SEN 2420 - Social media flys to the ground while watching F1D videos and the altitude on a PC meanwhile USA rules change

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Category: Archive 2018
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Table of Contents SEN 2420

 

Social media flys to the ground while watching F1D videos and the altitude on a PC meanwhile USA rules change

 

  1. Social Media
  2. The Hobby King / Fly Dream PC Software
  3. USA Free Flight Rule Changes
  4. Videos from West Baden
  5. Flights to the ground II

 

Social Media

From:Ross Jahnke

 

I think there is ample evidence that social media doesn't facilitate civil

discourse. One advantage however, is to provide a heads-up when a proposal

has been sent to a governing body and provide feedback that can be used by

that body to make an informed decision. There are formal means to

accomplish this, but that process doesn't afford discussion among the

stakeholders, only a brief dialog (usually a questionnaire) between a

modeler and his representative on that governing body.

 

Social media is also no substitute for flying.

 

Editor’s Comment

I believe that Stan’s issue was around raising issues that create a negative impression, such as proposing a rule change that was not well thought out or really  required.  In particular suggestions by those who are not active participants.

 

 

The Hobby King / Fly Dream PC Software

 

I have got a couple of questions about where to get the PC program for the Hobby King/ Flt Dream altimeter you can download it from here -

 

http://www.fd-rc.com/Showcpzs.asp?id=893

 

 

While the program is a little hokey and does not have the features some other have it is adequate.  There was a suggestion that Magic Timers have a program for this, that is not so.  Magic Timers is doing some work with integration of altimeters but not this one.

 

 

Videos from West Baden

From:Mike Kirda

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkPRArS87a-qaOlUtGpnNGQ/

 

Hoping this will be of some interest to the SEN group.

 

Regards.

Mike Kirda

 

USA Free Flight Rule Changes

 

From:Jerry Murphy

The AMA has a rule change process that enables any AMA member to submit a rule change proposal.  The proposal form is found on the AMA web at http://www.modelaircraft.org/events/rulesproposalform.aspx   Once a proposal has been submitted it is up to the contest board to  accept or reject it.  The process spans two years and currently the board is looking for feedback on the various proposals submitted for the 2019 rule book.

 

Read the current proposals before the board and let your board member know how you feel about them.  Your board member can be found on the AMA web.

Thermals,

Jerry Murphy

Chairman FF Contest Board

 

 

 

Flights to the ground II

From: aram.schlosberg

 

 

This a common practice in California, if a contest is held on Sunday (people want to return home) or with a windy forecast later in the day.

 

Besides of being beyond the envelope of our rule books, the practice has a number of issues.

 

First, a flight to the ground can really only be done in fields like Lost Hills, where the chances getting into trouble such as the nut orchards are rather low.

 

If one fixes a max, it should not exceed the best still air performance of the event by much. For example, in ABC it would be around 6 minutes. But setting a max at 5 minutes for models flown to a 2-minute max (that could actually do around 3-minutes) is an invitation to the thermal queen the decide the winner.

 

This brings up the second issue - of the extended flight’s flight window. It definitely can’t be a regular round (45-60 minutes) but the narrowest possible flying window to make it fair to all competitors. In electric events, that only require fully charged batteries, the window could be as narrow as 2-minutes. Events that require starting an engine would need a longer window, say 3-minutes. And so one.

 

Next, to timing these flights. It’s very unlikely to even have one timer per flyer in the early morning. The simple solution would be to randomly split the flyers into two early/late groups for flying/timing. The early group is timed by the late group and vice versa. Chasing is only permitted after the late shift flyers models have landed/DTed. Early chasers by flyers or their eager friends would be granted a zero that round.

 

Finally, early morning extended flights should literally be held as early as possible. Holding them after say after 8 am misses the point. ///

 

Aram

 

Editor and CD’s Comment:Aram I’m not sure of the reason for your article.

 

If it is to further reprimand me for the gross injustice that I imposed upon the Mini Event flyers at the Ike/Kiwi, you have done that already.  An event that you did not fly in and no one else complained to me. I will admit that I did hear some grumbling about the F1S first round, where only an octogenarian sportsman using half the motor run permitted made the 5 minutes . This brings to mind a couple of old adages – age and cunning beats youth and vigor – and adapted for F1S – the thermal does not know how many watts your motor has.

 

I realize that this is the first time you have come to the Ike, but we have been doing this for at least 10 years, probably 15 for the min events, with in general satisfactory results. Other events at Lost Hills and Boulder City, Nevada have used it for the Mini Events with success to obtain a sporting result. To us simple sportsmen this appears to be the best way of obtaining a sporting result with a victor when it is not possible to have a fly off the next morning.   Sometimes, like this year where circumstances (long running World Cup AM flyoff) and weather (breeze and early thermals ) may create a non-optimal situation, but we still got a sporting result.

 

We will study your article and take it into account where appropriate in the future,