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

September 2002

From the Chair

It is now September – why does summer always pass so quickly?

A lot has happened since May – in June we had our BBQ/Fly in which was a great success. It was great to see Gus’ Mitchell fly so well which I had the privilege to pilot.

The following week we prepared and moved to our new field. During July we had a few teething problems with safety and orientation at the field which ended with a new safety fence and pits much further away from the strip after which we all began to enjoy the new location.

Unfortunately in early August the farmer gave us notice to quit at the end of the autumn on 9^th November 2002. The reason is that there is one residence approximately 220 metres from the strip and the occupier – who has health problems – finds the “continual buzzing on Saturday afternoons intolerable”. A great shame as it is a good site, but Roger has suggested that we look at one of his other fields which we could use next season.

Winter Farm – we will return to our usual winter field on Saturday 16^th November 2002.

Committee – We are sorry that Jeff Cosford is moving to Somerset – it will take our regular flyers some time to get used to not having him around. We will miss his training assistance and unique style of highly skilled flying. Jeff has been a friend, examiner, secretary, and staunch club supporter for over 20 years. We wish him every happiness for the future and hope to see you from time to time Jeff.

Fred Clarke has kindly offered to take over as Secretary – many thanks Fred.
Fred is a ‘B’ certificate holder and helps out with trainee pilots, I am sure he will be a great asset to the club.

Safety Officer – Unfortunately we have not seen Mark Stonard this season and it is important that this function is fulfilled. The committee is pleased to announce that Geoff Ward has taken on this role so please give him your full support. Geoff is also applying to the BMFA to take an examiners’ test – good luck Geoff.

Achievement Scheme Certificates and Competition Awards – It has been agreed that in future these will be presented at the Annual Dinner and not the AGM as previously. Congratulations are in order for Mark Rennie, Dave Roberts, Colin Shaw and Ian Kenyon all of whom have passed their ‘A’ Certificates this summer.

Gus’ Mitchell Airborne

If you still have October 2001's newsletter {or a good memory!} you might like to play “Spot the Difference” with the above picture (answer below - if you can't read upside down and don't want to turn your PC over - just hold your mouse pointer still over the answer for a second or two and the answer will pop up the right way round!)

Diary

Editor’s Notes

The August Newsletter has turned into the September Newsletter. Apologies again, it has been a mixture of me being overseas a lot this year (8 countries in 10 weeks!) and trying to move house. With both myself and the Vice-Chairman, in the process (hopefully) of buying places in Fetcham and our Chairman having moved just over the border in Bookham a couple of years back there is no truth in the rumour that we are going to rename it the Fetcham Flying Club (It would sound too much like we fly free flight!)

The other driver to the newsletter coming out now is the AGM. Please note that this is earlier this year. With the BMFA subs needing to be in by 31^st December for next year it was considered that we needed to move the AGM earlier to give people adequate notice of the fees. Please also note that, as in the past, you will be able to pay your subs anytime from the AGM up to the end of January but will not be insured to fly (and therefore unable to) from 1^st January until they are paid.

Slope Soaring Day – This will be (as usual) on the day after Boxing Day, Friday 27^th December. Yes I know it is cold then but wrap up warmly and everyone has a great time. If you have not tried Slope Soaring do consider coming along. There are always lots of Zagi’s there and these are so difficult to break that the any of the owners will be happy to let even a complete beginner fly them. (if it is cold they are more than happy to hand over the transmitter while they warm there hands back up!). Almost everyone who has tried Slope Soaring goes straight out and buys one afterwards!

The Brooklands BBQ and Flying Day – As Tony stated, this went very well with a number of interesting types flying and a somewhat cross runway wind that made landings interesting at times. Particular thanks must go to Dave Roberts’ wife Andrea for all the work she put into the BBQ this was much appreciated by all.          

Keith

AGM

Apologies for absence
Minutes of 2001 AGM
Matters arising
Chairman's report
Comp Sec’s report
Newsletter editors report
Treasurer's report
Election of officers
Fixing of subs
Brooklands Days
Any other business

Please let the Secretary know of any nominations for the committee. There has, as detailed in this newsletter, been some changes to the committee during this year so the membership do need to discuss these.   

Keith

Message from Jeff

I have now moved to Somerset, so you will not see so much of me in future – but I will make the slope days and open days of course!   I have been exploring the Somerset slope sites – it was White Sheet Hill today, tomorrow it will be the Mendips where the full size gliders fly.

Electric Fly-in at Woodspring/ Brushless motors

I am on the waiting list for Woodspring Wings MFC, but in the meantime Peter Ross and I flew our X-Fires at the Woodspring annual electric fly-in. This was the first of many shows where he will demonstrate the ex-Howard Metcalfe design he now kits.

I of course powered mine with my new Jeti 15/4 brushless, with dedicated speed controller and a 2400mah 9.6v pack. This is giving 10-15 minute flights with sparkling performance. The models certainly impressed, and Pete sold out!

Puffin Models displayed the range of AXI brushless motors – the odd ones with a revolving can and wires exiting from the front – and for £150 you can buy a motor and controller that will turn a 12” prop from 10 small 1700mah cells, give true vertical performance, almost silently, and put in 10 minute flights!  Look out for them they are awesome!

                                                          Jeff Cosford

Safety

A number of issues on safety have arisen recently which are worth mentioning.

Hand Launching

If you are going to hand launch an aircraft always do so from the upwind end of the strip. Just after launch there is virtually no control over the aircraft until it picks up speed so you should always be aware that there is a danger of it turning in any direction so you must be a good distance away from the pits and other fliers while launching.

Hovering and low aerobatics

Hovering an aircraft takes great skill and we do not, in any way, want to stop people practising this and similar Fun Fly manœuvres. However, over the runway both unnerves a lot of the other fliers and risks a very low level mid-air collision (as spectacularly demonstrated by Luke at this year's Sandown show!). A collision at this point could send the wreckage, with engine at a high power setting, in any direction - including the Pits. An area will be made available for this type of flying. For our summer field it is over the next field by our hut unless this is the landing direction.

Setting Up an Aircraft Correctly

As many of you will know, we did have an accident a few weeks go in which a Kyosho trainer, flown by a very competent pilot, went out of control in gusty conditions on landing and blew back into the flight line.

I got the un-enviable job of flying the trainer a week or so later. As it turned out it had three things wrong with it - none of which were easily spotted during a pre-flight inspection at the field and two of which had been fixed by the time I flew it - I still crashed it on landing although fortunately without damage to it or anyone. The three issues are worth raising to help prevent them happening again:

Centre of Gravity (C of G) too far back
It is virtually impossible to check the C of G at the field as any wind makes it difficult to balance the aircraft. If the C of G is too far back the aircraft can be uncontrollable - especially during landing.

So you must ensure that the C of G is correct before leaving home. Slightly forward of correct will be OK but never rearwards on a first flight. If you are unsure where it should be or how to get it right bring the 'plane along to a club evening with the plan/instructions or ask a committee member. Also make sure nothing - particularly the battery - can move around in flight

Ailerons Fowling the Wing Mounting Plates

The Kyosho Trainer is an excellent trainer but it has one very poor design flaw. Most beginners - and rightly so - Hold the wing on with rubber bands, but the aircraft has two wing bolt plates as shown in the diagram below:

With the wing perfectly centrally fitted the aileron torque rods usually (but not always) move through the gap between the plates. However the slightest movement of the wing - very likely to happen in gusty conditions if it is banded on - will cause the torque rods to fowl this plate giving almost no movement in one direction.

Kyosho Trainer Wing viewed from below

 

All Kyosho Trainer owners should partly cut away the mounting plates, as shown dotted in the diagram above, to ensure that the ailerons can move freely. This should be tested by operating the ailerons with the wing un-banded and slightly off centre either way to ensure there is good clearance. Wing bolts may still be used OK if required.

Large Gaps in Control Surfaces

I hadn't realised exactly how much difference a large gap between the ailerons and the wing makes until I flew this Kyosho Trainer having flown many others. Total aileron movement was greater than most I had flown yet at landing speed they were almost useless and caused adverse yaw as well. The gap was between 1/8^th and 3/16^th inch.

The gap between any control surface and its flying surface should always be as small as possible. If  you cannot make the controls move freely without a gap, or you've already glued the hinges in, then tape over the hinge gap with covering film or a waterproof clear tape such as Diamond tape or Magic tape making sure you don't restrict movement. Take a look at the control surfaces on any of Dave Charles' gliders in the shop next time you are there to see how it should be done!

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

This Model exhibition, which was successfully run two years ago at Holy Cross Parish Church in Motspur Park, is to be held again on 30th November.

The club have again been offered a stand at the exhibition, which I have accepted. We now need to fill it! So if anybody has a model or two that they would like to display please let me know also a video or two of model flying? A gas turbine engine would be particularly welcome (hint, hint!) and it would be possible to do a some demonstration runs outside as the path to the church is fenced off from the car park giving a suitable safe area for spectators. I also need a couple of volunteers to help man the stand; lunch plus lots of tea and coffee will be provided.

If any other members would like to come along - especially if it isn't a flyable day - the exhibition is open from 10am to 5pm and entry is £2 for adults with reductions for OAP's and children. A family ticket is £5. Keith

General News

Speaking above about model gas turbine engines, the club is down a couple of these at the moment. During the Brooklands Flying Day, Tony Major lost all control of his jet while at the same time his Transmitter beeped. The 'plane was wrecked and the engine damaged but, after the crash the transmitter was fine. It seems likely that something upset the computer in the transmitter - the most likely suspect being a cellphone so please do not use or carry cellphones near the flightline. They are particularly likely to cause problems if they ring.

Tony Fuller crashed his at a jet meet in September after he shed a wing pulling out of a loop. When you look at the thickness of the two ply wing joiners that failed it gives you some idea of the forces involved with these models. There was substantial damage to the airframes but both engines appear to have only damaged the outer casing, which is made from an empty camping gas bottle, so should be repairable OK (by 30^th November I hope!)  Keith

History

A previous member of the club Richard Crap has sent me a number of old photo’s of the Club to use on the Web Site. I thought it would be nice to put a couple of them here that were taken at one of our early Symposiums. Brooklands Technical College 1969 or ‘70

Richard Crap (left) and Eric Peacock with a Veron Cherokee.

Mike Birch – World Champion

Just a final thought - there dosn't seem to be much evidence of silencers on either of these two models!

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