86 MODEL AVIATION
Darwin Barrie, 4316 W. Rickenbacker Way, Chandler AZ 85226; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL SOARING
THE 17TH ANNUAL Southwest Classic
(SWC) sponsored by the Central Arizona
Soaring League (CASL) of Gilbert, Arizona,
is in the books. It was held February 5-6.
The event takes place in Queen Creek,
Arizona, at Schnepf Farms. This first-class
facility features full hookups for RVs and
campers, unlimited camping for tents,
restroom facilities with showers, and, this
year, a hot tub.
The contest is held on roughly 15 acres of
unobstructed grass. The entire area
surrounding the site is farm fields and is
generally wide-open territory. The facility is
second to none for this type of event.
This year 128 pilots took part in the
contest, with all scores qualifying for Open,
18 in Two-Meter, 37 in RES (Rudder-
Elevator-Spoiler), five in Youth, and 21 in
Gray Cup. For the first time, the SWC
allowed entrants to fly in two classes; this
escalated the total participants to the
equivalent of 168.
The number of no-shows this year was
down considerably. The contest continues to
grow after a down year in 2002. Many
people ventured west from the cold confines
of the central US. Peter Goldsmith and John
Diniz from Horizon Hobby escaped the cold
of Illinois and enjoyed the great weather the
Phoenix area provides in February.
At the SWC, four winches are operated The launch area at the Southwest Classic. Notice the wide-open space.
The hand-free line retriever as seen at the Southwest Classic. It
features high-quality construction and easy operation. A landing just out of the money at Schnepf Farms.
utilizing continuous chargers for the
batteries. A 5-kilovolt generator provides
juice for the system.
This year it was exciting to use Rick
Bothel and Dan Vester’s new “hands-free”
retrievers. They feature an automatic catch
device for the retrieve line. The retriever
senses when the glider is off-line and flips
the catch device. The operator then reels in
the line with the aid of a pickle switch. This
feature keeps hands and fingers out of
harm’s way, greatly enhancing safety.
The efficiency of the hands-free system
speeds the retrieve time and helps keep the
contest moving. This is extremely important
at a contest this size. Additionally, the
retrievers can be set up with a foot pedal for
solo operation. A photo shows the handsfree
winch-line retriever.
The SWC venue provides the
opportunity to orient the winches in three
directions if necessary. Fortunately the wind
cooperated and we did not have to reposition
the equipment.
The landing-zone area was set up to
allow for a 90° shift as necessary. I know of
no other contest that can do that. The shift
was required at one point during the contest.
This was accomplished between rounds so
that all contestants had to land in the same
conditions during the round.
Mark your calendars for the first full
weekend in February; you will enjoy the
SWC. If nothing else, those of you in the
colder climes can escape to Arizona for a
few days. The CASL puts on a top-notch
event at a first-class facility. The contest, the
raffle, and, most important, the interaction
with fellow modelers will be a good
experience.
Camber and Reflex: I will not get into a
technical discussion of camber, but rather a
practical application for use. Camber is an
application of flaps and ailerons to modify
the airfoil for greater lift. These topics were
recently discussed by a few of us, along with
the techniques to use them.
Many pilots in the US utilize sliders for
camber adjustment, and others use a switch
to a preset value. I use a preset value that is
derived by trial and error. This method is
easy and efficient for me. I do not feel as if I
am good enough to notice the benefits of
varying camber through a slider. I am likely
to get myself in more trouble using that
method.
The amount of camber varies depending
on the airfoil. This can be determined only
Justin Ammon launches his Genie during the SWC contest.
The raffle at the successful 2005 Southwest Classic was a good
one. Notice the radios lined up in the back row.
by experimentation. My process for
determining camber involves a starting point
of 1/16 inch of deflection of flaps and
ailerons. I fly the model and try the camber.
A slight rise will usually be noticed when
the switch is flipped. Then I fly the aircraft
in the camber mode and see how it feels and
notice the glide ratio, penetration, and
overall handling characteristics. I fly this
until I can see how the model indicates a
thermal and reacts. If all meets my
satisfaction, I land the model, increase the
camber by 1/16 inch, and repeat the preceding
steps.
Through this process I will find a setting
that works for me and lock it in. My settings
work in a broad range of conditions. Don’t
forget to set the elevator to avoid the nose
ballooning.
Much of this process is doing what
works and feels good for you. After all,
you are the one flying the airplane. Once I
get an optimum setup, I copy that to an
open model on the transmitter for further
experimentation.
In 1999 when I was preparing for the
Nats, I learned that the wind often blows
in Muncie, Indiana. It sounds funny, but
the wind is not always prevalent in
Arizona. When a windy day arrives, I get
out and practice. I learned that I had to
modify my launch setup for wind. I
modified my camber settings for the same
reason.
Reflex is basically the opposite of
camber. With reflex we will raise flaps
and ailerons to decrease the efficiency of
the airfoil and cause the model to increase
speed. Usually 1/16 inch is plenty. All of
you technical types out there, don’t send
me hate mail; I’m trying to keep this
simple and basic for understanding
purposes.
Reflex is used primarily for escaping
sink. At the Fall Soaring Festival in
Visalia, California, there is always a
period of time when the lift is surrounded
by greater-than-average sink. The ability
to “bail” is critical; otherwise, your glider
will be stuck in a place you don’t want it
to be. Experimentation is important to get
the settings that work for you.
I’m going to give up one of the flying
secrets that improved my flying and my
confidence. When I made the transition to
the 7035 airfoil from the 7037, I had a
tough time getting used to the model’s
flying faster. The tendency is to think, It’s
a sailplane; it should fly slowly.
That is not the case, and the airplane
must be flown in the proper speed
envelope to be successful. Flying a
thermal can further complicate things. The
speed must be maintained in the thermal,
or your sailplane will fall out or not get the
most out of it.
I had trouble while in thermals because
I wanted to lift the nose. I was becoming
frustrated that the 7035 was not working
for me. While flying one day, my model was
in reflex and was escaping some sink when I
encountered a whopper thermal. I didn’t hit
the switch to get out of reflex. The airplane
was going up like nothing before I realized
that the reflex was keeping the speed up and
letting the airfoil work. I used this technique
until I got used to how the sailplane should
feel in a thermal.
I still use this method when I feel a need.
I have used it with the MH32, the FS01, and
a couple other airfoils I can’t remember. So
if you are new to the higher-speed airfoils,
give this technique a try. I think it will assist
you in maximizing thermal efficiency.
I just received my Futaba 14MZ radio. It is
perhaps the most capable radio system
available in the world at this time. I have not
had much time to work with it and will not
be able to go into any detail because of
deadline constraints.
Initial observations are that there is
nothing this system will not do. Every
conceivable template for wing and tail type
is available for sailplanes. Programming is a
snap. In the next column I’ll have a complete
setup review for a typical competition
Thermal Duration sailplane.
Please let me know if you have any
comments on or techniques for setting up
camber and reflex that I can pass on to the
readers. Next time I will look more in-depth
at the Futaba 14MZ system and include a
profile of a sailplane modeler from
somewhere in the US. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/06
Page Numbers: 86,88,90,92
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/06
Page Numbers: 86,88,90,92
86 MODEL AVIATION
Darwin Barrie, 4316 W. Rickenbacker Way, Chandler AZ 85226; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL SOARING
THE 17TH ANNUAL Southwest Classic
(SWC) sponsored by the Central Arizona
Soaring League (CASL) of Gilbert, Arizona,
is in the books. It was held February 5-6.
The event takes place in Queen Creek,
Arizona, at Schnepf Farms. This first-class
facility features full hookups for RVs and
campers, unlimited camping for tents,
restroom facilities with showers, and, this
year, a hot tub.
The contest is held on roughly 15 acres of
unobstructed grass. The entire area
surrounding the site is farm fields and is
generally wide-open territory. The facility is
second to none for this type of event.
This year 128 pilots took part in the
contest, with all scores qualifying for Open,
18 in Two-Meter, 37 in RES (Rudder-
Elevator-Spoiler), five in Youth, and 21 in
Gray Cup. For the first time, the SWC
allowed entrants to fly in two classes; this
escalated the total participants to the
equivalent of 168.
The number of no-shows this year was
down considerably. The contest continues to
grow after a down year in 2002. Many
people ventured west from the cold confines
of the central US. Peter Goldsmith and John
Diniz from Horizon Hobby escaped the cold
of Illinois and enjoyed the great weather the
Phoenix area provides in February.
At the SWC, four winches are operated The launch area at the Southwest Classic. Notice the wide-open space.
The hand-free line retriever as seen at the Southwest Classic. It
features high-quality construction and easy operation. A landing just out of the money at Schnepf Farms.
utilizing continuous chargers for the
batteries. A 5-kilovolt generator provides
juice for the system.
This year it was exciting to use Rick
Bothel and Dan Vester’s new “hands-free”
retrievers. They feature an automatic catch
device for the retrieve line. The retriever
senses when the glider is off-line and flips
the catch device. The operator then reels in
the line with the aid of a pickle switch. This
feature keeps hands and fingers out of
harm’s way, greatly enhancing safety.
The efficiency of the hands-free system
speeds the retrieve time and helps keep the
contest moving. This is extremely important
at a contest this size. Additionally, the
retrievers can be set up with a foot pedal for
solo operation. A photo shows the handsfree
winch-line retriever.
The SWC venue provides the
opportunity to orient the winches in three
directions if necessary. Fortunately the wind
cooperated and we did not have to reposition
the equipment.
The landing-zone area was set up to
allow for a 90° shift as necessary. I know of
no other contest that can do that. The shift
was required at one point during the contest.
This was accomplished between rounds so
that all contestants had to land in the same
conditions during the round.
Mark your calendars for the first full
weekend in February; you will enjoy the
SWC. If nothing else, those of you in the
colder climes can escape to Arizona for a
few days. The CASL puts on a top-notch
event at a first-class facility. The contest, the
raffle, and, most important, the interaction
with fellow modelers will be a good
experience.
Camber and Reflex: I will not get into a
technical discussion of camber, but rather a
practical application for use. Camber is an
application of flaps and ailerons to modify
the airfoil for greater lift. These topics were
recently discussed by a few of us, along with
the techniques to use them.
Many pilots in the US utilize sliders for
camber adjustment, and others use a switch
to a preset value. I use a preset value that is
derived by trial and error. This method is
easy and efficient for me. I do not feel as if I
am good enough to notice the benefits of
varying camber through a slider. I am likely
to get myself in more trouble using that
method.
The amount of camber varies depending
on the airfoil. This can be determined only
Justin Ammon launches his Genie during the SWC contest.
The raffle at the successful 2005 Southwest Classic was a good
one. Notice the radios lined up in the back row.
by experimentation. My process for
determining camber involves a starting point
of 1/16 inch of deflection of flaps and
ailerons. I fly the model and try the camber.
A slight rise will usually be noticed when
the switch is flipped. Then I fly the aircraft
in the camber mode and see how it feels and
notice the glide ratio, penetration, and
overall handling characteristics. I fly this
until I can see how the model indicates a
thermal and reacts. If all meets my
satisfaction, I land the model, increase the
camber by 1/16 inch, and repeat the preceding
steps.
Through this process I will find a setting
that works for me and lock it in. My settings
work in a broad range of conditions. Don’t
forget to set the elevator to avoid the nose
ballooning.
Much of this process is doing what
works and feels good for you. After all,
you are the one flying the airplane. Once I
get an optimum setup, I copy that to an
open model on the transmitter for further
experimentation.
In 1999 when I was preparing for the
Nats, I learned that the wind often blows
in Muncie, Indiana. It sounds funny, but
the wind is not always prevalent in
Arizona. When a windy day arrives, I get
out and practice. I learned that I had to
modify my launch setup for wind. I
modified my camber settings for the same
reason.
Reflex is basically the opposite of
camber. With reflex we will raise flaps
and ailerons to decrease the efficiency of
the airfoil and cause the model to increase
speed. Usually 1/16 inch is plenty. All of
you technical types out there, don’t send
me hate mail; I’m trying to keep this
simple and basic for understanding
purposes.
Reflex is used primarily for escaping
sink. At the Fall Soaring Festival in
Visalia, California, there is always a
period of time when the lift is surrounded
by greater-than-average sink. The ability
to “bail” is critical; otherwise, your glider
will be stuck in a place you don’t want it
to be. Experimentation is important to get
the settings that work for you.
I’m going to give up one of the flying
secrets that improved my flying and my
confidence. When I made the transition to
the 7035 airfoil from the 7037, I had a
tough time getting used to the model’s
flying faster. The tendency is to think, It’s
a sailplane; it should fly slowly.
That is not the case, and the airplane
must be flown in the proper speed
envelope to be successful. Flying a
thermal can further complicate things. The
speed must be maintained in the thermal,
or your sailplane will fall out or not get the
most out of it.
I had trouble while in thermals because
I wanted to lift the nose. I was becoming
frustrated that the 7035 was not working
for me. While flying one day, my model was
in reflex and was escaping some sink when I
encountered a whopper thermal. I didn’t hit
the switch to get out of reflex. The airplane
was going up like nothing before I realized
that the reflex was keeping the speed up and
letting the airfoil work. I used this technique
until I got used to how the sailplane should
feel in a thermal.
I still use this method when I feel a need.
I have used it with the MH32, the FS01, and
a couple other airfoils I can’t remember. So
if you are new to the higher-speed airfoils,
give this technique a try. I think it will assist
you in maximizing thermal efficiency.
I just received my Futaba 14MZ radio. It is
perhaps the most capable radio system
available in the world at this time. I have not
had much time to work with it and will not
be able to go into any detail because of
deadline constraints.
Initial observations are that there is
nothing this system will not do. Every
conceivable template for wing and tail type
is available for sailplanes. Programming is a
snap. In the next column I’ll have a complete
setup review for a typical competition
Thermal Duration sailplane.
Please let me know if you have any
comments on or techniques for setting up
camber and reflex that I can pass on to the
readers. Next time I will look more in-depth
at the Futaba 14MZ system and include a
profile of a sailplane modeler from
somewhere in the US. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/06
Page Numbers: 86,88,90,92
86 MODEL AVIATION
Darwin Barrie, 4316 W. Rickenbacker Way, Chandler AZ 85226; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL SOARING
THE 17TH ANNUAL Southwest Classic
(SWC) sponsored by the Central Arizona
Soaring League (CASL) of Gilbert, Arizona,
is in the books. It was held February 5-6.
The event takes place in Queen Creek,
Arizona, at Schnepf Farms. This first-class
facility features full hookups for RVs and
campers, unlimited camping for tents,
restroom facilities with showers, and, this
year, a hot tub.
The contest is held on roughly 15 acres of
unobstructed grass. The entire area
surrounding the site is farm fields and is
generally wide-open territory. The facility is
second to none for this type of event.
This year 128 pilots took part in the
contest, with all scores qualifying for Open,
18 in Two-Meter, 37 in RES (Rudder-
Elevator-Spoiler), five in Youth, and 21 in
Gray Cup. For the first time, the SWC
allowed entrants to fly in two classes; this
escalated the total participants to the
equivalent of 168.
The number of no-shows this year was
down considerably. The contest continues to
grow after a down year in 2002. Many
people ventured west from the cold confines
of the central US. Peter Goldsmith and John
Diniz from Horizon Hobby escaped the cold
of Illinois and enjoyed the great weather the
Phoenix area provides in February.
At the SWC, four winches are operated The launch area at the Southwest Classic. Notice the wide-open space.
The hand-free line retriever as seen at the Southwest Classic. It
features high-quality construction and easy operation. A landing just out of the money at Schnepf Farms.
utilizing continuous chargers for the
batteries. A 5-kilovolt generator provides
juice for the system.
This year it was exciting to use Rick
Bothel and Dan Vester’s new “hands-free”
retrievers. They feature an automatic catch
device for the retrieve line. The retriever
senses when the glider is off-line and flips
the catch device. The operator then reels in
the line with the aid of a pickle switch. This
feature keeps hands and fingers out of
harm’s way, greatly enhancing safety.
The efficiency of the hands-free system
speeds the retrieve time and helps keep the
contest moving. This is extremely important
at a contest this size. Additionally, the
retrievers can be set up with a foot pedal for
solo operation. A photo shows the handsfree
winch-line retriever.
The SWC venue provides the
opportunity to orient the winches in three
directions if necessary. Fortunately the wind
cooperated and we did not have to reposition
the equipment.
The landing-zone area was set up to
allow for a 90° shift as necessary. I know of
no other contest that can do that. The shift
was required at one point during the contest.
This was accomplished between rounds so
that all contestants had to land in the same
conditions during the round.
Mark your calendars for the first full
weekend in February; you will enjoy the
SWC. If nothing else, those of you in the
colder climes can escape to Arizona for a
few days. The CASL puts on a top-notch
event at a first-class facility. The contest, the
raffle, and, most important, the interaction
with fellow modelers will be a good
experience.
Camber and Reflex: I will not get into a
technical discussion of camber, but rather a
practical application for use. Camber is an
application of flaps and ailerons to modify
the airfoil for greater lift. These topics were
recently discussed by a few of us, along with
the techniques to use them.
Many pilots in the US utilize sliders for
camber adjustment, and others use a switch
to a preset value. I use a preset value that is
derived by trial and error. This method is
easy and efficient for me. I do not feel as if I
am good enough to notice the benefits of
varying camber through a slider. I am likely
to get myself in more trouble using that
method.
The amount of camber varies depending
on the airfoil. This can be determined only
Justin Ammon launches his Genie during the SWC contest.
The raffle at the successful 2005 Southwest Classic was a good
one. Notice the radios lined up in the back row.
by experimentation. My process for
determining camber involves a starting point
of 1/16 inch of deflection of flaps and
ailerons. I fly the model and try the camber.
A slight rise will usually be noticed when
the switch is flipped. Then I fly the aircraft
in the camber mode and see how it feels and
notice the glide ratio, penetration, and
overall handling characteristics. I fly this
until I can see how the model indicates a
thermal and reacts. If all meets my
satisfaction, I land the model, increase the
camber by 1/16 inch, and repeat the preceding
steps.
Through this process I will find a setting
that works for me and lock it in. My settings
work in a broad range of conditions. Don’t
forget to set the elevator to avoid the nose
ballooning.
Much of this process is doing what
works and feels good for you. After all,
you are the one flying the airplane. Once I
get an optimum setup, I copy that to an
open model on the transmitter for further
experimentation.
In 1999 when I was preparing for the
Nats, I learned that the wind often blows
in Muncie, Indiana. It sounds funny, but
the wind is not always prevalent in
Arizona. When a windy day arrives, I get
out and practice. I learned that I had to
modify my launch setup for wind. I
modified my camber settings for the same
reason.
Reflex is basically the opposite of
camber. With reflex we will raise flaps
and ailerons to decrease the efficiency of
the airfoil and cause the model to increase
speed. Usually 1/16 inch is plenty. All of
you technical types out there, don’t send
me hate mail; I’m trying to keep this
simple and basic for understanding
purposes.
Reflex is used primarily for escaping
sink. At the Fall Soaring Festival in
Visalia, California, there is always a
period of time when the lift is surrounded
by greater-than-average sink. The ability
to “bail” is critical; otherwise, your glider
will be stuck in a place you don’t want it
to be. Experimentation is important to get
the settings that work for you.
I’m going to give up one of the flying
secrets that improved my flying and my
confidence. When I made the transition to
the 7035 airfoil from the 7037, I had a
tough time getting used to the model’s
flying faster. The tendency is to think, It’s
a sailplane; it should fly slowly.
That is not the case, and the airplane
must be flown in the proper speed
envelope to be successful. Flying a
thermal can further complicate things. The
speed must be maintained in the thermal,
or your sailplane will fall out or not get the
most out of it.
I had trouble while in thermals because
I wanted to lift the nose. I was becoming
frustrated that the 7035 was not working
for me. While flying one day, my model was
in reflex and was escaping some sink when I
encountered a whopper thermal. I didn’t hit
the switch to get out of reflex. The airplane
was going up like nothing before I realized
that the reflex was keeping the speed up and
letting the airfoil work. I used this technique
until I got used to how the sailplane should
feel in a thermal.
I still use this method when I feel a need.
I have used it with the MH32, the FS01, and
a couple other airfoils I can’t remember. So
if you are new to the higher-speed airfoils,
give this technique a try. I think it will assist
you in maximizing thermal efficiency.
I just received my Futaba 14MZ radio. It is
perhaps the most capable radio system
available in the world at this time. I have not
had much time to work with it and will not
be able to go into any detail because of
deadline constraints.
Initial observations are that there is
nothing this system will not do. Every
conceivable template for wing and tail type
is available for sailplanes. Programming is a
snap. In the next column I’ll have a complete
setup review for a typical competition
Thermal Duration sailplane.
Please let me know if you have any
comments on or techniques for setting up
camber and reflex that I can pass on to the
readers. Next time I will look more in-depth
at the Futaba 14MZ system and include a
profile of a sailplane modeler from
somewhere in the US. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/06
Page Numbers: 86,88,90,92
86 MODEL AVIATION
Darwin Barrie, 4316 W. Rickenbacker Way, Chandler AZ 85226; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL SOARING
THE 17TH ANNUAL Southwest Classic
(SWC) sponsored by the Central Arizona
Soaring League (CASL) of Gilbert, Arizona,
is in the books. It was held February 5-6.
The event takes place in Queen Creek,
Arizona, at Schnepf Farms. This first-class
facility features full hookups for RVs and
campers, unlimited camping for tents,
restroom facilities with showers, and, this
year, a hot tub.
The contest is held on roughly 15 acres of
unobstructed grass. The entire area
surrounding the site is farm fields and is
generally wide-open territory. The facility is
second to none for this type of event.
This year 128 pilots took part in the
contest, with all scores qualifying for Open,
18 in Two-Meter, 37 in RES (Rudder-
Elevator-Spoiler), five in Youth, and 21 in
Gray Cup. For the first time, the SWC
allowed entrants to fly in two classes; this
escalated the total participants to the
equivalent of 168.
The number of no-shows this year was
down considerably. The contest continues to
grow after a down year in 2002. Many
people ventured west from the cold confines
of the central US. Peter Goldsmith and John
Diniz from Horizon Hobby escaped the cold
of Illinois and enjoyed the great weather the
Phoenix area provides in February.
At the SWC, four winches are operated The launch area at the Southwest Classic. Notice the wide-open space.
The hand-free line retriever as seen at the Southwest Classic. It
features high-quality construction and easy operation. A landing just out of the money at Schnepf Farms.
utilizing continuous chargers for the
batteries. A 5-kilovolt generator provides
juice for the system.
This year it was exciting to use Rick
Bothel and Dan Vester’s new “hands-free”
retrievers. They feature an automatic catch
device for the retrieve line. The retriever
senses when the glider is off-line and flips
the catch device. The operator then reels in
the line with the aid of a pickle switch. This
feature keeps hands and fingers out of
harm’s way, greatly enhancing safety.
The efficiency of the hands-free system
speeds the retrieve time and helps keep the
contest moving. This is extremely important
at a contest this size. Additionally, the
retrievers can be set up with a foot pedal for
solo operation. A photo shows the handsfree
winch-line retriever.
The SWC venue provides the
opportunity to orient the winches in three
directions if necessary. Fortunately the wind
cooperated and we did not have to reposition
the equipment.
The landing-zone area was set up to
allow for a 90° shift as necessary. I know of
no other contest that can do that. The shift
was required at one point during the contest.
This was accomplished between rounds so
that all contestants had to land in the same
conditions during the round.
Mark your calendars for the first full
weekend in February; you will enjoy the
SWC. If nothing else, those of you in the
colder climes can escape to Arizona for a
few days. The CASL puts on a top-notch
event at a first-class facility. The contest, the
raffle, and, most important, the interaction
with fellow modelers will be a good
experience.
Camber and Reflex: I will not get into a
technical discussion of camber, but rather a
practical application for use. Camber is an
application of flaps and ailerons to modify
the airfoil for greater lift. These topics were
recently discussed by a few of us, along with
the techniques to use them.
Many pilots in the US utilize sliders for
camber adjustment, and others use a switch
to a preset value. I use a preset value that is
derived by trial and error. This method is
easy and efficient for me. I do not feel as if I
am good enough to notice the benefits of
varying camber through a slider. I am likely
to get myself in more trouble using that
method.
The amount of camber varies depending
on the airfoil. This can be determined only
Justin Ammon launches his Genie during the SWC contest.
The raffle at the successful 2005 Southwest Classic was a good
one. Notice the radios lined up in the back row.
by experimentation. My process for
determining camber involves a starting point
of 1/16 inch of deflection of flaps and
ailerons. I fly the model and try the camber.
A slight rise will usually be noticed when
the switch is flipped. Then I fly the aircraft
in the camber mode and see how it feels and
notice the glide ratio, penetration, and
overall handling characteristics. I fly this
until I can see how the model indicates a
thermal and reacts. If all meets my
satisfaction, I land the model, increase the
camber by 1/16 inch, and repeat the preceding
steps.
Through this process I will find a setting
that works for me and lock it in. My settings
work in a broad range of conditions. Don’t
forget to set the elevator to avoid the nose
ballooning.
Much of this process is doing what
works and feels good for you. After all,
you are the one flying the airplane. Once I
get an optimum setup, I copy that to an
open model on the transmitter for further
experimentation.
In 1999 when I was preparing for the
Nats, I learned that the wind often blows
in Muncie, Indiana. It sounds funny, but
the wind is not always prevalent in
Arizona. When a windy day arrives, I get
out and practice. I learned that I had to
modify my launch setup for wind. I
modified my camber settings for the same
reason.
Reflex is basically the opposite of
camber. With reflex we will raise flaps
and ailerons to decrease the efficiency of
the airfoil and cause the model to increase
speed. Usually 1/16 inch is plenty. All of
you technical types out there, don’t send
me hate mail; I’m trying to keep this
simple and basic for understanding
purposes.
Reflex is used primarily for escaping
sink. At the Fall Soaring Festival in
Visalia, California, there is always a
period of time when the lift is surrounded
by greater-than-average sink. The ability
to “bail” is critical; otherwise, your glider
will be stuck in a place you don’t want it
to be. Experimentation is important to get
the settings that work for you.
I’m going to give up one of the flying
secrets that improved my flying and my
confidence. When I made the transition to
the 7035 airfoil from the 7037, I had a
tough time getting used to the model’s
flying faster. The tendency is to think, It’s
a sailplane; it should fly slowly.
That is not the case, and the airplane
must be flown in the proper speed
envelope to be successful. Flying a
thermal can further complicate things. The
speed must be maintained in the thermal,
or your sailplane will fall out or not get the
most out of it.
I had trouble while in thermals because
I wanted to lift the nose. I was becoming
frustrated that the 7035 was not working
for me. While flying one day, my model was
in reflex and was escaping some sink when I
encountered a whopper thermal. I didn’t hit
the switch to get out of reflex. The airplane
was going up like nothing before I realized
that the reflex was keeping the speed up and
letting the airfoil work. I used this technique
until I got used to how the sailplane should
feel in a thermal.
I still use this method when I feel a need.
I have used it with the MH32, the FS01, and
a couple other airfoils I can’t remember. So
if you are new to the higher-speed airfoils,
give this technique a try. I think it will assist
you in maximizing thermal efficiency.
I just received my Futaba 14MZ radio. It is
perhaps the most capable radio system
available in the world at this time. I have not
had much time to work with it and will not
be able to go into any detail because of
deadline constraints.
Initial observations are that there is
nothing this system will not do. Every
conceivable template for wing and tail type
is available for sailplanes. Programming is a
snap. In the next column I’ll have a complete
setup review for a typical competition
Thermal Duration sailplane.
Please let me know if you have any
comments on or techniques for setting up
camber and reflex that I can pass on to the
readers. Next time I will look more in-depth
at the Futaba 14MZ system and include a
profile of a sailplane modeler from
somewhere in the US. MA