National Free Flight Society

SEN 3089

  1. Fly away analysis.
  2. About F1Q flyaway without timer function
  3. Ike added to online Results
  4. F1N at FabFeb

Fly away analysis.

From: Benjamin Tarcher

Hi Roger,
One more comment on Dieter’s fly away and a small comment on the
New Sidus limiters and Joule Allocation for a fly off.
Dieter’s fly away may have been prevented by a non sticky start button. That aside, he would have found his model if he had used a separate, dedicated battery for his gps transmitter. Most Q flyers do this because there is always a chance that the power to the timer may fail
causing the gps beacon to cease transmitting. My timer battery wire failed in the Kiwi contest and I got a zero in the round ending up with 6 maxes and a zero because my second model was not together in time and I had some start problems in the second model due to nerves with less than 4 minutes left to launch!!

Also, the test for the limiter is not necessary as long as a new limiter is installed. Almost no American Q flyers has the connection to the test equipment installed at the start switch and it seems there is not much of a problem. I, for one, do not set my limiter to the max. allowed limit as to minimize controversy!!

Also, an altimeter would help in a fly off as it would show the elapse time and flight path when the power mode transitioned to bunt and glide. This may not be exact but it would offer a good indication as to whether or not the sportsman had changed the model’s joule allocation for the fly off if required!

I welcome any comments to the above.
Thanks,
Ben Tarcher


Editor’s Comment
Just because (almost) no American flyer has the connections to have the EL checked makes  it OK, in fact the contrary, it means that in the USA we are running our own version of the rules, not the real FAI Rules.  With it getting close to a World Champs for Q, US Q people should get with the program and should fly to the rules. The USA Team Selection program requires that the winning models be processed so the Els will be checked.


About F1Q flyaway without timer function

From:Urs Schaller

2 years ago I had a similar flyaway as Dieter with my F1Q. The defect was not a sticking start switch but, I suppose, humidity entering the switch. I produced a 6min plus climb at 1m/sec.

Two facts helped to find the model immediately. Without working timer neither the VIT nor the autorudder came  into function. This produced a somewhat steep glide and ultimately a broken prop blade. Nothing to worry too much. Better still, the GPS from the same producer, even if powered from the single on-board motor battery almost empty, kept working nearly to the ground and the model, 3km away, was found within half an hour. Remember that all modern ESC switch off the power to the motor at a pre-set voltage per cell, but can still feed a low absorbing device as a GPS.

Conclusion: s…. happens!
Personally I would not start immediately to think about rule or software changes. Surely it’s not something which happens every day. With the right equipment on board you hardly loose a model.

Urs


Ike added to online Results

The Ike AMA events have been added to the  results of the Fab Feb events online on the SEN website http://sen.faifreeflight.org/index.php and it is currently set up so you see them when you first logon.  There is also a menu choice down the left-hand side.


 

F1N at FabFeb

A reader asked about the F1N results at FabFeb.  F1N is an indoor hand launched glider event so is not flown at FabFeb. Some variants are flown outdoors in some countries but they are not official event. The USA has a rich history of flying hand launch and catapult gliders, as do some other non-European countries UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, … that goes back to at least the 1930s.  At the Ike we fly these events.  The late Bob Isaacson was serious HLG flyer as well as a top F1A sportsman.   The current Event director for the Ike, Glenn Schneider is a “power guy” and our “small glider” advisor to make sure those events don’t get forgotten is Tim Batiuk.  Some of the international visitors fly in those events. This year we were very happy to have the well know Australian HLG man, Len Surtees take part.
Over the years we have used some different formats and sometimes with special awards. Currently we fly 2 different formats. The standard AMA rules. You can see an extract from the AMA rules book below. Note that this event has a 2 minute Max which mean some careful air picking is a must. Taron and Sevak flew this event a lot which probably account for their air picking ability shown in F1C and F1B.  This year young Daniel showed he was moving in the same direction with third place in a tough field.  The other format was brought down a number or years back from the Rocky Mountains by Don Deloach , the 5 by 5.  It is faster moving . Five rounds of 5 min. window, 15 min. chase period, 20 min. total. 90 second max,


The Catapult category follows the same format with a catapult. This is the AMA rules for that.
A hand-held catapult is composed of a solid handle not exceeding six (6) inches in length and a two-strand loop of ¼ inch (or equivalent, i.e. four stands of 1/8″) rubber (FAI, Pirelli, etc.) that has a finished length up to but not exceeding nine (9) inches. One end of the rubber loop(s) shall be attached to one end of the handle. Loop(s) may be pulled in a single straight line only. Hollow tubular handles or other turnaround setups allowing multiple line(s) of stretch between the top and bottom of the handle shall not be permitted.


FREE FLIGHT OUTDOOR HAND LAUNCHED GLIDER EVENT 140.
1. Applicability. All pertinent AMA regulations (see sections titled Sanctioned Competition, Records, Selection of Champions, and General) and the General Free Flight rules shall apply, except as specified below.
2. General. An Outdoor Hand Launched Glider is a non-powered model aircraft designed to fly outdoors with a projected wingspan less than or equal to one (1) meter (39.37 inches).
3. Launching shall be as specified for hand launch of land plane models, FF General. Academy of Model Aeronautics Competition Regulations | Outdoor Free Flight 25
4. Number of Models. Each contestant shall be allowed a maximum of three (3) models in this event. He may use any or all to complete his fights. The three (3) models used may be of different design.
5. Official Flight. All flights are official flights, regardless of duration. Unofficial flights are not recognized. Flights during which any part is dropped shall be declared an official flight with zero (0) time.
6. Flight Maximum. Two (2) minutes.
7. Number of Flights. Each contestant shall be allowed a total of six (6) official flights except in cases where the total of the highest three (3) of not more than six official flights equals six (6) minutes. When a three flight total of six (6) minutes has been scored (whether or not all six (6) flights have been made) a series of fly-off flights having a maximum flight duration limit of two (2) minutes shall be permitted. Fly-offs shall continue until the contestant fails to achieve the two (2) minute maximum duration limit.
8. Scoring of Flights. Scoring time shall be the total elapsed time of the best three (3) of not more than six (6) official flights plus that of qualified additional flights. Flight duration shall be scored in seconds with all fractions of a second to be dropped. Individual flights of more than two (2) minutes shall be recorded as two (2) minutes.

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…………..
Roger Morrell