CL Racing
Dave McDonald, Box 384, Daleville IN 47334; E-mail: [email protected]
Mouse II: Emergency rules change
Most, if not all, competitors at the 2000 Nationals became aware that the current 42-foot lines were too short for the new and very popular Cyclon engines. Rotational speeds were getting so high that most pilots were on the edge of being able to keep up with these little airplanes.
Bob Whitney and Lester Goldsmith headed a committee of the racing community to take input and look at possible changes for the event. They determined three areas that needed to be addressed, took input, and made a proposal for a rules change.
The following changes have passed the first step. The rules change is in effect at the time this column is being prepared.
As I understand the procedure, the emergency rules change will be published in Model Aviation. A 30-day comment period will commence at that time. After that, the Contest Board will vote to keep the change or the event will revert to the old rules.
I encourage all competitors who fly Mouse II and have an opinion to make it known. I would urge the Contest Board to uphold the changes.
The changes:
- Line length will change from 42 feet to 47 feet, six inches. This will change the rotational speed for the pilots and should provide some much-needed relief.
- Change the "pitting circle" from the current 15-foot radius to a nine-foot, 10-inch radius. This change was sought after many pilots had trouble getting into the center after takeoff. The change should allow pilots to keep up with the airplanes' rapid acceleration.
- Change the current race length from the 75-lap heat race to a standard 70-lap heat. Change the feature from the current 200 laps to a standard 140-lap feature. The current 200-lap race is just killing the pilots and the equipment.
New reeds
I have received from K-Tech new reeds for the Cox engines. Two types are available: the "competition" and the "sport" reed. The competition reed is made from .001 brass and the sport reed is .002 brass.
These reeds are designed to provide maximum flow for their intended applications. The reeds are made from brass instead of copper.
The tests that Mr. Kahn of K-Tech has done show that brass flexes as well as copper, but offers better resistance to corrosion. The reeds are precisely cut. A CNC (computer numeric control) machine is used to cut the reeds.
Eliminator Props
Steve Wilk sent me an updated product sheet. He is producing new types of propellers for various events.
There are too many varieties to mention here, but they include new Team Race (TR), Speed, Racing, and Combat props. Steve has many different sizes and pitches for the TR, Racing, and Speed events.
If you are in need of props, contact Steve for an up-to-date product sheet.
Eliminator Props will sponsor two events at this year's Nationals: Quickie Rat and .21 Rat.
Pit-crew safety
Flying is underway throughout the country, and with that I encourage all Contest Directors (CDs), event directors (EDs), pilots, and pitmen to review your habits.
Too many times I have seen pilots trying to land their airplanes and they are well outside the "pitting circle," pitmen inside the outer line, and neither party is aware of what is happening around him/her.
If you are flying a two-race and your airplane is in the pit, become more aware of your surroundings when you hear the second airplane shut off.
You should remember such factors as:
- Are you in the front or back pit?
- If you are flying a three-race, are you in the middle pit?
- Does the landing airplane have to cross over me while I am pitting?
- What am I going to do if his airplane stops just in front of me?
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of getting the CD's or ED's permission to enter the circle if your airplane comes to rest inside it.
Pilots need to develop a running dialog in the center. Let the other pilot—or in three-up racing, the other pilots—know, "Hey! I am going down!" or "Hey, get ready! Here he comes!" This simple thing can prevent a serious disaster in the middle of the circle. The middle of the circle will become easier to handle if all the pilots work together.
If you are CD or ED of an event, it is your responsibility to let the team still in the air know that someone is retrieving a model. There is no reason why this entire year cannot be accident-free.
Most, if not all, of this should be brought up at a pilots' meeting prior to the start of the event. If it is, some of these mistakes can be prevented.
A video recorder is a useful training tool. It will allow you to sit down after the race and see exactly what happens. It is very useful for critiquing your pitting technique.
Most people would be surprised at how lengthy some pit stops are and what is really going on in the circle. Watch the video with a stopwatch and time how long your pit stops are, from... [text incomplete in source]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
