also arrived, I decided I am going home.

 

I have learnt my lesson from the morning, I go an extra few miles, along the coast road, still there are scores of holiday makers, day trippers, lining the road, filling the couple of pay and display car parks. I grumble, as my progress is slowed to a snails pace, inside I am thinking at least I am moving.😀

[martin collins 1]

Four flights on my WATTS NOT today, i`ve not been flying for 6 weeks or so, weather was nice and sunny but obviously Cold. Got another model ready to test fly, that can wait till the spring when my fingers are warmer, it is way too nice to risk on cold digits! Pictures and details of it over on the New model thread.

[Futura57]

A cold, sunny, calm day at Epsom Downs today. Just a handful of hardcore retirees and work-shy 😁

 

After two successive weeks of crashing my 2nd Quark prototype due to dodgy Spektrum AR8000 receivers, I managed four flawless flights with a AR600 receiver. For good measure the aerials were routed externally to the fuselage. I need to do some proper tests to determine whether the shiny silver HobbyKing covering film was previously shielding the AR8000s, or they're just garbage purchases from an unscrupulous seller on the BMFA Classifieds.

 

A friend performed his first maiden flight in over 25 years of flying. Hooray 🤪  Whilst he did manage a successful take off, before long his Taranis Tx was speaking of RSSI warnings, then RSSI critical! He did a very short circuit and landed with no loss of control or damage to his new HobbyKing Gladiator. He may have the RSSI parameters set too high in his Tx for the FrSky X8R receiver. Although he revealed it had previously crashed in his late Wot 4 foamy.

 

A couple of members had limited success getting their smoke system to work on a new OS 33cc petrol powered Seagull Models Edge 540.

 

All in all a good day. No fatalities, just some cold fingers and toes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Denis Watkins]

16 minutes ago, Futura57 said:

After two successive weeks of crashing my 2nd Quark prototype due to dodgy Spektrum AR8000 receivers

 

Just check the body screws on the back of the AR8000.

They should be tiny Torx socket caphead screws in a Spektrum.

Other copies had tiny Philips screws.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Denis Watkins

[Keith Berriman]

No photos to show but had a successful day on a 4 Max conversion on a Wot4 ic/ep model to electric 

Only the one test flight to get used to the throttle settings,  level flight and nice smooth landings 

 

[Geoff S]

Glad the Gladiator made a successful first flight despite the RSSI warnings.  I've had 4 flights with mine in 2 visits to the airfield (I only have 2 x 2200 4S packs) and, so far, it's proved to be a very forgiving model.  I have an X8R receiver in mine and it performs faultlessly with my Horus Tx. 

 

I find the cold difficult but when there's very little wind and the sun is shining it sure is tempting to go flying.

[GrumpyGnome]

Dogs got up at 6:00 as usual. Looked outside - saw a dusting of snow on the ground, ice on the flat roof, and still trees. Brought charger and LiPos in  with plans for a quick fly when it warmed up.

 

Planned on bringing the newly acquired Sea Fury, but thought having some feeling in my fingers for its first flight may be sensible! Just brought the Parkzone SE5.

 

Patches of frost on ground, entrance to field still soggy but passable.

 

Fly, coffee, repeat.

 

Driven home by increasing wind...

 

[Futura57]

Good for you GG. There's not much these days that gets me out on a cold and frosty day. My car is loaded up ready for Epsom Downs again today. 😁🛩️