Re: [RCSE] Balsa Fuses: Paint or Cover?
I built a Aquila w/ wooden fuse back in the 70s. Painted the fuse by using a lot of filler, primer, sanding, priming.It looked real good(just like the one on the cover of RCM) but I suspect it added a lot of weight (cant remember the weight) Id just use a low temp film if you are concerned about weight- if not you can get a pretty nice painted fuse if youy spend enough time on it.- -Original Message- From: Nick P Wisdom [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, February 01, 2001 3:36 PM Subject: [RCSE] Balsa Fuses: Paint or Cover? Working on a 3M scooter with a large balsa/ply fuse. I have always used monocote or similar in the past, and I have never tried painting. What are the pros and cons of painting vs monokote? I have a hell of a time covering the nosecone and those pesky curves, so painting sounds attractive, but only if I still get some added strength and a nice finish. Any suggestions? Thanks, Nick Wisdom Orlando, FL Get your small business started at Lycos Small Business at http://www.lycos.com/business/mail.html RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Shop online without a credit card http://www.rocketcash.com RocketCash, a NetZero subsidiary RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] The Evil Discus Death Menace
Ok, gliderland, There may in fact be SOME legitimate safety concerns with discus launching, and it is very much worth rationally thinking about what they might be, and how or whether to address them in the competition environment. For a while there it looked like no one was going to even bother with that, since hurling overstated condemnations of discus launching is so much cheaper and easier. Still, I have to take respectful issue with a strain of posts in the last few weeks that seem to be trying to pre-establish tip launched hlg's as fundamentally lethal. Given some honest insight, and an open mind, I don't think that such an extreme conclusion can be reasonably reached. So, let's open our minds for a few minutes and try to resist the really awful temptation to create yet another US vs. THEM situation here. Discus planes are brilliant in their originality. They have alot to offer the overall hobby in terms of access to really satisfying launch heights, whether in competition or NOT. It is fairly clear that many folks will only achieve elite launch heights using discus launched glider, and it would be great if that could be nothing but a good thingagain, regardless of the flying environment: competition, or otherwise. I think it's really fair for pilots in competition to be concerned about being struck by ANY glider. Further, it seems reasonable to think that discus pilots, being necessarily new to the technique may not have the accuracy we more easily assume (sometimes wrongly) to be inherent to overhand style. MAYBE, just maybe, there is an inherent accuracy difference that won't be overcome over time, though I personally think that's a seriously premature conclusion. We've seen things thrown overhand our entire lives and tend to think of other methods as 'abnormal'. I've even now seen posts that are trying to pressure folks into sticking with overhand because it seems more macho to them. Where's the contribution in that skewed insight? Are we working extra hard this year to make sure that gliding stays all male? I digress. In the comp. environment, Perhaps CD's will need to be especially conscientious for a few years until the overall skill level improves, which it absolutely and inevitably will. Out of control launchers, or just folks who place launch immediacy above safety, whether discus, or otherwise, may need some sanction. The idea that 'the first really bad accident will shut things down for everyone' is a fear tactic as old as the hills. A bad accident is a bad accident. It could happen with any type of plane at any contest, especially if people aren't thinking and being creative about how to mix fun, safety, and the risk that goes along with any flying sport, manned or not. How it get's reacted to will have everything to do with the overall health of the flying community involved, what positive steps they've taken to be reasonable about safety, and how well they work together and avoid divisiveness. Skill and accuracy comes with the progress and acculturation of any new technique. Many folks couldn't hit the side of a barn with a frisbee, for instance, which uses a fairly rotary throw technique, because release timing is so critical. But a good frisbee golfer could tell you what knothole in which barn board he was going to peg, and peg it. I'm not convinced that most discus throwers won't eventually be able to name their patch of sky before they throw right to it. Some already can. Make it a part of the culture that accuracy is expected and admired, and people will figure out how to be accurate, guaranteed. Ego's won't permit any other outcome. Another temptation is to watch the rotation of a discus launcher and immediately conclude, often without any personal experience, of course, that the whole system is like a giant unprotected Cuisinart blade, 360 degrees of pure menace. Ok, it's fair to say that the rotation of a 60" glider at the end of someone's arm takes up a fair amount of acreage (I never claimed that I thought full-hlg-size discus launching was issue-free), but as Dick Barker or anyone else who has put in some actual time throwing these things can tell you: MUCH of the rotation in a discus launch is relatively slow (not even CLOSE to the final release speed) and serves as a chance to 'float' the glider into a favorable wind-up position for the final 'centripetal whip' that leads to that potentially awesome launch height. Also, many perfectly awesome discus launches do NOT require a full 360deg. Because the slower portion of the launch arc is not creating much centrifugal force, the chances of the glider just 'slipping out of the launcher's hand' in any random direction is really incredibly small. I am not a competitor, more of an observer of the sport/hobby and it's progression. I don't have all the answers, I don't claim to have the solutions, and I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do. But I have thrown a bunch of planes, discus and other, and while I
[RCSE] Actual New Ideas for HLG competition, anyone?
Paul Naton made some great points in his recent and provocative HLG post that deserve a resultant thread that doesn't deteriorate into an us-vs.-them-its-all-about-danger-liability-and-other-bad-things mentality: Anyone up for serious consideration of completely NEW modes of hlg competition format? We've got these incredible gliders that just keep getting better and better. There's no reason to only keep doing the same things with them. Why not design contests that help to avoid safety concerns AND do an even better job of testing a really wide range of soaring skills and mental strategies? What about a sort of micro cross-country paradigm in which the overall site conditions must be artfully used to get one's glider to show up at a series of checkpoints? Some of those checkpoints might be near lift in a given round at a given moment, others of course wouldn't be. Ability to read lift, work lift, avoid sink or penetrate it efficiently, range upwind, range downwind AND our old pal launch height would ALL still be emphasized, but real and elaborate strategy might increase significantly, without the frantic launch and relaunch (and accompanying stopwatch timing) being quite as emphasized. In some situations, though, it would still be incredibly important to be able to relaunch quickly to try again. I see a scenario like this as being potentially more true to the idea of testing a full range of soaring skills, rather than adapting skills to a contest format. Imagine a ten or twenty minute round in which you can launch any time you want. If you think you can complete the task in the last two minutes because your theory is that the lift will be perfect for it at that moment, no problem, that's when you launch. If you have to launch three times during the round trying for the task, points could take care of taking your score down a bit compared to the guy who aced the task in his (or HER!) very first launch. If you can complete the task more than once in the round, obviously, big points go to you. At the end of the round, your glider has to be in your hand. If you caught it from the air rather than picked it up, bonus points for you. Just a few thoughts. If you see problems in managing a contest that's set up in this way, that's great! Think of it as an opportunity to think up some brilliant, innovative, creative and helpful solutions before you post back! For what it's worth, Lift, Scobie in Seattle RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [RCSE] Designed by Americans!
How nice of you to put down 2/3rds of our F3B team. How patriotic. Keep in mind I was really talking about TD models not F3J models. As far as the rest is concerned I think it best to not comment. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sal, Everyone has their point of view, but unfortunately yours usually is a combination of what you here from DP and JW. They are not the only soaring pilots in the world, and you should not be so quick to slight the efforts of others. Two legends come to mind Jan Kahout, and Arend Borst, I consider both of these pilots more competitive than JW or DP. AS far as superior American Models it is about time, that WE caught up with the rest of the world. SAMBA models Pike was first at the last F3J and 3rd at the first. Arend was 2nd really first except for a technicality at the first, and 3rd this Time. Both fly Euro Trash which pulls hard, flys long ,and lands close. You might have wondered about the rapid evolution of the ICARE airplanes, you know from 74 ounce Heras to 57 ounce Artemis in one year. This happened because Tom Copp started importing this line and these Europeans actually listened to what WE wanted. Input from Tom Copp, Ben Clerx, Mark Taylor, myself, and others made rapid design changes possible. As far as F3B is concerned it is DEAD, there are a small group of F3B specialist left world wide, but in truth it is a class in decline. F3J is its replacement, and if you want to go FAST that pussy class F3F is the place to be. As far as Euro Trash designs Tom Copp has one coming that is pure Americana, and I predict will become the leader in TD contests. You need to come up for Air and look around ,Soaring is Worldwide , there are actually people out there across the oceans that can and do beat JW and DP. And if I remember correctly a few over here too! Damn it must be an even month, Larry Jolly -- Sal DeFrancesco Northeast Sailplane Products 948 Hercules Dr. Suite 12 Colchester, Vt. 05446 802-655-7700 Website: http://www.nesail.com RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [RCSE] Actual New Ideas for HLG competition, anyone?
At 02:33 PM 2/2/2001, Scobie Puchtler or Sarah Felstiner wrote: What about a sort of micro cross-country paradigm in which the overall site conditions must be artfully used to get one's glider to show up at a series of checkpoints? It's called HLG Golf. 8-) I've heard of people trying out F3B HLG, similar tasks to F3B. With the added launch heights the side arm throw will provide, this could actually get fun. Jim Downers Grove, IL Member of Chicago SOAR club ICQ 6997780R/C Soaring Page at http://www.mcs.net/~bacuslab/soaring.html RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] Fwd: PGE - Impressive Information
check this out. If this is true, than screw the power companies Subject: Fwd: FW: Electricity Bull The Sacramento Bee, January 15, 2001... Southern California Edison's CEO, Mr. John E. Bryson's salary for 1999 was $999,000.00 His bonus for 1999 was $1,260,000.00. Robert D. Glen, CEO of Pacific Gas Electric earned well over $2,000,000.00 in salary and bonuses for 1999. The parent company of Southern California, Edison International, has $71,800,000.00 in assets. (Reference: L.A. Times 12/30/00) Edison and PGE want an increase of 79% in electricity rates starting Jan.24, 2001. In California we are currently paying more than the national average for electricity. The California Public Utilities will likely grant PGE and Edison the increase of 79 to 80 percent increase. Write Governor Gray Davis. His email address is: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please forward this email to everyone you know. Remember if you don't act, don't react when you get that new electric bill. - Do You Yahoo!? - Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail Personal Address - only $35 a year! _ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] Vindicator For Sale
I have decided to sell one of my Vindicators. This one is extra reinforced and a beast structurally. If you wanted a tough 60" for DSing, then look no further. It's available with or without servos, preference to those who want it with servos. I have a detailed description and pics on my web page. http://mpa.freeservers.com/StuffForSale.htm Doug Reel Pacific Palisades, CA RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [RCSE] Actual New Ideas for HLG competition, anyone?
What about a sort of micro cross-country paradigm in which the overall site conditions must be artfully used to get one's glider to show up at a series of checkpoints? It's called Handlaunch Golf! and they are playing today at the SWC Scobie is right about new formats in my opinion. I haven't flown HLG contests, so maybe this doesn't mean much, but in my opinion, if you can get 2 min. dead air times, you might as well have a TD contest without winches. There are all kinds of things that could be thrown in to the picture, a small slalom on the landing approach, limbo bars, F3b events like the most laps/the fastest laps, etc. And then of coarse, one can't forget "All up last down" Seems like fun to me. Mark Mech [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.aerofoam.com RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] Items For Sale
The Lovesong Kit is sold and the Falcon is spoken for. I also forgot to add: Image 2M, excellent condition $300 (it's the bagged carbon/glass version, not molded) RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] Milan Review in QFI
I noticed in several recent issues of QFI it says there is going to be a review of the MPX Milan in the next issue. I don't recall ever seeing a review in QFI. Did I miss and issue or did the review just disappear? Conspiracy? Kristopher RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] Scanner is sold
The Icom IC-R2 scanner has sold. Thanks to everyone who responded though! Stan RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [RCSE] Fwd: PGE - Impressive Information
Marc Webster wrote: check this out. If this is true, than screw the power companies Subject: Fwd: FW: Electricity Bull The Sacramento Bee, January 15, 2001... Southern California Edison's CEO, Mr. John E. Bryson's salary for 1999 was $999,000.00 His bonus for 1999 was $1,260,000.00. Robert D. Glen, CEO of Pacific Gas Electric earned well over $2,000,000.00 in salary and bonuses for 1999. The poor guys are hard done by. Just think!! - a whole order of magnitude less than what Baseball and Basketball players are paid and nobody complains about that. Shows where priorities lie. And speaking of what sports salaries are, how come we model sportsmen and women don't qualify for big salaries too. Right now I'd just settle for a job. Such is life. -- John O'Sullivan Nova Scotia Wind and Wave Models http://members.nbci.com/WindandWave/ RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [RCSE] Items For Sale
One final item, a RTF Multiplex Twist w/Volz servos. $300 RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [RCSE] Fwd: PGE - Impressive Information
What is obscene about Ca utilities is the financial juggling and chicanery that the parent companies did to make it appear as though their supply companies were loosing money, while in actuallity huge profits were transfered from the one to the other. I Guess those head officer bonuses are well warrented. Well what are youuu gonna to do about it, Ca? Now as far as athletes are concerned and the salary problems facing franchises, it's supply and demand. Myself and a number of my collegues have tried to convince management that there is indeed a way to take care of the supply problem, but so far we haven't heard back, and it's been a while. Can't blame that one on me. Rick -- From: John O'Sullivan[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 4:36 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [RCSE] Fwd: PGE - Impressive Information Marc Webster wrote: check this out. If this is true, than screw the power companies Subject: Fwd: FW: Electricity Bull The Sacramento Bee, January 15, 2001... Southern California Edison's CEO, Mr. John E. Bryson's salary for 1999 was $999,000.00 His bonus for 1999 was $1,260,000.00. Robert D. Glen, CEO of Pacific Gas Electric earned well over $2,000,000.00 in salary and bonuses for 1999. The poor guys are hard done by. Just think!! - a whole order of magnitude less than what Baseball and Basketball players are paid and nobody complains about that. Shows where priorities lie. And speaking of what sports salaries are, how come we model sportsmen and women don't qualify for big salaries too. Right now I'd just settle for a job. Such is life. -- John O'Sullivan Nova Scotia Wind and Wave Models http://members.nbci.com/WindandWave/ RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] Balsa questions?
While working on the kit for the Allegro-Lite, I ran into a nice web page that helped me understand how balsa is graded. Just thought others might be interested in this so here is a url: http://www.globalsite.net/bec1/Articles/Balsa.htm --pat __ Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[RCSE] Re: [Allegro-Lite] Balsa questions?
On Fri, 2 Feb 2001, Patrick Sloan wrote: While working on the kit for the Allegro-Lite, I ran into a nice web page that helped me understand how balsa is graded. Just thought others might be interested in this so here is a url: http://www.globalsite.net/bec1/Articles/Balsa.htm This is the same article that's been in the Sig catalog for many years. Good stuff! Daniel O. Miller BRAIN: Pinky! Are you pondering what I'm pondering? PINKY: I think so, Brain, but I find scratching just makes it worse. RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
