Recent postings on the SAL Group have my research-writing juices flowing
again; when I try to list-organize all my projects, I always include my
"A 'Light' History of RCHLG" ! It is something I want to do,
have worked on a lot, but a lot has happened since I was able to focus on
it.
I am interested in detailed and/or anecdotal information
about how interest first occurred and how it generated--models that made
it go-where YOU fly or have flown, or whom you have flown with! I will
appreciate any help from the U.S.A. and WORLD scene FROM YOUR own
"neck of the woods!!!!! If you can direct me to others (who can
communicate with me in English) that will be most appreciated.
--Sky Pilot's Hangar
http://www.kcat.zaq.ne.jp/skypilot/
(dated)
Adapted from my SAL posts: My SAL post brought
several thoughts to mind about RCHLG progress over the last few
years. For one, having started out on free-flight rubber powered
models and HLGs--and following the power free-flighters, it was from
early on a mystery to me why we flew RCHLG with such thick
airfoils. So did Don & Joe!! And the "Monarch" itself
is now RCHLG history (anybody want a NIB "C" model) providing a
number of other giant steps forward in RCHLG history!
Jay Decker posted,
"After playing with poly DLG for far too long, I moving on."
and then Bernie Hunt,". . . the other with 4.7" dihedral and
flown exclusively on rudder). Using the same camber control, I can
throw both models to the same height (31m=102' measured with the LoLo2 /
Alti2 altimeter) but my big dihedral / rudder controlled model is easier
to fly accurately and, on average, stays up longer in still air or
thermals." In response I posted:
Joe Wurts' "Aftershock" harbingered the fullhouse RCHLG
ongoing era of the present. The F3B model imit'rants maintained the
virtually FLAT wings. It took a length of time (like in thick
airfoils) for today's significant dihedral to appear in the all but
virtually flat wings and the poly wing to come back into its own.
Long ago, Larry Jolly took me out to the field and on a blustery day
showed me how difficult to impossible it was to sky out a poly under such
conditions when the simple dihedral model fairly danced in the wind and
did sky out--something I continue to observe in my ole'Buzzard friends on
my periodic travels around the United States.
Some will recall "Buzz" Tokunaga who flew in two IHLGFs
(largely responsible for RCHLG Mania in Japan and introduced Micro-RCHLG
to the world--now retired from RCHLG a DHL victim); and, but for falling
fatefully to the hill, was in a position to win, did it with a
three-servo aileron ship; he said he flew (the point) smoother with but
one servo to the ailerons with built in aileron differential. Those
flat wing F3B imitations were intolerably dirty fliers--what in
full-scale we called it (at least we use to) when someone was skidding
around the sky with a heavy foot on the rudder. At least in most
hands, not the upper 10% apparently, it was intolerably difficult to fly
clean--conserve altitude.
At the time, it was natural for someone as gifted--dexterously adept,
technologically informed, experientially skilled, imagination
challenged--to take things to the next level. It was a new
challenge and as more of the challenged glider-guiders came under the
trance of RCHLG they brought their skills and their frame (wing planform)
of mind with them. It took much longer for experience to catch up
with the science-technology that would create the best design adapted to,
I will say it, how we contest in RCHLG. Duration-Times-Rule =
(Launch Altitude + Flying Skill) X Thermal Sniffer Noggin !! Now
there you have it in a formula.
INFORMATION + IMAGINATION = CREATIVITY and Keep it Simple Silly :-)
!! "If it looks right it will fly--if it doesn't it
won't." Ask Skunkworks :-) !!?? (P.S. It did!) Why
today's-tomorrow's fighter jets being impossible machines to humanly fly
are basically computer (RC :-) !) controlled !!
Paul Clark, SKY PILOT, Osaka, Japan (AMA # 53 777
1)
http://www.kcat.zaq.ne.jp/skypilot/
(dated)
SKY PILOT'S HANGAR--RCHLG-DHL AFICIONADO
