Small Flying Arts

Peanuts were the subject of the July OFFC contest held this morning. I didn't have one although I do have one on the board (A Wittman D-12 Bonzo, and no, I'm not going to kit it.) but with other modeling commitments, i did not have a chance to finish it. Although other members were there with models to fly only four brought Peanuts.

Don Butman had his usual small air force, a Pilatus Porter, a Farman Mostique, and a Preti PR.2 Saltafossi. ( Think that name translates to "ditch jumper".) He also brought a Dimer that he didn't fly last month and a Guillow's 500 Series Spitfire that is for the Black Sheep Squadron's 500 Series contest next month. (That's August 07, shameless plug, PM me for details if interested.)
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Dave Gee brought a very interesting Santos Dumont Demoiselle that he had not trimmed before the contest. It took the entire contest to get it to fly, unfortunately damaging it requiring shop repair before what could have been a contest changing flight.[attachment=2]Demoiselle_1.jpg[/attachment]

Joe Whiting had a small air force himself with a Pistachio scale Heinkel 100 that the CD decided qualified, a Hawker Hurricane that was not feeling it today, and his old Yak 9 that looked as though it had been at the front too long.

Bill Watson brought his immaculate Fike...Enough said![attachment=0]Judging.jpg[/attachment]

The air conditioning fans were on but most of these little models had high enough wing loading to get penetration even though the times were not as long as expected. The Demoiselle (8 grams) was the only one to have noticeable problem with the fans.

Results:
[list]
[*] 1. Bill Watson 99.6 seconds
[*] 2. Don Butmsn 46.4 (Saltafossi)
[*] 3. Dave Gee 41.1
[*] 4. Joe Whiting 39.8 (Heinkel)[/list]

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Next month's contest is RTP Speed. I know that at least Bill Watson, Dave Gee, and myself will compete.

Have you ever heard of an indoor contest being blown out? Well, that nearly happened at the June 29th O.F.F.C. A6 competition at the Stonehurst Recreation Center.

The contest, itself, was sparsely attended, in part, due to the high cost of fuel and the 100+ degree (F) heat in the San Fernando Valley. There were only three actual contestants so, the CD (myself) decided that the usual best of four flights rule in this gym would be waived in favor of unlimited flights until the session limit (11:30 AM). The winners are usually about four minutes in this gym under a 23 foot ceiling (clear to the lights). After the trimming flights the competition started. Dave Bellenger got in one decent flight and then the air conditioning fans came on.

For the last several years the control of the air conditioning in the Los Angeles Parks Department gyms has been by a computer in the central office. There is no local control of the air conditioning system. Although the outside air temperature was already at the century mark the interior of the gym was quite pleasant and we saw no reason for the system to be on but there it was. The air flow from the overhead fans was strong enough to drive a flying A6 to the floor. When weighing one of the models, to insure it met minimum weight, we were shocked to see it apparently get lighter on the scale. Noticing the prop was spinning in the breeze I realized that it was actually getting lift. Someone had to stand immediately in front of the model to shield it from the air flow to get the true weight!

I considered declaring the contest blown out but we waited, patiently, (with some uncomplimentary commentary about the centralized HVAC system) and it finally shut down. The air in the room remained stirred up causing some unusually exciting flights for A6 competition. Models drifted, bounced off the walls, went over the bleachers and back into the room, circled the posts that are off to the side of the room without hitting, were upset by the air currents but recovered and generally caused a lot of laughter while achieving over three minute flights.

Paul Avery was first with a 4:17 flight, Dave Bellenger was second with a 3:49, and Gary Teti with a model he built the night before and had trouble getting trimmed was third with a 0:28 official flight.

KF

When we last left the intrepid fliers of the Old Farts Flying Club they were about to have their monthly contest for April. This time it was NoCal and the members that participated were enthusiastic. Several interesting models were flown from 1930’s civilian to War Birds to Jets to modern Civil. Bill Watson brought a Corsair that he built some time ago and a new Zero. Gary brought his 10 (20?) year old Panther. Don brought a small air force including a Hughes Racer, a Farman, an Extra EA-500,and a Lockheed Air Express. Dave had a new Cessna. Joe had an AVIA 99 (Czech Bf-109) in Israeli markings and a Zero. I had my Buffalo and P-36.

The finishers were 1st Bill, Corsair, 2nd Don, Extra EA 500, 3rd Howard, Buffalo.

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On May 25, they gathered for the next monthly contest for Dime Scale although, since Joe Whiting was the CD and he uses his somewhat relaxed rules, it was called 9-cent Scale. Under the 9-cent Scale rules 10 points were given for ROG take offs and 10 points for multi-wings. This time there were only four contestants, Dave Gee, Bill Watson, Joe Whiting, and Don Butman. As usual, while most contestants brought a model Don Butman, the prolific modeler he is, brought a small air force.

The winner was Bill Watson who was the only contestant with no ROG points! Joe Whiting was second, Dave Gee third and Don Butman was fourth. I did not have a model completed due to other commitments and just took pictures.

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The only, official, outdoor O.F.F.C contest of the year is the mid-June Predicted Time/Spot Landing contest held on the Stonehurst Recreation Center field. This year it was held on June 15th, a somewhat breezy morning that made a shambles of the Spot Landing part of the program. In Spot Landing, three attempts are allowed to get within 25 feet of the flag where a 25 foot tape measure is attached to measure the distance to the model. I managed to get my Skinny Bomber to 13 feet 10 inches from the flag (I did better that later in an unofficial flight.) and I was the only one to get a model within 25 feet of the flag and so won the spot landing. For Predicted Time you have to write down your flight time on the card before you launch. There is a 15 second minimum and you get 3 attempts. I didn’t do so well in predicting my flight times.

The results were:

Dana Wall 0.0 seconds off (Yes, he had an exact time, not unknown in this contest.)
Joe Whiting 0.1
Gary Teiti 0.5
Bill Watson 0.7
Dave Gee 1.0
Howard Littman 1.6
Don Butman 3.0

How well do you think you would do with predicting the flight time of a rubber-powered model before you launched it?

Sorry, I don't yet have pictures from the outdoor contest,

The O.F.F.C. contest for March was for Embryo. Once again a doctor's appointment took precedence and I was not present. However, Dave Gee provided enough information for an O.F.F.C. page in the Black Sheep Exhibition Squadron newsletter and I have attached the page.

KF


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The February contest, Delta Dart Built On-Site went off on February 23. The weather was nasty the day before and weather reports anticipating that it would continue kept the attendance down. This was unfortunate since, while all the contest are fun, this one is singularly enjoyable. The report on the contest from the Black Sheep Squadron newsletter is attached.

KF

The resumed schedule of the O.F.F.C. monthly contests continues. Due to maintenance in the gym the contest was held February 2nd. I had the embarrassment of my brand new Minnow refusing to fly. I borrowed a spare Minnow from Dave Gee, who brought several of various vintages, and, at least, put some time on the board. The report page on the contest from the March Black Sheep Exhibition Squadron newsletter is attached.

KF

The annual Martin Luther King Day fun fly and contest held by the Black Sheep Exhibition Squadron and O.F.F.C., [b][i]The King Fling[/i][/b], will not be held this year. The field at the Stonehurst Recreation Center has been graded for reseeding and is fenced off. Next year.

KF

YES, the OFFC is back in business as an indoor flying club. The City Parks Department has let us back into the Stonehurst Rec Center gym...but with a few conditions.

We are officially known to the City as the “All Year Model Airplane Club. We are open to anyone, not just senior Black Sheep members (Well, we always have been.) They charge us a facility fee of $15 per person for three months, payable at the Park Director’s office. That’s $5 a month which is not bad for facilities fees these days. You must provide proof of Covid vaccination and a photo ID when you sign up. We are supposed to wear masks in the gym.

Our first contest since the shutdown will be on Wednesday, December 29, 2021.
The event is "ROG Almost Unlimited (no plastic or condenser paper covering)".

You can fly any rubber-powered FF indoor model you like, as long as it can make an unassisted take off from the floor. Unlimited attempts for your two best flights (unless airspace crowding limits the attempts).

Airframe dimensions, prop size, landing gear configuration, and construction materials are open (except that plastic film and condenser paper coverings are not allowed).
In celebration of this rebirth of the OFFC, Bill Watson himself will serve as CD for this inaugural contest.


Remember, we meet in the Stonehurst Recreation Center gym each Wednesday at 9am for aviation discussion and indoor model flying. .

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The Spot/Time contest went on as scheduled. I didn't compete since I had a doctor's appointment but Dave Gee gave me the results.

Spot-time (Closest to predicted time)

1 Dave Gee 0.4 seconds
2 Bill Watson 0.55 seconds
3 Don Butman 1.39 seconds

Spot-landing (Closest to flag)

1 Don Butman 14 feet
2 Barry Daugherty 16 feet
3 Bill Watson 25 feet

[b]
Yes, the contest that even Covid couldn't stop will happen again this year.

The O.F.F.C Spot-Landing/Spot Time contest will be held, on the field at the Stonehurst Rec Center,9901 Dronfield Ave, Sun Valley, CA on Wednesday, June 16 at 8:00 AM. The rules are the same as last year, any rubber powered model that can take off from a card table, 15 second minimum flight, spot landing and predicted flight time tasks.

Task 1: Land as close as possible to the flag planted at center of field.
Task 2: Fly as close as possible to the duration you predict/guess before each flight
• Pilots may use any rubber-powered FF model aircraft which can make an unassisted takeoff. No gadgetry.
• Must R.O.T. from tabletop (card tables are provided).
• Minimum flight time is 15 seconds.
• 4 attempts on each task.
• Tasks may be flown separately or together on the same flight.
• Flights under 15 seconds do not count as an attempt.
• Pilot is responsible for making sure each flight score is recorded.
• CD is Dave Gee 818-383-7651

KF[/b]