Messages

16

PSS / ME 109 EPP

« on: June 04, 2008, 14:47:48 PM »

Hey Sean,
I wouldn't be worried by our skill levels!  We may be very experienced but that doesn't imply that we are in any way skilled :oops:

Anyway, we can coach you along nicely and encourage you generally unTIL WE BLUDGEN YOU TO DEATH  :twisted: Oops, contain yourself Garry, sorry for the outburst... ahem!

We must get together some time.  Weather looks a bit vague for gliding this weekend with slack winds and no real direction.  Arklow is only 20 mins from home for me, I live in Kilpedder on the N11.

Talk to you soon

Garry

17

Events / MACI Glide-in 2008

« on: June 04, 2008, 00:00:46 AM »

DAMN...             DAMN,   DAMN!

Not going to make it either!

Oh well, I guess I will meet you all some day,  bummer

Garry

18

PSS / ME 109 EPP

« on: June 03, 2008, 23:55:58 PM »

Hi Sean,
I am a little curious to find out how you get on with the Me109?  I promised to take one from Fred the next time I know that we are going to meet up.  I was keen on one anyway but then saw the P51 go and my mind was made up :roll:
There are three of us who fly a bit around North Wicklow and we have decided to go for the P51, the Me109 and the Hurricane for some WWII action!
Where abouts in Wikkla are you from?  I am sure we could get to fly together?  I had a family picnic on Monday over the lake at Lugala and of course I brought a couple of models, but the wind up there (plenty of it) was pure east!  In despiration, we went for a "drive" to Wicklow town and ventured out onto Wicklow head by the lightouse where lift is always good in an east wind... no wind to speak of, only a few little gusts from the south :shock:  :shock:  :shock:

I will have to meet up with Fred to get that kit :?:

Talk to you soon

Garry

19

Road trips / Mt Leinster - 24th May 08

« on: May 26, 2008, 18:24:26 PM »

Hey... excellent stuff Fred

Pity about the damage to your scale machines, good news that it is superficial.

We had a great time, well worth the visit to Mount Leinster.  The whole way home in the car, Bob and myself reassured each other about how tired we were.  My eyes were even a bit wind burned...I suppose that's what you should expect standing in winds peaking at well over 60kmh (our Bob had the anemometer to prove it...39mph gusts!!!)

I think my Middle Phase deserves paint now in recognition of it's good behaviour :clap:  Have to order a new receiver for my combat weasel after it blew out of my hand and dismantled itself on the way back to the car... Ooops  :oops:   Hey... It was windy... I was tired... S**t happens :roll:

Looking forward to the next sortie alerady :wink:

Thank you all for showing us how and where :clap:

Garry

20

Road trips / Mt Leinster - 24th May 08

« on: May 23, 2008, 17:20:27 PM »

HaHaHa!!!
I just glued the servo bearers back into my middle phase!  I know it is so  very scruffy but you will have to put up with primer on the fuselage.  No way it's getting paint tonight :roll:

Last flight I had a dead receiver in Wales and it flew about 2km away before it went in   Will be flying again tomorrow :clap:

Garry

21

Road trips / I am in !!!

« on: May 23, 2008, 16:53:44 PM »

Hi there Fred!
I guess I am in already then!  Neil is on his way to the Bruce Springsteen concert as we speak and he has for some peculiar reason requested a "not an early start" for tomorrow :shock:   He would never ...

We hope to be there sometime around 12:00 or 13:00 and will bring a range of stuff, moulded, crunchie and combat.

Note to self... better clear this with the wife... Reminder to self... Always easier to get forgiveness than permission... lets let it go for a while more :twisted:

Hope to see you all tomorrow

Garry

22

Events / ISR Glide-In - May 10-11th 2008

« on: May 13, 2008, 22:41:45 PM »

OMG.  I am sick that I missed the whole weekend    

I have a confession... that I fly helicopters too.  I was the contest director for the first round of the Heli Challenge Trophy competitioin that was scheduled for 26th April.  The competition was postponed twice and eventually ran on Saturday 10th.  There was no way I was being allowed to shirk off my family duties on Sunday after three consecutive saturday/heli days.

I guess I will just have to meet you all at one of the other events :?:

Great picrures (happy faces everywhere), I am sorry I missed it now

Garry

23

Road trips / Sunday 17th Feb Wicklow head

« on: March 04, 2008, 21:06:16 PM »

Nice photos Fernando,
I missed you the day you went to Bray.  I had a family commitment and only got to talk to Peter.  I had to head off just as Joe and Fred arrieved.  We will meet before too long I guess.
Keep up the photography, it is great for my enthusiasm

Garry

24

Electrics / Szabo in a Japanese TV !

« on: February 27, 2008, 21:05:40 PM »

Chicken Feed !

Have a look at this video (with the transmitter superimposed in the corner of the screen).  I fly helicopters and this just puts me in a bad mood :x

This flying style is called "CRACK" - Click the link :shock:

Garry

25

Combat / Combat scoring and format

« on: February 26, 2008, 16:30:43 PM »

Hi Alan,
I am the guy holding up the hopelessly inadequate (oh no, more psychiatry bills :roll: ) little weasel pro on the extreme right.
In fact my weasel was written off twice that weekend including a comprehensive snow storm on it's maiden flight :cry:  when I was obliterated by a high speed skua I think.
What you see there is no longer an epp wing, it is two or three bottles of epoxy covered in GF packing tape, covered in vinyl, covered in GF packing tape   No longer suitable for light lift, but punches above it's weight now :clap:


As you can see here, my weasel is one tough little weasel. . . broken wing, no problem. . . broken elevon, only a scratch


In fact, the Weasel Pro's (from Richter RC in California) were fantastic in the conditions and had the advantage of being light (little inertia if they get a bit of a jab) but that can have it's drawbacks if you find yourself at the wrong end of a good uppercut :oops:

All of the Irish can be identified by the little Weaners (damn, there I go again) I mean Weasels :cry:

Garry

26

Combat / Combat scoring and format

« on: February 26, 2008, 10:05:52 AM »

Hi All,
I was just looking at the events planned for the annual get together and spotted the combat... Oh yeah baby... I am a dirty fighter :twisted:
I did notice that it is "Last Man Standing" format.  I haven't tried this but would suggest that if you are bludgened out of the air early on but in a repairable way, you will be disappointed spectator from then on :oops:
 


The only way that I have personally flown in formal combat was in Wales using a system of heats.  This format I guess would only really only work with a good number of entries.  Have a look at the setup below pasted from the Welsh guys website and let us all know what you all think.  Fred, I am not trying to steam roller over any plans, just to get some discussion going...



Brief explanation of the coarse and rules.

Flying Groups: As there will be quite a few pilots (current estimate is about 35 pilots) the total number will be split into two groups, group A and group B. Each group will take turns to fly their rounds, while group A flys, group B will do the scoring and visa versa. Each pilot will be paired with a scorer and you'll score for each other throughout the comp. Once a few rounds (to be decided on the day) have been flown the best of group A will fly against the best of group B to find the overall winner. If everyone is then up for it we can have an all at once round, if there's any flying models left by then ;-).

Models ready and repair time: Group A will fly first and group B's models must be ready to go straight after group A have finished. Once both groups have flown a round each there will be a 5 minute break to allow for damage repairs. If there is no need for the damage repair time the next round will start. We aim to get as many rounds in as possible.

Coarse markers: There will be a coarse marked out with flags and poles. Entrants will have to fly between the marked coarse and try to stay within an upper and lower height limit, keeping everyone in a set area will maximizes the hits :-). The coarse boundaries are only there for a guideline, you won't be penalised for flying outside of the coarse.

Flight line: There will also be a flight line marked out. If your model drifts or is hit towards the flight line, down your model, please don't fly over the flight line. If a model is hit over/behind the flight line this will be classed as a kill, please don't try to fly out back over the pilots, down your model and relaunch (we don't want anyone hit in the back of the head by a model flying back out through rotor).

Scoring: If any two models come in contact this is regarded as a hit (regardless of who initiated the hit) and both pilots will be awarded points. If one of these models goes down this becomes a kill and only the model still flying is rewarded points. If both models go down no points are scored by either pilot. How many points scored for hits and kills will be decided on the day during the pilots briefing.

Models: Any EPP model up to 50" can be used, Zagis, X-its, Wild Things are what's usually used. Models can be internally sparred but there must be no sharp or pointy Protrusions. Any balance weight including additional ballast must be internal, not taped on the outside.



Food for thought  :?:

And yes, a melee just for fun after the formal combat just to finish off the wounded airframes  :clap:

Garry

27

Road trips / Sunday 17th Feb Wicklow head

« on: February 23, 2008, 22:30:57 PM »

Hi Fernando,
Thats what we thought today!  I met up with some friends from the Shankill club (www.srfc.net) and we went to Kilakee.  We had a few foamies but it was just to windy and turbulent for them.  We went home past the lake at Lugala mountain... WOOOOOOoooooooooooeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

We flew our combat foamies here for a couple of hours of high adrenaline zig zag frenzy... the kind of stuff that keeps ya young!

I have to say, the conditioins in Lugala were at crazy (good) with absolutely vertical lift and surprisingly smooth.  I ran half the ballast that I had on when I couldn't fly in Kilakee but had a 100kmh foamie to play with    

Garry

28

Road trips / Sunday 17th Feb Wicklow head

« on: February 18, 2008, 16:52:57 PM »

Looks like you had a good day...pity the lift was marginal.  I had a good chat with Peter and a brief chat with Joe and Fred before I had to go and do the family stuff.
I hope that the next easterly is a bit better for flying!  Lookig forward to meeting you all again.

Nice pictures too, well done.

Garry

29

Road trips / You work away Fred!

« on: February 14, 2008, 12:04:45 PM »

You are welcome to use the directions and any hints or tips, post them wherever you feel they will be easy to find.

Maybe edit them on Monday after I you find I have sent you on a "Phileas Fogg" adventure :roll:

They (directions) should get you there

Hopefully we will get to meet up again Sunday

Garry

30

Road trips / Bray or Wicklow

« on: February 14, 2008, 10:31:39 AM »

Hi There.
I am thinking Wicklow might be good (because I have to pick my kid up from a birthday party in Wicklow this Sunday!!!) but the wind might be a little too southerly.  In my experience, NE through to E is brilliant from Wicklow.  Slightly south of East is not relly a problem because it is a straight enough ridge and the last thing the wind saw was Wales, so it is not too bad.  Again my experience is that SE is a bit too much to ask of this site.  There are cliffs south of the lighthouse but I have only bad stories from here :cry:
Directions for Wicklow head...

Follow all directions for Wicklow

Drive straight through Wicklow main street

Take road signed "Brittas Bay" past Wicklow Golf Club

About 120M after the sharp right-left-right chicane, look for the red gate on your left hand side (new bungalow development on the right)

Take the path through the red gate, over 2 cattle grids

As you swing round towards the lighthouse, pick a spot & go fly!

With regard to Bray head...
You can approach the flying spots on Bray head from both sides of the headland.  For this weekend, the best spot is probrably from "Windgates" half way between Bray and Greystones.  

Drive off the south end of theM50 south, take M11 (south) onto N11 south and continue for 1km.

Take the left turn signed Bray/Greystones North

Take the southern cross road off the N11 (the exit before Woodies on the roundabout

Take the Greystones road past Bray Golf Club (uphill)

As you crest the hill, turn left into "Windgates" opposite the cattery & kennels

This cul-de-sac ends at an apartment block with limited number of parking spots

You can clearly see the cul-de-sac and the apartment block at the end of it in Peter's photo above

WARNING:  The ideal spot to park is right at the end of this cul-de-sac (ideal for us!) but the apartment owners here are VERY POSSESSIVE about their privacy and parking.  Find a discreet and sensible spot to park before you drop down into the apartment complex, be sure you are not inconveniencing anybody... for our collective good :clap:

You can walk through the apartment car park and climb over a 5-bar gate and walk all the way around to Bray from here.  I have not managed to fly from here but have spent many hours walking around wishing I had any form of plane with me :cry:

I will keep in touch with this thread to see if we can meet up this weekend.  Of course it goes without saying that if you can't find enough lift to fly off the hills, there will be plenty of hot air eminating from the Shankill Club field beside the Great Sugarloaf, maybe enough hot air to thermal on  so feel free to drop in to the lads...
Talk soon

Garry