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Smash & Crash

Saturday, January 19th, 2008

Wing to Wing Combat

A few days of crummy weather coupled with an itch to improve the Ups & Downs photo gallery gobbled up my attention span this past week.

I flew Thursday and Friday, hammering out a number of small wing combat sessions with Dave and Bruce. We had some satisfying collisions and are gradually sculpting a set of Combat Rules, none of which is retroactive.

The rules so far:

The goal is to hit an opponent’s wing and cause it to cease flying while you stay in the air.

(more…)

Posted in Baylands | 4 Comments »

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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Posted in Home | 5 Comments »

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.

Posted in Baylands | 5 Comments »

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.

Posted in Baylands | No Comments »

Seduced by Boats: How We Lost Bob

Sunday, December 9th, 2007

Bob Unloading

Bob Schleimer is telling me how he got involved in boats. “I moved to Fremont in 1980,” he says. “I had a garage full of planes because I’d been flying since I was 12 years old.

“A neighbor comes by one day, sees the planes and says, ‘Hey, man. You’ve got to get a boat so we can race!’

“He was building a boat at the time. I say, ‘No—I’m just interested in planes.’ But he persists, and he drags me to the hobby store where he bought his boat.

“Next thing I know, I’ve spent about a thousand dollars and I own all the stuff you need to race boats, including a monohull boat with a .21 engine.

(more…)

Posted in Elsewhere | 6 Comments »

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