SCAT Electronic Mail 7 April 1998
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SCAT Electronic Mail 7 April 1998
FAI Power Starter Boxes
From Bill Vanderbeek This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Roger
I am thinking about making a run of starter boxes for power
models. I built the one that Ken Oliver uses and have had a number of
people ask about getting one. The cost will depend on how many are built
so this is an inquery into how many people want one. Would you please
publish my E-mail address and home address. Bill Vanderbeek, 13300
Simon Lane, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I will follow this up with more information when I have a
better idea of the number of boxes needed.
Thermals, Bill V.
Correspondence
With respect to geared F1C
From Mark Wood : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Subject : Re: SCAT Electronic News 24 March 1998
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Hi Roger / Bill Gieskieng
As you know I'm somewhat new to the F1C event, but have been flying FF
Gas for quite sometime. My input reguarding the gearing of the engines
is " more power to ya!". For one, this may seem up front to be a real
advantage but, the problem is weight and gear efficiency. The gearbox
isn't going to be more than about 95% efficient at transmitting power to
the prop and could be a whole lot worse. This, added to the prop
efficiency of about 80% isn't going to leave much room for real
improvement since .95 X .80 = .76 or around 76% efficient. The
advantage will be the initial accelleration. After a short time the
prop will run into its "wall". If you run the numbers on some props
you'll find that there is still quite a bit of performance to be gained
using props tuned for our engines we are currently using and that a much
larger prop won't get you you real big gains if you loose power accross
a gearbox. If you could make an extermely good gearbox, eff around 99%
+, then the big prop will be a strong contender.
Look at the flapped wing models. Up front, it would seem to reason that
these models should clean clock on a non-flapped model. The fack is
that the simple act of bending the airfoils cause separarion problems
and therefore drag. This separation drag actually causes the wing to
have as much or more drag than its non-flapped brother. This can be
cured with VERY careful design effort. Because of the little subtleties
these airplanes don't have a very significant advantage.
The guys working on these models have invested alot of effort into their
developement and it would be a real shame to restirict these models.
Outlawing new technology becuase it MIGHT give someone an advantage
won't do anything but stifle interest . I say this as a new flyer in
F1C who has been drawn to F1C because of the technological challenges
would quit F1C if, every time new technology that MIGHT give someone
an
advantage was outlawed, and go to F1B or even back to flying speed. You
see I've also been working very hard on engine developements and to have
some say I can't do that would absolutely crash my interest. The simple
fact is that you can make all the rules you want and guys like Verbitski
and Archer will always work extremely hard, harder than the next guy, to
win and no amount of rule making will even the playing field. To play
with these guys you'll have to work as hard as they do, otherwise you'll
always be an also ran reguardless of the rules.
Bottom line: Don't change the rules because something MIGHT be better!
I'm sure that if it turns out to really be better he'll sell you one, if
not, I'll make one for you!
Mark Wood
Also on THE Geared Motor
From John Malkin
Roger,
I am not sure whether you were present or not but
Verbitsky did run the motor two or three times at Omarama. WOW-
29.6K on the motor whilst the propellor gave off a pleasant hum that
could be heard over the motor noise.
The gear wheels were absolutely quiet and when the
brake and flood off were applied the motor stopped I would say in one
revolution due to the geared effect.
Wonderful engineering and I only wish I could be
present to watch the first few flights.
John.
.....................................
Roger Morrell
