Free Flight Duration - 2006/08

Bob Piserchio and Stepan Stefanchuk, based on the original concept
of the late Jack North, was honored.
Named to the NFFS Hall of Fame were Glider flier Lee Hines
and Wakefield flier (and 2004 Sympo editor) Walt Ghio.
You can order your copy of the Sympo from NFFS Publication
Services, Box 1775, Albany OR 97321. The price is $25 for NFFS
members and $30 for nonmembers. Postage is $4.50. Check or
money order only on domestic orders.
For more information contact NFFS publications coordinator
Bob Stalick at Box 1775, Albany OR 97321, or via E-mail at
[email protected]. You can also visit the NFFS Web site at
http://freeflight.org.
2006 Free Flight Forum: As is the Sympo, the Free Flight Forum
Report is a compilation of papers covering a
variety of topics. Edited by Martin Dilly and
Mike Evatt, this edition includes articles
about aspects of the sport from Indoor to
Scale. Following are some of the offerings.
Two of the more technical papers use
computer simulation to examine aspects of
FF aerodynamics. Peter King uses Xfoil
software to compare the theoretical
performance of five different wing airfoils
for F1B Wakefield models. Using the popular AA 29 airfoil as a
baseline, Peter cited duration differences for the other airfoils that
ranged from -3.1% to +6.7%.
EACH YEAR the National Free Flight Society (NFFS) produces a
Symposium Report, better known as the Sympo. The purpose of the
Sympo is to promote the technical and theoretical aspects of FF.
Through the years it has been a treasure trove of information about
all aspects of FF. This is a must-read.
The 2006 Symposium Report, edited by Harry Grogan, is
dedicated to the late Bob White and includes tributes from many of
Bob’s longtime friends.
Among the papers in the 2006 Sympo, F1C flier Gil Morris
details the testing of his “turboprop” concept of direct drive and
geared engines. In a separate article he shows a vibration-reducing
bearing for F1C folding propellers.
Bob Thoren looks at the physics of the climb portion of a
Catapult Glider launch as well as the energy storage of the rubber
strip of the catapult. Dan Tracy, who has
represented the US at the annual meeting of
the CIAM (Committee of International Aero
Modeling), provides an insider’s
perspective on this rule-making body.
Which way should the wood grain run
for spar webs? Australian Power flier Stan
Hinds offers a better alternative to vertical
or horizontal.
In a paper titled “The Leper Squadron,”
another Australian—Art Lonergan—shares his experiences in
starting a modeling club for people with disabilities. A third
Aussie—Sean O’Connor—shares test results for his pop-up wing
DT for small models.
Bill McCombs explains the three most
important parameters to ensure that a model
will be stable in climb and glide. Romanian
F1E flier Daniel Petcu explains how to
make the magnet steering mechanism for
Slope Soaring Gliders.
In “Twelve Free Flight Heresies” David
Mills offers a controversial look at a dozen
cherished beliefs. As in past issues, this
Sympo also includes the cartoons of Will
Nakashima.
An annual feature of the Sympo is the
selection of the Models of the Year
winners. This year Bill Booth and his
committee named six models.
1) Alex Andriukov’s 180cm F1B
2) Tim Batiuk’s Maxine Hand-Launched
Glider
3) Don DeLoach’s Polecat Mk.10 P-30
4) Ronnie Thompson’s Sunbird RT—a
much-modified version of Charlie Caton’s
Gas design
5) Don Mace’s P-24 Condor Indoor
beginner’s Stick design
6) The Torontonian—a 1950s Wakefield
design by S. Ranta of Canada. Bob White
used the design with great success to help
promote the Nostalgia Wakefield event.
In addition, there were two special
awards this year. Roger Morrell received
recognition for his Black Magic series of
electronic timers, and the outside-the-model
rubber-winding tube system developed by
Highlights of the NFFS Symposium report
[[email protected]]
Free Flight Duration Louis Joyner
Also included in this column:
• 2006 Free Flight Forum
Part of the US Junior team competing at the FF World Champs. Tyler Secor (L) and
Brian Bauer (R) will fly F1A Towline. Tyler’s brother Cody will compete in F1P Power.
August 2006 139
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Ronnie Thompson’s updated version of Charlie Caton’s Sunbird
was one of the Models of the Year in the 2006 Sympo.
Also in the Sympo is this outside-the-model rubber-winding device
developed by Bob Piserchio and Stepan Stefanchuk.
Ian Kaynes, longtime editor of Free Flight News, used his own
software to explore performance and flight dynamics for a variety
of model types.
Mike Francis, who specializes in rocket-powered RC gliders,
explains in great detail his methods of molding wings using a
sandwich of lightweight, unidirectional carbon fiber and Rohacell
foam. The molds are CNC-machined from aluminum block.
In a similar vein, Californian Ken Oliver details his technique
for making tubular aluminum-carbon-fiber tailbooms.
Trevor Grey offers a simpler approach to the new F1Q electric
event using brush-type motors and Ni-Cd batteries. He feels that
this less complicated and less expensive alternative to brushless
motors and Lithium batteries is the best approach for getting started
in the event.
To learn how high your model is getting, consider fitting it with
a recording altimeter. Chris Edge, Mike Fantham, and Alan Jack
look at three of the commercially available units which range in
weight from 2.5 grams to 9.0 grams.
For the Indoor modeler Nick Aikman visits some of the
extraordinary flying sites around the world, including a 400-foottall
atrium in Tokyo, Japan; the CargoLifter airship hangar in
Germany; and the salt mine in Slanic, Romania.
In a different paper, Bob Bailey details the design and
construction of propellers for Indoor Duration models.
Bill Dennis’s paper covers his experiences with a once-popular
aspect of Scale modeling: gas-powered FF Scale. Mark Benns
discusses his experiences with gadget-free discus-launched gliders,
using aerodynamics rather than timer-operated auto surfaces to
control the flight pattern.
To me, one of the most important papers isn’t about FF at all. In
“Promoting a Technical Sport,” Nick Bosdet details his experiences
with the Finn Class of racing dinghies. A concerted effort toward
promotion and training helped turn a dying event into a popular
one. There are many lessons here that could—and should—be
applied to promoting the sport of FF.
The 2006 Forum is available from Martin Dilly, 20, Links Rd.,
West Wickham, Kent BR4 OQW, UK. The price, including
airmail postage to the US, is £14.00. (Note that £14.00 is
approximately $27, but the exchange rate fluctuates daily.)
Make checks out to the “BMFA F/F Team Support Fund.”
Since checks must be in pounds sterling and drawn on a bank with
a branch in the UK, it’s much easier to pay by credit card. Contact
Martin by fax at (44)+(0)20-8777-5533 or by E-mail at martin
[email protected]. Back issues of Forums are available.
The 2006 edition is also available from NFFS Publications
(Bob Stalick) at the address I gave previously. The price is $25
plus $4.50 postage for NFFS members; $30 plus $4.50 for
nonmembers. Checks or money orders only on US orders;
international orders can pay by credit card, but a service fee is
charged.
The 2006 Junior FF World Championships will take place
August 21-26 in Borne, Germany. Representing the US will be
Brian Bauer, Kyle Jones, and Tyler Secor in F1A Towline Glider.
Taylor Gunder, Paul Shailor, and Evan Simon will fly F1B
Wakefield. Anthony Ferrario, Brian Pacelli, and Cody Secor will
be flying F1P Power. The team manager is George Batiuk.
Brian Bauer and the Secor brothers attend Ayala High School
in Chino Hills, California. Brian Bauer, Tyler Secor, Taylor
Gunder, and Cody Secor were on the US team that flew in the
2004 Junior World Champs at Moncontour, France.
For information about trying out for the 2008 Junior FF team,
contact the Competition Department at AMA or visit the NFFS
Web site, click on “Competitions,” then click on “Juniors.” Note
that a Junior according to FAI rules is 18 or younger—not
younger than 16 as in the AMA rules. MA
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