SCAT Electronic News 10 November 1999
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SCAT Electronic News 10 November 1999
Table of Contents
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Inland Taipans and other creepy crawlies - Blackam
Local Rules? - Schlosberg
Some dates - O'Reilly
Dystopia Cool Roos - Gutai
FF Champs - ?
Inland Taipans and other creepy crawlies
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Yes Jan, but you forgot to mention the sharks...
Local Rules?
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Ian Keynes considers the Levotto flyoff issue as a case of "local rules".
Once a contest's time schedule is published, everyone knows about it in
advance and can decide whether to attend, or complain about it on site.
(In economics, these are called "exit" and "voice" strategies).
But the issue of capping flyoffs as well as when to begin them is important
and should be debated. Flyoff incrementation followed the1958 Power world
championship at Cranfield England, were five fliers tied for a first place
flying three minute maxes. (The six flyoff flier was Zygfryd Sulisz, a
young flier from Poland, who lives today in Chicago.) Incrementation
generally leads to 9 or 11 minute afternoon flyoffs to select a winner.
Mechanical timers, based on camera timers generally run for 7-8 minutes.
They can be slowed down to run as long as 12-14 minutes by increasing the
weights on the rocking pendulum. Slowing down will also make the initial
engine functions and bunt less accurate. There are a few two-speed
mechanical timers, that run initially at a higher speed to address this
issue.
Even if mechanical timers can be stretched out, or using "unlimited"
electronic timers, there is still the issue whether it makes sense to
select winners by following models in far away thermals, at maxes
considerably above their still air time. Under such high maxes, retrieval
becomes a major effort, particularly since contestants are limited to four
models. In fact, there are many elements of a demolition derby in this
format!
The alternative, suggested by Lee Hines, are capped flyoff maxes. If
flyoff maxes are capped, say at 7 minutes, fliers will survive if they
select marginally good air, and face reasonably human retrievals. Flyoffs
could be repeated until thermals die down, which usually occurs within one
hour of sunset. At this stage, the wind usually drops, and models can be
timed accurately and fairly to their landing.
How many 7 minute flights should be flown before the last evening decisive
round? My feeling is that 2 to 3 flyoff round would suffice, since
otherwise winners will just be the luckiest fliers. This could be
proceeded by a five minute flight for F1B/C. Nordic flyoffs should be
capped at 5 minutes. (A sink rate of .9 foot/second is close to the
aerodynamic limit for a Nordic, at least.)
Finally, this to thank Ian for pointing out rule 5.2.2.3 about
unsportsmanship behavior. Evidently, both I and Bob Sifleet where unaware
of it.
Aram
Some dates
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Reply to Don Ross
The Nats & NFFS USOC is in Muncie next year July 30 through Aug. 3. The Nats
includes the usual slate of AMA events and the USOC includes Nos Gas in 1/4A,
1/2A, A, B & C sizes plus Ignition Nos in both Lg & Sm combined & Early 1/2A
Nos. Also, OT events, .020 Replica, OT HLG, A-B-C Pylon, A-B-C Cabin & Lg
Rub Stick. NFFS Special events include Super D (1000 sq. in. wing min. & .60
engine min,), Jetex, Jimmy Allen, Korda '39 Wake, 1/2A Zeek to Early Nos
rules & Pee Wee 30.
Jim O'Reilly,
FF Events Director.
Dystopia Cool Roos
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This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
[The above message arrived from outer space - I think
it might be related to the Taipans or the Sharks -
but there were too many graphics to include it ]
FF Champs - ?
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Any report on the FF Champs ?
When I was there on Saturday, they postponed the FAI events until Sunday
because it was windy and not being an America's Cup event
people were not inclined to fly. I could not stay til
Sunday, but did hear it was flown but the weather was not so good
then either.
.........
Roger Morrell
