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video
half scale Fox
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wF5QsXKe-I&feature=related
Minchinhampton common
This
is owned by the National Trust. They have given permission for
electric launched gliders to be flown there, they will allow small park
flyers to be flown there. Powered models are not allowed.
There have been complaints from residents about
noise. This has come from models with IC engines and electric
Zagi-type models and concerns about safety. The warden will be making
visits and, if needed, enforcement notices will be issued against those
who do not follow the rules. The local Environmental Protection
Officer is also now involved, and this could end up with us losing
the facility altogether.
The following is from the NT web site, http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/what-we-do/what-we-protect/coast-and-countryside/knowledge-bank/view-page/item799275/
Use of National Trust properties for
non-powered model flying is acceptable, largely due to the establishment
of licences between the Trust and local clubs.
In 1998 two precedent agreements were
established between the Trust and the British Model Flying Association
(BMFA) for affiliated and non-affiliated clubs.
Guiding principles
1. The National Trust welcomes non-powered
model flying on its land, recognising that the activity seldom causes
significant disturbance, provided particular care is taken with regard
to other visitors, livestock and birds.
2. Licences based upon the precedent
agreements prepared jointly by the National Trust and the BMFA will
regulate this activity.
Possible impacts
- Danger and disturbance to other visitors.
- Disturbance to livestock and wildlife, particularly birds.
- Parking congestion at some sites.
- Creation of new paths to launching and landing points.
- Visual intrusion.
Legislation, codes and agreements
The overall body in charge of airspace rules is the Civil Aviation
Authority. Article 51 of the Air Navigation Order (1985) states that:
'A person shall not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an
aircraft to endanger any person or property.'
This law covers all model flying, whatever the size or weight of the
aircraft. The codes of conduct contained in the BMFA Members' Handbook
have been developed in response to Article 51. Wherever model flying
takes place these codes must be used. Models that are over 7kg are
subject to further regulations.
Under sections 58 and 59 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974, local
authorities or magistrates' courts may restrict or prohibit flying if
the noise caused by the activity amounts to a statutory nuisance.
So please, no noisy models, and respect the
other users of the common.
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Malvern SA
News
Events http://www.malvernsoaringassociation.co.uk/cal12.html
results http://www.malvernsoaringassociation.co.uk/lb.html
We tried today to hold limbo comp. Unfortunately, the wind gods were
against us, no wind. Therefore the comp has been postponed until next
Sunday. Hopefully we will be able to fly the E-Soaring comp which is
the next event on the calendar.
Fish meadow is very soggy and under the bridge was flooded on
Friday
Indoor Newsletter follows:
Hi Everyone,
A couple of new local contacts below, I've put the full list at the end so as
not to clog up the newsletter:-
Leicester MAC hold meetings in the tennis dome at Market Harborough, fly mainly
RC fixed and Heli but would welcome (sturdy!) FF too, the site is big enough for
all.
Contact Matt Chamberlain at chamberlainmj@gmail.com mob. 07711
956617,
meetings listed in the BMFA mag.
Malvern Soaring Association fly indoors at The Elms School, Colwall,
Herefordshire in an indoor tennis court with a sub-8 metre ceiling, where 2
ratified National FF records have been set. Contact nickneve@clara.co.uk
Also this from Mike Woodhouse of Free Flight Supplies, always plenty of
interesting things on his website:-
Thanks for the newsletter. You are certainly getting things organised. Take a
look at the link that I've included below. I've been posting this schedule on my
web site in an effort to keep those in the local area in touch with what is
happening. The list gives both indoor and outdoor events as well as all the
contacts. I keep things updated as best I can.
http://www.freeflightsupplies.co.uk/activities.htm
I've been a bit ashamed of my torque meter recently, it's quite accuratebut
looks scruffy and does bind a bit at low torque. I'm not an engineer so a low
tech. solution was required. I looked at what everyone else has and the results
are encouraging - hopefully I'll be able to publish more details next time when
it's proved reliable.
My thanks to Rodney O'Neill from N. Ireland who has let me have several
interesting articles that I can publish over the coming newsletters, nothing
especially new - but there is always something to learn at this
game! I've attached three of them. If there are any subjects that you would like
covering in short articles
then please let me know and I'll see what can be done - of course if you have
any such articles of general interest that you don't mind sharing they would be
welcome too!
Rodney also tells me that he has a spare, virtually new, Harlan rubber stripper
that he is prepared to sell.
Contact him with your offers on 02891 872380.
BMFA NW Gala Report - from Dave Whitehouse.
The inaugural BMFA NW Free Flight Gala was held at the Velodrome in Manchester
on the 18th February.
The gala was a combined indoor scale and duration competition which attracted 16
competitors in total.
The Gala was a collaboration run by the ITC and Scale TC with the NW Area
BMFA sponsoring the event.
Classes were flown for F1D, F1L, F1M, Penny Plane, Legal Eagle and No-Cal
for duration and Peanut, Pistachio and Open in scale.
The results are shown in the attached spread sheet and the scale side of
the competition has recently been reported in AMI.
The prize for each of the Class winners was a pack of indoor balsa from
Mark and Derek's new "indoorbalsa.net" venture,
With second place getting a small aircraft painting courtesy of the Scale TC.
The event was deemed a great success by all who attended and it is hope that it
will be repeated next winter season.
World Champs preps.
Mark Benns has been able to arrange a few dates for flying at Werrington
so that the World Champs Snr and Junior teams can get together for some
practise, very useful as it has a large floor area.
Take a look at these YouTube videos he's made from a small camera mounted
on a steering pole.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HuyRgViIm4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRBbFujlKMk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpZVxmbyGU8
Indoor Nationals.
The dates are now confirmed for the 15th,16th,17th June, the venue is
Boulby once more, thanks to Cleveland Potash.
I'm attaching the entry forms which need to be with the BMFA by 25th May.If you
have not entered a Nationals event before I can assure you that it is not just
for the experts, in fact most events have a relatively small
number of entries and there is plenty of space for all. It is a terrific
opportunity not only to see the best fly but also to give your models some great
air time under a 50' roof. You'll find that everyone is approachable (well, as
long as they're not putting the last few turns on a motor!!) and again its a
great opportunity to ask questions where people can actually
show you how things are done.
If you are attending we are making arrangements to have dinner together on the
Saturday evening at a local golf club, it would be lovely to have as many as
possible attend - obviously we'll circulate the details to the entrants we know
of but if you do wish to attend then let me know as soon as possible please via
e:mail.
Just in case you are thinking of building a Legal Eagle for the Challenge
event here's a reminder of the rules from Dave Whitehouse:-
This is an American formula the rules are set out below, but essentially the
model, which can be any design, must fit on an American Legal sheet of paper
which is half way between A4 and A3. The rules are kept simple in
that the smallest piece of wood that can be use is 1/16 square; this effectively
regulates the weight of the model. As it's an indoor model there is no
need to add weight with dope, just cover with good quality lightweight tissue
which is as non porous as possible. This will help to improve the flight times.
A target weight is 4 to 6 grams which may seem
very light to an RC modeller, but with careful wood selection is quite possible.
Wooden or plastic props can be used; we have found that Ikara Butterfly props
work well, if you're uneasy about making your own to start
with. Keep tail end as light as possible to prevent need for nose ballast.
Pre-shrink the tissue, or surfaces may warp badly.
Legal Eagle Rules
DRAWING REQUIREMENTS
1. Drawing must fit on one side of one sheet of legal size (8-1/2" x
14")
paper.
2. No component parts drawing may be superimposed or overlap another and
must clear one another and the edge of the paper by at least 1/8 inch.
3. Wing(s) and stabilizer must be drawn full span, tip to tip and fuselage
drawn in its full length from nose through tail in one piece.
4. Fin(s) may be drawn where space allows and not necessarily attached to
the side view.
5. Landing gear must be drawn in its place on the side view showing its
full length.
6. No top or front view is required.
7. Drawing must be presented to C.D. on demand.
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
1. Smallest wood size to be 1/16 inch square except for propeller.
2. Fuselage measured to its outside surface must contain a space 1" x
1.5"
x 3".
3. Fuselage must have a cabin or open cockpit with a raised windshield of at
least 30 degrees of clear or translucent material. Cockpit must be actually
open, with a headrest or canopy.
4. Flight surfaces- leading and trailing edges must not be parallel to each
other.
5. Tip outlines must have no straight lines except for stabilizer where a twin
fin is used.
6. If twin fins, or two wings are used in the design, parts may be built in
duplicate over the same drawing.
7. Jap tissue required on all non-sheeted, open framework surfaces except for
fuselage surfaces covered by a flying surface directly attached to the fuselage
and areas involved in an open cockpit or minimum access area to
the motor. No ultra light film covering to be used, unless used for windshield
or windows. Flight surfaces may be single or double covered.
8. Landing gear must use at least one 1 inch diameter wood wheel.
9. Use of motor stick(s) or tube(s) O.K. and if used, must be shown on the side
view in one continuous length in the proper position.
FLYING
1. Models must R.O.G. from floor.
2. The results of the challenge competition shall be the combined best 2 flights
over the season.
BMFA Indoor Website - I've been able to update the content of these web pages.
Since the data is pretty static and not interactive I've aimed this at potential
newcomers to the indoor scene but hope to be able to add
further items of interest from time to time. I shall be looking at creating a
more dynamic web site when more time prevails in Autumn.
BMFA Forum reports - indoor articles.
Thanks to Martin Dilly for creating an extract of indoor related articles from
the wealth of material published annually in the BMFA Forum reports.
These are available from Tony Hebb at a cost of £10 plus postage, proceeds
after production costs to the Indoor Technical Committee development fund.
The articles cover:-
The Pleasures of Indoor Model Flying by the late, great Laurie Barr
Design and Construction of Indoor Model Propellers - Bob Bailey
An Indoor Initiation by F1D - Mark Benns/Nick Aikman
Rubber Motor Testing for Indoor Duration Models - Clive King
Variable Pitch Propellers for Indoor Models - Bob Bailey
Construction and Flying of Indoor Duration Models - Clive King
Indoor Wood Selection - Bob Bailey
Balsa for Indoor Models - Mark Benns
........ so worth every penny and much more convenient than having to buy
each complete forum report.
Events Diary - see also event organisers at end of this newsletter.
5th May Sheffield, contact Neil Stewart at nstewart@hotmail.co.uk
5th May Potters Bar. FF and small electric. Contact Mike Quille 0208500
3549 mp.quille@live.co.uk
5th May and 19th North East. FF. Contact Allan Weighell on
littleal28@btinternet.com
26th May Tonbridge Gassers and Rubber Fanciers. Contact Stuart Taylor on
07956 066463
13th May Towcester Leisure Centre. 10:00 x 17:00. Lightweight FF. Contact
John Shaw 01993 881350 johnshaw@alvere.wanadoo.co.uk
20th May Werrington. 10:00 x 17:00.Lightweight FF. Contact Mark Benns
01733 755733
2nd June Sheffield, contact Neil as above.
10th June Towcester Leisure Centre, contact John Shaw, details as above.
15th, 16th and 17th June Boulby, Cleveland, Indoor Nationals All Classes.
Details published in the BMFA magazine and entry forms
attached. Contact Allan Weighell at
littleal28@btinternet.com
5th to 7th August Belgrade, Serbia, DORCOL Cup events. Contact Tony Hebb
for further information.
8th to 12th August Belgrade. F1D World Championships.
25th September and every month thereafter, Bournemouth MAS. Contact Roy
Tiller at roy.tiller@ntlworld
If you would like your event listed then let me have some brief details.
All for now, enjoy summer and maybe see you at the Nationals where the air
is going to be fantastic this year, trust me, even though I'm not a doctor!!
By the way I'm just about to build new wings and tails for my 35cm model here
ultimate lightness is essential (John Tipper's old Tandem model weighed in at
just 275mg!!), if anyone has a little YK2-2 film (is that the correct
designation?) out there that they might be pursuaded to part with I would be
very grateful
New Zealand was absolutely fantastic, didn't manage to contact any indoor flyers
but found a great new site, unfortunately it's Napier Cathedral!!
Best wishes, Tony
We have currently identified the following list of local flying groups, a
contact point, and hopefully what types of models are flown at their meetings.
Please contact the organiser and pop along, have a chat and see what's
happening.
North East - Allan Weighell - Legal Eagle, Gyminnie Cricket, scale, F1L
littleal28@btinternet.com
North West - Dave Whitehouse - Legal Eagle, Gyminnie Cricket, scale, F1L
whitehousejdavid@googlemail.com
Yorkshire, Sheffield - Neil Stewart - Sport flying
nwstewart@hotmail.co.uk
North Kent , Medway - Phil Fearn - Sport flying
pfiwade@blueyonder.co.uk
Cambridge, Impington - Chris Strachan General sport flying
chris.strachan@btinternet.com
Stevenage - Bob Bailey - Light duration - only occasional meetings
rlbailey@care4free.net
North London - Potters Bar meetings - fun fly and small electric
mp.quille@live.co.uk
Ipswich - Tony Merrit, general flying
tonym@irmc.co.uk
South East, Crawley - general sport flying
terry.adams@tiniusolsen.co.uk
Wallingford - OFMAC- heavier classes, general flying
ofmac1@talktalk.net
Towcester - John Shaw - Light Duration - regular monthly meetings
johnshaw@alvere.wanadoo.co.uk
South, Bournemouth - Roy Tiller, general flying
roy.tiller@ntlworld.com
South West, Okehampton - Andrew Bourne - FF and small RC
ockmentvalley@yahoo.co.uk
South West, Truro - Dave Powis, sport flying
dave_powis@hotmail.com
Northern Ireland - Rodney O'Neill - mainly duration - F1M, F1L, MS
rodney.oneill@talktalk.net
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