Free Flight: Indoor

FREE FLIGHT INDOOR 1995 NATS/USIC 1966 Indoor Nats will combined USIC ETSC MiniDome Johnson City Tennessee May 28 1996 full day practice followed four days competition Bob Champine formerly Chief Test Pilot Langley Field keynote speaker banquet contests will run concunently Dave Thomson running USIC Abram Van Dover CD Nats Volunteers needed almost events event directors processors timers Volunteer services Abram Van Dover 112 Tillerson Dr Newport News VA 23602 Tel 804 877-2830 Big Show Kibbie Dome As writing strong possibility 1996 WC will held Kibbie Dome comes true schedule will August 1-3 Standard Kibbie Dome schedule HLG Catapult Glider events running 8 am 930 am day followed duration events until 8 pm Aug 4 International EZB event classes both AMA FlL l2g EZB Flights will made six rounds event Aug 5-8 1996 World Championships subject CLAM approval Aug 5 Sign-in practice 8 am-8 pm Aug 6 Practice 8 am-8 pm Aug 7 Three rounds three hours Aug 8 Three rounds three hours International Postal Meet international postal contest between US Japan flown again year Great Plains/Southwest Team flew meet Bedford Boys Ranch October blessed mostly buoyant air cursed steady drift lengthwise building required persistent steering times good Stan Chilton 3311 1 Jesse Shepherd Jr 2859 Jim Clem 1623 As bystander unfinished model fascinated easy looked top 25 minutes Cat Iprovided have VP prop Jim didnt have VP model ceiling-scrub too much steering techniques Cat necessity different higher ceilings easier see model harder steer model against ceiling Akron Finals time column published doubtless will have seen official results Team Selection Finals flown Akron Air Dock interesting factor results WCh veteran Cezar Banks made cut 4947 very heartening note two highest scores posted Rich Doig 5041 Gary Underwood 4951 very good times posted after Rich Gary did extensive test flying Lakehurst week before Both fliers have continually improved m recent years great see hard-working younger fliers rewarded Cookbook Building Works personal standpoint Akron Finals has another highlight Jim Clem first serious attempt FlD since 1984 program posted exceptional times flying replica Bernard Hunts tandem FlD except fixed pitch prop Jim spent less three weeks building three sets wings prop motorstick test flying available before going hangar Cat gym After qualifying Cat flying Easy B stretched 20 inches span Jim consulted extensive library Indoor literaturemagazines newsletters papers written well-known fliers Jim credits suceess recipes written Bernard Hunt plans instructions tandem FlD model won Indoor Stick 1995 USIC Steve Browns excellent article building motor sticks recent Indoor News Wews 116 Model Aviation rib molding block wood blank lashed down ready baking oven Warm Tenny photo / I-~c7 B J\ ~/ / / - A FIGURE 1 4 / \ / FIGURE 2 Methinks oversimplification since Jim has unfailingly faithful detailed flight records fully methodical flight strategy What thrills information out works Indoor News Views now subscribing Indoor News Views missing best ongoing source news contest results excellent articles top fliers St Louis dynamic team brought perhaps successful USIC 1995 has INAVfully hand doing terrific job Send check $9 US $12 Canada Roy White 1025 Cedar St Catawissa MO 63015 Wingless Autogyros Ken Johnsons column triggered seeniing avalanche interest provisional wingless autogyro rules Competition Regulations growing interest elevating event full record status appropriate action verify suitability rules via competition submit proposal Please direct correspondence Ken Johnson will coordinate whatever activity taken Note rules proposals must sent AMA HQ within time frame outlined rule book Another Lube Wakefield flier Dave Wilson relates Wakefield fliers have using Formula 2001 exclusively lubricate motors What might mean Indoor fliers subject test Formula 2001 available auto supply stores some supermarkets four-fluidounce spray bottle similar holding Armor quick glance label claims product protects against UV radiation slicker other products Insect Mounting Pins Insect mounting pins mentioned fairly often Once get used having hard havent heard pins thin sharp can used pin directly through balsa damaging wood Instead tearing compressing wood fibers pins slide between fibers hoarding meager supply hoping locate new supplier Stan Chilton located supplier both able order new supply vendor sells size 000 pins 009 inches diameter 17 inches long $595 per 100 pins vendor Fine Science Tools Inc 373-G Vintage Park Drive Foster City CA 94404 Tel 415 349-1636 fax 415 349-3729 Shipping charges $10 per order split combining orders others fliers Noticeable Contest Poster dull boring contest posters have seen Most probably John Koptonak Norich Flying Aces solved problem posters announced seven dates 1995-96 season top line poster has banner FLY INDOORS one-inch headline font Following headline description activity site location flying dates color map area showing site location poster magic came Johns color printer map excerpt Rand McNally atlas CD-ROM have computer whiz club maybe can something similar really effective New MRL Catalog Curt Stevens has issued 1995 Mail-Order Catalog high-tech materials source has added number new items interesting thing about catalog preliminary three pages commentary wisdom An opening comment right track will get run over just sit Model Research Labs 25108 Marguerite #160 Mission Viejo CA 92692 Fax 714 248-1074 no voice lines use mall fax New Model Design Trends Thrush John Lenderman designed Limited Peunyplane some time back named Thrush model has good contest success Johns hands several others have happy design Thrush has unusual wing configuration 175 inches flat span upturned tips stab has same configuration except call tip rudders John also built Thrush10 10% wider wing stab 10% longer stab prop larger model has done very well against biplanes including winning Pennyplane Kibbie Dome year real importance Thrush wing twofold climb pattem rock-steady easily controllable tolermt excessive up-trim stalling think about doubtless will remember several highiy successful models using tip plates Thrush wing same thing dihedral Tandem Models long time ago about 1974 John Kukon published plans tandem-configuration model Bemard Hunt won Indoor Stick 4615 using tandem FID model After meet another contestant showed Bemard Kukon article Bemard noticed Kukons design essentially identical own model except Bemards model unbraced view importance tandem configuration like Thrush tolerates broad range trim variations tandem model also seems sink very slowly slightly over-elevated tums left Jim Clems 14-gram Hunt FlD fixed-pitch prop did 3927 Akron getting anywhere near ceiling Hying Opportunities sessions listed below latest information available CDs events beginning April 1996 send schedules ASAP listings below include dates available time writing listing events regular schedule see previous column Always verify contest date phone before leaving home CaliforninSan Francisco area Free Flight Oakland Cloud Duster newsletter edited Len Kendy As rattle along miscellany comes view list Sherm Gillespies dates Indoor flying Mt Pleasant HS Gym comer White Ocala Roads As always dates confirmed subject possible change due circumstances yet unforeseen sessions run 9am 1 pm Feb 10 Mar 16 Apr 13 May 18 1996 Get 9am wish park near gym Otherwise park front along White Road entry gate will closed Contact Sherman Gillespie 6248 Bauer Ln San Jose CA 95135 Tel 408 238-2981 CanadaOntario area Indoor flying Woodroffe Hugh School Ottawa Mondays 7 pm 10pm 1995-96 season Feb 19 Feb 26 Mar 4 Mar 18 Mar 25 Apr 1 Apr 15 Apr 22 Apr29 May 6 May 13 May 27 1996 Contact Dan OGrady 50 Largo Crescent Nepean Ontario Canada K2G3C7 ConnecticutNorwich Indoor sessions scheduled Teachers Memorial Junior High School Norwich 9 am 2 pm Feb 10 March 9 April 13 1996 Contact John Koptonak 3 Wiemes Ct Waterford CT 06385 Tel 203 442-9903 MarylandGoddard NAS NASA has canceled access auditorium Building 8 Goddard NAS until further notice Contact Tom Vailee 444 Henryton So Laurel MD 20707 Tel 301 498-0790 developments OklahomaOklahoma City 1996 flying sessions contests Armory Feb 18 Mar24 Apr21 1996 Contact Edsel Ford 10613W Country Drive Oklahoma City OK 73170 Tel 405 691-5411 OklahomaTulsa Tulsa Glue Dobbers 1996 Indoor schedule National Guard Armory 3902 E 15th St Tulsa Feb 10 Mar 9 1996 Contact Robert Dunham 918 258-9062 OregonAlbany WIVIC Indoor schedule has firmed up follows Cat contest Feb 25 Cat II two-day meet Apr 27-28 events will held South Albany High School has two flyable gyms 42-foot Cat II 22-foot Cat Feb 25 contest begins 9 am ends 3 pm April contest begins noon Sat gocs until around 10 pm time off dinner symposium second day begins 830 am ends 3 pm Token awards given enter fly Entry fees begin $3 top out $6 per entrant Contact Bob Stalick 5066 NW Picadilly Cir Albany OR 97321 Tel 503 928-8101 additional details PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia area Flying sessions Memorial Hall Fairmount Park Philadelphia Feb 3 Mar 23 Apr 6 1996 best call Joc Krush 409 Warner Rd Wayne PA 19087 Tel 610 688-3927 before coming just case change schedule has made Memorial Hall staff TexasFt Worth/Dallas area 1996 season March1996 117 has expanded schedule Single dates standard format Saturdays 6-11 pm Two-day sessions lightweight duration record trial sanctions Saturday 6-11 pm Sunday 1-6 pm Jan 13 Feb 19 Mar 92324 1996 Contact Jess Shepherd 2713 Summit View Bedford TX 76021 Tel 817 282-3770 VirginiaHampton area Langley Brainbusters winter Indoor contest schedule includes tentative dates Feb 25 Mar 24 Apr 21 May 5 1996 1-6 pm test flying beginning 11 am contests will held SBH Gym will feature following events EZ-13 Limited Pennyplane Bostonian No-Cal A-6 8-Inch HLG MiniStick events count scoring Contact Abram Van Dover 112 Tillerson Dr Newport News VA 23602 Tel 804 877-2830 Washington stateSeaffle area Boeing Hawks have lost access Naval Reserve Center Lake Union revealed previous column Oct 1995 Bat Sheet announced Good news recreation advisor Gaiy Walk has secured Boeing Oxbow Recreation Center flying use third Saturday month will open 9 am-530 pm Ths large gym ceiling height approximately 25 ft located across Duwamish River Museum Flight near south end Boeing Field direct route find way Oxbow bridge visible East Marginal Way arching over river just south museum After crossing bridge parking lot far side go left south Rec Center far end lot Note access restricted Boeing employees Contact Gene Stubbs 5505 Ann Arbor NE Seattle WA 98105 Tel 206 523-6148 developments WisconsinMilwaukee Bong Eagles have scheduled flying sessions Hamilton High School Auditorium 6214W Warnimont Ave Milwaukee 7 pm 930 pm Mar 7 Apr 4 May 2 1996 contest scheduled Memorial Hall 72 Seventh St Mar 24 1996 information contact Joe Adams Box 391 Oak Creek WI 53154 Tel 414 762-3492 414 762-0010 Steering Techniques Basic Steering Steering Indoor models falls two categories strategic competitive repositioning model maximize flight time everything else except rescuing model hangup diAference repositioning model absolute minimum disturbance models flight path altitude requires great skill lot practice Everything else includes interrupting models flight prevent hangup isnt time room strategic steer prevent model fouling another model case best strategy often capture model allowing prop stopped string can reeled out danger high altitude still requires enough skill catch model smashing Figure 1 shows basic steering tactic solid-line circle represents model flight dashed-line circle desired new orbit easiest quickest steer reverse models direction path model stable enough pirouette around balloon string restraining outboard wing quickest solution fairly stressful wing except during cruise very light models better solution put balloon string steering pole low ceilings between prop inboard wing Pressure against fuselage pushes model along path new orbit Path B done same way takes longer requires skill least stressful model shown third possibility pirouette around balloon string restraining inboard wing highly stable model wont spin out safer may easier move steering mechanism clear model new orbit will circle overlapping original orbit Cat Steering Figure 2 illustrates steering strategy used Stan Chilton 3620 flight during International FiD Postal Figure 2 top view west half Bedford Gym drift steady no turbulence direction shown arrowabout two feet per minute Stan able stand place new orbit moved area marked solid circle Using steering pole gently slowed inboard wing pivot model dotted orbit obviously very practiced model never lost altitude After descended below drift zone rest flight routine Although following considerations critical low ceilings still important other sites 1 allow anyone walk under near edge orbit model within ten feet floor 2 Avoid rapid movements balloon possible Plan ahead position steering pole balloon well advance trouble Molded Sliced Ribs have spent considerable space column dealing laminated ribs doubtless strongest weight perhaps trouble buildAn alternative approach mold sheet balsa required rib curve use stripper slice ribs sheet required Normal sliced ribs have grain running parallel sheetnot following rib curvature ribs stripped sheet wood molded required curve grain follows rib maximum strength rib blank probably should B-grain A-grain strips easily C-grain has less relaxation bottom line like laminated ribs less wood makes stronger ribs conventional ribs Forming base sheet difficult accurately Some builders soak wood form over barrel soldering iron until desired curve achieved own experiments have used various forms mold balsa after soaking water 25% white ammonia added photo shows successful test used carved balsa form oven drying warm setting piece index card holds balsa form flat toothpicks ensure ends blank flat er Consistency Scores Glider consistency computed discarding two lowest scores nine-flight series averaging remaining flights dividing highest single flight time series result expressed percentage indicates well handling model score higher 95 percent indicates doing about well can model youre winning build new model usic HLG Jim Buxton97% Bernie Boehm 95% Mike Thompson 97% Rob Romash 96% Based two flights KIBBIE HLG John Ailing81% Darryl Stevens89% Bruce Kimball95% usic Std catapult Mike Thompson Jim Buxton Ralph Schlarb Bill Schlarb K Van Buren usic Unhim catapult 96% 97% 97% 97% 95% KIBBIE Std catapult Edmund Liem chuck Dorsett Mike Thompson Bob Warmann Ralph Schlarb Bill Schlarb 97% 88% 99%* 95% KIBBIE Unlim catapult 93%Herb Robbins 94%Bruce Kimball Chuck Dorsett 90% 81% 94% 118 Model Aviation