Esher & District Model Flying Club

President: D.A.E. Smith B.Sc. (Eng.), C Eng., F.I. MECH. E.

Vice Presidents: M. Charles Esq. J.S. Barker Esq.

COMMITTEE

October 2000

Diary

Editor's Notes

Firstly, an apology for the lateness of this issue which should have appeared in August. There are two reasons (excuses) for this:

My computer has failed twice, after a hard disk failure and subsequent total rebuild, the power unit then gave up the ghost. Having the house struck by lightning while on the Internet probably didn't help!

The second reason is that, come the August deadline, I didn't have a single article from anyone.

This seems like a good opportunity to remind you all that I welcome any articles relevant to flying, model flying - or the running of the club (as long as they are constructive). Don't worry if you do not think writing is your strong point, I will be happy to turn your ideas into words if you wish.

So, naming no names, you can imagine how pleased I was recently when I was loaned some BEFA newsletters and found an article by one of our club members in it!

Please note in the Diary that the club is returning to the winter Farm on Saturday 14^th October. I tried my best to get this newsletter to the fairly regular flyers before that date - please accept my apologies if you did not receive this in time.

As I mentioned in the April newsletter there is a small model show in November at our local Parish Church, Holy Cross in Motspur Park. I have volunteered the club to put on a static display. Any models with a reasonable finish, Cubs, Mitchell bombers, giant Sopwith's, gas turbine engines, etc.. would be gratefully received, so if you (still!) have a model you would like to show off by this November, please let me know, and if its too wet and windy to fly that day please come along and support the show.

If I don't get any models I will have to display mine - think what that will do for the clubs reputation - you have been warned! Keith

Christmas Meal

This has been booked for 24^th November at the Tattenham Corner House, Epsom Downs Meeting at 7pm for 7.30.

The cost is £14 per head (rest of body comes free!) There is a range of meals available, pick up a menu from Allan Dobson or Dave Hodges. The money and Menu's with your choices must be returned to Allan by Saturday 18^th November at the latest.

We have our own room at the restaurant (they must have heard about us!)

Chairman's Notes

THE JET HAS FLOWN SUCCESSFULLY

Fred, Alan and Kit joined Tony and me on our trip to RAF Honington in Suffolk on the 3^rd September, this meant an early start to be there at 9.45 - we got there with a minute to spare! A fantastic flying site with miles of hard runway surrounded by short grass. The local club flies on this site for free, only one or two full size planes land in a week .

Tony went off to get his transmitter from the control tent, we then filled the tank up with 1 litre of fuel . This was IT - time to fly after two years of work building the jet engine and plane. Tony taxied the plane out, opened the throttle and away she went to a beautiful climb out . After four minutes it was time for a landing . On the down wind leg the engine was cut and Tony brought her in for a smooth landing . A big hand of applause from the spectators and other pilots, we had done it. Two more flights and it was time to go home.

The Brooklands Show

The show this year took a lot of hard work to set up, owing to a great deal of grass cutting which took a whole week. Brooklands said they would cut the grass but as usual never did.

The flying schedule I feel needed a lot more scale input to make it more interesting for the public.

Dave Ward’s firework display was first class and deserved a much bigger audience. This is the problem when holding the show at Brooklands, people will not pay the entrance fee just to see the flying display.

The majority of members agreed with the committee that the way to go was to have a different show altogether. The idea was to invite other clubs from around the district to a Fly In and BBQ. We could use the main runway so that big scale models and jets could be flown. This would take place on a Saturday when there was no market with a roped off area for the public to view.

Brooklands have now agreed to us running at event on Saturday 16th June 2001. More details when we have them.

We went rather late to the Summer Farm this year and found the grass about two foot high, which took masses of cutting to get to a reasonable height. Now that it is in nice condition we will have to keep a check on it through the winter and spring

All too soon we are getting near the end of the summer and into autumn, and that means back to the Winter Farm on 14th October.

That’s it for now - enjoy your flying. Tony F.

Secretary’s Notes:

AGM

This will be held on Wednesday 13th December at 7.45 sharp. Please try to be there.

Please let the Secretary know of any nominations for the committee.

Last year we passed a motion agreeing that the Club would affiliate to the BMFA from 2001. It is therefore appropriate to discuss again the pros and cons of such a move, both for individual members and for the Club.

Woodsprings

We were told by those who went last year that this was the show with everything, and so it was - the biggest scale models, lots of jets, the top flyers, balloon bursting, Ripmax Display team, Windsock Models speed record holding model, glider towing, big Concorde, a full size Spitfire display plus three other full size displays, all the trade stands, all put on with great skill by the Yatton Club. That’s near Bristol. This year about 12 of us went, next year we could try and organise a coach load. I shan’t miss it!

Competitions

I have agreed with Mark that I will help organise the a final league event.

A-Certificate

Congratulations to James and Geoff Thiel they both passed the test recently. James then went on to crash the Cub flying low inverted, I think!

If they can do it, many more of you can. Remember, they only started flying recently.

Also to David and Stephen Pringle a month or two ago. They have both been practising on their own at Chobham, and that made the difference.

Let Tony or me know when you are ready to try it.

Slightly further back - and in time to fly at Brooklands - Luke Shaw passed his 'B' certificate.

Nationals 2000

I entered the Fun Fly event last year, and it was so enjoyable I had to do it again!

I entered with a 3D model, the Millennia, which I found was not at all competitive. I came 15^th in class 2. This year I built a Limbo Dancer, which is by far the most popular model, and I practised a lot!

This year I entered Class 1 and 2, which you can only do if you have not been placed in the top three in Class 2. It means you enter 8 events over the three days rather than 4. The difference is that Class 1 is for engines up to .60 with tuned pipes and radio mixing allowed. Class 2 is for up to .40 engines, no pipes and no mixing. In practice, Class 1 and Class 2 models are quite similar and many Class 1 models have small engines like the OS32 or ST34. Some are 46 size, and there was a powerful MVVS 49. All are propped for maximum power; there are no big "Fun Fly props".

Climb and Glide was first, in which you climb for 30 seconds, cut the engine and time the glide. I filled up with 25% nitro fuel and recorded a 3-minute glide before touching down in the box for a 10% bonus. That was good, but only 8^th place. One Class 1 model had a piped and very heavy Rossi 53 – fantastic vertical performance but no good in later events. Another model had a thin, low aspect ratio wing – he won the event in class 2 but the model would not slow down so was no good later.

Next on Saturday afternoon was Class 2 limbo. I went last and it was raining and almost deserted – but I scored 17 passes for 5^th place. The best was 29!

Class 2 Spot landing with time was similar – I did well, but only 4^th place! There are some very good flyers at the top.

Finally, on Monday, was touch and goes – on concrete! Some did loops, as they did for limbo, but I did circuits – slower but safer. I scored 17 in class 2, 21 in class 1. So overall 5^th place in class 2. I doubt if I can improve on that, but I will try next year.

The best flight was by Paul Skinner, who was placed 2^nd and needed a huge score to make first. He went for it and made 39 touches in 2 minutes with a standard Limbo Dancer with MDS 38 – fantastic flying, and a new record, but not enough for 1^st place. That went to a teenager, Philip Vandries flying an ultra-light model. A 15 year old, Martin Bell, won class 2.

We will see a change in models next year – the Limbo Dancer was being out performed by FU2a’s and O/D lightweight specials. Paul, the LD’s designer, was trying to sell his at the end! Any of you want to have a go next year? Jeff

Web Site

We now have a club web site ready to roll. Details have still to be finalised, but Dennis Fernie has got us a good address. If I can get fairly quick access to the site I will set up a club news section with important announcements such as changing fields. There will be an E-mail address for enquiries about the club.

There are some fairly weird people on the internet (my wife says most of them are in model flying clubs, but I don't know what she means!) so, to protect from nuisance calls and trespass, there will not be any addresses or 'phone numbers on the site. I will refer to the two flying sites as "The Summer Farm" & "The Winter Farm".

Once the web site is up and running, please E-mail me if you have any suggestions for improving it. Keith

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