Diary May month 2002

DAY .. 30.May-2002
-13:00h - Aaah finally the rain stopped! I was hoping for some training again and went to Storefjell were the Wizard Compact II went for a spin. Had some great action especially since I had changed battery and not checked the CG... It flew even better with the CG 10mm further back than normal (now at 115mm). It might need to be back at 105mm at the winch but when is this machine going to thermal again ???... I think this slope can also be used for DS but not with the SW 5-10m/s that was today.
-15:00h - A few hundred meters down from the slope the Klanten airport was waiting for me. Set up the winch in 90 degrees crosswind but at the time I was finished the wind came from the back at 2-4m/s. Was really curious about the way this model starts in that way so I let the winch stay and tried some "all the way around" starts. This means I had to pump the line holding power untill the model could get upwind on the line. I am not perfect at this but two launches with over 20min flying time and one that I fell off is just what I wanted to feel :-) Check the picture with the tape streamer on the antenna... Its backwind allright!

DAY .. 26.May-2002
-12:00h - Raining and no wind other than down in the valley (thermal activity I guess). Went for a drive into the mountains on a road I have never been before from Heggenes and beyond Yddin. The mountain "Skaget" looked promising but a long walk was not what I wanted today when there was no wind and some rain-showers with sun between them. I ended up throwing a few times the Select at "Vesleskag" on about 1200m. Tried to fool the man behind the camera (self-timer) as you can see on picture 2 and several throws later I ended up with a broken tail on picture 3..... Hoping for nice weather tomorrow!

DAY .. 24.May-2002
-17:00h - Royal wedding here in Norway but I managed to get both my wife and son out for a flight-session with the winch. Same weather as the last days but with some sunshine and 17 degrees at almost 1000m above sea level its nice up here. A picture can never be perfect and sometimes I am distracted by nice models or nice... This time you can see for yourself.... She is still my wife after many years of model flying. Strange... must be love.

DAY .. 23.May-2002
-12:00h - More Superior and winch launch on the airplane field "Klanten". Today it must have been great on the slope but i have no time for that with the new model. The wind was 4-8m/s and i moved the towhook all the way back as far as it went. It now starts even better and there was no problem stalling the winch (Hollenbeck F3B-winch). Sadly it started to rain after 3 hours.....
DAY .. 22.May-2002
-18:00h - After 15 starts on the winch I am almost ready for a competition..... First flights involved 5 thermal starts, 5 speed starts (1000g lead) and 5 distance starts (500g lead). I ended up with a CG on 100mm and the tow hook apx 4mm forward of this (probably needs to be more backwards). Anyhow it looks fine and is still in one piece :-) When I think it over this is probably the best F3B/J-plane that I have owned since I mostly have bought separate F3J and F3F-planes. Should be fun also to try it at the slope. All my control throws are in the technical pages at the Pike-site. The wind today at a local airplane field (Klanten 800m of grass left by the German army) was 3-6m/s and all my starts were at 45-90 degrees crosswind.

DAY .. 21.May-2002
-12:00h - On my way back home from Ørebro I stopped at a local slope in "Østfold" called "Skinnerflo". This place is not big but should have potential to be a really good DS-place with the right wind. Sadly the wind was 50-60degrees wrong but I got a nice flight with the X-wing. The right wind here should be either 240degrees or 150degrees and from 5-6m/s. Either way should be ok. There is a small field on top to land on but the farmer have said no to land there........
How to find it ? : Drive the 110 from Råde to Fredrikstad and take left over the railroad at Missingmyr. After about 1-2km take right thru a farm and right onto the slope. If you come from Fredrikstad you can see the slope right over the water.

DAY .. 18-20.May-2002
-00:00h - 86 Pictures from Ørebro open can be found HERE.
Report in Norwegian txt can be found HERE.

DAY .. 15.May-2002
-13:00h - Nice weather but no time for the big slopes today. Went by a local field that might also be a good DS-spot if the wind is right. Today the was only a small breeze so the Organic was used. This spot might need a bungee to work with bigger planes but the valley is only 100m away so the Organic easily picked thermals from hand throw and I had a nice time. Testflew the DS-pattern just for the fun of it a few times just to get the feels of were to fly next time the wind is picking up. Tried to take some pictures while flying but nothing really good came out of it.
--BTW Not a single comment on my English txt. Only a few live ones and a SMS. Dont like it ? / Like it ? Send me an email
DAY .. 14.May-2002
-13:00h - Almost went for a long walk today up a new slope I wanted to check out. I say almost because I chickened out and went for a 200m walk instead... "Gurisethøgda" (1050 meter) was the name of the place and is probably very good for DS if the wind is like it was today. I only took a couple of spins but were a little bit careful since I will have to use the Wizard in Ørebro open this weekend. The south-west side (frontside today) is not very good but with some thermals I had a good time in the sunny and warm weather.
-16:00h - Just home for some dinner before the local field was due to some rally-driving... The local club just got a new land-mover and I just had to take it for a spin! So while Geir-atle gave the earth some growth material I had a good time sitting driving...

DAY .. 11.May-2002
-14:00h - Aaah finally some more DS-action!! Brought my son up to 1001m above sea-level and in 8-10m/s we were in heaven (that means me not my son...). The Compact was loaded with 500g of lead and this small slope really rocked today. I have never flown this model faster and in the thermals that came in all the time the wings really went for some bending in some of the turns!! I can see why some want extra carbon when pushing the limits with this model. But I still don't want to have a new model because it was rock solid thru the turns and only once I managed to do a high-speed flick. That was after a turn that was all too hard just to test it out. The DS behind me was working today. But still with the layer way higher than yesterday it is all to much trees and stuff in the way. Maybe I was a little bit lucky also because I pushed the model way down below the trees and even managed to get some photos at the same time..... What wouldn't we do for some good air-shots...

DAY .. 10.May-2002
-17:00h - When you are allergic and the spring is on the move there is only two places to be. 1. the cellar 2. high in the mountains. I kind of like the mountains better... strange.
Today there was 6-7m/s wind and the Wizard Compact II was a perfect tool on the slope. Same slope as yesterday but more wind gave me plenty of room to do some aerobatics and test this slope for DS. Sadly there were to many trees to get really deep into the DS-groove but it can be done here also. The landing here is not big but smooth and easy. That didn't stop me from hitting a small rock with the tow-hook...( see picture ) It seems me that the hook is not glued at all in this plane hmm have to consult ET-AIR.
The next event is Ørebro Open in Sweden on the 18-19.may. This is a Euro tour F3B-event and I hope to have received my new Pike Superior by then (should be on a flight from samba now).

DAY .. 9.May-2002
-17:30h - I have spent all day long sitting in a warm office trying to get a grip on my friends pc. He is like all others infected by the "klez-virus". Anybody never heard of it??? That's what I thought... Finally back home eating the dinner I found myself so restless that I just had to look towards the mountains. 25min later I was on the slope and feeling 2-4m/s breeze in my face. Not enough for the Compact but the Organic with a bit of ballast works just fine. The place I went to is called Storefjell and on 1001m over sea-level this place has its own big hotel and off course a nice slope just 30m from the cocktail-bar. If you drive further 200m up the ski-slope you will find another slope.
DAY .. 6.May-2002
-12:30h - Frank Olav Øyen is a guy in the club that I actually can say that I have learned to fly. I can remember him as a 14 year old kid running around with my lawn mover to earn his way for a few gallon of fuel... Well that is a long time ago. He is now 6 years older and he is driving me to the field! Anyway I brought the Select DLG and the X-wing while he started his noisy 40 size "Pink-Panther". Nice weather but to much wind from the wrong direction to find any good thermals.

Full brake, wind 2m/s and the last hand on the camera-trigger.... Who did fly did you say ?

Fences are there for a reason... to make your balls higher!!!

DAY .. 3-4.May-2002

Me ready with the Pike Superlight. Photo: Inge Balswick

-08:30h Friday - On my way to Sweden with Inge Balswick another member of the national team F3J 2002. We arrived in Sweden at 17:00h and unpacked the models and a bungee with 25m line. This is enough for some great practice with launch heights of up to 60-70m. The Swedes wanted to arrange for a winch but we just said: "The bungee is enough for 10 min flights..." My first flight with the Pike Superlight was for 7min and 21seconds so it was almost true..! The competition was held in Herrljunga, Sweden and the guys here are a great bunch of people. They have a small whole house and all the planes are stacked ready assembled and ready for the next day. The evening was used to fix some of Inge's problem with a servo and looking at Mattias Carlsson having problem programming his Graupner radio while we relaxed with a beer.

-07:30h Saturday - Early as usual on a competition day we were ready to fly at 09:00h but the fog was not really low. I tested a few starts but it always ended up in the smog and had to leave the zoom with speed-run down to clear weather. The competition leader Kurt (with the words: "Kurt decides most") wanted to test a new start technique that sounded fun. We used a normal 150m line and pulley but with the line attached were the pilot was. This meant 75m line and off course a quicker and lower start. I was off course! ready to test the start method and with one runner this was working just fine. We decided to run the competition like this and the whole first round was completed with 5min working time. This was really fun and of detailed results we can see that 70-80% of the comp. managed to get full time in the fog. Second round was "as normal" again but with the new rules almost in place. Us Norwegians always started with two men direct (we were set up with two Swedes Rolf-Erik Blomdahl and Mattias Johansson. A big thanks to them) and our starts was almost always on top of the others. Inge was using his new Eraser Extreme the two first rounds but had a problem with a servo and had to use his "old" Esprit the last two rounds. All day it had been raining a bit and this competion really showed who could stick to that last drop of nice air loooong way down the wind or just "hang tight" above some trees. After 4 rounds I was in 4th place and Inge was in 6th. 5 pilots went to the finals and therefore I was ready for some action. Sadly my two Swedish runners had to throw in the towel. This meant that I only had one runner and my usual spotter had to run for me. I switched planes and instead of the usual Pike Superlight I wanted to do a final test to see if the Organic was up to it. Off course this wasn't the case and after 4 starts in the two finals I ended up in 5th place.
The event was really nice and with 19 pilots on the line we also managed to sell a lot of tickets in our big aeromodelling raffle for F3J.no. Thanks for a nice weekend and see you next year!
A few links: Norwegian report on this event and English report. Also see the aeromodelling club of Herrljunga and A LOT more pictures at Eurofoto.

DAY .. 2.May-2002
-12:30h - Just a little trip on a field up from Fagernes but enough to get thermals on every launch. This is what the Organic really is good for... Hand launch!! Arild hagabråten was also with me and borrowed the X-wing for a little spin.
-19:00h - Final flight before the night.... Select DLG is still going strong now with new tail and removed rudder servo. I could not get it to be stable and at the same time light.

Flyby with the Organic. Picture Arild Hagabråten

Jojo in for a landing. Picture Arild Hagabråten

Januar 2002 - Det er kaldt, vinter, elektroflyging, men også plutselig varmegrader og årets første 12min termikktur. Fikk endelig slept i gang Mini-phønix'n og har testet en ny X-wing fra Flying wings i Stavanger.
Februar 2002 - Begynner å komme meg etter ryggoperasjonen og heldigvis..! kom den nå når det ikke er flysesong. Det viktigste som skjedde i Februar var opprettelsen av flere domenenavn: F3J.no (landslaget F3J) og VFKM.no (Valdres Flyklubb Modell). Klubben fikk seg også ny Skanner.
Mars 2002 - Dette ble en skikkelig modellflymåned!! Nye NM-regler på danskebåten, test av Diablotin for MI, Fagernes Flyshow, Årsmøte NAK, slepetreff Starmoen og Krystall Cup på Jevnaker (3'de plass). Endelig har også vinsjen kommet seg ut av dvalen igjen. Fremdeles ikke helt god i ryggen, så jeg må hjelp til de tyngste løftene med vinsjen.
April - Over to English writing and nobody has complained yet (and almost nobody has said anything at all about it). This month has finally brought slopeflying and some DS again. I have also brought home a second place in 3x12min electro competition with the Organic electro.
May - Ah finally spring was in the air and both DS and two major competitions both in Sweden. In Yellow Eagle trophy I managed to get to the finals and in Ørebro my receiver went carzy but had a good time flying the Organic. Cool. Finally the Superior arrived and that were interresting.

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