71" Seagull Models Pilatus PC9

Since last Christmas I have been preparing this model for flight. One of the biggest holdups was that the fuel was syphoning out of the tank and flooding the inverted SC FS180 four stroke engine. That has now been resolved.

That means that today I have been able to tune the engine and commit to the air for a maiden flight. The flight was intentionally short, serving just totrim the controls, test the stall and of course land. 

Spa Sounds

Not so long a go I was fortunate enough to visit Wrenbury Church where my brother and his wife were setting up to record a live performance later that evening. It was a good opportunity for me to take some publicity photographs of Michael & Julia's 'Spa Sounds' at work which I hope they will find useful. 

The state of the art recording equipment was very interesting and I was able to observe the numerous adjustments he was making to the sound quality whilst the choir was practicing. Unfortunately I couldn't stay for the live recording session but I have heard the resulting CD and whilst I'm no expert  I would still say it was very good quaility indeed.

IPJnet Web Design - keeping busy

More work for Middlewich Town Council on their web site, Middlewich Heritage & moving Middlewich Vision to the MTC site has kept me quite busy. On top of that  Middlewich Clean Team have been busy and as result there has been plenty to do on their web site too.

The SCRCS web site is fine but I've a lot of ideas for improving that so I'll fit that it when I can.

Looks a new project is on the way, no names at the moment but discussions with the owner of narrow gauge railway have lead to a request to develop a web site, just waiting for a signature on the contract... Details in due course!

Delyn Traplet Unlimited Scale Flying Competition

Well in my last post I hoped for calm weather for my SE5a and what did we have? 14 mph base wind and 28 mph gusts that's what! My friend Mike Amphlett, who took a very nice large spitfire & myself had to consider whether to take part or not.

The winds have not been kind to us this year and consequently my windy weather flying skills are not bad, all the same I had to make a practical decision between the wish to take part and the ability of the aircraft & myself to safely take to the air. The Delyn field is more open than I'm used to and so is not subject to as much turbulence as my home field so that was cause for being optimistic. I kept an eye on the wind sock during the setting up period, in particular how savagely it moved about and really it wasn't that severe.

SE5a to fly in the next scale competition

There will be another scale flying competition at Delyn, North Wales on 12/09/2010 which I am intending to compete in. This time I will be flying my old and trusted Ripmax SE5a which I have been flying for about 6 years now.

I recently gave the model a refurb and fitted a few extra scale like features absent from the original. It is fitted with an SC52 4 stroke engine which is perfect match power wise and sounds great. It has (touching wood) been extremely reliable; I have only adjusted the fuel mixture very occasionally in all the years I've had it though I think that the valves are now in need of adjustment so I'll look at that very soon.

Compared to the Stampe RV-4B this is a much smaller model and doesn't cope with the wind so well, so I'm hoping for some calmer weather this time.

Vanguard Workwear - Update

My credit card company has succesfully got my money back.

EPILOGUE:

I ordered the same overalls from C.J. Safety Ltd via Ebay and when the delivery date had passed I emailed them to regarding the non delivery. I received a polite reply offering a better quality product in it's place and that I should confirm that was my wish in a phone call to them. I phoned and the overalls arrived the next day. Excellent! Things don't always go right but when the retailer concerned then takes repsonsibility and promptly sorts it out then I'm happy. Vanguard should have done the the same, they didn't, so in future in it's C.J. Safety for me.

Vanguard Workwear

I recently had dealings with Vanguard Workwear that were far from satisfactory. It seems that others have had problems too - see http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2298873

The matter is now being followed up by my credit card company.

The sequence of emails below illustrate what happened to me.

Unlimited Scale Model Flying Competition

On the 11th July 2010 we held the Traplet sponsored Unlimited Scale Flying Competition at our field. The weather was dry but the wind was stronger than we hoped for or expected. There were some other snags too but all the same the event went ahead and was very successful.  The judge, Phil Kent, made it clear from the outset that though this was a competition it was just as much about enjoying ourselves as anything else. The friendliness of the visiting pilots contributed greatly to the pleasure and they were certainly a calming influence on those of us that were new to performing in this way.

There were 11 entries, which is about average for these events and certainly a good number given the conditions. As anticipated the more experienced pilots scored the highest but we were prepared for that with the Dave Cruickshank awards for the highest scoring participants new to scale flying competition.

Thanks to all those involved in competing, spectating and organising. A good time was has by all. Ultimately the greatest appreciation & applause should  go posthumously to Dave Cruickshank as it was he that set out to bring the event to SCRCS and it would not have happened without his involvement. Well done Dave.

Results as follows:

1st place Richard Thomas,  Stuka.

2nd place Collin Terry, Lil Toot

3rd place Graham Green,  extra 260

Dave Cruickshank Memorial Award Winners:

1st place  Martin Coles,  Spitfire

2nd place Pete Daniel,  Extra

3rd place Mike Amphlett,  Spitfire

A report on this event is also in the Best In Scale pages of the October 2010 issues of Radio Control Model World.

Getting Ready For Competition

South Cheshire Radio Control Society is running it's first ever Traplet Unlimited Scale Flying Competition on 11th July 2010.

My friend the late David Cruickshank wanted me to fly his 1/4 scale Stampe biplane in the competition and I will do so. I need some practice but it's coming along ok.

Cheshire Show Success

Together with other members I went to the Cheshire Show 23-24/06/2010 to celebrate & promote 10 Years of the Mid Cheshire Barn Owl Conservation Group.

Our display won the award for the best display in the marquee.