Springfield Soaring Blog: June 2007

29 June 2007

One for the PSS lads - only broadband users

Those who saw Pete Milne's PSS (power slope scale) Bell X-1 way back will enjoy this one - kindly forwarded by Sheldon McGlone. Huge movie but well worth the download for broadband users.

http://users.skynet.be/fa926657/files/B29.wmv

"Pretty incredible stuff! Make sure you watch the whole thing. It even drops a model of the "Bell X-1," Chuck Yeager's passing the speed of sound "record breaking flight" from 1947! This aircraft runs on four chainsaw motors. (Realistic 4-cycle B-29 "scale" engine sounds! Imagine how much time, effort, skill and money these guys have put into this thing! It takes two (2) pilots to fly it; one (1) for the B-29 and one (1) for the "Bell X-1" U.S.A.F. "breaking the sound barrier" experimental rocket-powered aircraft."

28 June 2007

SA 2007 Thermal Soaring Championships

A total of 88 entries and 45 humans finally made the field for this Kwazulu Natal Midlands event at the Noodsberg Country Club - quite creditable when one considers all participants were travelling. The trophy winners were:

TOTALS F3J (18 entries) Hand Tow Launch
1. Chris Adrian
2. Conrad Klintworth (J)
3. Paul Carnell

TOTALS EW (20 entries) Electric Winch Launch
1. Dennis Bird
2. Dave Greer
3. Anton Coetzee

RES100 (9 entries) Rudder Elevator Spoiler or Full House 100 inch
1. Rudi King
2. Fred Wittstock
3. Gert Niewoudt

2 METRE (19 entries) wingspan gliders
1. Derek Marusich
2. Brad Conlon
3. Allan Sneedon

F3K (10 entries) Hand Launch Gliders
1. Craig Goodrum
2. Anton Coetzee
3. Mark Stockton

F5J Extreme (11 entries) Electric Motor launch Gliders
1. Dion Liebenberg
2. Paul Carnell
3. Craig Goodrum

Open Overall (39 entries)
1. Conrad Klintworth (J)
2. Paul Carnell
3. Michelle Goodrum
4. Chris Adrian
5. Dave Greer (just to show this old toppie not quite past it yet ;-)

SA THERMAL SOARING NATS - VICTOR LUDORUM
Gert Niewoudt Senior
Will Cranmer (J) Junior

Dennis Bird's Nats 2007 pics - also prizegiving

Russ Conradt and and F3J winner Chris Adrian checking out three of the team Winston lads of Brad Conlon, Ryan Nelson and John Coulson.

Ten year old Ryan Nelson concentrating hard in F3J Open.

Team Winston's fourth member, Paul Boswarva with the 2M killing machine, Mini Graphite.

Mission control for transmitter pound - manned by Dave and Jean Denley and Rose Wittstock, assisted by the neat little 35 meg scanner Lionel Brink kindly brought along. Des the scorelogger sits at the ready.

Whew, John Monk got us out of confusion jail with his magic hand launch glider briefings...... ;-)

Izak Theron just finished launching - we think being assisted by Lionel Brink, our MGA chairman.

Oom Gert Niewoudt who flew himself "stukkend" (five flights in a row on the Friday) but all worth with scooping the Victor Ludorum award for the Nats.

The safety area with Wolfie Steffny - he covered much walking distance, being at the furthest end wihtout a murmur, unlike the youngsters who whined a lot the first day then got the idea the from the second day on. Hope Wolfie's Merc is fixed by now.....

The ever cheerful and blast from the past Derek Marusich who sneaked the 2M class from under the noses of the mini Graphite armed Team Winston, armed with his bog stock Sagitta 600. Derek's missus spent the entire event with team Theo of Derek, Theo, John and young Andrew Plint -and really added to the occaision.

Prize giving time from Rose Wittstock with Dion Liebenberg scooping the F5J electric class.

Prize giving time from Rose Wittstock with evergreen Dennis Bird scooping the Electric Winch Open class.

Prizegiving time from Rose Wittstock for Craig Goodrum in winning the F3K hand launch glider class. Craig had some very kind words to say about the twelve years success of the Midland events and strong encouragement for the future. Dave the auditor in his Hobby Specialists / Fragram shirt still pondering the scores but ever thankful to Iron Lady Rose and Fast Fred for being a pillar of strength through the Nats build up - which included broken down Audis, dud printers and fractured sleep. ;-)

A very special one - Rose awarding the Open overall winning trophy to 15 year old junior Conrad Klintworth, following up on his Natal Champs win. Not present at prize giving was Chris Adrian, who won F3J and the title of SA Champion.

27 June 2007

Gasbag Classic kits - Sagitta 600 and 900

Derek Marusich took a well deserved win in 2 Metre at Noodies Nats 2007 with a neat Sagitta 600, long only avaible as a plan scratchbuild with hunting for spar material etc. This little beauty available in kit form from Aerosphere again. Click on the pic to go to Aeropshere.

For the RES 100 buffs, the more well known bigger 100 inch (2.5M) version of the Sagitta also on the same site. Click on the pic to go there.

12 June 2007

A serious build for the Soaring Nats

Simon is beavering away on two "Trudons" for the Soarings Nats in the KZN midlands over 22 to 24 June 2007. Once he lifts his head from the cyno fumes, we will have the story (and the spelling for the Trudons ;-)

Quite amazing in these day's of plastic...... The pics left full size for those who wish to click on and have a closer look at these marvels.

11 June 2007

More from Bill at the chills Winston Friday 8th June

Herewith the pic of Vanessa V tail as promised taken this afternoon after a great flight, along with a few more rugger-buggers: Arthur, Stan (a newby), daughter Sasha, myself and Glen. The large wingspan really helps on these light winter So' Westerlies - but the deltas where having fun too!

Regards Bill

07 June 2007

A reply from South Westerly Winston

Nice to have a contribution from just up the highway - don't be shy!

Hi Guys
Some slopies at Winston. My V tail was not photographed only my slightly battered "Yellow Fellow" - so will have to send out another pic once I have one.
Roll on the South Westerlies!
Bill Williams

Bill left and Bryan Duckitt right and Sean (owner of the famous Picasso's Restaurant in Gillitts) in the middle....

06 June 2007

The A123 battery alternative for quick scrambles to the slope

An interesting copy off SARFLY from a useful post by Christo. A (large) battery that can be charged in a quarter of the time must be useful to after work slope flyers..... ;-)

----- Original Message -----
From: DavidT
To: lrk-torquemax@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2007 8:09 PM
Subject: [lrk] A123 cells

I will only buy A123's now for large models. I'm fed up with how sensitive Lipos are. A small mistake can cost a great deal on large packs especially if you buy expensive ones. A123's take the best of both Nicads and Lipos. I have a writeup of the differences here:

http://www.flyelectric.ukgateway.net/lithium-a123.htm

You can upgrade your Schulze to charge them. If you don't upgrade then some lipo settings are a close match (with a different cell count).

If you have a 'balancer' type of balancer (as distinct from the 'charge guard' type) then it should handle A123s.

You need to think about in flight low voltage cutoff. You can get some ESCs to do what you need. I am designing some PIC-based circuits at the moment that will monitor individual cells (any chemistry and much less important with A123's). This will be an add-on to existing ESC's.
I'm testing a 3 cell version and it will be easy to handle any number of cells once the software is OK.
www.flyelectric.ukgateway.net/pic-lvc1.htm