Free Flight: Duration

FREE FLIGHT DURATION ATE TO ADMIT IT first Nats almost 20 years first contest AMA Muncie site Compared Navy Nats youth much smaller contest threering circus atmosphere Control Line RC being flown same time As Free Flight contest best part opportunity see old friends make new ones AMA staff helpful museum provided delightful break days flying havent need go Rather blow-by-blow day-byday account Ive jotted down some observations site certainly adequate two-minute mazes three-minute flights FAT events flyoffs stretched limit windier days Trees crops downwind provided usual retrieval hazards field itself bit rough bicycle chasing no problem motorcycles large AMA Gas events really needed automated model competitive VIT Variable Incidence Tailplane auto rudder bunt gave top models near-vertical climbs recoveries altitude loss could make through seven-second engine run phase perhaps five-second using conventional locked-up model 154 Modei Aviation Johannes once-in-a-lifetime performance B Gas shattering national record 37 maxes 90-minute total placed second Carol Barron husband Andrews M&K FlA latest addition Jim Larkin fires up K&B 21 565 Shocer Note jacket Barron clan Andrew placed third 1390 seconds plastic coveringthis day cool damp engine run went four seconds lockedup models no longer able compete faster-climbing bunt models As by-product VIT bunt newer power models featured longer fuselages smaller stabs Again follows current Fl C practice Charles Catons winning B Gas model example uses 23% stab 60% center gravity CG Other other hand top two models F1J Jean Pailet RJ Dunham rather low-tech well-adjusted flown good air FlA Nordic glider top placers used state-of-the-art Russian Ukrainian models equipped circle-tow bunt Brian Van Nest said buying Victor Stamov model provided quickest way get back Free Flight after long layoff new plastic coverings outshone traditional tissue-and-dope rainy days Mylar seemed popular new materials needed dyeing spraying visibility Judging questions asked lot people arent quite sure about exactly use Polyspan despite numerous articles model magazines instructions packed stuff Just try itits easy Since modelers well models get wet its important prepared damp conditions first day saw everything British style Wellies plastic bags used keep feet dry unexpected cold weather also fliers checking out local stores bargain sweatshirts George Perryman resplendent week patriotic red white blue warmup suitappropriate Georgia native contest held same time Atlanta Olympics Although Power event continued horsepower race some fliers detuning engines slightly easier starting reliable runs very slight reduction compression example might cost few hundred rpm make easier setting saw number bad launches just about event some could traced lack practice contest jitters seemed caused lack hand grips model few well-placed pieces sandpaper takes assure solid grip greasy model Another cause bad launches people know better hitting stab hat Simply stated Never wear hat cap launching Free Flight model FlC David Halliday flying new carbon-fiber D-box wings starting gain popularity Compared thin-aluminum-over-balsa skin has dominated event last decade new construction easier repair slightly lighter Look type construction future FF Duration column Californian Larry Norvall some nice- Frank Parmenter wipes water off C looking Wakefield propeller blades Nostalgia Jays Bird honored NFFS blades formed single sheet 10 Models Year December1996 155 Dressed Success Jim OReilly Wichita KS launches hisJunior John Barron North Haven CT launches P-30 popular Tubesteak Mulvihill designplaced fifth just behind younger brother Peter light balsa sanded thin airfoil section Carbon cloth applied both sides using laminating resin blades put back form vacuum-bagged until epoxy hardened 29-ounce cloth runs weave 450 increase torsional stiffness blades weighed about six grams Two modelers over Japan flying Hand-Launched Glider Kazumasa Sekizawa also flies F2C CL Team Race neat compact box models gliders little larger average East Coast HLG spans 24-inch range removable wings allowed storage well pop-up wing DT Fuselages thin carbon fiber tubes balsa front sections added trailing edge wing forward Kazumasa said Japan usually fly eight flights top four counting max 90 seconds However personally prefers German rules minute max ten flights count Tal-Ichi Furuya flying similar gliders used fabric bag transport disassembled gliders halfway around world FAI Model Supplys new owner John Clapp having fun flying just about Rubber events well showing off some new goodies FAI particular interest new Tomy-based timers Poland Based British design compact lightweight timers available both three functions Prices $1750 $1950 respectively John also selling British Airspan covering material polyester paper similar Polyspan available range colors including couple fluorescents Cost $395 sheet some reason Power fliers seemed group together high groundnot strung out along flightline square reminiscent British troops Waterloo Ready French cavalry charge perhaps caused some problems 156 Model Aviation masa Sekizawa came Tokyo fly HLGhe placed fifth Wings pop up DT removable storage neat box MA staffer Matt Usher flew Peck Nesmith Cougar third place Peanut Scalein first contest Ed Keck launches winning FiC model Pattern underside John Clapp Sayre PA new owner FAI Model Supply helps distinguish model viewed distance launches Moffett Power Tan II rubberof course timers sitting upwind side square seemed surprised people along flightline blocked vision Timers should flightlinethat way no will block view Coupe particular problems turbulence caused trees located immediately upwind launch area Surprisingly saw no VIT Variable Incidence Tailplane equipped Coupes common Europe day have small fast-climbing model relatively short motor run Streamer poles thermistors common means picking air few bubble machines also use spotted recording thermistor no remote sensors located upwind turbulence upwind trees made spotting thermals difficult especially wind Most people watched simply waited long lull went Ground-support equipment ranged sublime ridiculous some flight boxes looking suited starting full-sized aircraft Gil Morris using very compact easy-to-make device really couldnt call box hold starter tach bare essentials hope feature drawings future Duration column December 1996 157 Larry Norvall Woodbridge CA placed fifth Fl B Model featured carbon-fiber-covered balsa blades Andriukov front end rigged instant start Bob Bienenstein launches first-place Mulvihill Bob also won Moffett third time Bandit 11193 MA Broken Arrow Oklahomas Robert Dunham II launches Shuriken-powered Chugger F1J Robert placed second event won 1hA Gas David Halliday Brentwood TN launches 101-inch-span FiG placed third Wing has carbon-fiber D-box saw two fliers both FiC model boxes out flightline eliminated need run back car needed assemble backup model hurry saw very few people model boxes contenting themselves throwing loose pieces vans dont fly contests model boxes help organize models dont leave stab other vital part home Boxes also offer considerable protection against damage shop car cardboard box better nothing Nats seemed offer opportunity fly just about event Several people included wondered trying fly too events some great appeal Natsthe opportunity fly some event cant fly local contest Would Nats better three-day contest fewer events Should similar events grouped consecutive days Fl Towline Glider Monday F1H Towline Friday example Would better focusing efforts two events trying fly dozen What should real purpose Nats Model Aviation op Californias Brian Van Nest back Gil Morris Columbus OH preps second-place 1/2A Matchsticks Note angled starterin FF after 20-year layoff won FlA flying rig can used sitting standing positiona Victor Stamov model Bill Lynchs B Gas model has K&B US Junior Team member David Ellis Charles Caton won B Gas original power own VIT mechanism dropped round FlA place 550 Sunbird OS 25 ducted fan engine Kevlarlcarbon-fiber D-box tiplets fifth flying against Open-age members 25 ounces Charles also won D Gas

FREE FLIGHT DURATION ATE TO ADMIT IT first Nats almost 20 years first contest AMA Muncie site Compared Navy Nats youth much smaller contest threering circus atmosphere Control Line RC being flown same time As Free Flight contest best part opportunity see old friends make new ones AMA staff helpful museum provided delightful break days flying havent need go Rather blow-by-blow day-byday account Ive jotted down some observations site certainly adequate two-minute mazes three-minute flights FAT events flyoffs stretched limit windier days Trees crops downwind provided usual retrieval hazards field itself bit rough bicycle chasing no problem motorcycles large AMA Gas events really needed automated model competitive VIT Variable Incidence Tailplane auto rudder bunt gave top models near-vertical climbs recoveries altitude loss could make through seven-second engine run phase perhaps five-second using conventional locked-up model 154 Modei Aviation Johannes once-in-a-lifetime performance B Gas shattering national record 37 maxes 90-minute total placed second Carol Barron husband Andrews M&K FlA latest addition Jim Larkin fires up K&B 21 565 Shocer Note jacket Barron clan Andrew placed third 1390 seconds plastic coveringthis day cool damp engine run went four seconds lockedup models no longer able compete faster-climbing bunt models As by-product VIT bunt newer power models featured longer fuselages smaller stabs Again follows current Fl C practice Charles Catons winning B Gas model example uses 23% stab 60% center gravity CG Other other hand top two models F1J Jean Pailet RJ Dunham rather low-tech well-adjusted flown good air FlA Nordic glider top placers used state-of-the-art Russian Ukrainian models equipped circle-tow bunt Brian Van Nest said buying Victor Stamov model provided quickest way get back Free Flight after long layoff new plastic coverings outshone traditional tissue-and-dope rainy days Mylar seemed popular new materials needed dyeing spraying visibility Judging questions asked lot people arent quite sure about exactly use Polyspan despite numerous articles model magazines instructions packed stuff Just try itits easy Since modelers well models get wet its important prepared damp conditions first day saw everything British style Wellies plastic bags used keep feet dry unexpected cold weather also fliers checking out local stores bargain sweatshirts George Perryman resplendent week patriotic red white blue warmup suitappropriate Georgia native contest held same time Atlanta Olympics Although Power event continued horsepower race some fliers detuning engines slightly easier starting reliable runs very slight reduction compression example might cost few hundred rpm make easier setting saw number bad launches just about event some could traced lack practice contest jitters seemed caused lack hand grips model few well-placed pieces sandpaper takes assure solid grip greasy model Another cause bad launches people know better hitting stab hat Simply stated Never wear hat cap launching Free Flight model FlC David Halliday flying new carbon-fiber D-box wings starting gain popularity Compared thin-aluminum-over-balsa skin has dominated event last decade new construction easier repair slightly lighter Look type construction future FF Duration column Californian Larry Norvall some nice- Frank Parmenter wipes water off C looking Wakefield propeller blades Nostalgia Jays Bird honored NFFS blades formed single sheet 10 Models Year December1996 155 Dressed Success Jim OReilly Wichita KS launches hisJunior John Barron North Haven CT launches P-30 popular Tubesteak Mulvihill designplaced fifth just behind younger brother Peter light balsa sanded thin airfoil section Carbon cloth applied both sides using laminating resin blades put back form vacuum-bagged until epoxy hardened 29-ounce cloth runs weave 450 increase torsional stiffness blades weighed about six grams Two modelers over Japan flying Hand-Launched Glider Kazumasa Sekizawa also flies F2C CL Team Race neat compact box models gliders little larger average East Coast HLG spans 24-inch range removable wings allowed storage well pop-up wing DT Fuselages thin carbon fiber tubes balsa front sections added trailing edge wing forward Kazumasa said Japan usually fly eight flights top four counting max 90 seconds However personally prefers German rules minute max ten flights count Tal-Ichi Furuya flying similar gliders used fabric bag transport disassembled gliders halfway around world FAI Model Supplys new owner John Clapp having fun flying just about Rubber events well showing off some new goodies FAI particular interest new Tomy-based timers Poland Based British design compact lightweight timers available both three functions Prices $1750 $1950 respectively John also selling British Airspan covering material polyester paper similar Polyspan available range colors including couple fluorescents Cost $395 sheet some reason Power fliers seemed group together high groundnot strung out along flightline square reminiscent British troops Waterloo Ready French cavalry charge perhaps caused some problems 156 Model Aviation masa Sekizawa came Tokyo fly HLGhe placed fifth Wings pop up DT removable storage neat box MA staffer Matt Usher flew Peck Nesmith Cougar third place Peanut Scalein first contest Ed Keck launches winning FiC model Pattern underside John Clapp Sayre PA new owner FAI Model Supply helps distinguish model viewed distance launches Moffett Power Tan II rubberof course timers sitting upwind side square seemed surprised people along flightline blocked vision Timers should flightlinethat way no will block view Coupe particular problems turbulence caused trees located immediately upwind launch area Surprisingly saw no VIT Variable Incidence Tailplane equipped Coupes common Europe day have small fast-climbing model relatively short motor run Streamer poles thermistors common means picking air few bubble machines also use spotted recording thermistor no remote sensors located upwind turbulence upwind trees made spotting thermals difficult especially wind Most people watched simply waited long lull went Ground-support equipment ranged sublime ridiculous some flight boxes looking suited starting full-sized aircraft Gil Morris using very compact easy-to-make device really couldnt call box hold starter tach bare essentials hope feature drawings future Duration column December 1996 157 Larry Norvall Woodbridge CA placed fifth Fl B Model featured carbon-fiber-covered balsa blades Andriukov front end rigged instant start Bob Bienenstein launches first-place Mulvihill Bob also won Moffett third time Bandit 11193 MA Broken Arrow Oklahomas Robert Dunham II launches Shuriken-powered Chugger F1J Robert placed second event won 1hA Gas David Halliday Brentwood TN launches 101-inch-span FiG placed third Wing has carbon-fiber D-box saw two fliers both FiC model boxes out flightline eliminated need run back car needed assemble backup model hurry saw very few people model boxes contenting themselves throwing loose pieces vans dont fly contests model boxes help organize models dont leave stab other vital part home Boxes also offer considerable protection against damage shop car cardboard box better nothing Nats seemed offer opportunity fly just about event Several people included wondered trying fly too events some great appeal Natsthe opportunity fly some event cant fly local contest Would Nats better three-day contest fewer events Should similar events grouped consecutive days Fl Towline Glider Monday F1H Towline Friday example Would better focusing efforts two events trying fly dozen What should real purpose Nats Model Aviation op Californias Brian Van Nest back Gil Morris Columbus OH preps second-place 1/2A Matchsticks Note angled starterin FF after 20-year layoff won FlA flying rig can used sitting standing positiona Victor Stamov model Bill Lynchs B Gas model has K&B US Junior Team member David Ellis Charles Caton won B Gas original power own VIT mechanism dropped round FlA place 550 Sunbird OS 25 ducted fan engine Kevlarlcarbon-fiber D-box tiplets fifth flying against Open-age members 25 ounces Charles also won D Gas