8th 2021 F3-RES/F5-RES Combined 14 day duration postal

[martynk]

A placeholder for the 8th 2021 F3-RES/F5-RES Combined 14 day duration postal.

This is an experimental event and the rules may be altered for subsequent challenges.

Please submit your score below. The 14 day clock will start when the first score is submitted and will restart if and when the current high score has been beaten.

This is a for fun challenge for UK based pilots, anyone may enter with EITHER 

1. a bungee-launched glider up to 2 metres wingspan and the standard Hi-Start can post a time. The standard Hi-Start bungee is a maximum of 10m of 6/4mm surgical tubing and 50m of static line (minimum 30lb breaking strain). Lighter/smaller bungee rubber may be used.

OR

2. an Electric motor launched glider up to 2 metre wingspan fitted with an Altitude Limiter set to 60m and a maximum motor run time of 20 seconds.

Object: Fly your 2 metre glider for as long as possible from a flat field, the person who's time is unbeaten for 14 days 'wins' and a new challenge starts.

Rules:

Flight times begin when line releases from the tow-hook or in the case of an electric motor powered glider, 20 seconds after the hand launch. The model must land in the launch field for times to count. While the object is to encourage F3/F5-RES types, any model up to 2 metre span may be flown (F3/F5-RES, foam, R/E mouldie) but please state the type of model with your time. Note that ailerons or other camber changing devices fitted are no longer permitted, even if disabled. 

No Flight information telemetry permitted except for Received signal strength and Receiver battery status.

Fly safely! No slope soaring

[cirrusRC]

Easy marker.

Forecast was showers getting worse throughout the day.  Given weather people seem to be forecasting with seaweed, figured I'd give it a go.

A few spots of rain but nothing to stop flying.  Light winds, grey, cool and not much lift to start with.

Warmed up around lunch time but either my flying or inversion as couldn't get over double launch height.

Wind picked up and nearly lost model when parachute wrapped round fuse on launch. Nosed in but got away with it.  Removed the chute which highlighted how much drag it creates and surprisingly negates launch height.

Rotor was getting tricky with wind so called it a day.

Worked hard but 7.20 was all I could manage!  Is it really August!?

 

[AnthonyB]

Someone has to start this ball rolling. (Thought I was first, till I came to post)

So, I will chip in with 8:16.

I used the Bombay Trainer, because it was quite breezy (6 - 7mph)

This started with a climb, which was terminated a little short of 60m, and then nothing. All the way through it did feel it was going to bounce up.

Climb again to less than 60m. This flight is timed from where the limiter cut the motor, not where I moved the stick back.

Here is the full thing.

 

 

To make it clearer, I cut off the first part, from where the motor stopped.

 

 

There was no immediate lift, but then turned into what was actually lift and worked that for over 2mins. At which point it was a long way down wind and the breeze had picked up.

I switched to “speed” mode, which is only a couple of clicks of down. It slowly came back, with no signs of more lift.

At about 100yds away, I switched back to normal and sat in the same spot for over 3mins. There is a line of 40ft trees between where it was and me. I elected to go back to speed mode and slowly come back.

Essentially I worked lift for 2mins and then spent over 4mins getting back.

You can clearly see the difference 2 clicks of down trim makes.

By the time I got back to myself, the wind was too strong and I popped out the brakes and landed. Had there been no wind, I would have done a couple more circles – no point here.

**It took 24 hours for the grey but dry to get here !

 

[AnthonyB]

As I was about 6in up, landing, the wing struck a 12in Dock plant. The stalk was really woody and it made a loud bang. Instantly I thought the Oracover Lite was damaged. Also the whole tail shook violently.

I bent down and picked up the model and was really surprised there was no damage. (You can see it all on the graph)

This was not the first or last time I will do that !

[martynk]

Hi all

Sorry for the delay responding. Currently on holiday and had very poor internet last week. Moved to a different site today with better connectivity.

 Latest table...     

[Paul Wellacott]

Managed this flight on Saturday, lots of other 8/12 minutes flights also. This was my Purito F5 .

it was something of a fight for the first few mins, but once it was away it was simple… flew with the brakes out from 14 to 16 mins as it got very small in the sky ! 

 

Edited August 30, 2021 by Paul Wellacott

[martynk]

Well done Paul. A very good flight. I think that is 29minutes less 20 seconds motor run..

 

      Let me know if I have got it wrong...

[Paul Wellacott]

Looks about right to me, the flight before this with my 2.9 introduction was just over the hour, it probably would have been longer but I needed a break  

[cirrusRC]

Got out yesterday with the RES, great conditions.   We had a small local RES comp in the afternoon.  1 F3 and 2 F5.

Gentle breeze and smooth lift.  Had a nice 33 minute flight before comp. Thermal downwind, speed upwind and keep repeating.

Comp was good fun.  First time doing a landing bonus and trickier than I thought.  Interesting to see how the tactics played out and the pros and cons of F3 Vs F5.  We launched to 60 meters and flew 6 min target from a 9 min window.

Looks stella today but I'm working.  Good luck to those that get out.

33min 8 secs.   Sunday 5th.

[Paul Wellacott]

Looks like there was some good lift about, it was a perfect day for flying up here, but evidently also a good day for treating the decking before winter I’m nearly finished rigging the Slite V2 so hopefully get a go with that this weekend, first time up a bungee in lots of years !

[martynk]

I am still on holiday, back Friday.

Updated Table

 

[Graham Lorimer]

I have been a bit under the weather for the last couple of weeks, but after an aborted attempt Monday, ESC Failure on new Magic 2, I had a very nice couple of hours flying my Circle Dancer F5RES at Fish Meadow yesterday.

The first launch was straight into lift and away it went, in fact I was so surprised, a very early mistake on my part after the climb out negated the flight completely. After 25 minutes, and a couple of very nice climbs, the second time from just 20 meters after spending over 5 minutes scratching for lift, to note as I finally lined up to land, THE PROP WAS NOW SPINNING. I had not hit the Throttle Deactivated switch as I climbed out after the power run, and the throttle slide was very slightly open, meaning when the model came below 5 meters and close to landing, the motor started at a very slow idle.

Several more attempts followed, none very good.

As I thought I had blown my day, finally another launch into lift, immediate check of throttle deactivation switch and throttle slide, (three times in fact), away I went for a very satisfying 26 minutes 10 seconds.

I make no secret, my target today was 30 minutes and then on to 34 minutes, but it just did not happen, but still a fun couple of hours. Thanks to you Guys for always keeping the bar at a high level, I'm sure I fly better with a target in mind.

 

Graham

Fish Meadow

Circle Dancer F5RES.

26 minutes 10 seconds

[AnthonyB]

I have been out (a lot) for the last few days, with one thing on my mind – to paste 30mins.

I will admit that this 2m 400g glider flying is a bit new to me and it is different to what I am used to. It is far lower than a launch to 175m and so it is a lot more visible – to see what the model is doing. I have not fully explored the way this flies. One outstanding thing is that you can do tiny circles – far smaller than my others.

Wherever I stand, there are some trees within 300yds all the way round me. The plan was to stand there, ready to go, and slowly rotate looking for slight movements in the tops of the trees. That plan worked and 75% of launches were into lift. The problem being to stay with them, a big problem.

There were no Gulls, no Buzzards, no Kestrels, no Swallows and even no

Crows. I would usually say, there would be some help from my feathered mates, but not for the last few days.

Aerobtec will not let me do more than 3 flights, but there is a long list of them.

I was feeling rather dejected, but 6min flight after 6min flight from 60m is good in anyone's book (well mine anyway).

This is not the end, not even the beginning of the end – just the end of the beginning.

[Paul Wellacott]

Anything from 60m takes a lot of work, that’s the beauty of this class/task/competition, whatever you want to call it.

CirrusRC has a couple of excellent YouTube videos of very low level skill in picking up lift, quite inspiring. 

I enjoy flying my 2m model the most now, really rewarding…. I can’t wait to fly the Slite V2

[Graham Lorimer]

I agree entirely Paul, nothing beats scrounging around at 20 meters working every smidgen of good air for 5 minutes trying to gain height, and when achieved, it is a great feeling of victory.

I suspect that most who have not flown a modern 2 meter RES model, don't realize just how quickly they come down in bad air also.

 

Graham

[Paul Wellacott]

That’s a fact, bad air management, is something I’m working on.

Having a really well trimmed and perfect balance is so essential on a 2m model, like I say, this class is so rewarding to get right.

[mikef]

1 hour ago, Graham Lorimer said:

…

I suspect that most who have not flown a modern 2 meter, don't realize just how quickly they come down in bad air also. …

Your comment certainly applies to the F3/5-RES models but I think a 2m moulded aeroplane with variable camber and a modern airfoil might be able to 'run away' better from sink.

[AnthonyB]

I wrote the above partly from frustration and partly as encouragement to those who are not hitting double figures with their FxRES.

Both of you are right and it is just a matter of fly, fly and fly some more.

With that in mind, I was out at 10:30 this morning to do some more.

I will also add that when I said I am not used to this, part of it is the 10min / 8min time for the other comp classes. Where with a 10min task you would cease to try further height gain after about 7mins and start to plan the precision landing, so I have never seen the point in flying much above 300m. As this light one has no brakes, it is also important (for me) to land within 3m of the designated centre (preferably with the nose on it).

We have thunder predicted for lunch time and the barometer is falling like one of my gliders in sink. A baby thunder cloud can do a good job of sucking your model up – so it might be good.

First launch, and little lift, except for over a newly cut yellow field, which was very little. When at head height I re-ran the motor and went out over the field again.

The air was better than elsewhere and it bounced up a little. It was only small and I spent 3 minutes trying to just fly in the lifty part. It then went up better until I felt the pitter-patter of raindrops on my head. At that point I lost concentration, trying to figure out if it would continue. You can usually see where the rain is.

The drops turned to real rain and so I headed back to myself. With all this, I just landed it. I then ran back to the house, once inside the rain stopped !

I have that flight as 12:25 from when the motor stopped.

[martynk]

Hi all

Back off my holidays. Sorry for the delay with the updates but last week, camping at Wiseman's Bridge, I could barely get a phone signal never mind a viable data connection.

Updated Table:

I have rescued my gliders from storage today  so hopefully, I'll be able to start posting a score again.

 

[AnthonyB]

It's too windy to fly, so I may as well write about it.

(yesterday) Did the Sunday Country Walk and back for lunch. Power-washed the car port / hanger / sanding room / folly, then charged model whilst having a brew.

No real wind, but clouds moving in a southerly breeze. Perfect for an hours flying. Slight movement in tree tops about 80m away, so headed for that. After 4mins it had gained 50m – but it was still in the air and looking reasonable. A best this month at about 15mins.

As it as really nice air to fly in (smooth) – launch again – 30mins could be possible.

Six minutes later and it had gained 50m, but was starting to come down. Hard work as it was, if I could just find more lifty patches, 30mins could still be done. Another 5mins and I had managed to get to launch height. So, still in the air. A breeze developed, so off down wind to see if there was lift – Yep.

A good 4mins of going up, but a long way away. The air had been kind to me, so decided not to rush back, but just return at “normal” float setting. Over the next few minutes, it did not seem to sink that much, but no signs of going up either.

*An optical illusion – at about 300m away and only 100m up, a model does not seem so high. As you get closer, it can seem to be higher, because you are cranking your head up more.

Back over my head and it really was not that high and clearly sinking. More importantly – Nothing resembling lift.

I was certain I had at least done 20mins. In reality it was only 19mins forty five seconds............ I will console myself with the fact it is the best this month. Had I (somehow) managed to run the first flight into the second, it would have been really good – well I can dream !

20mins later I went back out to see if it had got better. (I am always an optimist)

As you can see, the nice air had been replaced. I would imagine that on the previous flight, the long spell of sink (coming back), was also the moving away of all the benevolent air.

(always find some good) What is clear, is that the little 450-2S is good for about 6 climbs. On the last run the voltage fell below 7v – though it did recover to 7.6v whilst flying. A little later, I put it on the charger to return it to “storage voltage” (7.7v) and it took 10sec....... it was exactly there !