SCAT Electronic News 25 February 1999
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SCAT Electronic News 25 February 1999
Table of Contents
=================
The Sultan of Lost Hills
A Note for the Sultan
Vivchar beginners Model
Passing of the LA Flying Site .. some history from Bill Bogart
Western FAI Challenge
Postings on the web site
The Return of The Pole
The Sultan Speaks
The Sultan of Lost Hills
========================
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I would hate to see the events get spread out far away from each other.
We would lose more than we gain in "distancing" ourselves from each other.
Lost in Lost Hills.
A Note for the Sultan
=====================
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Roger,
Tell the good Sultan to read the AMA's safety code, which his F1A
proposal violates because if implemented we are sure to hit not poles
but parked cars !
PS: and tell Rich if ever he needs a helping hand to put that pole up,
I'll be the first to volunteer. In fact, I am always saddened when Rich
drops a flight in F1B, because that usually means he will take his Pole
down early before the Fly Offs begin !
[PS2 .. Rich, Don Zink says that if you're not bringing THE POLE any
more be sure to give him first option on it because he's another
F1A flyer that likes it]
Vivchar beginners Model
=======================
My son Evan is half way through building a Vivchar "simple" kit. The kit is
indeed very nice and packaged in a way to make it seem simple. The balsa ribs
are skinned in fiberglass and the quality of the wood was excellent.
Evan chose to cover it with some vintage tissue I have and the stab is
at 6 grams minus hardware. The wing is stiff and easy to build.
The front end, fiberglass pylon, and metal parts are very well made
although there were no parts for the auto
rudder stops so we had to improvise on that. The front end needs a
spinner and the non removable bobbin is less than ideal but overall
it is an excellent kit.
The kit we got did not come with plans or instructions and that was the
biggest drawback. Without my guidance Evan would have been stymied in
several places so for this to be a real beginners model it needs plans
and some building & flying tips. We are upgrading the front end to one
of the simple Starline offerings that has the ability to wind without the
prop on. Other than that it will truly be a beginners model. We will let
you know how it performs, should be flying it in a week or so. It's a
great kit to get beginners enthused with!
Jon Davis
[Comment .. Igor just managed to get these kits together before coming
over for the Max Men. The production kits will include plans and
photo instructions.
If I remember correctly the auto rudder stop is a square post
that goes inside the all moving fin. There are screws in the
fin that screw inwards to rest against the stop.
You do need to put a small balsa block on the end of the tail
boom to rest the TE of the stab on, but I guess you guess you
figured that one out.
The models Igor built are covered with Oracover. This is like
Monocote but about half the weight. It is made in Germany and Hobby
Lobby sells it.
Other alternatives are clear Micafilm, Polyspan from Starline or mylar
with tissue on top. Mylar can be obtained from Aerodyne ot MRL [Curt Stevens].
Mylar might be good for the stab. Althougth at 6 grams it's not to
bad for a first model.
The hub that comes with it is desgined to be simple and robust. You
wind it with the prop on. This used to be popular in Eastern Europe
but only a few people do it in the US. This hub costs about $25
the next level up iVivchar hub costs about $100 which would double the
price of the kit.]
Passing of the LA Flying Site .. some history from Bill Bogart
==============================================================
From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Norm Poti wrote an excellent piece on the gradual degradation of the use
of a flying flield for contests at Wright- Patterson Air Force Base. As
a boy in the 1930s I remember seeing the tail of the Boeing B-19 sticking
out of one of the hangars at Wright Field. That airplane had a span of
over 200 feet. However, it was not successful because the radial engines
at that time did not produce the power necessary to make the airplane
useful.
Norm's piece reminded me of another field that went south. I moved from
Ohio in October of 1964. I soon became a member of SCAT and found that the
flying field was in the San Fernando Valley at the intersection of the
Ventura and San Diego freeways. Actually, the area is a flood dam area,
set specifically to hold up water from large rainfalls from flooding parts
of Los Angeles downstream. From that dam to the ocean the river is called
the Los Angeles River and it flows whenever the mountains decide to
send down the water. Most of the time, the river is without water
sufficient for flooding. Thus, the flying site is nearly 1 by 2 miles
in area.
Many contests were held at that field throughout the year. Prevailing winds
were from the southeast, giving at least a mile for flights. Beyond
the northern boundary are houses. Chasing in that area was done by car with
one driving and the other hanging out the window keeping track of the
ship. No one had motorcycles for flying there. Every Sunday club members
and many others were at the field trimming their ships. Then over to
the place on Victory Blvd to sit and swill root beer.
Of course, Taft was well in operation. However, it was 125 miles from to
wn and was visited only for contest flying. Drive up early Sunday morning
to Taft, fly the contest, and then return home.
The rain falls in Los Angeles from November to April. The rest of the time,
we do not see a half inch fall. Sometime in the latter 1960s the rains
came and really filled up the damand backed up the field. This stopped
the flying for quite a while. After things dried up, SCAT members and
others decided to clean up the field, creating huge mounds of rubble which
the Corps of Engineers took away. Shortly after that, an open drainage
ditch was built from north to south, and 6 foot chain-link fencing was erected
for safety reasons. We learned to climb over the fence when it was
shorter than going around the north end. The year later, a street was
extended from east to west through the flood dam, further shortening the
useful area of the field. This virtually eliminated contest flying from
then on. However, flight testing could be done with short DT.
The last nail in the coffin was extending a street from north to south with
a long chicane veering east and then south. Trees were planted along
this intrusion, reducing the flying field to only the hardiest of RC and
control line flyers.
What followed was flyers going to Taft on Saturday for testing, staying at
the motels in town, and then flying at the contest Sunday. Bob Van Nest
was the first to camp overnight at the Taft site in a truck camper.
I joined later with a VW bus converted to a camper.
Western FAI Challenge
=====================
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Roger
I will be scheduling the WESTERN FAI CHALLENGE, at Harts Lake, Ft Lewis, WA.
on Labor Day weekend for 1999. The Challenge is a 14 round two day event
for F1 A,B, C and a 5 round mini event on Sunday only. I will attempt to
get the event included for the "America's Cup" as well. As in past years,
we have some difficulty getting authorization from the Army to use the field
but on national holidays we have our best luck as it seems they don't train.
In any case, competitors should call or e-me prior to traveling; I will do
my best to keep the information pipeline up to date on any changes. The
dates will be Sept 4th and 5th, with the mini's on the 5th only.
Keep up the great work on the electronic newsletter; always interesting
perspectives and opinions.
Regards,
Mike Roberts
CD
206-937-2740
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
[ Mike according to my information it is in the schedule,
we just needed the date]
Postings on the web site
========================
Just posted on the web site, information from Martin Dilly about the
BMFA Free Flight reports.
Martin is also a source of fine vintage tissue - info on the web site.
Martin how is it that you sell the traditional material, John O'Donnell
the traditional modeller sells mylar ?
The Return of The Pole
======================
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To Interested Flyers,
I have been given excellent counsel regarding the streamer pole.
The best interpretation of the rules states that the pole can be no
closer than 82 feet of the F1B F1C line, but must be more than 75 meters
from the F1A line. Using that criteria the streamer pole has always been
properly positioned. Because it is within the rules, I intend to use the
pole. "You ain't rid of me yet."
I realize that some people hate that damned pole, however I humbly
request cooperation.
1) If you dislike where the pole is placed ask me to move it. Don't
throw it down.
2) If you think your airplane is going to glide into the pole, stand
next to it and bend it over as your airplane glides by. I can stake the
pole straight latter on..
3) If the airplane is so low that bending won't clear you, catch the
airplane.
People think that I place the pole too close to the flight line.
Constant wind changes do not affect pole use when it is close to the
line. If the pole is posted 50 meters up wind , and the wind swings 90
degrees, the pole is of no use. If the pole is down wind, but close to
you, it is still useful. It is not fun to move the pole when ever the
wind changes.
In closing I would like to refer to what has been dubbed the
"Great Pole Fiasco at the Max Men". A number of people witnessed the
same type of incident at the team selection finals in Florida. This
involved all the people that were at Lost Hills' except for me, I didn't
go to Florida.
It seems that a specific F1A flyer called another member of the "small
fraternity of FAI modelers" a bad word. The very same word that I used.
I know the Bible says "do onto others as you would have them do
onto you". When I uttered that word some powerful force came over me. I
could hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the back ground. I think God
made me say that. I think that I am God's messenger, and as such, I
should be given more respect.
The Messenger of God
Rich Rohrke
Post Script: If anyone uses the above criteria to call me an S.O.B.,you
will find that I will laugh in their face.
[In all the time I have been doing this, all of these notes are the ones
that I have come the closest to not printing. These are arguments that
no one can win, all this is doing is creating friction that
will discourage participation. We need to figure out how to show
each other and each other's property respect and consideration ..
and take into account the onlookers.
This thread of converstion is over]
The Sultan Speaks
=================
Roger, I don't dare to guess who 'The Sultan of Lost Hills' is, but I do not
anticipate 'ANY' changes in the way the line is layed out at the Maxmen
International. GB
[The Sultan has spoken on this one, so let's leave it be too]
..................
Roger Morrell
