Archive for 2007

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Whirling into a New Year

Sunday, December 30th, 2007

Blade CX2

My goal for 2008 is to become a proficient helicopter flyer. I’m starting from zero—perhaps less than zero, since I found learning to fly a fixed wing plane so difficult. But after two and a half years I’ve become a capable airplane flyer, and I’d like to stretch my horizon.

In the year 2007, I accomplished two compatible goals: I trained myself to fly lower and much closer. I’m now very comfortable with that style of flying.

I also learned how to fly inverted, another early aspiration.

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Keeping Your Hands Warm

Sunday, December 23rd, 2007

Hand Dryer

Credit Dave North with this Baylands Cold Weather Survival Technique: Between flights, treat your hands to a quick warming session under the hand dryer in the public restroom.

Gloves blunt the chill, but they blur the feel of your transmitter sticks. And handwarmers, such as those used by Crazy Ted, require forethought and a small investment.

But the blower is free, always waiting for another pair of cold mitts.

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Cheap Aerial Video

Friday, December 21st, 2007

Video Frame

Using a $30 disposable camera, a 65-cent pic chip, a resistor, some wire and a servo cable, Ben Levitt upgraded his Easy Star with aerial video capability.

See two sample movies.

Learn how he did it, see more videos and get his pic code here.

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Wake of the Storm

Thursday, December 20th, 2007

Muddy Path

Whenever it rains, as it did last night and early this morning, a puddle of slimy mud bars the entrance to the Great Meadow. Compounded from a mixture of clay, goose droppings and water, it’s worse than simple dirt-based mud. One of these days, I’m going to turn a not-on-purpose somersault as I negotiate this hazard.

Wild Combat. In the wake of the storm, Thursday’s north wind was quite frisky, gusting up to about 15mph. Dave and I waged wing warfare for three flights, alternately whacked around, stalled and accelerated by unpredictable blasts of air. We didn’t make much contact—I think we hit each other only once—but agreed that this is the best kind of combat flying.

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Fierce Little Wings

Sunday, December 16th, 2007

Fierce Little Wings

After flying combat sessions for about three months, Dave North and I are gradually figuring out Small-Wing Combat.

Mike Nadler liked to say about streamer combat: “The only rule is there are no rules!”

We’ve adopted Mike’s no-rules-rule as a starting point, but you gotta have some definition.

So far, these are the rules:

  • In order to qualify for combat, your wing must be 24-30 inches in span.
  • If you hit another wing, good! If your hit smacks the other wing to the ground, you score a kill unless you also immediately crash, in which case it’s a no-credit event.
  • If your plane lands prematurely it’s a kill, but no one gets credit.
  • Flying sessions are 9 minutes in duration. If you’re still able to fly after a premature landing, launch your plane!

Obviously, the rules are in flux as we gain experience. I suspect that as we refine the guidelines we’ll probably add limits on motor size and over-all weight.

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