DAY ..
31.may - 1.June
2008 - Podhorany
Eurotour F3J
What a great weekend. The guys in Podhorany got
it together again and I had a nice time. One
needs a good organization to pull off an event
like this and they are few but works well. How
many places can you go and get food, bed,
drinks, competition, live band, timekeepers
(that stays out all weekend in +30C) for under
60EUR? But it was not the reason for going here.
I actually told them to increase the prices of
the full package. I was here because I know the
Czech and likes the guys. Even though not all
speak the same language we have a lot of fun. I took a direct flight from Norway to
Prague and got picked up by Jane (btw Jaroslav
wondered why no other comes? as they can
probably pick up more people..). We stopped for
some lunch, picked up a lot of water and pivo
before we headed to the field. It was too hot to
practice flying so we enjoyed watching the
others and had some Pivo. Went to a local
restaurant in the evening with some of the Czech
guys. All weekend was very hot with 30+ Celcius
(86F) and 0-2m/s gusting to 3-4 sometimes
mid-day after a thermal. Mostly wind 30-90
degrees from the side.
So any downsides at all? Yes - at many of the
events I participate they have limited space and
will shorten the distance of the launchmarks. We
must stop this. I know it has been common to do
so but the rules says 15m for a reason and that
is safety. There is also still a problem with
timekeepers that are tired after a long weekend
and in hot conditions. But most of this is fixed
I think in the new rules with the new landing
measurement (each 20cm the first 2m). We have
already introduced that in Norway.
And maybe fly 4 finals instead of two if the
weather and time permits? This was another event
that would be even better with 4 finals since we
had long lunches, 5min preptime the whole
saturday and was finished early sunday. Though I
do like that one gets the 5min preptime... ;)
Please don't take the wrong way as my words are
only thoughts and observations after an event
and after talking to others. If I felt very hard
about them I would say it to the organizers
before the event.. So they are meant as progress
for future events.
Found my scorecard (we get a copy each time we
fly). And comparing to the logs is cool (had the
zlog in for some of the flights)
-
1rd 9:54,2 100p. Nice start in 25C and many does
not fly full time.
Bit strange elevator setting
on launch
-
2rd 4:42,09 0. Pulled off after again a strange
elevator setting.
Trim was all down?? Other
settings ok. Very hot
-
3rd 9:52,6 100 (log1
red 6,4sec on line from log). Either or for people.
Some come down
really quick. Many flying tactical but can be
beaten hard.
-
4th 9:54,6 95 (log2
green 3,2sec on line from log).
Finds thermal but stays in the edge to
not show it.
Me and S. Feigl gets away in weak
evening conditions.
-
5th 9:52,1 100. Good start of the day. First off
and landing 1,6s before horn.
-
6th 9:52,6 100. Safe landing 2,5s before horn
just for safety into the finals. Some take too
short launches.
-
1st final 14:55,6 100. Sliced right thru Sterba
next to me in the zoom after a short launch. We
were too close for finals when all is launching
at the same time (10-12m). My model only got
small dent while Sterba's is toast. Made a deal
with Sterba after.
-
reflight 14:53,7 100 (log3
5sec on line from log).
Sterba this time was in my lane but only
touching of lines.
-
2nd final 4:34,2 60 (log3
2,8sec on line from log) and 8:14,5 100 (log3
5,2sec on line from log). Was
100% sure of thermal so hooked off extremely
early. Did not find it and had to get over to
the others but too late. Was sure to be last
when suddenly people were landing so relaunched
to save a few places.
Became 3rd after
prelim and 9 in final (62 pilots and 12 in
final)
-
Results from the organizers HERE -
Lots of pictures (many taken form video of
my new camera I bought in the taxfree Panasonic
Lumix FX35).
NEW Maybe a video
of the flying later. In the mean time
HERE is the "real" story...
DAY .. 27.may
2008 - Perfect SL
Dead tired but I figured I had to use the nice
weather to get some launches on my Perfect SL
that I felt was not in trim in the weekend. Got
8 flights in and offcourse had to get some
notches in the leading edge on it... But it was
good to get out flying and I did trim it out a
bit and got some short launches checked out for
the weekend as I am going to Podhorany Eurotour
F3J. By the time I write this the damage is
repaired and models packed in the box.
DAY .. 24-25.may
2008 - F3J
National Cup in F3J and people are excited for
the points. Maybe there is a new era in National
teams in Norway. Lets hope so. Arrived on
Saturday for some practice and talk with the
National for Turkey this year but the rain was
poring down on us most of the day and we were
busy talking about an Trike accident the day
before (A two seater microlight that wiggled
into the airfields toilet). Sad story. Lets hope
they will be fine. Sunday morning we woke up to
sun and calm winds from the North. 18 pilots
entered in 4 teams and we flew 4 rounds
preliminary before we ended it all with 2
finals. The conditions were rather unique as we
had everything from booming thermals going into
spiky one and really soft. In the last finall it
was totally dead air and the differences in
flying time was next to nothing. It was easy to
do huge mistakes and some did. A nearby treeline
was good to hang around as the thermals washed
off there all the time but could fool the best
also. I even did a short launch in the last
round but had to really work for it. In the
finals I was a little too pumped up. I had
rushed over for my Superlight and did not calm
down enough. That left me not planning ahead and
cruised around for a good thermal instead of
working what I had for the weak conditions.
Conny Andersson from Sweden won the respect in
that one working a low thermal to get almost
full time. I got the second final but the margin
was not big enough. Conny won it (flying Aspire)
with a good flying Arnfinn Lie in second (also
Aspire), Lennart Arvidsson in third (Perfect)
and me in 4th (Perfect). A nice day out in the
sun and very interesting. Lesson: Use what
you find and dont leave it in Nordic conditions.
The sink is heavy outside...
Also nice to see that Finn after the competition
had fixed my "old" Skymax4 and was VERY happy
finally having a X-tail F3B model. Now his older
Spacewolf can rest a bit (also one I had).
Results HERE - Jojo's
logs in preliminaries HERE
DAY .. 19.may
2008 - Extra 300
Out with the Extra 300 again and this time with
new mufflers on the mufflers?!! Seem to work and
the noise went down quite a bit. Would be nice
to use if there are noise restrictions on an
event. The power was still very nice and now the
smoke did not manage to attach the model so
much. I used diesel and lamp oil 50/50 and it
works ok. The engine also worked well in the
altitude (800m) and checking the logger showed
some fades in one antenna while the others had
none. So no lost frames and no holds on the
Spectrum system (AR9100). Arild flew his new
Ultimate (I also flew a flight with it. Lovely).
No problems for him other than one kevlar wire
on the tail braking. He was smiling from ear to
ear. We did have some difficulty starting it but
I think it was because the needles were way off
by some reason. The prop was also a bit big so
he went down a bit (30x12 Menz) instead of the
32B Vess (he is waiting for a 32A). His motor
was very quiet due to small internal canisters.
We also checked his use of current on the
servos. With the stick rolling around he had
9,5A on the main system at the most and 1A just
holding. On the rudder he was up in 4A moving
the stick around hard.
More pictures
of Arild's Ultimate HERE - And more of
my Extra HERE
(that is for sale because I have an idea of
another Extra)
DAY .. 10-12.may
2008 - Norway Open F3F Eurotour
First
day of Norway Open F3F and we ended up on
Obrestad for some slooooow F3F in minimum
conditions. The slope is not the best but the
organizers managed to squeeze out 4 rounds of
the bad conditions so the contest at least was
official. To hot on the west coast. Sunday we
all went to Bokn on the Haugesund side and
started flying at 14:00? in nice conditions.
Only 4-5m/s at sealevel but this slope doubles
that easily and we should have been able to fly
some flights below 40 but ended with a 40,?
something that Arild Møllerhaug got with his
Aris. I flew a 42,5 with my Skymax4 (have video)
and several nice ones before I stuffed it in the
soft vegetation and had to go down for my
Crossfire V. Missed a turn and in the effort to
get a quick turn spinned it in the steep hill
for a small crunch in the tip. I give everything
in a competition and would have done it again ;)
Though I did check my CG and had to adjust it
5mm forward (The 2,4 rx is lighter...). Lots of
good flights from many and as the Germans said
when they were asked if we should stay longer:
"We love Norway and fly until the sun go down".
I guess the had a nice time ;) Angus Lee from
China flew some great runs to almost be the
speedmaster. Nice guy also. We ended at 19:30?
and maybe just as well as we were tired all of
us after a super day in 7-10m/s winds (measured
with Kåre Åreskjold's new wind meter/direction
meter that produces average results from each
flight).
Sunday the organizers tried to start early but
before we had the course set up the winds were
down to 3-4,5m/s on Reve that is not the biggest
slope in the world but can be good from 6-7m/s.
The jury decided to stop the competition without
saying too much about why. Good we stopped I
think as the test flying afterwards showed very
soft flying. All in all actually a very nice
weekend. I wish we had more helpers so the
organizers and pilots can relax a bit more. Most
of us took a turn at the bases but we all get
worn out and tired after a long weekend. Wonder
how tired I will be after 10 days at the Viking
Race this year? I need a sleeping bag at the
slope ;)
Espen Torp won with his Racem X-tail with Bjørn
Tore Hagen and Dag Skoglund flying Freestyler on
the next places.
Great writeup from
Tom Erik in Norwegian HERE (with nice
pictures and results)
Have some videos. Large ones so mostly for those
extremely interested.. (right click and
download)
Vøringsfossen (202mb) -
Haugaland and some Obrestad (248mb) -
Obrestad and Bokn ( 280mb)
DAY .. 7-9.may
2008 - Haugaland Open F3F
Went for a long weekend on the west coast for
F3F and having fun with friends. Stopped in the
"Vøringsfossen" as "usual" and this time I flew
my Pike Perfect with electro and onboard video
(large video
Vøringsfossen 202mb). Always a nice
adrenaline rush when you fly on the edge of a
large and steep canyon. Next day we flew on the
slope outside Haugesund in great conditions and
practiced F3F with one base since it was only me
and Rolf Inge. We ended up with a couple of
44sec runs and was happy with the day in the hot
spring weather. Friday we were set to fly the
Haugaland Open but the wind was not there so we
ended flying some thermal and slow slope flying
(good enough for that on this slope even with
only 2-3m/s winds measured on the slope. Also
flew my Nemo a lot at the seaside and in the
sundown it was a lovely site (have some cool
video with that and us having fun on the slope
also on demand (Norwegian talk in the fun part).
DAY .. 1-4.may
2008 -Crossfire V 2,4GHz
This weekend I am flying a couple of F3F event
including this years Eurotour F3F in Stavanger.
First up is Haugesund and the guys there so I
will travel early and have some nice days as
usual. But first I needed to reinstall my
Crossfire since I now have moved to 2,4GHz.
Mounted a AR921 from JR with the satelite left
antenna sticking out of the fuse. On the Rx I
made a longer B-antenna and stuck both out of
the fuse. Went to a slope up from Fagernes and
flew some slope/thermal and landed 3 times to
check the logger. Surprised to see the numbers
were not super but good enough and I flew far
out into the valley (50-200 fades, 10-20 lost
frames and 0 holds). Crossfire is now checked
out and can be flown if I want to spare the
Skymax4.
DAY .. 5.may
2008 - My new
Austin Powers will shag you
Look out for my new Shag tool in
Austin Powers colours and Made in Turkey!
2235g and dead stiff (this one also with extreme
possibilities for ballast in both fuse, joiner
and wing). First flights in evening
weather and fine drizzle from some clouds I did
not know was there... But I did some nice 10min
flights on 150m to the turnaround (this model is sooo easy to work light lift with...). Loaded
half ballast and flew some speedruns to check
out the settings. This Skymax4 is equipped with
2,4GHz JR Spectrum and I had to give up the
large elevator servo to fit like I wanted it.
All antennas are inside. Keel is all carbon but
the nise cone is glassfiber. All antennas are
inside and logger shows 20-200 fades, 5-40 lost
frames and 0 holds during 10min flights way out.
Good enough for me and nice to have it all
inside. I am halfway thru a building instruction
and lots of pictures is done. Thanks Philip for
another wonderful model. Proud of being a Powers
man!
Shag, shagga - shag you - yeahhh
DAY .. 1-4.may
2008 - IGG Grossegler event at Nome
The IGG guys in Norway are a great bunch of
pilots and since I both have a DG600 (4-4,8m)
and a potentially good tug I went for a four day
event in Nome, Telemark. Mounted a tow hook on
my 3meter Extra 300 and went down late on
Thursday since it was foggy and the reports said
rain. Shared room with my former F3J buddy
Petter Østbye and early morning Friday the
sun was shining and we were smiling from ear to
ear (the weather forecast was not super good). 3
days later I had about 105 tug flights and used
26-27liters of fuel to bring up everything there
was on the field up to 33kg sailplanes with
water ballast. All in all we had 315 flights/tugs and
I had 10 on my 4-4,8m DG-600. The Extra 300 now
performs great with the aluminium spacer between
the carb. and the engine (keeps fuel drops from
being stuck there). I had one screw loosen from
the firewall and the throttle servo coming
slightly loose during the weekend but I was
ready to go all weekend. It is critical on these
events to have enough tugs as they will all have
small failures since they fly so much. I must
have had more than 5 hours in the air (+ 1h with
the DG-600) and liked it. We also tested GPS
flying (flying course laps) and it works but
more testing and flying needs to be done before
we can have any competition in Norway. I flew a
couple early morning Sunday but with large tips
and no ballast I did not have the right tool
(large models covers more ground..). Thanks guys
and girls for a wonderful event among friends. I
think we were 22 pilots ++ 1 from Germany and
one American.
Lots of pictures
HERE. Check also
IGG Norway for a cover story there later.
