|
For the past 18 months items, notices chat etc that I have
posted on the front page have been overwritten and lost as
new items events have happened. In future all items will
be added to this page so my musing/ramblings/rantings can be kept
for future reference.
Chris Bishop Chairman GMFC
|
|
Chairman's Chat 14th July 2008. There has recently been a number of totally avoidable incidents leading to damage and in some cases the writing off of perfectly serviceable models. Transmitter aerial not extended, wrong model selected, failure to start timer on an electric model which lead to the battery running down in a non recoverable position, etc, etc. Now there is an excellent Members' Handbook (2007 Edition is still valid) produced for your benefit by the British Model Flying association. It forms part of the GMFC rules, that's why are rules are quite simple, we don't rewrite large passages of this into our rules but they do ask that you operate within the guidelines laid out in Members' Handbook. To this point I do not think it unfair to ask that all flying members have a rudimentary knowledge of the advice it contains. I know the Handbook contains a lot of "what's this got to do with me?" items. OK so knowing the management structure of the BMFA or safety codes for organising flying displays is not going to help you to fly a model any better. But knowing the contents of pages 28/29 "Radio Control Flying Safety & Pre Flying session Checks just might if only it helps keep your model in one piece thus allowing you to get more airtime will improve you flying no end. So be "BeSMART" and if you don't know what that means then you need to follow up on this missive. Chris B
|
|
Chairman's Chat 27th May 2008. Another dreadful/typical British Bank holiday weekend, very wet and very windy, well it was in Gloucester. This had followed a week of very benign weather in which I had managed to fly six evenings in a row, in some of the most superb conditions possible. Little to no wind, overcast and dry making evening flying a real treat. Sadly only a few members took advantage with the same faces out every night. Darren used the evenings to get to grips with his Raptor 30 while the rest seemed to spend all the time flying his little Flying Wings "Blitz". I bought a rather unusual airframe on E.bay on Saturday, should be airborne next weekend watch the "blog" for details. It came with the plan and the magazine in which it featured. Radio Modeller, September 1993. Reading this showed how things have drastically changed in nearly 15 years. Did we really have so little choice back then! It's mainly in black and white, there's no ready built models, only a couple of electric models (if you look hard) and no internet addresses. Of the advertisers probably only a handful are still in business (under the same name) and the choice of kits available seems very limited with only half a dozen manufacturers, nice to see some of these are still going 15 years later. Prices also are quite steep the first of the "budget" computer sets the JR X347 was not long out, it had seven channels and a miserly four model memory, complete with receiver & four NER 517 servos would set you back just over £400.00. Compare that with today, a Spectrum DX7 with 20 model memory 2.4 Ghz receiver and servos for nearly half the price. Mini and micro servos had just started appearing "at a price" early Hitec micros were £25.00 each. An OS 70 FS Surpass (four stroke I/C engine) would set you back £180.00 in 1993, today the latest version the "OS 70 FS Surpass MkII" is now £170.00. No comment about the cost but the fact that 15 years later the same motor (OK Mk II) is still on sale says something for the lasting quality of the design. There are people who bemoan the "directions" the hobby has gone in. Sorry chaps I would much rather have the choice, variety and current prices that our "one world" market place of 2008 offers. Chris Bishop |
|
Chairman's Chat 7th May 2008.Phil has nearly "finished" rebuilding/republishing the clubs website. The phrase "finished" is a bit premature as a web site it is never going to be finished. I must express a big vote of thanks from all the membership and especially from myself for all the work he has put in. I know how long and tedious the job of republishing the site was, I had been just putting it off, with the result the job just got bigger and bigger. Phil and myself will continue to add pages and items. Phil will keep the blog going with the occasional input of a few choice words from myself. This way we can avoid the frequent large gaps when I am away, plus Phil seems to be able to get far better flying shots than I do. I will be adding further technical articles including "finishing" the getting started pages (honest). However we do need further contributions from club members, model reviews, learning experiences, use of simulators or even just a few lines about a days flying. The odd photo also. You don't have to have web skills just a few notes will do even better if you can do it in "word" we can do the rest. If you do spot a mistake, broken links, missing pictures, wrongly named person/model or even any grammatical errors please let Phil know. See address at bottom of page. It's over a month since the clocks changed but nobody seems to have told the weather. According to the records there were 12 dry days in April! Somebody must have left the lid "on" the rain gauge as it didn't seem like it to me. Despite this several new members have been out flying between the showers. Quite a few new helicopter pilots, this is causing a few problems will write more on this very soon. Personally I didn't quite get all the flying in I would have liked, still have to perfect my helicopter circuits, but I have been able to catch up on the building program. Chris Bishop
|
 |
|
|