SEN 2810
- Reject the 7-minute rule!
- Towing Safety
- Info from the NFFS
- Dino equipment
- F1B Rocks
Reject the 7-minute rule!
From: Aram Schlosberg
A new rule proposed by the technical committee confines winding B-motors to their 7-
minute flyoff window. They are a bit apologetic, saying that the other events – A and C
can fully utilize their 7-minutes flyoff windows.
.
Previously, the flyoff window as 10-minutes for all events. The fast winders always had
more time too choose air. Collapsing the window to 7-minutes accentuates their
advantage.
.
The current B-flyoff rule restricts winding to ONE motor (*) before the flyoff commences.
At the last World Championship at Lost Hills, a flyer wound up TWO motors ahead of
the flyoff window, crashed his first model but was prevented from using the second
wound up motor in another model. He ended up with a big zero. (The same would have
happen if the motor blew up while adding hand turns.)
.
Why do we have winding rules in the first place? The rational is to demonstrate to the
timers that the flier is winding his own motor, not outsourcing to a super-winder like
Jama. (Smile.) (The same rational dictates that motors have to be wound during the
round as well.)
.
But why limit winding to ONE motor in the first place? A flyoff framework assure that
flyers are winding their own motors. Unused wound-up motors are useless.
.
The proposed fix – winding everything during the 7-minute window is a windfall to the
fast winders – creating an unrelated advantage. ///
Towing Safety
From:Ken Bauer
I’d like to thank all those who started this discussion on the F1A launch
falling down technique as it has caused us to focus on safety which is
important. As an F1A flyer who has fallen down from launching many times,
both intended and unintended, I’d like to point out that the primary danger
comes from towline failure. If the line never breaks then falling down is
soft and easy as one’s body weight is supported. But if the line breaks at
launch one is likely to hit the ground fairly hard *regardless* of whether
the falling or standing method is used. A couple years ago I was left
sprawling in the dirt when my line broke just as I started my acceleration
sprint due to a simple knot that had formed in the line creating a weak
spot.
I don’t believe that a rule change against falling launches helps much and
I’m afraid it would burden us with the problem of judging intention. I
don’t want to worry about being penalized if I fall due to my clumsy
awkwardness or stepping in a hole or slipping or any other reason. Rather
I would suggest we actively promote and encourage safety practices. Here’s
some suggestions:
1. Treat your towline like your life depends on it. Use only the best
splicing or knot techniques and the best quality material. Pull test lines
after assembling. Inspect the line before EVERY flight for knots,
scratches, anomalies, etc… (note to non towline crowd- this is why we
are so anal and paranoid when motorcycles come through or around the F1A
launch area to say nothing of the damage that can also occur to a glider
with the line attached)
2. Try to fly and tow on the best available smooth ground surface void of
rocks, holes, ditches, etc… Although it is very hard to do during a
contest while towing a glider, watching other models and flyers and
watching the wind patterns, try to check the immediate ground surface one
will be running on just before launch.
3. Consider safety gear starting with good shoes, gloves and possibly
other padding.
Final thought, although I hate complicating rules, a requirement to use
some type of heavy thick unbreakable material for the towline might keep
flyers more safe than worrying about launch techniques.
-Ken Bauer
Info from the NFFS
From: Fred Terizian
Roger,
I have some thoughts that I believe should be included in SEN. Last month, those sportsmen and subscribers to the National Free Flight Society received a bulletin from the NFFS President, Dave Lindley. The timing could not have been better for me as I was trying to find out what had happened to Leonid Fuseev, the creator of the “Rose Pelican” folding F1C from the early 2000s. This also included another Russian power flyer from that same period, but I will have to go back to my records to recall his name. As a “big time” perk for current NFFS members, the complete series of NFFS Symposia (with the exception of the last few years) were made available online. I was quickly able to find the 2002 issue that covered the “Rose Pelican” article and Model of the Year. That issue had coverage of the 2001 World FF Champs, and an excellent article of that event by Bob Johannes (Hall of Fame member–now deceased). Also, at the beginning was a forward by Ed Keck, another Hall of Fame recipient and F1C power flier member for many years. His comments are incredibly appropriate for what we have been going through this past year. His observations, now almost 20 years old, still apply to our current situation and how we move forward with this hobby that we love so much.
The other benefit for online membership is that a typical mailed copy of the NFFS digest is limited to approximately 40 pages of articles, plans and colorful photos. The latest online version is increased to 97 pages, and includes articles from here in the U.S. as well as international publications!
I encourage you to review those words penned by Keck and Johannes–so appropriate for 2021.
Below I have included what Dave Lindley said to the NFFS Membership:
National Free Flight Society is overjoyed to announce a new membership benefit
just in time for Christmas!
We are making the out-of-print Symposiums 1968-2015 available in PDF format for all NFFS Members as part of your membership!
NFFS has produced the Symposium since our inception and the set includes a wealth of technical knowledge published over the years. We want to ensure that new people coming to the hobby have the opportunity to benefit from that collective knowledge.
When you log into the NFFS Website, the new collection of Symposiums can be found at
freeflight.org/members-only. From your account page, click on Symposium Downloads. On the download page you’ll notice that there are now two tabs, one for eDigests and one for the Symposiums.
If you aren’t yet a member, this is another GREAT reason to join now!
As we move forward the NFFS will continue to create and publish the Symposium book each year and we rely on our members and patrons to support the costs of publishing this incredible resource, but we also want to be sure we preserve this resource for future generations of modelers.
Merry Christmas!
David Lindley. NFFS President
And here is what Ed Keck said in the Forward from the 2002 Sympo that Fred refers to.
FORWARD from 2002 National Free Flight Society Symposium
Our world has changed dramatically since our last Symposium. What is our responsibility to
restore and renew a sense of freedom, peace and security to a troubled world? A great deal! It
is far more than we realize. The heart and soul of what we do is our dedicated, creative
thinking that shows us how to soar and live free. We set new records of excellence and then
break them over and over again. We know the secret of success, joy, fulfillment and real
living. To be a good “free” modeler, we must conquer fear, do war with ourselves and bring
into captive whatever may impede our progress. We give abundantly of our talents so that
all may improve. We “talk the talk and walk the walk”, sometimes painfully.
In the final analysis, there is one quality that sums it all up. We are PEACEMAKERS,
living, building and flying free is the process. A perfect example of this was at our World
Champs at Lost Hills, a month after 9-11. The competition, technology and creativity was
inspiring. Those were the segments of something more important. A rainbow seen from the
ground looks like an arc. From a soaring point of view it is a beautiful multi-colored circle
with no beginning or end. The awards dinner was the higher view that brought all the
segments together. There were about thirty nations of different races, beliefs and religions,
communicating in different languages, the joys of flying and living free PEACELIVERS,
PEACEMAKERS ONE AND ALL! The brotherhood of man shining forth brilliantly! Not
a terror or fear in the place.
We have learned that to end right, we must begin right and do right. The giving of our
contributors, editor and printer to our Symposium is proof of this.
Some fear that we are growing old and someday we will be no more. Growing old is a
contradictory term. Real growth and progress is a law of newness. Age has nothing to do
with it. Paul MacCready, The founder of Aerovironment was setting free flight records over
a half century ago. His limitless, enlightened, soaring thinking is still setting records today.
Their sunlight powered “model” is flying at about 100,000 feet. The potential to monitor
our planets safety is tremendous.
Some say we will fail for lack of young people to carry on. We have work to do on the
quantity, but we sure have the quality. At a recent meet. in Muncie, Juniors Austin and
Taylor Gunder came in first and second against the senior flyers. They are on our Junior
World Champs Team. The Junior team members greatness, win or lose, will do us proud.
Fellow PEACEMAKERS, GROW-NEWERS and JUNIORS, have been abundantly blessed
with the unspeakable gift of flying and living free, which naturally expresses itself in
everything we do. To keep it, we must share it; that is the only way we will grow and
prosper.
Ed Keck
Dino equipment
From:Michael Achterberg
Hello all.
Well, Per Findahl article is very good.. I’m going to wear a cup from now on when winding a motor.. I’ve had the whole stooge come at me and part of it hit me in the head. So maybe No more stooges?? An the argument that rule proposal is for safety is hard to accept.. I’m still dealing with back issues cause from stepping in a hole 2 years ago. Everyone has tripped one time or another chasing their models on foot. Or chasing on bike or motorcycle and flopping it. If it’s about performance then just say so!! Don’t throw it out there as regulating safety.. More people hurt falling and tripping than flopping to launch F1a. S**t happens!!! Just my opinion. Hope all have a good new year starting in a few more crappy months. Take care and be safe.. Good luck to all..Thermals, Michael
F1B Rocks
From:Jim Lueken
Per made some interesting points about the danger of winding F1B motors. Now, what about F1C? I’m sure everyone has chopped up a finger or two. Maybe all of these models are just too dangerous. I’d suggest rock collecting as an alternative but you might drop a rock on your foot and break it!
All in good fun, Jim Lueken
F1B flier from a by gone era.