Phil's SCSA Newsletter
24/03/2006

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Video clip  Indoor flying very graceful 

DIARYI

March 31-Apr 1st      South Wales Model and Craft Show
Bridgend recreation Centre, Bridgend, CF1 4AH. Contact Barry King on 01656 661338 or king-barry@btconnect.com or see www.bridgend-events.co.uk  http://mrc.murky.net/rhondda.shtml 

April 14th West Mendip SA Open Glider Cross Country Event
Crook Peak, Nr Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset. Contact Graham Tolhurst on 07973 163490 or graham.tolhurst@slopesoaring.org.uk or see www.slopesoaring.org.uk/wmsa/ 

Analogue to Digital Servo modification

While browsing through the Ashtek catalogue the other day, which is an ideal site for the supply of many different connectors and servo wire, I came across a ready wired digital amplifier for mini servos at the reasonable price of £7.95 each.

Having a couple of Hitec HS 56 servos which had expired amplifiers I sent of an order for two. When they arrived I approached the substitution with some concern as everything looked very small but I need not have worried as all went well  helped along by a tutorial on the Ashtek website  HYPERLINK
"http://www.ashtekelectronics.com/shop/" www.ashtekelectronics.com/shop/.  I
now have a fully functioning pair of digital servos for around £16.

The pictures in the tutorial are slightly fuzzy so here is a sketch of the
connections that worked for me. 

 Tim Lund

How about a "my first glider" section in the newsletter. I'll kick it it off with a couple of old photos. First photo is of my 1st ever glider, a Veron Impala and the photo was taken around 1974. Note the Horizon radio set.
The second photo is of a Zeitgeist which I built with help from my dad on the dining table. If you look at the radio, it's the same Horizon set, but it had been sent back to the factory to be converted to single stick mode. Bet you couldn't do that nowadays!
How about some more glider photos from our longer serving club members? B&W photo's or slate engravings are permitted :-) 
Regards, 
Mike.

Tuesday was supposed to be the first day of spring but it felt more like winter. A  strong North wind making the chill factor minus 3C.
Wednesday was a lot better, the sun and lighter breeze making it feel warmer than the thermometers 8 degrees, 
Alan flew his DG600, John Williams his ASW28 and Den ASW27
 There was one huge thermal during the afternoon, I dethermalled twice by flying inverted. A buzzard showed some aggression or amorous advances towards my model but did not make contact
This is the HLG I bought at Malvern auction. The wing is glass on blue foam. The snakes are a little tight and servo links a bit loose, this made it a little hard to fly 
If you know what the model is please email me

Thursday  Selsley again, but a dull damp day.
 Doug and Don flew Doug's Reichard  Elipsoid. This was electric powered but Doug converted it a glider. The wind was from the north and we should have been at Cam Long Down where the wind would have been square on to the slope but there was enough lift to fly.
I have fitted some push rods to my HLG, it is now nice to fly ,able to thermal in tight circles with only a little up elevator needed

photo Doug launching his Elipsiod

Saturday at Cam Long Down, a good afternoon of smooth lift . The photo shows Peter landing his Ash26, brakes out and flaps down. The dead bracken slowed it up  and supported it about a foot of the ground for safe landing, it's the approach that needs courage. Guy flew his ProdiJ after he recovered from the walk up the hill. The rest of us flew EPP,  a large turnout for this slope

 Mike's I-ope

 Chris Bishop's Pogo

Saturday at Chosen Hill school.
This was the last of the winter indoor meetings put on by Chris Bishop from www.glos-mfc.co.uk and was the best of the sessions due the lack of helicopters . Mike has got his rebuilt I-ope flying, this survived a midair with my toilet seat lid and a few heavy landings. There will be some videos and a report on the Gloucester site soon. Chris's pogo is VT and sometimes VL a great indoor model

Sunday morning at Leckhampton 
This was the first time I had flown there and I would like to fly this slope again when the wind is north east. The wind strength was ideal and the  steep slope gave excellent lift. The views would have been spectacular if the mist had cleared. I crashed my ProdiJ trying to land on the flat bit behind the slope breaking off the the balsa V tail.
 Details of the site are on my slope list http://www.ebley.plus.com/slopesites2.htm  and the local club http://www.ppmfc.darkmine.com/html/slopes.html  . The site uses even frequencies only, you also need to check if the frequency is clear as it is possible to fly in two places. We parked in the second car park and had flat walk to the north east facing slope.