National Free Flight Society

SEN 2909

  1. Sierra Cup F1E
  2. Oh my goodness the rules have changed

Sierra Cup F1E

Name              Round 1     Round 2     Round 3     Round 4     Round 5    Total %Place

Gorban  Evgeny    150 100.00  150 100.00  150 100.00  150 100.00  150 100.00 500.00  1
Ioerger Tom        84  56.00  150 100.00  150 100.00  150 100.00  150 100.00 456.00  2
Brocks  Peter     130  86.67  118  78.67  150 100.00  134  89.33  150 100.00 454.67  3
Sifleet Bob       100  66.67  144  96.00  150 100.00  104  69.33  150 100.00 432.00  4
McKeeverMike       24  16.00  133  88.67  150 100.00  150 100.00  150 100.00 404.67  5
Parsons David      87  58.00   55  36.67   58  38.67  150 100.00  134  89.33 322.67  6
Terzian Fred      150 100.00   44  29.33   32  21.33   95  63.33  150 100.00 313.99  7
Fitch   Jerry       0   0.00    0   0.00    0   0.00    0   0.00    0   0.00   0.00


PS Our sources from Lost Hills report improving flying conditions, the hot fast moving air has gone other places.


 

Oh my goodness the rules have changed

The CIAM Sporting was changed to permit “Altimeter Flyoffs” using an EDIC certified altimeter.  The CIAM leadership, president, I understand required that the altimeter be certified by the EDIC group that already certifies electronic devices, including altimeters for other non-Free Flight classes.  So far one  person has stepped up and produced such a device and had it certified.  The device was advertised and/or talked about  in the specialist media, including SEN and on Free Flight groups on social media, including Facebook. There has been some discussion on how to use it and suggestions on how improve the associated smart phone App that can be used to configure it.  Note that EDIC process certifies both the hardware and firmware (embedded software). It does not need to certify the associated smart phone App.
This information was known at the start of this flying season. Some people bought this device and used it in test and local flying conditions and went back to the manufacturer with questions. He answered those questions and there did  not appear to be any outstanding issues.

There have been events where this has been used with out issue. Recently there was one where people did not have the devices, could not fit it in the model or had some form of malfunction. There are always 2 sides to a story so we won’t go into details.  People complained that there was only one device, well perhaps their CIAM representative should have suggested at the time the sporting code changed was mooted that at least 2 should be available before the change came into effect?  When the device came on the market the maker warned us that there might be a supply issue for a second production run. Not sure but I think that first run was for 200 devices and not sure if there is a supply chain problem for the next run?

So now some people want the altimeters that are in their favorite electronic timers to be permitted for this purpose , for a transition period ? or forever?  My favorite electronic timer is the one I make myself, and while I don’t sell one with an altimeter, there is one in some of the aircraft I  use myself and that altimeter takes frequent readings and I have access to both the firmware and hardware. Is that OK? If not why not? If one can use an un certified device.

So what now ? I know we can make emergency changes to the sporting code for safety reasons,  but not really for lack of adequate preparation by the sportsman.  Maybe we can call the Covid related supply chain issue a force majeure?   Or some other entrepreneur already has  another device  in the EDIC pipeline….

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…………..
Roger Morrell