File: 08joyner.lt1.doc
[Headline: FF Junior World Championship Team]
As you read this, nine young fliers from across America will be competing with youth from around the world at the Free Flight Junior World Championship in Salonta, Romania. The contest, which runs from July 28 through August 3, consists of three events: F1A Towline Glider, F1B Wakefield Rubber, and F1P Power.
Both individual and team prizes will be awarded in each event, as well as overall team awards. US team members are Alex Stalick, Logan Tetrick, and Garrett Tremayne in F1A; Sevak Malkhasyan, Jace Pivonka, and Troy Davis in F1B; Cade Fedor, Colby Fedor, and Taron Malkhasyan in F1P. George Batiuk will be team manager.
Two New E-36 Electronic Timers
If nothing else, the increasingly popular E-36 electric event has pushed more modelers, including myself, to try electronic timers. Now there are two more to try: the NOS 36 Magic E36 version from Magic Timers and the Hubin FM-10 system from Will Hubin.
The NOS 36 Magic Timer is a stand-alone timer featuring a three-digit LED display that shows motor run and DT times. Two small buttons allow times to be increased or decreased.
The motor run can be set to tenths of a second, while DT times are in 5-second increments. A switch on the timer starts the motor when depressed then starts the motor run and DT when the model is released. (Electric models often use folding propellers, so starting the model nose down is necessary. Motors take a second or so to get up to speed before launch.)
The timer can also be used with a remote dethermalizer (RDT) system and with an energy limiter. The timer’s price is $80, plus shipping.
The Hubin FM-10 system utilizes an external programmer to set the motor run and DT times. The FM-9F1Q Programmer can be used with several Hubin timers, including the FM-10 timer for motor run and DT and the FM-10RDT, which is compatible with an RDT system.
The programmer plugs into the timer to set motor run and flight times. The motor run can be set in 1/10-second increments; DT times are set in minutes and seconds. Cost for the timers run from $10 for the FM-10 to $20 for the FM-10RDT. The FM-9F1Q Programmer is $75. Shipping is extra.
Symposium 2014
This year’s National Free Flight Society (NFFS) Symposium 2014 editor, Ross Jahnke, has pulled together a variety of papers from around the world. Included are articles about dimple tabulators (think golf balls) from Yury Avdeev in Ukraine; a series of reports on the state of FF from China, Serbia, Sweden, New Zealand, and a few other countries; and low-drag airfoils for the P-30 by Tapio Linkosalo of Finland.
Dutch glider flier Allard van Wallene discusses advances in carbon structures. American contributions include Gene Ulm on FF in social media and Jim Bethea about securing and keeping sod farms as flying sites.
Frank Perkins describes his own electronic timers for Catapult Glider and Moe Whittemore investigates methods of thermal detection. Tiffaney O’Dell profiles women who fly FF, while Julie Parker chronicles her move from supporter to F1Q National Cup and America’s Cup champion. Articles of interest to Indoor modelers include one about rubber by Don Slusarczyk and another on stress analysis of motor sticks by Jeff Annis.
Also included are the Models of the Year selection and profiles of the 2014 FF Hall of Fame inductees: Stan Chilton, Don DeLoach, Ray Harlan, Chuck Markos, Ralph Ray, and the late Henry Spence.
The 2014 Symposium is available from NFFS Publications; the price is $35, plus $5.60 for postage for one to two copies within the US.
BMFA Free Flight Forum Report
The 2014 Forum, now available, is the 29th in the series. Edited by Martin Dilly, this year’s Forum includes articles ranging from “P-30—Does Size Matter?” by Chris Redrup to Alan Jack’s detailed account of building flapped F1C Power models, titled “What’s All the Flap About?” Gavin Manion offers up a simple approach to the F1G Coupe event, while Peter Tolhurst and Tony Shepherd provide information about getting started with E-36 electrics.
John Carter covers building and flying F1A Towline Gliders with low-drag-airfoil (LDA) wings and Ian Kaynes explores the uses of GPS tracking systems for locating models. Ivan Taylor’s article about his F1B Wakefield-based British Model Flying Association (BMFA) Rubber model introduces modern building techniques and auto surfaces to the event. (BMFA Rubber replaced Open Rubber in Great Britain a few years ago, limiting the weight of the rubber motor to 50 grams.)
Mike Woodhouse’s thought-provoking piece about the future of FF in Great Britain addresses many of the same concerns we face in the US, such as declining numbers and too many events. Alan Jack offers suggestions to reduce the complexity, cost, and performance of FAI-class models. Although models could be either bought or built, auto surfaces, gears, and variable-pitch propellers would be banned. He also suggests ways to implement such a drastic rules change and by doing so, soften the impact on modelers who have a significant investment in high-tech models.
Also included are drawings and descriptions, titled “A Few Successful British Models.” These include a P-30 by Chris Redup, an E-36 Ramrod by Chris Strachan, power designs by Steve Barnes, a small Catapult Glider by Steve Brewer, and Dave Hipperson’s 1/2A power model.
Hipperson’s Cox Tee Dee-powered model utilizes autorudder and variable-incidence tailplane (VIT) to control the powered-flight phase; an undercambered wing helps the glide. Note the diagonal ribs in front of the wing spar for rigidity. All-up weight for the model is 6.2 ounces and the wing area is 257 square inches.
Copies of Free Flight Forum 2014 can be ordered by email from Martin Dilly or from NFFS Publications. If ordered through NFFS, the price is $25, plus $5.60 shipping within the US for one to two copies.[dingbat]
SOURCES:
Magic Timers
[email protected]
www.magictimers.com
Hubin Timer
Will Hubin
719 Cuyahoga St.
Kent OH 44240
[email protected]
National Free Flight Society
www.freeflight.org
NFFS Publications
Box 1775
Albany OR 97321
[email protected]
Martin Dilly
[email protected]