Back On A Slope At Last

My good friend Martyn Kinder wanted to design and build an aerobatic slope soarer which has the appearance of a modern moulded plastic missile but is actually constructed using traditional balsa/spruce and perhaps some glass cloth. 

Recent interest generated in Slope Soaring at our local club (South Cheshire RCS) helped fuel desire. And though not on our doorstep we are nicely located between the Peak District and the mountains of Snowdonia and of course the Great Orme. Our nearest slope is Bosley Cloud on the edge of the Peak District so that is where the Maiden flight took place. There's blog for the build of this model at http://www.modelflying.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=106263

Not having been on the slopes for some months and knowing there's afew rocks up on the top of Bosley Cloud I decided to play safe and take a coupkle of tough models, my SAS Fusion and HK Wicked Wing. I was particularly keen to fly the Wicked Wing because I have had a lot of trouble with the servos coming loose, which made for some pretty "interesting" flying. I have now glued the servos in with UHU Por contact adhesive and that seems to have done the job. So here's a video briefly covering our day:

New Web Sites Launched

As the needs of various organisations vary so do the reasons for having a website and the purposes of those websites.  Although IPJnet Web Developments is my business I sometimes find that organisations that have small budgets need a website creating but cannot afford to pay a commercial fee for one. Of course I don't just knock out free websites as soon as someone asks but where friends and associates are in need I do have a look at what can done.

Seven years ago I created a website for the Middlewich Clean Team and it has served well but the technology behind it was ageing and it could only be updated by me. Reviewing the type of update that were being made to their website it became apparent that most were either news items or photo gallery items - the sort of material commonly associated with with blogs. So the new website would amount to setting up a blog with some extra features. The choice of blog application to use was straight forward as it had to one that could easily be handed over to less experienced users to maintain and Google's "Blogger" fitted the bill nicely. I set up the blogger earlier this year and launched it in March, initially just with links to the old site for content then gradually the content from the old site has been moved into the blog. The same web address www.middlewichcleanteam.co.uk continues to be used so there is no disruption to existing links.

Soon after the completion of the Middlewich Clean Team website a friend asked for help to create a website for the Middlewich Handbell Ringers and it soon became apparent that once again a blog would do the job nicely. Once the details needed for the more or less static pages had been worked out the rest of the setup was straight foward so in June this year www.middlewichhandbells.co.uk was launched.

Finally, this Autumn an idea a friend had about making a publicly available database for researching problems with Radio Control aircraft was launched. This database is still in it's early days so far as content is concerned and we are keen to build up an editorial base of experienced Radio Control modellers. The JOOMLA powered site is growing nicely; it hasn't been cost free as I have had to add some extensions and I'm paying for the hosting so I will probably have to add a "Please Donate" button at some point just to make sure it pays for itself. Since it's about radio control, aircraft and it's a database the website name combines those features and is called RC Aerobase, the address being http://rcaerobase.ipjdev.co.uk/   

An update to my own website is long overdue, wonder when I'll get around to that!

Airbus Visit

On 5th September my model flying club (South Cheshire Radio Control Society) was invited to make a static display of models at the Airbus factory employees open day at Broughton, Nr Chester.

As a reward we were allowed access to the factory and follow the process of how the wings are manufactured. This is where all of the Airbus wings are made including those for the massive A380 series of aeroplane. The wings skins are held on a series of jigs as they are drilled and riveted by machines and huge cranes move them from one part of the factory to another.

 

Most wings are flown out on a Beluga aeroplane but the A380 wings are too big and are floated down the River Dee on a barge to Mostyn where they are transferred to a ship for France. Incidently a friend of mine is involved in the manufacture of some of the jigs and cranes, my brother was an apprentice here in the 1960s and my Grandfather was a toolmaker, so I have quite an interest in the site.

We were provided with a good sized fenced of display area and the eight of us set up our models just around the inside of the fence so that they could be easily viewed. We were pleasantly surprised by the interest shown and of course we were only too glad to talk about our favaourite subject. Although the day started off quite cold, once the sun came out it was quite barable and there was good humoured banter thoughout. A break for something to eat provided the opportunity for a quick photo of the team and I think I can speak for all of us when I thank Airbus for the opportunity to attend. I hope they'll have us back another time.

We were also fortunate that some full size aeroplanes present for static display too. Most had already irrived but we were thrilled to see the arrival and departure of the Spitfire PR9 and the Hurricane IIB.

Pictures below from top to bottom are: deHavilland Venom, Hawker Hurricane IIB, Supermarine Spitfire PR9.

Update from 1056 feet high

On holiday in Scotland on top of Maxwellston Hill. It's pretty windy up here.

The view is good though!

No Wind But Still Saw A Kite

Just out riding our bikes in Lily Lane, Byley, Cheshire when a bird flew from a roadside tree, recognised it straight away as a red kite, haven't seen one in Cheshire before. Great what you get to see on a bike.

Hello Hawks

I've previously mentioned that I was planning on getting an electrically assisted bike and after much searching, mostly in my wallet, I found somewhere I thought worth a visit where I could view and ride some bikes (eBikeShed). My wife and I went there and finding that the bike that best suited me cost more than I had hoped to spend, we left without making a decision. Then the next day I ordered two!

It looks like they are going to do the job. 30 years ago 36 miles on a bike would not have been anything to get excited about but times have changed and yesterday's ride was hugely significant. It was a big test of endurance for the the bikes and for me. It particularly answered the question as to whether the bike could look after me if I "ran out legs" which I did soon after turning back from the halfway point at Spurstow where we plugged in the chargers for an hour. 

The journey home was brilliant, we set off home with around 75% of charge in the batteries, that is just enough to light up the last of the four charge lights. When we re-passed Bunbury locks and used full power to get up the steep hill the power level went down to just 2 lights. Then on the on the level again and under less load all 4 lights came on again, so power conservation seemed highly necessary. We were carefull for a good while but after about half way we decided to run for home and selected the middle level of pedal assist (options being low, med & high) and that made an immense difference to the overall speed and of course the amount of effort we had to put in. So as a consequence of the better surface (tarmac V grass), the wind behind us and making good use of the pedal assist we were home in a rather unexpected 2 hrs! Still very, very tired though! There's no doubt that without the help of the motor I wouldn't have been able to do the 4.75 hours outward journey on often bumpy grassy canal tow-paths in the first place and I wouldn't have been able to get home on the relatively smooth back roads either.

This all bodes well for the bikes fulfilling the purposes we wanted them for. Years ago my wife didn't have a chance of staying with me on a bike, I just wasn't comfortable going so slow, then it changed the other way around and my fatigue meant I could hardly keep up with her let alone go any distance but now we can ride together. Another gain of course is the benefit of getting some exercise.

Our ebikes are "FreeGo Hawks", one a crossbar version and one a step through. They have 36v 10Ah batteries giving a range of around 30 miles. The 7 gears cover a good range with 1st gear being extra low to help with hill climbs and it removes the need for a twin chain wheel gear. I think it's worth mentioning here that one of the other bikes I considered ("Roodog Explorer") seemed very nice and it was a difficult decision to decide which to go for. In the end the deal that I was offered meant the "FreeGo Hawks" were a little dearer but were more suitable for us. The "Roodog Explorers" are mountain bike types whilst the "FreeGo Hawks" are more akin to the Dutch sit up straight style which as I have a stiff neck most of the time would be better. In addition we liked the full mudguards, battery powered lights (including a brake light), chain guard, rear pannier and less of a kick when the torque controlled motor engages.

We have completed about 60 miles on the bikes now and so far we have found the low power setting good enough for general use with a twist of the throttle for extra power when needed. Medium power gives a good boost and contributes to a much faster journey over smoother surfaces. We haven't had the need to use full power except briefly on steep hills. Often we have allowed the assist to help get the bike up to speed and then pedalled beyond the range of the assistance given at that power level, then if there's a need to slow down it's an easy job to get going again as the power assist smoothly comes in. Another alternative is to use pedal power, just using the throttle to get moving and an occasional boost when needed. When tired I found using the throttle alone for some distance is beneficial in that I can take a rest whilst still moving then resume with power assisted pedalling after while; alternating this pattern seems to be a good way of getting a tired body home.

 

Bye Bye Banana

My Raleigh Team Banana road racing bike has been unused for years, not just because I don't have the energy anymore but also because the roads seem so treacherous these days. One solution of course would be to avoid the narrow main roads with goods vehicles passing in opposite diorections leaving far too little room for a vulnerable cyclist; that pretty much confines me to going no where as all the roads leading out of town are of that nature. So what about off road cycle ways? Well that's my thinking but the wheels on my banana would never cope.

Time to for us to go our seperate ways and even though I haven't ridden it much in recent years it still feels like losing an old friend. So what about making a new friend that can cope with off road use. Yes that's the way I'm going but there's still the problem of quickly exhausting the available energy I have. Well I've been keeping an eye on the progress of electrically assisted pedal cycles for a long time and though the are still expensive they have developed to the point where in use they are entrirely practical. With a pedal assist range of 25-30 miles on average there's genuine benefit and a strong likelihood of being able to make it home again. I was amazed when I first tried one, they really do give pedal power a big boost.

There's a wide range of eBikes and reseach at the moment points towards a mountain bike style so now I have to find somewhere that stocks a good range and that I can try out.

Home Fires 2nd Series Announced

We had a great time as support artistes (that means extras!) in the filming of the first series of Home Fires and now a second series has been announced were hoping to get the call for that too. There's a short video clip on the Boss Casting Facebook site in which my wife and I both appear here.There was a fantastic friendly atmosphere in and around Bunbury where most of the filming was carried out and it was marvellous to actually see the series broadcast on ITV recently.

Since Home fires I've also worked in Close To The Enemy (BBC) in Liverpool and Midwinter Of The Spirit (ITVEncore) in Chester. I've been asked for availability for further television films so it looks like there's more work to come!

Cruising Coventry Canal

Spring is here and time to be getting about a bit and we've decided to try the Coventry Canal for a change. Back to our usual starting point at Mercia Marina with a hire boat from Avante our route took us along the now familiar Trent and Mersey canal to Fradley Junction. From there we turned into the Coventry canal.

We intended to go as far as Fazely Junction but made good progress, probably due to the absence of locks,  and ended up heading further south along the Birmingham and Fazely Canal for a few miles. Our daughter couldn't get enough time of work so she joined and left us at Branston which gave us the opportunity to visit the the Bridge Inn twice for some lovely Italian food.

We met some friends at Whittington for an afternoon and evening which also resulted in a pub visit when we reached Hopwas' this time the Tame Otter. Once again the food was excellent. The next day we visited a nature reserve near Drayton Bassett then started out return journey.

Just to make it seem like we spent all our time in pubs we also visited the the Burton Bridge Inn & Brewery. The brewery wasn't open but the pub was! Here we sampled all six of their beers, three each and no we weren't overdoing it at lunchtime because the "sample paddle" consisted of three 1/3 pints, so actually we only had a pint each. Once again food gets a mention. Hilary had faggots and I had a 6 oz burger made with beef from a local butcher, both very satisfying.

9 Trouble Free Flights

I had the Harmon Rocket out today for 3 flights, what a great flyer it is with a nice throaty four stroke engine. Also had 3 flights with the Mini Pred helicopter without crashing it and 3 flights with the little Tiger Moth in the calm late afternoon. I was at the field for 3 hours and I didn't check but I think the wind was probably 3 miles per hour!

All good things must come in threes then!