Awesome weather - how much flying are you getting in?

[enrico]

So says the gas man with all the cheapo slope soarers. Have now recycled afore mentioned li-pos. Will soon have this electric flight lark sorted out . No problemo.Expense no object !!!!

Edited By enrico on 12/10/2010 19:26:44

[flytilbroke]

Totally brilliant weather yesterday and today at Fort William, what a change from our splash-in. Not our permitted flying days though  Still, I did a fair bit of Autumn tidy, plus washed the car and caravan.

 

I did learn something usefull at the weekend which might be of interest to you lot too. CorrosionX , a great waterproofer for the electrics. ESC's mounted outside of waterplanes unaffected by a good dunking underwater, and I was told a coating last up to a year. I think the heavy duty variety to be a better option. Works on Receivers and switches too, so no need to worry about it insulating the contacts and plug/pins.

 

I wonder will it help prevent the dreaded "black wire" syndrom, a good dowsing should prevent the damp air/oxygen from access to the wire.

[Erfolg]

Wednesday afternoon, the weather was warm, sun shinning, not a cloud to be seen a brilliant blue sky, with the merest whisper of a wind, which periods of complete still air.

 

This weather attracted a good amount of fliers. A lot of those glistening all glass moulded fancy composite models were out. With there super efficient drive trains, where 200m was reached in a single intake of breath. I know I should invest in such a machine, my wife knows otherwise. None the less i now dream.

 

What is cheapest competent, rather than ultimate, 2-3m jobbie?

 

My flying? Almost competent, Had my sports model go dead stick about 3m up, an awkward position for landing, I did arrive, a little further than I like. I thought the ESC had given up the ghost. Recharging the Lipo, indicates, that the motor shut down has gone from progressive to a switch.

 

I flew my (semi) scale model, managed to tip stall or loose it again at 3m. It survived. I tried again and this time the landing was less than convincing, as it came in nose high, wings wobbling and moving a little fast. On reflection, I had always landed previously with a fair amount of power, still with nose high.

 

I pretty certain we all had a good time.

 

At least today, it was not a gymnastic match at landing, with models doing cartwheels etc. 

[GrumpyGnome]

Just finishing three weeks off work - my first hols this year.

 

Managed a few trips to the field - my notebook says that the last time I visited was 1/6 !  Had a few early mornings in the park but that's restricted to my Mini Ultra Stik and Rogue.

 

Have flown all the fleet in the last three weeks and got in close to 100 flights in all - very rusty at first  so concentrated on the smaller/slower planes

 

Good fun but managed to damage the Rogue (pulled u/c off again - plus a big chunk of fuselage and damaged the MUS a lot - need to rebulid fuselage and fix wings.  Motor and LiPo may be dead too - currently still in the carrier bag of bits.

 

Nice break though.

 

GGi 

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

I don't feel like I'm getting much flying in, but in the last couple of weeks I've flown 8 different models, a couple of flights each on average, so I'm doing better than usual.

This evening was very dull and damp but absolutely still. The DB Cirrus Moth was an absolute joy.. 

[Erfolg]

|I have just returned from flying!

 

Boiling the potatoes, for roasting, apple sauce made, baby carrots prepared. So it is time to write.

 

I saw the weather forecast, most unpromising. High wind predicted along with cloud, cool temperatures and occasional showers. Mostly right from experience.

 

I only took one electric  glider, a 2m Sagitta.

 

At the field there was initially one other modeller with an indoor job. A passing patch of drizzle had gone through, the wind strength between 15-20 mph. A dead calm for slope soarers, a howling gale for us flat field fliers.

 

In the middle of the field, there was no need to ask the wind direction.

 

The indoor was first away, with a few mutterings, as it acrobatically danced around the sky, about it not coming forward, at it battled the wind.

 

I was second away, climbing into the wind, rock steady. I was transported back in time (20 years), when it was a avant garde glider, and this was a calm day. Just as all those years back, there was lift, where the model would climb or hold height, just by occupying the right patch of sky and drifting across the area, whilst the model reversed, with the occasional circle, where you moved well down wind, generally not worth doing.

 

My hands turned to blocks of ice, whilst pain gripped my fingers. Thankfully another patch of drizzle came through, giving me the excuse to land, whilst my flying buddy said, get it down quick so we can go home. Landed I did, forcing the model forward and into the ground just like yesteryear.

 

On returning to the cars, another four fliers had arrived. Much to my annoyance the weather improved, allowing  a range of models to take to the air in benign conditions.

 

One modeller was zipping up the sky with an electric F3b? prototype set up. Zipping to height, carving turn after turn, as it rushed about the sky, getting ever lower. Bemoaning, it is not as fast as when a pure glider. Others just thermalled.

 

Yes timing is everything, if I only had patience.

 

Must find those winter gloves, scarf, thermal socks, thermal jacket, and full winter hat, as it seems to have arrived.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Great day today up here in the NW!

 

Weather superb - blue with just few fluffly cumulus about. Lightest of light breezes. A little chilly for some - but personally I found it fine!

 

All in all, day made for flying! And I made the most of it

 

BEB  

[Stephen Grigg]

Sadly weve had the worst turn down in business ever.So I spent the day forlornly  looking for customers who never tuned up,desperate times,darent go flying might miss one if they turn up.But at days end when nothing has happened youve wasted a flying day and going flying wouldnt have mattered,Paaaah

[ken anderson.]

we have had a good week end-both day's warm and gentle wind's...this morning was really cold first thing------the forecast is for a winter the same as last year.......yabba dabba / not...

 

    ken anderson...ne...1(god's country)....

[Phil May]

It must of been the best day of the year today for us in Gods Country   ( South Wales, Ken ) Near still 'till about 1 ish, then just a hint of breath , Perrrrrrfect.

 But, not many at the field for some strange reason, I had a great day with my PC 9, making the most of the sunshine.

         B.P 

                             

[ken anderson.]

let's all hope the forecaster's are wrong phil----we have 122 member's in our club.....and i bet i have only seen about 30 max at our field...when we have our AGM...there are people there who i and other's have never seen/met before....

 

     ken anderson...ne...1.

[flytilbroke]

UP HERE in the North West, the weather, it made me very sad. Been nice all week, then this morning when I hoped to go flying it rained. Kept doing it to nearly 4pm too.

 

Ps, Fort William.

[Phil May]

It's funny you say that Ken, we have approx 90 members and it is always the same dozen or so every weekend, shame really.

         B.P 

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Same in our club. I was staggered when the club sec. said we had over 50 members. I go at least one and more often than not both days over the week end and usually one weekday late afternoon/early evening and I reckon I see the same 10-15 people all the time. But like you guys I see all these other folks at the AGM and wonder who the hell they are! But I'm not complaining because they all pay over their membership dues every year whilst having the decency not to clutter up the flightline

 

Another good day here - smashing flying conditions. The weather forecast for the week looks pretty bleak with gale force winds etc. Time for some building methinks.

 

BEB

Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother on 17/10/2010 21:29:41

[Dan Hedges]

Yeah, I live in Reading, it was a fantastic day for flying. My first flight was 7:30 this morning, my last at 5:30 this evening (okay I did go off to the aviation museum I volunteer at for a few hours this afternoon!) all in all loads of flying today. I thought best make the most of it before the weather sets in for the winter!

[Huggy]

Great - first calm morning for a couple of weeks down here, and sneaking off to the field, at the other end of town,  via roadworks induced traffic jam before starting work led me to discover that the council had found it a nice day day too - to mow the entire area.

Back in the car, home again. Hour and a half wasted. Should be working. Fed up.

Ba! Gertcha!  etc

[Vecchio Austriaco]

First successful day in my UK-flying history. In MK no wind at all in the morning, slight cross wind in the afternoon. Made the maiden flight with my second Seagull Edge 540 EP The only survivers from the first model were the pilot and the landing gear (the first Edge crashed with skis on...)

 

 

The picture I have taken before (you never know...) the maiden. I made some 10 flights with this little plane and some with my Sukhoi 29. So I managed first time to go home without a repair job since I am on this windy island...

Edited By Vecchio Austriaco on 18/10/2010 14:13:59

[Lee Smalley]

had a great day Saturday flew the pants off my scale raven and my mate turned up to sort out his little glider that he intends to chuck off a big cliff

top day !!

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Looking at the wind sock in the background, and the way your mate is hanging on to his "little" glider, it looks like you had a nice breeze to help you on your way Lee.

 

BEB

[Erfolg]

I scanned the Biggles post, misreading it, thinking he was out in a strong wind. I thought he is made of sterner stuff than me, before the truth dawned.

 

Today is Tuesday, Having missed Sunday, I had thought of a flying session, for today. I briefly went into the garden this morning, before rain beating down forced me indoors. My enthusiasm dying with the bitingly cold wind, ad frequent heavy showers, which are also cold. In short blasted miserable.

 

Will Wednesday be the day?

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

No Erfolg, definitely planning on being esconced in a nice warm workshop with my balsa and a cup of coffee, then curled up in front of the fire with Alan Bramson's book on the story of the "Tiger Moth". Next best thing to flying!

 

BEB

[enrico]

Here in gods country we treked 50 miles to go slope soaring( great forecast),when we got there it started to rain---for 3 hours !!We started to fly at 4pm! We all now have webbed feet!!!!!

[Lee Smalley]

Thats me holding my mates plane BEB !!!  and atually the wind was not that bad really it did pick up at the end of the day but i was glad of the wind flying my raven the 40cc beast is old school and weighs a few Kilos so a bit of wind on the crosswind runway was very welcome!!

[Erfolg]

Enrico

 

It is not yet 16:00hrs.

 

I luv Lees models, shiney

[enrico]

Sorry i was talking about yesterday !!