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F3-RES UK Competition Interest


Neil Stainton

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Neil Stainton

For those that don't know F3-RES is a new high-start launched woody 2m RES glider class that originated in Germany and Austria that is becoming very popular internationally.

For more info see this RCGroups F3-RES Resources thread and the other threads marked F3-RES in the RCGroups. The kits are easy to buy from European retailers. The benefits of these models and the proposed event over alternatives are

- Low cost
- Quick building woody models
- Requires building as well as flying skills
- Easy to fly RES (rudder-elevator-spoiler) models
- Simple task - 6 min flight in a 9 min slot
- Standardised weak hi-start so not a power race
- Low launch altitude (60m-110m depending on the field/high start length)

I am thinking of running a series of competitions, probably from the Pillerton Hersey field in Warwickshire, and would like to know if there is any interest in this from this gliding community. BTW I will develop a set of rules closely based on the German rules so molded composite 2m models will not be allowed.

Please post to this thread if interested.

Neil.

 

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Hi Neil,

As you know I am interested in the development of this class and soon we will have 4 F3-RES models flying. Your site is a good two hours away for me though, so whether we could support a competition or not would have to be looked at when you have details.

Cheers,

Jon

 

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I will be interested as to whether this class can gain any momentum as a contest class in the UK. As a builder of models still in traditional ways, it would be gratifying if it does, but I do have doubts. The nearest class to this would be the 100S class that ran in the Midlands, mainly in the Peterborough area. This became dominated by the Tracker moulded model, which since that models demise, has led to a tail off in interest..

As a sport class may be, but I think electric models hve now over taken traditional thermal soaring.

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Neil Stainton

Thank you for the response from everybody. I was hoping for more interest but I guess if people see we are having fun more will want to join us.

Richard, you would be very welcome.

Brian, I agree tow line glider interest is waning, but DLGs are gaining in popularity. I am hopeful that a short hi-start will allow flights from small fields and be convenient to use, making the class more accessible than the traditional alternatives.

Neil.

 

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Neil Stainton

A possible date for the first UK F3-RES contest is Saturday 1/4/2017 or Sunday 2/4/2017.

Any takers?

Neil.

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I have actually done a rough translation of the rules: I got some clarification from the German F3-RES rep. on some of the points.

I am sorry if I have been too presumptuous and I have also used 'BARCS' in the subject - although I accept that BARCS has not ratified these. I just wanted to make sure that the source could be traced if they got into the wild.

I'll pencil in 1st and 2nd April..

Best wishes

 

Martyn

(EDIT) E&OE   - I did ask the Germans to check our variant of the rules but they declined. Probably had the same problem translating from English as we had translating from German.

F3-RES-rules-DRAFT0.1.pdf

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No problems. If we adopt these then it will give us a couple of challenges.

The requirement for a bungee with a load/stretch limit. This is different to the postal challenge event standard HK bungee. Need to identify a new one 15m long  

We discussed earlier about the landing bonus table. The rules I compiled were as near a match from the German rules that I could manage with specific points clarified by the DAEC F3-RES technical contact. However, you thought the landing bonus was perhaps a little too high compared with the flight score. The bonus scoring also seems complex or too granular and i wonder whether there is scope to simplify this and reduce the weighting accordingly   

I would welcome others thoughts on this   I don't want to try and fix something that clearly isn't broken but if we are going to make changes then perhaps now is the time to it

 

 

 

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I have found a supplier via Amazon that can cut 6x4 natural latex tubing to 15m lengths

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01GZY6VPM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484394318&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=WEONE+Replacement+Safety+4+x+6mm+3M+Length+Yellow+Natural+Latex+Rubber+Tourniquet+Band+For+Outdoor+Slingshot+Catapult+Elastic+Part+fitness+and+body+movement&dpPl=1&dpID=41voqhkpqOL&ref=plSrch

i am going to place an order next week for a couple of lengths for me. Anyone else like a length or more and I'll do a bulk order FWIW, natural latex has more twangability (a rarely used scientific term) than silicon but a shorter shelf life. 

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It surprises me that you don't use cotton covered bungees for this class, it outlasts the tubular type, in normal flying field usage, by a factor of hundreds.

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Neil Stainton

Good work Martin, but I would suggest that just one is purchased initially.  That will allow you check the max extension and the extension that gives a 4 kg pull before spending too much.  

I got some 6x4 silicone tubing but it was much too stiff. 

Regards 

Neil.  

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On 09/01/2017 at 11:05, Neil Stainton said:

Brian, I agree tow line glider interest is waning, but DLGs are gaining in popularity. I am hopeful that a short hi-start will allow flights from small fields and be convenient to use, making the class more accessible than the traditional alternatives.

Neil.

I see on this site that Inter glide F3j has now gone over to F5j due to lack of support.

Think in my view it would be better to use a cheap motor not exceeding say 75 watts,rather than a hi start with all the bother that they entail

 

 

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Neil Stainton

> I see on this site that Inter glide F3j has now gone over to F5j due to lack of support.

LOL. For several years Palo Lishak any myself have been suggesting a start height logger to improve F3J scoring but they haven't been interested, and this is the result.

> Think in my view it would be better to use a cheap motor not exceeding say 75 watts,rather than a hi start with all the bother that they entail.

If I was designing a new 2m class I would probably take F5J and limit the span to 2m. But we aren't doing that here, we are trialling a new very successful class that has sprung up in Europe over the last few years. The idea is to try the German/Austrian format *exactly as perfected by them* before we attempt to "improve" it. My experience of electric thermal soaring ruleset changes is that a large proportion are retrograde, not improvements.

Neil.

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On 14/01/2017 at 16:48, Neil Stainton said:

Good work Martin, but I would suggest that just one is purchased initially.  That will allow you check the max extension and the extension that gives a 4 kg pull before spending too much.  

I got some 6x4 silicone tubing but it was much too stiff. 

Regards 

Neil.  

I have ordered a length of 30m from Weone. I'll make up a second bungee and hand it over to anyone who would like to do some testing when it arrives. We can always pass it round for evaluation.

The bungee wont arrive until early Feb due to Chinese New Year. 

Weone are excellent by the way. Superb comms..

 

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Just now, Neil Stainton said:

I would be very interested in trying it please!

Neil.

I guessed you would. :) I'll be in touch when I get it sorted. I couldn't afford to buy 3 lengths - sorry Jon..  

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