Control Line: Racing
IF IT SEEMS as if we've been here before, we have. It's rules proposal time again. I know that it still isn't flying season yet in most areas but you should be thinking about how the new rules will affect you and your flying in the year(s) ahead. I would hope that the rules are fairly well in order now, although I am only too aware that there is now way to please everybody all of the time. And I also know only too well that there are a couple of racing rules that are going to please nobody! I pass on a couple of thoughts kicked around during recent rules cycles, thoughts still pertinent now that the new rules are out, and a few people (at this writing) have had a chance to see what passed the Control Line Contest Board. First, I still fear for the lack of safety in the Scale Racing event. The performance level of Goodyear models is too high to be flying them on 52 1/2-ft. lines of only .012 diameter. I'm surprised that we haven't seen more problems arise from Goodyear than we have.
Control Line: Racing
IT SEEMS that there are many areas in construction and competition that can be best classified as black magic. It seems that every flier has his own way of doing something that is undoubtedly the "best" and the "only" way to do it. Well, I want to talk about a little theory and give some equations about fuel tanks, their shape, placement, and why they act the way they do when in flight. I hope that this will dispel some of the myth that surrounds this topic. First of all, some basic facts. The weight of water is very near 1 oz. per fluid ounce.
Control Line: Racing
THE LAST few years have seen a lot of words spent on the topic of Control Line Racing rules, events, etc. The King of racing still lives, Rat is still alive and well, contrary to the dire predictions of some (this author, for one). Admittedly, it isn't the event today that it was ten, fifteen or more, years ago. But then, Rat is as strong today as it was three or four years ago. And this is not unexpected. We have seen a lot of events, control line and otherwise, that have burst upon the scene, enjoying immense popularity for a rather brief period of time, and then die. Or apparently die. What is there about our events that makes them all seem to go through this cycle? And is this bad? We've seen Rat over the years be the big event that seemed to draw many, many entrants only to drop down to a very low level, low enough so that it isn't even flown in many areas of the country. And who is it that you find flying Rat?
Control Line: Racing
WORLD CHAMPS: I received the following from my "European Correspondent" concerning the recently held World Championships at RAF Woodvale, England. His comments about TR at the champs and the future of the event proved to be good reading. I'll let you judge for yourself. "The weather was mostly cool (about 75 degrees), windy, and sometimes wet. Maybe because of this all four semifinalists were under 4:00! The surprises were: two Australian teams in the semis and Prior/Georgiadis having the fastest time; all three U.K. teams in; no U.S. teams in! Previously "hot" teams not making the cut were Fontana/Amodio and Petersen/Geshwendtner. Six of the semifinalists used Nelson engines; the other three were Bugl, Cipolla (Italian Bugl-copy), and FVM (Dutch Bugl-copy). No retractable gear in the semis, only two in the contest. Fontana's system had a neat little pop-up spoiler behind the canopy. This worked to his disadvantage when he missed on a pit stop and had to tow around all the extra drag for another lap!
Control Line: Racing
RACING is fun! After all, isn't that the real reason that we are all in this sport, to have fun? Why would anyone take the time that is necessary to race, that is, doing something that is not required by Big Brother or someone else, if it wasn't for fun? And yet I see a lot of people who seem to lose sight of that as the real reason we're here. You know who I'm talking about. They are the ones who are at the contest griping about this or that, always with sour expressions on their faces, always bad-mouthing officials, rules, sites, etc. You've heard them, too: "Why don't they do something about the rules?" "The AMA (or CLCB, or the club, or anybody else) really screwed this up!" On, and on, and on! You wonder why they are even on the field if they are having such a rotten time. Well, friends, it's time for each of us to reflect on why we do fly model airplanes, what we see in this sport, why we spend our money and consume our free time.
