Free Flight: Duration

FREE FLIGHT DURATION AS CAN BE EXPECTED remarks about Builder Model rule January column aroused considerable interest Ive included excerpts some letters have received topic Most letters longthree four pages have edit things down good bit hope what remains essence what writer intended John OLeary 10 other members Minneapolis Model Airplane Club sent along thoughts view hobby/sport combination design construction trimming flying contest strategy skills opinion design construction elements share equal weight flying phase find great satisfaction ever-improving construction skills over years have learned something model Ive built Model construction affords opportunity engineer develop conceptualizations find delight sharing model building peers mutual admiration others construction techniques find no joy proposal BOM rule abolished AMA events Competing against contestants have purchased aircraft has absolutely zero appeal suspect attitude shared largest percentage Free Flighters Furthermore fail see contestant should win event purchased rented aircraft could feel lasting genuine sense accomplishment common complaint regarding elimination Builder Model rule concern over injection money ability pay contest equation Free Flighters build compete models deemed affordable respect income family economics etc Contestants rightfully concerned playing field level Purchased rented aircraft upset playing field enough credit cards too can world champion adds OLeary Gary Seckel Lebanon OH offered comments would feel absolutely no honor having won contest using $500 purchased model buying model components help achieve win issue believe contestant must agreement simply does compete mean apparently Wakefield fliers know purchase aircraft components support equipment takes place Note allowed rules U what extent money race bothers some contestants pretend know What accepted norm purchased equipment given event would venture competitors could define what acceptable events 51% BAA homebuilt aircraft rule controversy However rule lacking 100% interpretation application and/or compliance does render rule worthless Lets say issue honesty whether contestant builder model honor system exists time stopwatch button pressed honor system exists time contestant mails flight times postal meet honor system exists time rules-governed engine fueled rules-governed fuel part golf clubs purchased same 22 target rifles would hopefully automatically provide level playing field Possibly someday model airplanes event will purchased however would represent evolution sportlhobby representative now seems FM already caters non-BOM situation change AMA Bob Johannes Saint Charles MO As may recall conversation Nats Im somewhat ambivalent about BOM rule However have some opinions 120 Model Aviation y-to-fly models such Burdov Coupe allowed FAI events AMA BOM rule discussion continues month sorta feel has outlived its usefulness probably instituted keep some kid flying model Daddy built thereby having unfair advantage Maybe thats belongsin rules governing Junior Senior maybe competition have no concern about competing against model built guy flying Theres lot winning building model think Doug Galbreath made some good points recent letter NFFS Digest January 1999 eliminating BOM rule Open class would increase participation Id However long rule exists its present form ready-built models readybuilt major components allowed opinion major component wing tail fuselage obtained its final shape covered not allowed think shape criteria answers question percentages adds Johannes Bob Klipp Saint Louis MO First let know Im coming Id like quote Tim Tool Man Taylor didnt build own hands its reaily yours mention busy people likely dont have time build models Surely know someone among own ranks airline pilots physicists engineers CEOs etc Theyve ail building years under BOM rule did manage Perhaps intelligent enough realize retiring ones workshop some work ones hands form therapy finally Bob Hatschek wrote column years strongly disagree opinions BOM rule Unlike lotteries other crapshoots competition seeks detennine does something best foot race its speed stamina competitor wrestling match its strength cunning chess game its skill strategy full-scale air racing RC Control Line events its piloting skills What Free Right According column apparently basic flying airpicking skills competitor required FIB Wakefield wind rubber motor launch aircraft permitted buy trimmed model can wind under direction rubber expert can launch micrometeorologist reading sophisticated instrumentation tells Whats left prove Winning just means lucky crapshoot principal argument favor its elimination decade ago certain European governments subsidized model aviation sport bureaucrats never heard sport required build own equipment simply did recognize requirement what made Free Right unique justified its support country principal argument unenforceable vast majority Free Flighters have known past 60 years competition honest honorable obey regulations Eliminating BOM does convert Free Flight competition hobby sport BOM requirement what makes Free Right truly unique among sports eliminate converts Free Right dice game says Hatschek Thanks writers comments As can tell feel very passionately Builder Model rule vital part Free Flight suggest BOM rule should eliminated events such Scale Indoor duration quality model construction far important flying skills participant Scale quality construction actuaily judged Some people would argue case Free Flight events disagree last Nats half-a-dozen people using ready-to-fly Burdov Coupes permitted FAI competition models did sweep away homemade models fact first two places went traditional stick-and-tissue models events skills towing throwing winding air-picking involved cannot necessarily buy way success However think infusion highquality models components countries former Soviet Union has raised quality flying country used have machine shop competitive Wakefield Now can purchase high-quality front ends etc importantly widespread availability quality models components has allowed people isolated Free Right-wise parts country chance study first-hand models high quality increase own skills building long resisted idea eliminating BOM rule As Junior 1950s flew against number kids did build own models rule May1999 123 Old Way Th /\ p view Spar/rib joint Scrap view Rib/trailing edge joint New Way Scrap view Spar/rib joint Scrap view rib/trailing edge joint unenforceable unenforceable now still enjoy building make own models using some purchased components feel am disadvantage compared someone purchases complete models Perhaps bigger problem enforcement rule very definition build few models local mostly RC hobby shop point out Interestingly Czech Republic ready-to-fly Butterfly Indoor rubber model Ive got lot fun fly living room model does meet BOM rule allowing its use club Indoor contest might attract some new people Free Flight next model almost ready-tofly CO2 model Its traditional balsa-andtissue model comes completely covered thats necessary glue wingtip panels install motor think people would agree does meet BOM rule local hobby shop has sold number models people could care less about rules competition third model bit problematic Its Scale rubber model obscure German World War biplanes Again traditional stick-and-tissue construction wings tail fuselage already framed up Sanding covering final assembly required understanding existing Scale rules cover manufactured parts such dummy engines etc could fly model Mulvihill much building required meet BOM rules dealt traditional materials could agree amount prefabrication average kit new materials construction technologies building gets harder define Lets look important component wing Currently can buy legally use finished wing FAI events AMA events can also buy components wing spar D-box skins trailing edge add own ribs think people would consider building wing would meet AMA BOM rule between two situations does cease building become buying spelled out rules interpretation left judgment perhaps whim Contest Director Imagine going contest never knowing whether would allowed fly model believe some people feel high-tech construction beyond scope average modeler therefore carbon-fiber D-box wing must have purchased some factory Eastern Europe People wrongfully thought violating BOM rule because models seem too high-tech look too good BOM rule needs eliminated changed something can fairly accurately enforced Free Flight Forum Report 98 year January first British Model Flying Association presents forum Free Flight printed Forum compilation various papers presented report comes out late year received copy just before Christmas am writing column early January Hopefully will explain 1998 date Heres quick review some articles 1998 Forum Report Former Glider World Champion Mike Fantham busy contributing three papers first use computer drawing software lay out various moving parts glider towhook check clearances free movement prints out drawings individual parts sticks sheet aluminum guides cutting actual parts Mikes next paper details own efforts build stronger lighter stabilizers tails surprisingly low-tech no carbon D-boxes other modern structure Instead matter carefully combining traditional balsa building techniques judicious use carbon fiber trailing edge rib caps Mike goes considerable detail way caps come together juncture diagonal ribs see sketches some good ideas could incorporated variety lightweight wings stabs final paper about avionics future Free Flight development intelligent system onboard sensors may require rules action keep becoming expensive complex Julian McCormick contributed article use GPS Global Positioning System aid tracking recovery Free Flight models Mark Gibbs authored piece micrometeorology thermals Peter King presented paper FlB trimming very similar featured 1998 NFFS Sympo other words single best thing ever written trimming Wakefield interesting article John Cuthbert seems John decided take up FlC Power September 1996 article relates fast track approach designing building models new event explains rationale decision what component select construction technique use started construction November 1996 three models completed end February has done Hes British team World Championships Israel summer can order copy 1998 Free Flight Forum Report Martin Dilly 20 Links Road West Wickham Kent BR4 OQW Great Britain price including airmail postage 900 pounds Sterling may also order credit card Checks should made payable BWA F/F Team Support Fund drawn bank branch UK a* May1999 125 Jig Built Fuse est Grade Balsa Pre-Sheeted Tail Sectiuns Aluminum Wing & Tail Tube Detailed Instruction Manual y Gloss Cowl & Wheel Pants Sheeted WingseLitePly& Balsa Coast Turtle Deck & Hatche Removable Tail Stahl inum IGeareClearCanopy 0-202 has chosen SOC flyea far its aatstanding flight 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