I have to agree about the FAI task and no skeg...Am I allowed to use the word, now that I have one on my Fazer? This is one of those things that just won't die. I saw one comment that said the AMA would go to the rules, but their rules...let's go all the way to the rules and use the FAI landing. If you want to keep it American, drop the meter part and just go with yards...works for football and golf, doesn't it?...8^)...I've been guilty of stirring this pot a couple of times before and what I really think is...let the cd decide and announce it in his/her contest announcement. Like skegs...go to those contests. Don't like 'em...go to those contests. Live in an area that does the opposite of what you like...become the cd and do it your way...Why does America have to be different on this?
As far as the safety thing is concerned, I've been whacked across the shins with more than one wing, and I ain't hobblin'...just keep everyone out of the area upwind of the spot, except the pilot and timer, and deny FLIGHT AND LANDING points to those that land downwind or exceed the spot and a safety margin upwind. Stirrin' the pot again... Jack Womack Real men scratch build... --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I completely agree with Simon, Klaus and others that > skegs are crutches for > most of us who can't land without them on the > ridiculous runways for lawn > darts often used in major US contests. > > We should adopt the FAI landing rules in US duration > contests and forget > skegs. Small (~1" high, 1/4" wide rounded) skids > are quite sufficient for > the FAI landing plan if you know how to land in a > reasonable space. This > would be much easier on our sailplanes and > ourselves. > > Dale Nutter > > Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 17:56:44 -0800 > From: Simon Van Leeuwen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Klaus Weiss <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: Soaring <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: SKEG's and Actual Piloting Skill > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > I have read here that the landing task is too easy, > basically making it > a landing contest. Skegs could be considered an > external aid (like a > crutch) to assist landing accurately. > > It would sure be interesting to observe how an > individual's flying skill > would increase if they actually had to manage the > energy to land > accurately and on time without one. I would have > thought that most would > have come to this conclusion, and made the landing > task more difficult > by removing this "landing aid" to make the whole > process more > challenging and no doubt more enjoyable. > > The argument that a skeg prevents sliding through > the landing area and > the dangers associated with this just points out > that that particular > aircraft is out of control. > > > Klaus Weiss wrote: > > > > I have often commented, lightheartedly, on the use > of skegs. We do not use > > skegs at all, in Australia. I have yet to see > someone injured by a model > > sliding through the spot on landing. Admittedly, > we use FAI landing spots, > > but even so!! If a model touches someone on > landing, then it is zero > landing > > points. Perhaps skegs have their place in the USA > formats, but I think that > > there is a risk of pilots becoming so dependant on > them for landing, that > > they forget how to land well. I haven't seen a > U.S. TD contest. Perhaps > > there are models flying all over the place in the > landing zone. Landing > > upwind, downwind, crosswind, vertically, > inverted??? Don't know. Maybe > skegs > > are necessary :) Maybe the landing zone is really > the hazard zone. > > > > Klaus K Weiss > > Sydney, Australia > > www.hsl.org.au > > > > > __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off.
