Keighley & District Model Aircraft Club Cockpit Bi-Monthly July 2012 PONTEFRACT ELECTRIC FLY-IN 16th June 2012 David Wilkinson took a few interesting pictures of unusual models at the recent Pontefract do, one being the Witch below, more can be seen on the back cover. KADMAC FUN FLY 7TH JULY 2012 HARDEN MOOR 2.00PM START
From The Editor Stuart Swire Only 8 pages again but you can make the next edition more interesting by sending me your articles for the September issue. Articles are best sent in ms-word or similar. Editor: Mr Stuart Swire 69 Scholemor Avenue Lidget Green Bradford BD7 2RU Tel: 01274-411817 Email: s.swire@blueyonder.co.uk Contents Editorial 2 Gadget Review 2 By David Wilkinson Weather Forecast 3 By Dennis Oglesby Usefull Websites 4 By David Wilkinson New Club Member Writes 5 By Robert Mc Dougall Solo Qualification 6 By Nick Hempel 2 GADGET REVIEW HK 401B GYRO By David Wilkinson This gyro is suitable for aircraft & costs only about 8. The instruction sheet warns that the gyro must be set for either ordinary or digital servos. Wrong setting could cause servo damage. I used a non-digital servo. The plug sockets on my gyro were slack, so I had to fix that. The giro has to be correctly positioned in the plane so that it pushes the control surface in the correct direction when working. On my giro I set the Delay control to zero, the Limit control to maximum (140), & the DS to off. I connected the yellow wire of the gyro to receiver channel 5 (gear). The transmitter s gear switch is used to switch the giro on & off in flight. On my Spektrum 7 transmitter I set the Travel Adjust for channel 5 to :- + 0% - 10%. To increase the gyro sensitivity the -10% can be increased. But too much gyro sensitivity will make the plane wobble & shake. This gyro is very good for such a low price. See website - Hobbyking.com. Search for product code HK401B. Select FILES for info & downloads for this giro. David Wilkinson
WEB-SOURCED WEATHER FORECASTS By Dennis Oglesby Most of us have used weather forecasts when deciding if or when to go flying. These have been available from numerous sources over the years, teletext, faxback, telephone, radio and of course, various websites. These keep improving (despite continuing cynicism) and I have found the latest series surprisingly good. I can choose from numerous local spots to anticipate in detail the conditions near to various local slopes. An example is shown below with the cursor placed on one time spot to extract more details for that spot. This was the detail downloaded the preceding Thursday! Hope this helps Denis Oglesby http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/?tab=fiveday 3
USEFUL WEBSITES By David Wilkinson Kadmac.org Keighley and District Model Aircraft Club. Hobbyking.com Large model supplier in Hong Kong. Very low prices. Mail order. Brchobbies.co.uk Well known supplier. Mail order. Giant shark.co.uk Used to be called Giant Cod. Mail order. Prices usually low. Robotbirds.com Well known supplier. Mail order. Modelspeed.co.uk Model shop in Keighley. Modelshopleeds.co.uk Big model shop in Leeds. Modelsport.co.uk Model car shop in Otley. Bmfa.org/events British Model Flying Association. Na-bmfa.org The Northern branch of BMFA. Bmfa-nw.org NorthWest branch of BMFA. Pandas aero.co.uk Pontefract Club. They fly on Pontefract Racecourse. Fly-wharfedale.com The Wharfedale Club. Flitehook.net Small model supplier. Vintage rubber power. Traditional free -flight. Galaxymodels.co.uk Large well known supplier. Mail order F3p-uk.org.uk Indoor flying aerobatics. Annual championships in Bradford. Micronrc.co.uk Supplier of small bits for small electric models. Modelfixings.co.uk Supplier of bits & pieces. Jperkinsdistribution.co.uk Large distributor to model trade Rcgroups.com Lots of information. Forums. Blogs. Etc. Ripmax.com Large distributor. See all the latest models. Sussex-model-centre.co.uk Mail order supplier. Westlondonmodels.com Mail order. Run by the famous Ali Machinski. Yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk Air museum at Elvington, near York Aeroventure.org.uk Air museum. It used to be RAF-Doncaster. Freeflightsupplies.co.uk Supplier of traditional free-flight stuff. Mike Woodhouse. Flying-dog.co.uk Small supplier of indoor flight bits. Skyhighhobby.com/rc/kfm-airfoils The amazing Klein-Vogelman airfoil sections. 4
Google.co.uk/imghp Pictures of models and everything else. Largemodelassociation.com For those who like BIG model planes. Outerzone.co.uk Lots of free plans to download. Keil Kraft, Veron, etc etc. John-tom.com Information & plans for Hovercraft. Modelflying.co.uk RCM&E Magazine. Justengines.co.uk Supplier of engines & parts. Slecuk.co.uk Supplier of balsa wood, kits, bits etc. Flairmodels.co.uk Kits, bits, etc. Davd Wilkinson A NEWCOMERS VIEWS By Robert Mc Dougall I joined KADMAC in January and have visited the Harden site several times and have been made most welcome. Thank you. I have attempted to fly my fathers plane, which I converted to electric, the flight had little success. A month ago I visited the Model Shop Leeds and was steered towards the Horizon Hobby new foam trainer Firebird Stratos. With great excitement and one battery ( at this point my talents were in doubt) I took it to Baildon moor and had the most wonderful experience of smooth and controlled flight. The receiver mixes automatically and has a gyro to stop control movements which will c a u s e v e r t i c a l f l i g h t. With my new found confidence I took my 8yr old son to the Baildon site, flying over the golf course with the reservoir on the left he flew it into the sun and handed me the controller. That was the last we saw of it for the next hour. I have now bought a gps tracker from China which responds to a mobile, 35 pounds delivered. ( I suggested his pocket money pays for it but h e d i d n ' t s e e m k e e n ) Ive been back to Harden a few times but must be out of sync and look forward to flying it there also and gaining the A-test. Robert Mc Dougall 5
KADMAC SOLO QUALIFICATION PROPOSAL By Nick Hempel Since becoming affiliated to the BMFA the club committee has been anxious that we should be able to offer tuition and examination in the BMFA flight achievement schemes at both A and B levels, following Chris & Grants qualification as BMFA examiners we can now offer that facility. It is the committees hope that all club members will see the achievement of a BMFA qualification as a very worthwhile aim and a significant step forward in the recognition of both flying skills and flight safety. However, neither of these qualifications is (rightly) easy to achieve, and require lots of practice, time and discipline to reach the required high standards, worthy of a nationally recognised qualification. This obviously raises issues regarding the training towards these aims, particularly for relative beginners who have not as yet qualified for a KADMAC A certificate, and as such still require an experienced flyer to stand alongside to offer advice and assistance during the pre BMFA A test phase. It is therefore proposed that the KADMAC A test should no longer be tested for but should be replaced by a KADMAC Solo test, one for fixed wing and one for heli s. Existing holders of KADMAC A will retain all their existing rights and privileges. The philosophy behind this move is that a slightly revised test would be conducted, still along the lines of the BMFA test manoeuvres, but with the emphasis very much placed on safety, both in flying and in general operating principles and skills coupled with knowledge of KADMAC safety rules. Granting of such a permit, which would be by examination by club members meeting the present KAD- MAC A testing criteria, would permit the member to fly solo and unassisted if he or she should so wish. The club would therefore have satisfied itself that the individual member would have achieved a satisfactory, if basic, level of safety and proficiency. It is possible that we could consider the granting of such a permit to include a probationary phase of say a year in which any serious concerns voiced by club members could result in grounding and a re-test if con- 6
sidered appropriate. Furthermore the solo level would have restricted rights over the ability to train and assist less qualified members. This Solo test would give the member two options, 1 To continue to practice and learn the skills required to pass the BMFA A test and acquire the nationally acknowledged achievement and its benefits. 2 To continue to fly on a solo basis and develop at their own pace finding the level of skill and achievement which suits them. The intended outcome and the benefits are therefore 1 A safe flying environment where all members flying without supervision will have passed a test to a club defined safety standard and demonstrated knowledge of local flying site requirements. 2 A clearly defined progression ladder from complete novice to a nationally recognised flight achievement scheme. 3 Still allowing members to choose how far up that ladder they wish, or are able to, progress. Whilst still enjoying what is, after all, a fulfilling hobby and pastime. 4. Allow our club BMFA examiners to concentrate their efforts on tutoring and mentoring those wishing to progress towards BMFA qualifications without having to devote all of their own valuable flying time to the task. Nick Hempel KADMAC FUN FLY 7TH JULY 2012 HARDEN MOOR 2.00PM START Fun Fly on the 7th July at 2.00 p.m. on the Moor. All welcome power, electric, traditional, foamy, cockpit editors, etc. Excellent prize for the winner together with the Graham Wademan Trophy, no experience necessary, your chance to get your name on the limbo poles. Nick Hempel 7
PONTEFRACT ELECTRIC FLY-IN 16th June 2012 Pictures by David Wilkinson 8