SEN 3182
- 2024
- NFFS SYMPO 2024
- Fab Feb 2024 Pre-Entry
- Is the an App for the About Time that we can download?
2024
Oh, I just realized that it is 2024. Best wishes to all and looking forward to a better year, starting with more friendship and the weather.
And Mail Chimp, the service we use to composed and distribute SEN , just offered to help me editing etc with AI, I can assure readers that all the intelligence used was real not artificial. Maybe that’s an issue
NFFS SYMPO 2024
This year we have got off to a late start on the 2024 NFFS Symposium. So we need to catch up. There is always something new to learn about our hobby and many times we find it by sharing what we know and helping others. Do not be bashful and experience as an author is not required. The Sympo is a great opportunity to give back by telling us about something we might not know about our hobby in addition to technical articles, design theory, new devices, new techniques and just good stories are welcome. Indoor, outdoor, sport, FAI, AMA, FAC are all vibrant components of Free Flight. All need to be included. One thing I’ve noticed recently is questions in social media about the best way preserving some of the past and flying the classic models when some of the materials are no longer available. For example how do you replicate the classic tissue decoration of the 1960s and 1970s when that tissue is no longer available. This there some other kind of tissue? Or a new way altogether? Can I use a 3-D printer to make some of those fittings that I used to find at local hobby shop?
Another important issue is how do we present Free Flight to the youth of today, saying it was great when I was your age is not enough, we need to make it relevant and something they want to take part in.
Expertise and enthusiasm are being developed by youth programs like the Science Olympiad, how do we capture some of that?
Times have changed and some things have gone but there are new tools, materials, services and ideas that did not exist before we need to take advantage of them.
Please submit your thoughts and concepts for articles as soon as possible. Think of how to make Sympo #57 the best we can, then let’s shoot for having draft articles in my hands by the end of February. Photos and supporting graphics are always a big bonus for articles or
just for filler. The best way to reach me is at <r_morrell@yahoo.com>. I’m looking forward
to see what you come up with!
—Roger Morrell , Editor NFFS Sympo 2024
Fab Feb 2024 Pre-Entry
This is the link to pre-enter for the Fab Feb contests at Lost Hills.
https://forms.gle/imvxr7Xj6AL8Lc1x9
And this is the link to where you can find the contest information plus more.
https://sen.faifreeflight.org
It is not necessary to pre-Enter for the AMA events in the Ike but you should pre-enter for the FAI Events, including the Mini Events. A lot of people enter for those events and it is just not possible to process all the information on the field before the events. When you pre enter we make sure that your AMA membership, Lost Hills membership and FAI_ID if applicable are all up to date. These are often the first events of the year so sometimes people have forgotten. We will tell you if they are not up to date so you have time to do it before the contest. The FAI ID, needed for the World Cup Events has to be done by your National Aero Club so it is typically hard to do on the Field. We give you an email with all the information including the events you have entered in and the entry cost. You pay when you arrive at Lost Hills. That is done on Friday 9 Feb. You can change you entry then or by email before hand if circumstances change. If you arrive after the Friday you pay when you get there before you fly.
At this time 100 people have pre-entered
Is the an App for the About Time that we can download?
From: Joe Sportsman
Is the an App for the About Time that we can download? I have seen both examples but what do I use on my own models?
Joe
About Time is optional test that we are running at the Fab Feb World Cup Contests. It is to evaluate the automatic timing of models using an on board flight recorder. It requires the use of one of the certified devices, the Neuron/MiniNeuron or the All-Tee.
Originally the project was just to be done with the Neuron/MiniNeuron. To do it with that need that system and you download the latest smartphone App and firmware updates for the Neuron and MiniNeurone. These are available. If you have an All-Tee. Allard will be doing the same. An update to the Smartphone app and probably a firmware update. These are not yet available.
I have the Neuron and have used it. People have made observations and comments. Both in SEN and on Facebook. This showed that on a flight I was probably short timed by 7 seconds on a 150 second flight that travelled about 600 meters and was in theory in line of sight for the flight. The automated timing had me short changed by one second compared with the manual so some work is still needed. But that is the plan. My Max flights were perfectly timed.
These are both certified devices which mean the clock and altimeter is accurate and there is security measures to make sure the flight is not pre-recorded etc. There is are 2 additional features for this test. The App computes the flight time based on the information collected and displays it on the App. The App reports the time to a server on the internet. This reporting feature is provided by Flying Neurons and they have opened this up to other providers. All-Tee is taking advantage of this and they are the process of adding it to their App.
This About Time test is really the first time an independent test has been made comparing traditional timing with automated. The objective is to measure the flight time without having to look at the flight record aka the graph. That will not be possible 100% of the time. Besides displaying the flight time the graphical flight record is available as back up and possible inspection by an official or jury. We expect this test to provide valuable information to the developers of automating timing devices and in the setting of standards for those devices. The object of this in to improve the fairness and quality of the time at the top level contests where it is very difficult to do that for all contestants. This must be practical for both the sportsman and the organizer.
Does that explain it ?
More information is available on Fab Feb 2024 section of the SEN web site at
https://sen.faifreeflight.org and reports will be made after the event.
Roger