SCAT Electronic News May 28 1999

SCAT Electronic News May 28 1999


Table of Contents
=================

Noise (continued) - Buskell
Noise & F1C - (yet again, sorry!)
My limited key board skills
Argentina Nationals _Iele
What's that Dude - Thorkildsen
What's this flap about Engine Noise ? - Morris
America's Cup - Erratum -Markos
SCAT Mid Summer Madness a.k.a. Negev Boot Camp - Diez


Noise (continued)
=================

For the record, I flew F1C for 15 years, suspending activity in 1994. My
father flew F1C from its inception until he died in '92, so I was brought up
with f/f, and F1C in particular. I started competing when I was 8 and flew
my first power contest when I was 11. In short I am intimately acquainted
with just about every aspect of f/f power flying, and have some experience
of just about every issue raised in the discussions so far.

A blanket muffler rule was imposed in Britain in the 60's. Free flight was a
victim then; there were no decent mufflers available, and the popular
engines were Cox TD 049 and Specials, neither of which were muffler
friendly. The rule was a 'knee jerk' reaction on the part of the British
Model Flying Association (or S.M.A.E. as it was then) that really did
nothing to address the issue; there was no requirement for the muffler to be
effective, for instance. As I type, I have my father's home-made muffler for
an ETA 29 in front of me. There's no way this was an effective muffler.
Anyway, I digress; As soon as the rule was lifted the F1C guys started
falling over themselves in their haste to attach tuned pipes to their
models, an era I am sure Doug Galbreath remembers well. I remember tuned
pipe G15s as being significantly quieter than the open exhaust motors, and I
don’t recall any difficulty in timing engine runs of models so equipped.

I, too, love engines, powerful ones particularly. I have operated them,
breathed on them, and even tried building them - I wanted to build an F1C
from stem to stern, like Verbitski, and my father - I even built the timer.
The challenge of getting an engine to really go won't be diminished in any
way just because of a muffler, nor will the thrill of getting a power model
to climb fast.

The old arguments about free flight models and mufflers are logically
correct (short runs, large, fairly remote sites, etc). It's the conclusion
that mufflers aren't required at all that I take issue with. Free Flight
models most certainly have become noisier over the 40 years or so that I
have been associated with them, and anybody that thinks they haven't must
have relatively little experience, or must be progressively loosing their
hearing. Martin Gregory's note on the subject was right on. Common sense
must apply somewhere, and, if mine is still working it says that F1C models
are now too noisy. If you have to wear hearing protection rather than
install a muffler, surely logic is being compromised. What we don't need,
and what will be forced on us if we don't act now and protect ourselves (as
well as our hearing) is to be driven to 83dB at 7 metres or whatever the
standard is for r/c.

So far as obsolescence is concerned, I agree with the reservations stated.
Being unaware of the flying field situation in the Greater Vancouver area, I
consigned all 7 of my F1C's to obsolescence when I moved here from Great
Britain. The FAI Combat flyers survived the imposition of a muffler rule,
didn't they? It was, of course, the death of the Nelson as a grade 1 combat
motor, a point to Doug aluded in his last note. Henry, perhaps you can help
us out!

I see a problem coming, if it hasn't already come, with the 'no exhaust
extensions' rule; that the FAI will, in effect, be sponsoring a rule which
is directly at odds with what government and law making authorities in
member nations are doing. I see that as a wholly untenable position for a
sporting body to put itself in.

Do we need the noise? Is this issue about volume or testosterone? Or is free
flight power a 'Tim the Tool Man Taylor' grunt fest where talk of restraint
and responsibility is a sign that you are a wuss?

John Buskell

Noise & F1C - (yet again, sorry!)
================================

Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We need to adopt an approach to noise rather than seeking some magic
imposition which at a single unlikely stroke reduces the decibels but, as
Doug Galbreath says, doesn't instantly consign the current fleet of models
and engines to the bin.

For starters we need to get rid of the 'no exhaust extensions' rule, which
makes every form of exhaust pipe illegal. We should replace it with a code
that legislates against those characteristics that improve engine
performance. That is a code that bans tuned pipes, megaphones and mini-pipes
but allows mufflers.

We then need a 'Stage 1' Noise Limit which is set a little below current
levels, but that can be achieved by, say, some prop. work, and changes to
intakes, and will cause a slight slowing of current motors. This, of course,
won't really offer much reduction in noise, but ,as currently noise is
increasing with increased power available, it will become the point at which
we reverse the trend. This intial mark can then be adjusted (down) in future
rule reviews.

At the same time a carrot might be offered for real noise reduction. On a
sliding scale, less noise means more engine run. This is a nice idea because
it offers an extra degree of freedom in design approach in that the
spectacular (short) vertical climb may not necessarily be the winning
approach. It would be a headache (literally) for processing at a
championships though, and differing noise standards could make timing the
run even more difficult.

We need to gather some data on current good models (at a World Cup event,
say). That is noise of individual models measured at an agreed station, and
also the environmental effect of multiple engines being fired up at the same
time (as so often happens).

John Buskell


My limited key board skills
===========================

If it is not apparant to the casual reader I have limited key board skills -
that means I cannot type - inspite of being in the computer biz. This means
that please do not call or fax me with information for SEN ...
Beacuse I have to type it which take me some time time which in turn
means that I cannot count functions
or test my rubber. Special dispensation is given to Mr White.


Argentina Nationals
===================
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Argentina National Championship
Embalse Rio III Cordoba.
World Cup Event
May 20-24, 1999
Five days of wonderful weather, not sunny, but warm and very calm.
Only one hour of rain, just when F1B fly-off started, both Bovio and Marquez
models went out of sight.
Azzara's model, reaching lower height in climb keep on sight finishing
second.



F1A (24 Entries)
1 Bongiovanni Alejandro 1290
2 Wilhem Carlos 1287
3 Bovio Jorge 1276
4 Neyra Alejandro 1273
5 Costabella Jorge 1269
6 Martinelli Oscar 1256
7 Dunky Elvio 1239
8 Ibieta Miguel 1231
9 Rosso Alejandro 1227
10 Antonucci Renee 1220
11 Abarca Victor (Ch.) 1206
12 Olsen Pablo 1200
13 Ledezma Jose 1180
14 Bovari Diego 1179
15 Bonetto R. 1156
16 Roggero Miguel 1107
17 Palmieri Walter 1079
18 Busnelli Mario 1068
18 Dondero Ernesto 1068
20 Pereyra Virgilio 820

F1B (15 Entries)

1 Bovio Remo 1290 + 181
2 Azzara Hector 1290 + 169
3 Marquez R. 1290 + 168
4 Ayala Pablo 1224
5 Galvan Jose 1212
6 Viggiano Oscar 1206
7 Principe Adolfo 1188
8 Donelli Delmo 1171
9 Rodriguez Carlos 1152
10 Echevarria Alberto 1147
11 Clemenceau R. 1119
12 Gomez Mario 1075
14 Coffey Valdemar 0318
15 Murciano Carlos 0048

F1C (5 Entries)

1 Zito Mauricio 1303
2 Iele Daniel 1177
3 Lopez Eduardo 866
4 Furferi Eduardo 854
5 Fernandez Diaz A. 739

Hope you can attend next year.
Regards
Daniel Iele



Uh Dude!
========
Author : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hi Roger,

I enjoyed Doug's and Peter's comments on noise and music. I also agree
that a formula 1 race car makes a beautiful sound at the right distance.
I also like the sound of a hopped up small block Chevy but the big
double A fuelers at a drag race are just painfully noisy to me.

In model engines the higher frequencies seem to be more irritating to me
but what is noise to one individual is music to another. Rap and heavy
metal is just plain noise to most people of my generation and I also
agree that a lot of the younger people are going deaf prematurely as a
result.

The usual scale for measuring noise is the A weighted scale which is
weighted to approximate the way we hear sounds. Doug's numbers were
good and at 115dBA it should be limited to 15 minutes or less. I would
imagine though that the motors are closer to 130dBA. An impact noise of
140dBA is considered dangerous. I think at 20 feet the engine noise is
an annoyance but at the flyers or some timer's location it will
definitely affect your hearing if you fly enough and don't take
precautions. It is each flyers choice to decide knowing the risks that
he is taking.

Anyone desiring more information can obtain it from the handbook of
Noise Measurement which is put out by the General Radio company that
makes meters to measure noise.

Dougs idea of handing out ear plugs is a good one. The ear muffs are
even more effective at cutting down the noise.

As a side note I also like the adrenaline risk of surfing and wear ear
plugs when I am doing that since the surfers can get a bony growth
inside their ear canal that closes down the opening as the bodies
defense against the cold water. As a result they also will suffer
hearing loss. Wearing the special ear plugs made for surfers eliminates
this. It is a very expensive and delicate operation to grind out this
growth from the ear canal once it is there but it is reverserable with
the operation.

Thermals,

Terry Thorkildsen

What's this flap about Engine Noise ?
=====================================
Sender : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I started flying power models in 1939 and yet my hearing is as good as
ever. It's so good that on a quiet evening at L.H. I can hear a Seelig
timer ticking at 500 feet overhead - with either ear. We need mufflers?
Gil Morris


America's Cup Calendar - erratum
================================


Roger, The calendar in one of this week's newsletters had the old date =
for our August FAI Invitational Contest. The correct date is Aug =
28-29, 1999 as listed on the website calendar. A later note from Art =
Elllis mentioned the unfortunate conflict of FAI FF contests with ours =
and the one at Geneseo NY on the same date.
Chuck


SCAT Mid Summer Madness
=======================

SCAT Mid Summer Madness [a.k.a. Negev Boot Camp]
Saturday, June 26
F1G, H, J
5 flights- No Rounds!
5 P.M.. to 7:30 P.M..
Fly-Off Sunday Morning

F1A, B, C
Round 1 5:30 - 6:15 P.M.
Round 2 6:15 - 7:00 P.M.
Round 3 7:00 - 7:45 P.M.
Rounds 1-3, 3 minute maxes
Pool Party!

Sunday, June 27
6:15 a.m. F1G, H, J Fly-off
Max time to be announced

Round 4
F1A 6:30 - 6:40 a.m., Max 210s.*
F1B 6:50 - 7:00 a.m., Max 240s.*
F1C 7:10 - 7:20 a.m., Max 240s.*
*Round 4 (Fly-Off Round)
Models will be timed to the ground (weather permitting). Time in excess of
the published max will used as a tie breaker for those maxed out at the end
of round 7. Please write round 7 total time on the back of the card.

Round 5 7:30 - 8:15 A.M.
Round 6 8:15 - 9:00 A.M.
Round 7 9:00 - 9:45 A.M.

Trophies presented at 10 A.M.

Glassware to First Place (If youse ain't first, youse ain't nuttin'!)
Registration: $5- Mini events, $10- F1A, B, C. All proceeds will be donated
to the team fund.
Acting C.D., Hector Diez
Real C.D., Susana Diez (As if we didn't know! - N.F.)
Questions? - Call Hector, home: 805-583-1646, shop: 323-254-0010





.......................
Roger Morrell