A large portion of the United States has weather that causes Combat pilots to hibernate during the winter months. Many new models get built and older model fleets are repaired and returned to competition condition during these months. This is also the time when routine maintenance should take place.
An often-overlooked piece of equipment is the handle’s safety thong. I have taken advantage of rainy days to make new safety thongs for all of my handles. I found some good-quality, 1/8-inch diameter, stiff nylon cord that came in a variety of colors at my local Home Depot. There was enough in the package to do all of my handles and those of all of my flying buddies.
I cut a length of cord that is much longer than what I need for each handle. I melt the end of the cord slightly with a match or lighter so that it does not unravel, making certain the end is slightly pointed so it will pass through the hole in the handle. You can do this by carefully molding the point with pliers immediately after melting it.
After you push or pull the cord through the hole, hold roughly 1 inch of overlap against itself. I use two pairs of hemostats to hold the two pieces of cord together and then drop some thin CA on the joint. The hemostats can then be removed.
I tightly wrap the two pieces of cord with braided nylon fishing line where they are joined. I do not leave any space between each wrap. After you are done, bathe the entire wrapped area with CA and allow it to dry. You can speed up the drying with a heat gun; just remember to hold it away from your face so you don’t inhale the fumes.
I cut two pieces of heat-shrink tubing to a length of 11/4 inch. Slip both pieces of heat shrink over the unmade end. Use one piece to go over the wrapped joint by the handle. You can either shrink it down now or wait until you have made up the other end.
Size the thong on your wrist so that it fits comfortably and is not too long. You want to make the thong’s loop big enough so that your hand fits through easily, yet without too much slop. If you make a fist and wrap the cord around it, it will be nearly right. My loops are slightly less than 4 inches in diameter.
Mark the spot on the cord. Make sure the loop slides easily before you clamp it with the hemostats and repeat the procedure you followed with the handle end. Yes, it might take more time than you want to spend, but now you have a fresh safety thong that will save a model from flying away.
I found it painful to watch Greg Hill, from San Diego, lose a match at a world championship contest because he had a flimsy safety thong that knotted up when it was dragged across the field. He was ahead in that match and ended up losing because he could not get the thong unknotted. Let’s all learn from that type of preventable equipment failure.
Contest Calendars
It is a good idea to look at your yearly calendar so you can schedule your travel to contests without offending your spouse and relatives. Those who are still in the work force will need to request vacation time.
It is good to look at the various contest calendars including those from AMA, Miniature Aircraft Combat Association (MACA), FAI, and local clubs. You can also check with the CDs and event directors. Nearly all of the major calendars can be found online.
You can also sign up for various Web-based newsletter mailings. The Combat fliers in New England, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southwest all have good newsletters that are published on a regular basis. Look in the “Sources” section to find contact information for these groups.
Equipment Purchases
Sometimes you need a great deal of patience when ordering equipment from Eastern European suppliers. I ordered some models in September and was still waiting for them in December.
Costs are another consideration. Try to join with other modelers for group purchases so you can share the cost of wire transfers, money orders, and shipping.
Keep an eye out for new products and when ordering engines, get spare bearings, head shims, and perhaps a propeller nut. Be on the lookout for used engines if you are just getting into Combat models either for sport or competition flying. If you’re buying from a local seller, don’t be afraid to ask for an engine test flight. Be prepared to plunk down some greenbacks if you stick it in the ground.
Make sure you buy plenty of lines if you are into F2D Combat. You know you will go through many sets in one season. Once my lines develop any signs of kinks or have too many curls, I replace them. The lines from the Ukraine typically cost $5, so there is no need to be frugal or to take a chance with suspicious lines.
I watched the British pilots a couple of years ago in Sweden spray their lines with WD-40 after using them in the rain. They did this after rolling the lines up and they were on the spool. We do have damp mornings and I have noticed that some lines do develop rust, so keep an eye on your lines.
We have been doing considerable F2D propeller testing with the types available on Vasyl Yuvenko’s website. You will need to do the same, but keep in mind that you may need to compromise between flat-out speed and speed in the turns.
You should also test with and without streamers. Try to do much of your testing on the same day, because atmospheric changes affect the performance. Write everything down and try to fly at the same height every time.
The turning speed is a matter of feel and sound. Listen for the engine slowing down and pay attention to how long it takes to get back up to full speed after your turns and loops. After you have your data, ordering propellers will not be a matter of luck.
F2D Team Trials 2013
Phil Cartier is the new F2D Team Selection Committee Chairman, replacing Bobby Mears. Phil has proposed some changes to the latest F2D Team Selection document. Refer to the “Sources” for Phil’s contact information
