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VOLUME #15 ISSUE 6 June, 2003
Webpage for the Springfield RC Club is at
this link:
Next Meeting on July 3, 2003
The Library Center, 4653 S. Campbell, Community Room B, Springfield, Missouri, 7:00 P. M.
(We will be meeting at this location for June, July, August, September, November. The meeting in October will be at the Midtown Carnegie Branch, 397 E. Central, Springfield, Missouri.)
Contents
Springfield RC Club (Blacksheep Squadron)
June 21st and 22nd ------- AMA sanctioned IMAC contest.
July 19th --------Novice pattern contest. Similar to last year. Contestants cannot have placed in an AMA sanctioned contest.
August 16th & 17th --------- Float Fly will probably be at Lake Springfield. There was discussion about checking into the possibility of using Fellow's Lake. It was mentioned that previous attempts however, had been unsuccessful.
September 6th & 7th ----------- AMA Sanctioned Pattern contest. Doug Bennett, Mike Howard, Jeff Schmidt, and Dan Curtis, volunteered to serve on this committee.
October 11th & 12th --------- Heli-Fly Contest. Dan Curtis,
John Clevenger, Don Livermore, and Doug Bennett will make up the committee for
preparation.
President's Column
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Ah, July and its getting hot. The dog days of summer are not far off and with this time of year comes absolutely perfect flying conditions. Of course you have to put up with a bit of heat but that is a small price to pay for smooth air and long days.
This month we will once again be holding the “Introduction to Precision Aerobatics”. This one-day event is designed to give flyers that have not previously entered or placed in an aerobatics contest a chance to try some precision flying. This event is laid back and low key with the main emphasis on learning and fun. Judging and computer scoring will be utilized and demonstrations of the maneuvers will be flown. The maneuvers will be the current Sportsman schedule of the AMA rulebook. The maneuvers are some of the same maneuvers that we all fly each time we go to the field. Nothing really new and there are no “plane killers” in the bunch.
Sportsman Schedule
1. Take off …. upwind and consist of gradual increase in throttle with a straight roll out and gentle lift off. The take off is judged from a standing start to an altitude of 6 feet.
Note: after take off the pilot will due a downwind trim pass. This pass is not scored.
2. Straight Flight Out…..Upon entering the box the plane will maintain altitude and a heading that is parallel with the runway.
3. ½ Reverse Cuban Eight….. The model will pull into a 45 degree climb, execute a ½ roll and continue upward at 45 degrees. The model will then pull into a ½ inside loop exiting the maneuver straight and level and at the same altitude as the straight flight out with a change in heading of 180 degrees.
4. Straight Flight Back… The model will continue on a path parallel to the runway, maintaining altitude and heading downwind.
5. Half Cuban Eight….The model will pull into a 5/8 inside loop (little over a half of a loop) and establish a 45 degree down line. The model will then execute ½ roll to upright and continue the 45 degree down line and then will pull to level.
6. Two Inside Loops…..This is a centered maneuver. The model will pull from straight and level flight into two inside loops. The loops should be centered and superimposed on each other. The model will exit the loops straight and level headed up wind and will exit the box at this time.
7. Two Point Roll….. After the unscored turn around maneuver of choice the model will reenter the box with a downwind heading and will perform a two point roll. This will consist of the model rolling to inverted, establishing a short line while inverted and the rolling to upright. The maneuver should be centered.
8. Stall Turn….The model will pull to a vertical up line and perform a stall turn and then will establish a down line with a pull to straight and level with a upwind heading parallel to the runway.
9. Cobra Without Rolls….From straight and level flight the model will pull to a 45 degree up line and at the center will push over the top to establish a 45 degree down line with a pull to straight and level for exit.
10. Immelman Turn….The model will pull to a ½ inside loop and perform a ½ roll to upright flight. The models heading will have changed 180 degrees to downwind and parallel to the runway.
11. One Horizontal Roll….Centered maneuver. The model from straight and level flight will execute one 360 degree roll.
12. Split S….After the roll the model will continue straight and level then will perform ½ roll to inverted followed by a pull into a ½ inside loop resulting in a decrease in altitude and a reversal of heading.
13. Double Immelman without Rolls….Centered maneuver. The model from straight and level pulls into ½ loop then continues inverted to establish a line and then pulls through a ½ loop exiting the maneuver upright and heading upwind.
14. Landing…After exiting the box from the double immelman a non scored pass downwind is performed. Landing is done upwind and the scoring of the landing begins when the model reaches an altitude of 6 feet.
Now, after typing all that it sounds horrible and busy. Well it is hard to write simple maneuvers, simply. We fly this stuff every day, we just don’t always put names on them. So please don’t let my lack of command of our language get you confused or worried. If you have questions on any of the maneuvers, by all means grab any of the pattern flyers at the field. They will be more than happy to answer and provide any help they can.
We will be providing some plaques or awards for the first three places and we will also be providing a lot of fun and practice to all that enter.
Give it try, you just might like it.
See ya at the meeting,
Have Fun
Dan
We are seeing some more new fliers (members) at the flying field. Charlie and John to name a few. Marshall Kent was there recently as was Joshua Rhodes. Sundays have been excellent turn out days for the fliers.
I noticed that a flier was maneuvering over the runway and swinging over the pit area. These can lead to anxiety for fliers on the line. We should remember that each of us is concentrating and a flyover is very distracting.
The field is in great shape except for the pesky moles. The editor had a
long roll out, hot landing with the infamous Corsair and somehow dodged the
bullet, mole hills.
Springfield Mo. RC Club, minutes of June meeting, June 5, 2003. Ralph Todd,
Secretary.
The club met at the Library on South Campbell Street. Meeting called to order
at 7 PM by President Dan Curtis. Copies of the May meeting were passed around
for review. They were approved as appeared in the Newsletter. A detailed
treasurer's report was read treasurer Kevin Murdock. There were six new members
added to bring the current membership to 75. Kevin passed out new membership
lists. The report was approved as read.
OLD BUSINESS:
There was a report about the Fun Fly on May 17th, which turned out to be rainy.
The events were canceled. There was discussion of the planning of the Float
Fly, which is to be August 16th and 17th, with the practice to be August 9th and
10th. Charles Newton offered to let us use his boat for recovery again, and Ray
Niles offered to help cook. Sparky and Doc Wessels are sending letters to
prospective contributors.
Dan discussed the novice pattern contest to be held July 19th. This is open to
pilots that have not placed in an AMA sanctioned event. Participants were
encouraged to try out, as it is a good way to simply improve our flying.
NEW BUSINESS;
President Dan reported that the IMAC contest, which was to be hosted by the
Bolivar club, has been canceled because of regional conflicts.
Mike Howard started some discussion about the importance of waiting until 9 AM
to begin flying at the field. We were reminded that it is stated in our by-laws
this way. By living close to the field, he has heard some noisy aircraft about
8 AM lately. Jeff Schmidt made a motion that a sign by hung on the gate stating
that flying may begin a 9 AM. After some discussion, of which included
consideration for all the neighbors, this was voted on and passed. Ralph Todd
offered to ask Al Sheppard if he would make a sign for us. O. D. Fine offered to
furnish the gate measurements.
Dan, again, stressed the importance of not flying west of the runway. This has
happened several times lately, and could result in property damage and injury.
He asked that we speak to anyone in violation of this, and remind them of the
danger.
Mike Howard suggested that we spray weed killer along the fence row, just south
of the gate. It has a very dense growth of Poison Ivy, which can be very bad
for our skin, and also creates a visual obstruction for making left turns as we
leave the field.
A motion was made and voted on that we adjourn about 8 PM. The club then
enjoyed a raffle put on by Bob Pace.
T
Membership
Information
Dues
2003
Effective
January 1, 2003, all dues are payable on a calendar year basis for those who
were members in 2002. As was the
case in 2002, the dues for the year are $75.00 for adults and $50 for juniors
(students under 18). The dues apply
no matter when you decide to pay your 2003 dues.
As was
the case last year, NEW members will pay a pro-rated amount based on what month
they join the club for the first time.
NOTE:
You must show proof that you have paid your AMA dues for 2003 in order to
receive your 2003 Blacksheep member card. Either
mail your dues with a copy of your AMA card or bring the card to
the January meeting to show to the Treasurer.
You may
mail your check payable to SPRINGFIELD R/C CLUB and a copy of your AMA card to:
Kevin Murdock, Treasurer, 3448 E. Stanhope Terrace, Springfield, MO 65809
National
Newsletter
Searching for the perfect windy
weather airplane
By CLAY RAMSKILL
All too often, on
an otherwise nice but windy day, folks just don’t fly. Obviously, for a
beginner, that’s just common sense—but for someone with experience, the wind
should be another challenge to add some spice to flying.
While it’s easy to see that experience level has a lot to do with how much wind
is too much, it may not be quite as apparent that the type of airplane you’re
flying also has an effect on your ability to handle winds. Let’s go through some
airplane design features and see which ones have the best flying characteristics
to handle winds and the resulting turbulence.
Size: In general, the larger the airplane (everything else being equal),
the better it will handle winds of all kinds. They don’t “flop around” as much!
Dihedral: The more dihedral in an airplane’s wing, the more it is going
to be affected by crosswind gusts. It is hard to keep the wings reasonably
level, and therefore, lineup to the runway is difficult in a crosswind
situation.
Wing loading: The higher the wing loading, the less an airplane will be
affected when hit with a gust.
Aspect ratio: Lower aspect ratio (stubby) wings will be less bothered by
gusts; there is less leverage for side forces to upset the airplane, and the
lower aspect ratio wing has a greater tolerance to changes in angle of attack
caused by gusts.
Power: It’s pretty obvious that having the power to overcome the forces
provided by the wind is a must. The same goes when you get into a sticky
situation.
Lateral control: Ailerons are very beneficial in a crosswind, in landing,
and in takeoff phases. The ability to dip a wing into a crosswind without
changing heading is essential, as is the ability to rudder the airplane parallel
to the runway heading while keeping the wings level with aileron during
landing.|
Landing gear: Tri-gear airplanes are easier to land and take off in a
crosswind than taildraggers. The wider the spread on the main gear, the better.
Maneuverability: This one’s a bit harder to quantify. You want an
airplane with stability, yet you do need good maneuverability to cope with wind
gusts. So you want an airplane that is stable, yet responsive.
Wing mounting: Generally, a low wing airplane will handle crosswinds
better. This is because the center of gravity of the airplane is nearer, in a
vertical sense, to the aerodynamic center of the wing. So the low wing airplane
is not rolled by a side gust as easily. Also, by mounting the main landing gear
on that low wing, you can spread them out wider.
It’s unfortunate that almost every item above is in opposition to the
characteristics of popular trainers, the main exception being the requirement
for tricycle landing gear. But even with trainers, there are differences.
Compare a Seniorita with the Cadet Mk2. While the Seniorita is a bit slower and
easier to fly, the Cadet, with its ailerons, higher wing loading, lower aspect
ratio, and lower dihedral, is a far better airplane to fly in windy conditions.
In closing, I offer Confucius’ only know saying about Radio Control flying—“To
learn to fly in wind, one must fly in wind.”
via Balsa Chips
Connecticut Model Airplane Club
Ray Hinds, editor
Huntington CT
What did you call me?
Knowing your job at the flying field
By SAM WRIGHT
Recently, while
flying on a bright, typical Sunday morning, I asked a good friend to call for
me.
As he tailed my idling Ryan to the flightline, I entered the pilot’s box and
looked at him to see if it was safe to enter the taxiway. My caller looked back
and released my aircraft onto the runway. I quickly moved to the taxiway, out of
the way of an incoming 30% Edge 540T. That was a close call and could have been
very expensive for me.
When the caller entered the station alongside me, I asked, “Why did you release
my aircraft without my signal?”
His response was genuine as he said, “I don’t know what a caller does.”
After I regained composure, I asked him to watch what I was doing. After I
landed, I would give him some caller tips. I will leave that friend’s name out
of the story because I was embarrassed that for all the Sundays we had flown
together, we all assumed everyone knew what the purpose of the caller was.
The caller is your safety observer, maneuver caller if you’re competing, and air
traffic controller. Some are psychologists, too, or offer that comforting pat on
the shoulder.
A caller will save your airplane and most likely someone else’s, too. The caller
knows when to give you the signal that the runway is clear to taxi out and take
off. Your caller also is watching the traffic to advise you of an aircraft on a
collision course with yours. This occurs much too often, particularly when the
pilot is on the correct flight path for the field.
While out of town at a popular Scale fun-fly, I was calling for a friend, who
incidentally, is a better pilot than I am. On the other end of the flightline
was a pilot demonstrating the flat figure eight. For those not familiar with
that maneuver, it is the number eight laying on a table, and it is required as a
mandatory maneuver for Scale contests. Needless to say, it breaks all of the
rules of the race track pattern established for the fun-fly event, and my pilot
would have hit this aircraft head on had I not alerted him to pull up. The
aircraft executing the figure eight was, at one point, heading directly into my
pilot’s aircraft.
Many fields require a caller, but it is not yet an AMA requirement. However,
some day it may become a necessity. Due to the blend of new pilots with
expensive hardware, mid-air collisions would occur less often, and everyone
would fly with more comfort.
The caller is your
safety observer,
your maneuver caller if you are competing,
and your air traffic controller.
What is a
caller’s job?
The caller’s first responsibility is to keep you and your aircraft safe while
observing the safety of others. Your caller should always observe the wind
direction, field pattern, and any aircraft in your flight path. If you are
practicing your Scale maneuvers, your caller will indicate these to you,
preferably about three quarters through the previous maneuver. This will give
the pilot time to set up for the next maneuver.
The caller also loudly announces your takeoff and landing. At some fields,
particularly the 1/8 Scale Fly-Ins, a good radio system is used.
If you are an experienced caller, do not hesitate to offer assistance to a pilot
flying alone. At our field, we have some specific boundaries to observe in order
to keep our neighbors happy!
Pilots flying the big 30%-plus aerobatic or the turbine-powered airplanes should
never fly without a caller. Most of our infractions of extending our boundaries
are due to these models. This is an opportunity for the caller to help save your
flying privileges.
If you have never had the opportunity to call for someone, ask any pilot to walk
you through the procedure. You will feel more comfortable when you fly as well
as have the confidence to call for someone else.
Most of the pilots I fly with would be eager to assist a new pilot or to teach a
caller all aspects of the responsibility. This will keep the field safe, your
airplanes in one piece, and pilots will feel better knowing another set of eyes
is scanning the airspace.
One other tip—the caller can note if the transmitter trims are out of whack or
if the voltage has fallen below nine volts. These are simple things the pilot
may overlook during the excitement of that first flight at the field.
I always make sure my pilot has the correct frequency pin and that all control
surfaces are working properly. Also, check the half- or full-rate switches if
the radio system has those functions. You may have saved the aircraft from a
crash during takeoff.
from Scale Dimensions
Scale Squadron of Southern California
Sam Wright, editor
Racho Santa Margarita CA
Comments from the Newsletter Editor
These last two articles have come from the AMA website that has been provided in this newsletter. I would comment on the last of the two articles. I think that (and always have) when there is traffic, a busy day on the flight line, a caller is called for (no pun intended). It is just an insurance for safety and for gentle reminders about where you are and what is going on around you. I love to go and stand with someone if I am welcome. Especially with big planes, the guys are most gracious in their help. For example, yesterday I had two callers, Mike and Doug, when I was flying the Corsair. During the course of the flight I was to receive some help on the landing which was really good. They directed the plane to the landing as it was very hot. I had changed props to a smaller and hence higher RPM (12,000) and even though it was deadstick, it was really boiling in. Here is just one example of the use of a caller.
Club Contacts:
| President: Dan Curtis- 887-2971 | Vice President: George Ashley- 883-2621 |
| Secretary: Ralph Todd- 859-3073 | Treasurer: Kevin Murdock, 823-7865 |
| Board of Directors: James White, Ron Cannell, Ray Niles, Lonnie Cort, Harrold Carrol, Charles Newton. | |
| News Letter Editor: Russ Rhodes, 3164 S. Glenhaven, Springfield, Missouri 65804, rgr592f@smsu.edu | |
| Web Site of Springfield RC Club: http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/blacksheeprc/index2.html | |
David Sleeth - Owner
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1912 E. Sunshine, Springfield, Missouri 65804
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