Jeff, flying your plane breaks no rules You are doing fantastic beating me in the AULD we flew yesterday. You have great potential, I was in a similar place 8-12 months ago. Just look for that lift and chase that s**t. Super simple but hard at the same time.

I wish I could make it this morning, but things came up.


-Matt

Mark, Chris and I celebrated the New YEar out at the Jornado field in Dona Ana County. Clear, winds light and variable, temperatures in the forties. Lots of soft, amorphous thermals. We tried the January Winter Postal Task - Mark only gave up four seconds, I think. I'm going to try again.

Much more lift than the situation indicated, but no flight was ever a lock, no lift ever lifted your hat. Just air that was incredibly clear.

Happy New Year, Sports Fans.

Yours, Greg

Please check the Utah DLG happenigns and voice your opinion on a March Fri/Sat Red Rocks Challenge

Mark, Tom and Buzz:

I sure had a great time today. Those that were afraid of the cold missed out on superb conditions. I know we should have working hard to learn and "improve the breed", but sometimes you just gotta have fun.

Tom, Buzz warned me not to fly your Concept, that it would really spoil things and he was right. I'm still glad you trusted me enough.

I'll let you know when I'mcoming next time. Maybe Mark can come too, and we can make it on a Friday.

Yours, Greg

Originally Posted by glidermang

... Tom, Buzz warned me not to fly your Concept, that it would really spoil things and he was right ...

Greg,

don't leave us hanging - how is the ($1,200) Concept compared to your ($670) B3? Weather matters, so did you have much wind?

Hey guys
That flying session was a blast. All kinds of Lift some of it you could hook up at 20' and get 3-4 minutes. I think Matt flew a 23 min one time
Only a little cold but epic good air had me shakin my head and laughing NM winter thermals rock

Just happened by you guys' NM thread and see that you had chilly weather (highs in the 20s F according to the max/min website) yesterday but great thermals. That's my experience with winter thermals here in Duluth. On a sunny day over snow the thermals will be very strong, but Nimh batteries don't keep their charge very long. I haven't tried it with lipos yet, nor do I know anyone else who has, so I don't know about them. What was your experience yesterday with battery life?

Twice I've specked out from 3 feet off the snow when I noticed lift when bringing the hand launch back for a catch. Can one do that in NM without snow? (sounds like I'm offering a challenge.)

Incidentally Greg, and others who've been to the AZ Open when I was there the past two years: I won't be able to make it this year because I'm being diverted to Florida where my wife has the conference this year that is somewhere in the south every year on the Presidents' day weekend. It used to be that we'd get over to Phoenix to see her sister the rest of the week and the next weekend, but her sister died this past September (early onset Alzheimer's). So this year I'm hoping to take part in the San Felasco.

Al

Originally Posted by Tmfury

Hey guys
That flying session was a blast. All kinds of Lift some of it you could hook up at 20' and get 3-4 minutes. I think Matt flew a 23 min one time
Only a little cold but epic good air had me shakin my head and laughing NM winter thermals rock

I overheard Tom, Buzz and Greg giving me s**t that if I stay at 9000' the whole time my launches will get rusty and provide them an advantage Also more cr*p for sitting down while flying. "What are you a Buddhist doing zen rituals sitting with your legs crossed like that?" "Well, looks like you were half asleep the whole time" These guys... And I got to fly Greg's B3, which I think should be illegal due to the ease of tight-turns down low. I'm not skilled enough to duplicate the low-level performance with the CX2 In any case, we'll allow Greg/Buzz and their disgusting levels of low-altitude thermal prowess.

There are most certainly thermals in almost all conditions I have flown in. We have had snow, there is still lift. The deadest air I have ever seen was actually after a sunny day with moderate temps, which was recent. I could only get 2 minute flights if I only touched the controls once, at the middle of the flight, to turn around and come home. Gotta just let the airplane do what it does.

Lipos too are sensitive to the cold if you push the limits of discharge rates. My F5J ships won't permit full throttle on a cold battery.

Since I am new and have not seen much "bad" air. I have to say I like flying in the winter. Flying with everyone else shows me what I need to reach for. Matt does fly better sitting down then I do in any position. Skyler and Tom fly very well while on the darn phone. I cannot even adjust trim without thinking about it or even looking at the radio. So really I don't see that the position of the pilot or the multitasking take away from those who can do. I do however think that Buzz could out fly anyone at 25' or less. Which is my normal landing altitude.

On another note, the lack of interest in getting the AZ Open dates set by the organizers has lead me to not wanting to go. I will be making Utah my first real event March 22,23. Someone said it is also a team select event. So I hope I don't disappoint the NM crew. I Bring this up because I would like to see you all come with if possible. I know Buzz is super busy but I can ask right?

Thanks again for all the help guys.
Jeff

Originally Posted by jpgranone

I do however think that Buzz could out fly anyone at 25' or less. Which is my normal landing altitude.

Jeff,

one of the truly fine DLG pilots, Jun Catacatan, has often said that some of the best practice that a person can do is to fly as long as possible at altitudes no greater than 40 feet. He indicated that specking out your bird does nothing to build your skills, and that flying more than 2 minutes at altitude will not improve your contest regimen.

He also posted a video of him flying with about a 20-30 foot launch, followed by hooking tiny thermal after tiny thermal, and never climbing to more than 50 feet (probably much less) with a flight duration over one minute. I'll try to post the link if I can find it.

Flying low and climbing out is one of the coolest experiences in RC soaring!

Until we get to fly together again, I hope that you get lots of stick time!

-- Mark

Hello All,

I am looking for guidance on how to fix a fuse. I took my brand new Orion into the ground yesterday at a 50 degree angle. The nose was in the ground about 4 inches. I think Jason and Tom gave me a 9.5 on the landing cause I stuck it. However, I need to understand how to fix it now. In cars we would just buy a new chassis. So any educational tips would be appreciated. Images of "Whistling Death" (new nickname for the plane) below.

jpgranone:

I hardly call that a "damaged" fuselage.

However, if a repair is what's needed, this is how I would go about it (there are other ways, and they ALL work).

In the kevlar, I would use 1/32 sheet balsa on the inside - just medium CA and go down the sides. The balsa is plenty strong, and will stiffen things up. That's about all you really need.

For the carbon, a bit of spread carbon tow applied with epoxy (I recommend West Systems, contact Aradhana). Done.

Yours, Greg

jpgranone, and anybody else concerned about the Arizona Open:

Finding a venue has proven tough, for a variety of reasons. Therefore, everything has to be tentative, and will be for a bit longer. I have been in touch with Dave R., and he is working this effort quite hard. Worst case will be a one-day event at the SAGE field (unless maybe we can convince them to come to New Mexico - hey, we're brown, too. We'll just tell everybody it's Arizona; who'd know the difference?)

Yours, Greg

Originally Posted by glidermang

jpgranone, and anybody else concerned about the Arizona Open:

Finding a venue has proven tough, for a variety of reasons. Therefore, everything has to be tentative, and will be for a bit longer. I have been in touch with Dave R., and he is working this effort quite hard. Worst case will be a one-day event at the SAGE field (unless maybe we can convince them to come to New Mexico - hey, we're brown, too. We'll just tell everybody it's Arizona; who'd know the difference?)

Yours, Greg

I'm hoping that the AZ open occurs this year, and even though I haven't made as many events as I had expected the past 12 months, am expecting to get to this one. If it's a one day at SAGE, that's ok. If it's here in NM, I'll definitely be there!!

Lets band together and make sure that this event happens in 2013!!

The Mesilla Valley Model Airplane Club will gladly help in any and every way that we can, I guarantee that!

-- the markster

So a lot of us have decided to skip the AZ open due to the lack of organization. However, we are starting to register for Utah. Also if we don't do the AZ open I wonder if we can go to Los Cruses and have a small in state event?