Have you started your flying season?

[Artto Ilmanen]

How is your flying season?

 

I thought it's spring? And soon time to start a new flying season but obviously I'm wrong 😃. The picture is from my backyard, in Turku, South-Western Finland.

 

 

Artto

 

 

[David Davis 2]

Wrap nice and up warm and fit skis to your model, then go flying!

[Artto Ilmanen]

6 minutes ago, David Davis 2 said:

Wrap nice and up warm and fit skis to your model, then go flying!

 

I do have skis for my models but I'm too old for the fuss.. 

 

But, other outdoor activities in the nature are fine!

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

Still a bit nippy at 22°c,,😄, It was the last flight of my 109 before I re-engined it with my newly acquired Saito 150, but it flew so well and the sound didn't annoy me or the club members so I have decided to leave the 20cc Rcgf in it, and the other photo of a really well build second hand ( David 😇) Waco with it's crrc 26cc that I tinkered with and got it going, largely over powered, and on the French mode 1, so easy to fly, I fed in a small amount of rudder as i gently throttled up and at 1/2 throttle it took off on its own, no trimming needed so I passed the radio over to Pierre for a perfect flight.

[Graham Bowers]

On flyable  days, I've flown right through the English winter. Cold isn't much a problem as  wear the  one piece scuba diving undersuit I used to use in the North Sea in winter.

[Brian Cooper]

Indeed. . My flying season began in about 1962. 😉

[Geoff S]

4 hours ago, Graham Bowers said:

On flyable  days, I've flown right through the English winter. Cold isn't much a problem as  wear the  one piece scuba diving undersuit I used to use in the North Sea in winter.

 

I can keep my body warm but my right hand simply doesn't work too well when it's cold and I've always hated wearing gloves for anything.  For me 10 degC is the low limit these days.  50/60 years ago I rode a motorcycle all year (with a sidecar when icy) and it wasn't a problem but that's not the case now.  I never wore gloves for sailing.

[Artto Ilmanen]

5 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

Still a bit nippy at 22°c,,😄,

 

Paul, this is crazy.. "a bit nippy at 22°C" 🤣

 

Some pictures from my club and one which was taken on the shore of Gulf Of Finland (frozen).

 

At 51 I'm too old for winter flying - especially without gloves and starting glow engines, etc. I prefer tweaking my models inside and wait for warmer circumstances. But my buddies do love flying year around - to each their own.

 

 

 

[GrumpyGnome]

Another one here who doesn't stop...... not been for a fortnight or so now due to wind, rain, and Covid.  I'm getting cabin fever!

 

We don't get cold as bad as some so fleece-lined trousers, a few layers, neoprene fishing gloves and a woolly hat usually suffices.  Although the routine tends to be;

• unpack
• coffee to warm up
• fly, then coffee to warm up
• repeat until numb
• pack up

@Graham Bowershope you don't have an accident - I can just imagine the comments from the paramedics ..... 😵

[Graham Bowers]

24 minutes ago, GrumpyGnome said:

<Snip>

@Graham Bowershope you don't have an accident - I can just imagine the comments from the paramedics ..... 😵

It's OK, it's one of these:

 

https://weezle.co.uk/products/weezle-extreme-one-piece-undersuit

 

Some people I know use clothing designed for people that work in freezers, by the way.

 

[Graham Bowers]

8 hours ago, Geoff S said:

 

I can keep my body warm but my right hand simply doesn't work too well when it's cold and I've always hated wearing gloves for anything.  For me 10 degC is the low limit these days.  50/60 years ago I rode a motorcycle all year (with a sidecar when icy) and it wasn't a problem but that's not the case now.  I never wore gloves for sailing.

I had this daft idea of a heated transmitter (akin to heated motorcycle handlebar grips) and found this. I've wondered about a transmitter "muff" for slope soaring in the winter - although self launching would be a problem:

 

https://hyperion-world.com/en/hyperion-heated-transmitter-glove-12v-18watt-v2-3s-lipo-powered

[Cuban8]

On 29/03/2023 at 08:44, Artto Ilmanen said:

 

I do have skis for my models but I'm too old for the fuss.. 

 

But, other outdoor activities in the nature are fine!

I won't dare to ask................😄

[Cuban8]

No way can I stand cold weather these days - beta blocker medication doesn't help matters either. Unless I take to dressing like a polar explorer complete with heated everything, which is totally impractical, the model flying and motorcycling has a closed season for me between October and around now. Not quite so bad if I remain active outside like car washing or gardening, but just standing around or sitting about, even for a short time, has my body heat sucked away pronto. Ears, nose, hands and feet are the first to suffer and then my core.

Never used to bother me in my younger days, but I've made the mistake recently of allowing myself to become really chilled a couple of times and it's not a pleasant experience. Something that we take for granted when younger and when in A1 health.

[Colin Carpenter]

Don’t mind the temperature at zero providing suns out , no wind. However it seems to be predominantly wet and very windy in Somerset this winter so only been out 5 times ! Can’t say those times were enjoyable either cos mud ! Colin

[Dave Bran]

Wet, Wet, Wet..........  SIGH............

 

 

Good job I fly indoors most days.............  😁

[J D 8]

             No chance,  slowly recovering from one of the nasty new flue's that have spread about since covid.

             Been rough as a badgers arse.

[Andy Gates]

11 hours ago, Graham Bowers said:

I had this daft idea of a heated transmitter (akin to heated motorcycle handlebar grips) and found this. I've wondered about a transmitter "muff" for slope soaring in the winter - although self launching would be a problem:

Graham,

 

I have a transmitter mitt which does help with the chill, even better when a hand warmer is placed inside too.

Had mine for some years, made by Radiowarm - no longer available

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

Here we go again 😆I just bought a Saito Black night that has been converted to Petrol, this time it is nice and clean except the carburetor, full of muck and all sticky, 6 kilos pressure (air)to get the needle open, so stripped down all the innards changed and the pop-up at 1.5k, it's nowhere near the power of my methanol one, I am Getting 7.500rpm on a master Airscrew 16 x 8 on it.

 

My Methanol 150 found its way into my Skyraider, replacing its Irvine .61 Marine, music to my ears.

[leccyflyer]

Didn't really stop and have already had more flights this year than in the whole year for each of 2019, 2020 and 2021, rapidly approaching the total for the whole of 2022. It does feel like it's the start of the flying season proper though - the various events have started to happen, new models are coming out of hiding and emerging blinking into the sun.

 

Before I saw this thread I'd made one of my periodic checks across the lipos, looking for any problems and retiring a few packs which have been either unused or showing their age.