FxRES June 2023 2m F3L/F5-RES 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]

Mad Hatter 2e F5 3/6/2023 00:07:00

 

Very breezy and tricky conditions. Lots of weak narrow patchy lift but only one really good thermal in about 20 attempts and it went a long, long way down wind. Just scraped (10m) over the field boundary on return. The downdrafts were very strong.. Many flights looked promising for the first 30 seconds or so but quickly petered out. Many flights of 3 to 5 minutes. One flight was so bad (sink) I actually landed on the upwind field... that has never happened before..

I had two flights that landed downwind outside the field, the last, I had to wade through a large clump of waist high thistles to retrieve... Glad I was wearing jeans.

 

[martynk]

Table...

     

     

[martynk]

Duplicate post

 

 

[martynk]

Duplicate post - having problems uploading

 

     

     

 

[Phil Morrell]

 

 

 

 

Gentle Lady Electro : F5 : 4th June : 14mins 35 secs claimed : Seal Rd, Bramhall, Stockport

 

 

A glorious day down at the BATs flying field enjoying flying with Stew W and the Hydeflyer John P.  It was warm with a clear sky and plenty of thermals blowing through. It took me a couple of flights before I could catch anything useful managing 11 minutes but soon dropping out of the lift as I tried to return from downwind. I was considering calling it a day but after checking I still had plenty of charge in my battery, I decided to give it another go. I kept low after the launch, tracking as far as I could upwind and soon found good air. The first thermal took me up to about 300m downwind. After tracking back up wind the model started to get very small indeed up at 380m, with no spoilers on the Gentle Lady it started to get a little scary. I was happy the model stared to descend to a more manageable height and tested myself to keep in lift without getting too high again. I found this easier said than done as I was only able to keep in the lift for a further 5 minutes  before descending back down. Gentle Ladies ( I refer to the glider here!!) have served me well through the years. I have had a couple of them and this particular one has a newly built fuselage but a wing of 30 years vintage, I am sure that, along with my limited thermalling ability, these older traditional soarers lack the efficiency of the latest X-RES models available and make it more difficult to maintain height when coming back from thermals. Hopefully, with a little more practice the improvements will come. This all adds to the excitement and enjoyment of our great hobby.      

[martynk]

Well done Phil. Yesterday looked like a much better day.

Updated table

     

[Nick Finnemore]

Monthly Duration claim

Date: 4th June 2023

Model: Slite V2

Class: F3Res

Location: Trendeal, mid Cornwall (Truro & District MFC site).

Time claimed: 14 minutes.

Lovely warm evening with clear blue skies, but with unusual lift. Upwind of the bungee peg there was a stationary band of gentle lift that did not appear to move much all evening and when some lift did break away it was pretty resistant to trying to core it and work the thermal - at least to my abilities.

That said I was able to kind of stooge around and hold my height at about 40 metres until whatever lift it was, took a break and down I came!

Still, as always I learned a tiny bit more about the air around our site and as the wind dropped to very little the bungee climbs were relaxing.

Cheers

Nick

[martynk]

Thats a lovely looking Slite Nick.

 

Updated table

Please can you try and post within 24 hours of the flight in future Nick. Not really a problem here but the idea is to stop someone hoarding a monster flight and using it as a trump card at 23:59 on the last day of the month.

     

[Stewart Walker]

Bramhall, F5-RES, Fresh, 2min 28s

Not a lot to say, too Hot, Too windy

 

[JulesGrocott]

Blue Phoenix F5, Bramhall cricket club Friday 16 June, 1min 56sec.

Not a time that will worry anyone too much but my first since February due illness and it gets me on the the table although alas at the bottom. Lovely day but windy. First flight was an impressive cartwheel on landing but managed this one so then decided to call it a day.

My Medina F5 is about to roll out of the Strines Road aeroworks for test flying and shortly a Triple RES F3.

[SteveH]

Fish Meadow. 16/06/23. Purito E. Flight claimed 44mins 19 secs.

Very hot and quite windy conditions at Fish Meadow today. Bad visibility in a milky sky caused me to lose orientation and end up in a death spiral which I finally managed to control. Then a mid air with Graham flying his Medina at about 18 mins as you can see from the graph - luckily both models were undamaged. Finally got my act together and managed quite a good time.

[AnthonyB]

Ribble Valley, 16/6/23, cRESt (F5RES), 9:30.

Model spent last 2 days in garage assembled, ready, and finally at 16:00 it was calm enough to fly.

Brand new wings, but another fuz because I have run out of Rx's and after being on order for 1 week, it had not come, so I cancelled today.

Really proud of 9:30 – being the best of 3. Then I came here and was greeted with Steve's 44.

At the end a big hand grabbed it and plonked it on the ground.

That's a lot better than the 25sec, its first hop.

Being an RC Electronics AMRT the algo cuts early, so the zoom is only to 60m.

Without that I could have had another 4 or 5 seconds !! ??

Now I'm out of excuses.

Oh, and purple is reasonably visible.

[Graham Lorimer]

Date: 16th June 2023

Model: Medina F5L

Location: Fish Meadow

Time claimed: 11 minutes 56 Seconds

A very enjoyable day, with conditions that can best be described as "trying".

First flight of the day a very easy 10 minutes. This is going to be easy I'm thinking, once the temperature rises.

Many launches later, it took until sometime after lunch before I bettered my first flight.

Great company, some superb flights to watch, and when I realized that yet again, Steve would better me, even tried a mid-air, both escaping with no damage.

 

Graham

 

[Pete in Northiam]

2 hours ago, SteveH said:

... Bad visibility in a milky sky caused me to lose orientation and end up in a death spiral which I finally managed to control...

Youre nit the first! But how did you recover? Hands off or leaning on a stick? One has to think quickly! Best wishes-- Pete 

[SteveH]

29 minutes ago, Pete in Northiam said:

Youre nit the first! But how did you recover? Hands off or leaning on a stick? One has to think quickly! Best wishes-- Pete 

My brain was telling me the model was turning one way (which was wrong) so with great difficulty I ignored my instincts and turned the other way (eventually).

The problem is it all takes time as the ground relentlessly approaches!

[Justin Mellor]

I had to wait until Graham L and Steve H had left the field to get my best flight of the day.

Date: 16th June 2023

Model: Purito E

Location: Fish Meadow

Claimed time 20 minutes 50 seconds:

Uncomfortably high for me - up to 380m. I launched straight into lift as you can see.

A good end to a great day's flying.

Justin

[StraightEdge]

It's amazing that despite the longish run of hot dry weather there's been almost nothing reported until today's rush of flights!

I was out on Sunday but only, rather disappointingly, scored 4 minutes, so - expecting loads more opportunities this month - didn't bother to download or report the flight.

Today looked good from the start, but had other things to deal with...!

[Paul Wellacott]

I had a shocker 2 weeks ago, 2 incredible flights, easily 350m and 45mins. However, Altis didn’t record the data. But fed up doesn’t cover it.

beautiful weather all week now 100% cloud and rain tomorrow afternoon. Hmmmm.

but who cares? I’m out doing it with the guys at the field

 

[StraightEdge]

Paul, there's no official need to report the Altis data. As long as you record the time (Tx timer or even just wristwatch) then claim it. It's all honesty based.