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Category: Archive 2015

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1. fantasy FF 1915
2. Yipee
3. Scandinavian  World Cup Report

Sweden holds three World Cup contests over June 25 (Swedish), 26 (Danish) and 28 (Norwegian) with the minis on June 27^th. It’s the best field in Scandinavia, consisting of rolling terrain used for meat cow grazing (fenced off with a cable carrying low voltage electricity) and grain fields (but no corn). The contests are attended by the Scandinavians as well as many German fliers, Brits and fliers from the Netherlands to Russia. Participants and results are posted on http://www.norbergsfk.se/swedishcup. From the States, it’s easiest to fly to Copenhagen, rent a car and travel through a tunnel and bridge under and over the Oresound strait to Sweden. The site just north of Rinkaby can be reached in about two hours. Carrol and Suzann Allen, Walt Ghio, Alex Andriukov and I (for the first time) made the trek this year. 

Late June is just after the summer solstice, and it’s only dark for a few hours. But at 10 PM sharp everything closes down. Because the western part of Sweden is very flat, placed between the North and the Baltic seas, it’s typically cloudy and windy, attested to by hundreds of wind turbines. The first two contests were cloudy and windy (like our late fall). There three contest directors knew the field well and adjusted the maxes and the maxes were set at 2:30 and even 2 minutes so that people landed on the site. Since there are only access roads on the west and east sides of the site, all retrieval is done by foot.  The contests were flown in five rounds, each over an hour and fifteen minutes, with a fifteen minute break. In windy weather, retrieval on foot could take over 45 minutes.

I was hoping to fly with other nationals, but fliers seem like to fly with their countrymen, so I paired up with Carrol Allen. (Walt teamed up with the Brits and Alex with Kulakovsky). All flights had to be timed by two timers, so Suzan Allen was our second timer. There is no doubt that having two timers assures accurate and consistent timing. But this requirement also means cross timing across A and B fliers and maybe C and Q fliers. Consequently events were not separated. The upside is good thermal indications; the downside were two collisions of B models with tow-lines, one unhurt, the other demolished. 

One of my reasons to participate was to observe the European Q models. The lower energy multiplier (4 Joules/gram) and raising the motor ceiling to 40 seconds, meant that with the exception of Andreas Lindner, Q models were equipped with low power motors/large props with long motor runs. There were a few max outs, even though the weather in the first two contests was rough. Although Andreas did not max out, a fast climbing model is better suited to such conditions in my opinion.

On the mini day there were nine E36 entries of all shapes and forms. The event was flown in the upcoming F1S format (5 rounds with 10 second motor runs). Three maxed out and in a flyoff, to my surprise, all went off as the window was announced – what we call a fun flyoff. There is definitely a lot of interest in F1S and I call it the cradle to grave event – ideal for young entries and retiring exits. A perfect combination would be a grandfather and his grandchildren.

After finishing at around 3 PM, the flyoffs of the last contest were done at about 9 PM. After the majestic A bunts, B was flown as darkness was setting in. Alex broke 4 motors and launched last. He was the only one to make 7 minutes, and timing the last two minutes could only be done by tracking his flasher. 

These contests are the equivalent of our Maxmen cycle. Many of the Brits and Scandinavian attend it but Sweden attracts many other central European fliers we never meet. I highly recommend the trip to those who want to fly in an alternative universe. And the Scandinavians are wonderful hosts and they all speak English.

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