FxRES May 2023 2m F3L/F5L Monthly Duration Challenge

[martynk]

FxRES Monthly Postal Rules

This is a “for fun” challenge for UK based pilots. Anyone may enter with:

1. a bungee-launched F3L (F3-RES) specification glider using the reduced length Hi-Start. The reduced length Hi-Start bungee has a maximum of 10m of 6/4mm surgical tubing and 50m of static line (minimum 30lb breaking strain). Lighter/smaller/shorter bungee rubber may be used.

OR

2. an Electric motor launched F5L (F5-RES) specification glider fitted with an Altitude Limiter set to 60m and a maximum motor run time of 20 seconds.

Object: Fly your F3L or F5-RES glider for as long as possible from a flat field. Each monthly challenge will commence on the 1st day of the Calendar month and  the person who's time is unbeaten at the end of the Calendar Month 'wins' and a new challenge will start. The annual challenge league will end on the 31st December of each year. A new annual challenge league will then commence on the 1st of January.

Rules:

Models must comply with the Model Specification rules for F3L (F3-RES) or F5L (F5-RES) as appropriate.

You may self-time your own flights

Flight times begin when the tow-line falls from the tow-hook (for F3L/F3-RES) or in the case of a F5-RES glider when the motor stops.

The model must land in the launch field or (if there is no field boundary) within 150m of the launch position for times to count. There is no landing bonus.

If you are using a bungee launch (for this event or any other), then the launch line MUST be secured using a corkscrew dog tether or similar bungee stake to minimise the risk of injury caused by a loose stake.

Scores must be submitted on the relevant monthly postal event posting on the FxRES forum at www.barcs.co.uk/forums/   

Scoring flights must be submitted within 24 hours of the flight taking place.

A flight log graph from the Altitude limiter should also be submitted if entering with a F5-RES glider.

All scoring flights must start with a hand release from Ground Level with (if applicable), the motor running.

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

Submitted scores will be amalgamated into an annual league. Points will be awarded as follows:  1st -15 points, 2nd - 12points, 3rd - 10points, 4th to 12th, 9 to 1 point respectively.

You may enter as many times as you wish using as many different models as you wish, but only your longest duration flight will count towards the league position.

Please enter your best/latest monthly scores below in the following format...

ON THE FIRST LINE OF YOUR POST

Model Name : Class (F3 or F5) : Date of flight : Time Claimed

Any text or commentary or images please add afterwards.  Thanks  

[martynk]

Hi all

I am going to be on holiday from the 4th to the 16th May. I definitely will not be able to update the table during this time. Just keep posting your scores, I'll catch up when I am back

 

Happy flying

[StraightEdge]

Enjoy the break Martyn! 

[cirrusRC]

1st May | Medina | F5RES |  20 min 24

Got out early (before rain and wind) this morning to try out new logical switches and lua scoring script.    Aborted a few flights due to rain showers,  each time the rain subsided there was a period of reasonable weather as the sun kept the wind at bay.   Tricky lift though that kept vanishing and some strong winds.   Later on it went cloudy, windy and flat.   Later afternoon it went warm and sunny but I was back home by then.

Res Timer still work in progress but working well so far.   Not sharing as i don't have time to support it and much is hard coded to my logical switches.    So far general features :

 

All RES tasks catered for :  Postal + FXRES (including fly off with window countdown).

3 second arming switch triggers launch mode with independent trim.   Audible arming alert + audible voltage sounded out before launching.

Audible countdown for motor run.

Separate voltage logic including sag for launch and non powered modes.

Switch pulled  as motor cuts which releases launch mode and starts timer and disarms motor

Switch pulled on landing, previous scores saved

Landing voltage - audibly sounded automatically.

[StraightEdge]

A fine result given the weather - and excellent RES timer progress!

[AnthonyB]

Good grief RC, that gave me headache just reading it.

I'm a - open throttle until the motor cuts. Fly as long as you can. Look up after, what happened, sort of guy.

I have one 3 position mode switch and one sprung (brakes) for landing. I would say that's it, but I had to add a sprung "teacher - pupil" switch, but where I would not normally touch.

I had a quick flight last night, to test a new fuz. Just after sun down and the wind had fallen off.  I don't have any spare AMRTs so it was just blips to about 20m, after throwing it to the launch point.

[oipigface]

I went out yesterday to maiden my ARTF F3L Medina. Two hand launches was enough to decide that it needed no more than half ballast in the 4-6m/s wind and I flew it for almost an hour before testing the spoiler, which could do with some elevator compensation programmed in. It’s over 30 years since I flew a rudder/elevator job, so it took me back a bit. It’s a much more sophisticated design than anything that was available in the late 80’s. The wind was a bit strong for the thermal activity to be very stable, but the plane sniffed little bits of lift very effectively.

There are two reasons why I am not going to post a time here: i) I was flying off Whitesheet Down; ii) I decided within a few minutes of launch that despite having taken the trouble to get kitted up, that F3L isn’t for me, despite its nostalgic appeal, and the fact that I won the last 2m thermal soaring comp I entered! (Must have been August or September 1990 on Beverley Westwood. Tuesday night BADMAC competition.)
 

So this plane (which is now RTF), its Correx carry box, an untouched F3L Purito kit, and a bungee with reel will be appearing on the For Sale section of this site as soon as I can get organized enough to take photos.

P.S. I think I’m going to concentrate on slope aerobatics for as long as my knees permit.

[martynk]

Its not for everyone but thanks for giving it a go..

[martynk]

15 hours ago, cirrusRC said:

 

 

 

What I really like is that you also do 01:09 flights as well  

[martynk]

That's a great start, I also need to re-read your scripts post as well ..

 

     

     

[StraightEdge]

5 hours ago, oipigface said:

I went out yesterday to maiden my ARTF F3L Medina...  F3L isn’t for me...  I think I’m going to concentrate on slope aerobatics...

Fair enough, but I wouldn't personally assess the potential of a sophisticated modern F3L model on the slope, even in the lightest of winds, as they're entirely optimised for flat-field thermal - where one's whole mindset, timeframes and expectations of performance are so very different.

However I'm interested in your Medina and the bungee, will PM you.

[oipigface]

37 minutes ago, StraightEdge said:

Fair enough, but I wouldn't personally assess the potential of a sophisticated modern F3L model on the slope, even in the lightest of winds, as they're entirely optimised for flat-field thermal - where one's whole mindset, timeframes and expectations of performance are so very different.

However I'm interested in your Medina and the bungee, will PM you.

I think that’s exactly what I was trying to convey. The model is excellent, but I was mistaken in thinking that I would enjoy going back to flat-field thermal soaring!

[cirrusRC]

9 hours ago, AnthonyB said:

Good grief RC, that gave me headache just reading it.

I knew you'd like it Anthony 

To be honest I used to be same as you, but switching from DLG to a motorized model was a headache for me.  I'm used to having flaps on throttle stick.  I had to move throttle to switch and in heat of competition it's easy to make a mistake, hence I've gone more safety orientated and more structured.

[AnthonyB]

1 hour ago, cirrusRC said:

I knew you'd like it Anthony 

To be honest I used to be same as you, but switching from DLG to a motorized model was a headache for me.  I'm used to having flaps on throttle stick.  I had to move throttle to switch and in heat of competition it's easy to make a mistake, hence I've gone more safety orientated and more structured.

To be fair, I used a Mpx Profi 4000 before (I still do use it) but changed to their new Profi. I have a Landing mode which is always a sprung switch - On or off, works for me. But that takes a while to set up (F5J) and then it is a matter of 20m up, 20m away with 20sec to go. The mode switch is fast, normal and thermal, again on complex models EVERYTHING can change, all trailing edge, elevator settings and even rudder. There is another switch, out of reach, top left on the side. That can change all 4 modes by going faster, normal or slower. The rubbish part about the P4000 was / is the mechanical trim lever which is universal - digital on each function is now far better.

I have no clevises on this F5RES model and I have just got back in from testing. When that is finished, the trims will all be exactly at neutral on rudder and elevator - by bending the wire ends. I have about 6 identical models and everything should fit on everything else and still be at neutral trim. If not, something needs straightening. You would NEVER put the heaviest fuz on the lightest wings though.

The throttle activates an audio countdown (to 20sec). When the throttle is closed the second timer comes on and counts up (not audio) and tells me how long the glide has been (which I forget about). There is a 3rd timer, but that is not set for this.

I also have a trainer sprung switch, and for DLG I throw left handed so I (also) needed a launch switch, for my right hand

If I used telemetry (which I don't) I could use the haptic stick function to vibrate if the model were going up (rate of rise preset) - a lot quieter than a constant bleep.

Then I have a Souffleur which is totally seperate from any of the transmitters, your mate / timer could wear it. It is silly complex and can be used to tell you anything or vario. It has a large ear piece, which could be changed for a tiny ear-bud (half my mates wear deaf aids anyway).

Multiplex also do a datalogger (£73 ? ) which I dont have because I have Nanos etc. They also do a "real" airspeed / vario which tempted me a few times, but I resisted. (a crude vario only really works on height, so you can do "stick thermals")

Considering that telemetry is not allowed in almost all comp classes - why on earth do the manufacturers all pump out all this stuff ?

[Pete in Northiam]

On 01/05/2023 at 22:34, cirrusRC said:

--------8<----------

Res Timer ... So far general features :

All RES tasks catered for :  Postal + FXRES (including fly off with window countdown).

3 second arming switch triggers launch mode with independent trim.   Audible arming alert + audible voltage sounded out before launching.

Audible countdown for motor run.

Separate voltage logic including sag for launch and non powered modes.

Switch pulled  as motor cuts which releases launch mode and starts timer and disarms motor

Switch pulled on landing, previous scores saved

Landing voltage - audibly sounded automatically.

Thanks David! That is a great set of ideas for contests in general. I confess to having been living with hang-overs from slope setups. Really like the launch mode battery sag and BIG AUDIBLE TIMERS. As Tom Lehrer said, "Plagiarize! Let other people's work invade your eyes! ✔

Edited May 3, 2023 by Pete in Northiam
Shorten

[Nick Finnemore]

Model class F3 Slite V2

date of flight 01/05/23

Flight time 37mins23secs

 

 

[Nick Finnemore]

Hi guys, apologies for not adding at least some detail to my monthly comp entry.

At our club flying site (Truro & district MFC) the day was warm although much breezier than forecast.

So as it was a maiden with my new Slite V2 I gave it a few hand launches before committing to the restricted length bungee that we are operating in Cornwall (50m line and 10m rubber).

The model tracked well and after a mediocre launch (as announced by other club members) I flew straight into lift under a small dark cloud and without a single thermal turn up I went to a point where I could easily just fly forward to the next incoming powder puff and slope soaring style up we want again!

This continued for 30 minutes or so after which sink finally arrived and down I came, but due to the altitude that took a while and finally some 7 minutes later I landed back on the patch without the need for spoilers - the air really got bad for a while!

So a good first flight, and whilst I have some pondering to do in respect of a few challenges in the models pitch handling, I counted myself lucky to have had such a flight, but that's why I love this sport.

Cheers!

[cirrusRC]

On 03/05/2023 at 08:00, Pete in Northiam said:

Thanks David! That is a great set of ideas for contests in general. Really like the launch mode battery sag and BIG AUDIBLE TIMERS.

Thanks Pete

Fly off or **** as I'm calling it   won't replace timer person but useful back up and take load off for when asking for times.  Saves me asking for remaining window all the time.

Dynamic and set audible alerts every minute, also tells me not to launch if last flight was greater than window left.

Postal challenge has special audio for 1 hour and 2 hour flights   Code still wet, so hopefully I can give a proper test out tomorrow.

 

[StraightEdge]

You can't tease us, it's not fair!

If that ain't all eventually shared, then somebody is going to have their Tx quietly 'borrowed' at a yet unspecified event...

[andyharrold]

It would help me as I wouldn't have to lend my countdown talking timer to Lawrence!