PANDAS Seventh Single
Channel & Retro R/C Fly-in 2018
Hello again
button-pushers, it doesnt seem possible
that a whole year has passed since our last get-together!
We have a date
for the Seventh Single Channel & Retro R/C Fly-in at Pontefract Park,
with hosts PANDAS, the Pontefract And District Aeromodellers Society.
Our club website is pandas.bmfa.org where all the coming seasons
events are listed.
This year's meeting is on Saturday & Sunday, June 2nd & 3rd 2018 so please keep that date
clear!
Last
year’s event was a huge success despite a date clash with a couple of
major events, 120+ visitors and with 50+ actually flying and having a great
time, it was perfect flying weather for the noble art of Single-Channel flying!
Last year saw a terrific display by the new-age Galloping Ghost models, David Lovegrove
in particular enthralled with his GG Veron
‘Robot’ and his O/D ‘Mangled Wot’
design, flight after perfect flight with superb flared
landings with the distinctive visible ‘Gallop’ and the audible
rattle unique to Galloping Ghost models.
Quite
superb and a real pleasure to watch.
Since 2010 our small band of Single Channel & Retro enthusiasts has grown
and grown and we now have a multitude of S/C friends all over the world, all
coordinated via our dedicated forum. * Pending forum problems we are gathering here:
mode-zero.uk.
For 2018 we’re expecting lots of
welcome new faces, new models since 2017, and lots of fascinating new gear too
– via the S/C forum we've seen a variety of new S/C, Reeds and Propo conversions, and more have taken up the 'Galloping
Ghost' and 'Pulse proportional' challenge - if you've never seen a Galloping
Ghost setup, then you're in for a treat!
We have
Saturday the 2nd as an open fun-flying day, whilst Sunday the 3rd
sees the actual S/C and Retro RC event - nothing too formal, we'll no doubt
have the very popular and just-for-fun spot landing comp, and a few prizes for
anything special that catches our eye!
On the day we will be joined as usual by
Wes and the SAM35 lads, flying concurrently with the S/C and Retro enthusiasts.
Every year we have an optional 'theme' session – previously we had the 'Sharkfest',
a full squadron of Mercury Galahads, the formation Veron
Impalas, the 'Boddo' theme - and last year biplanes and
unorthodox models – this year we’ve suggested one particular quick-build
model for the theme slot, details of which will be released 3 weeks before the date -
the secrecy and quick-build being all part of the fun!
Of course the theme is just one event of many and throughout the day any
s/c, retro or vintage models are welcome to fly.
One repeated event this
year is the Blunderbird Pylon Racing event, this is a low-key fun race using the ugliest model
ever to feature in a magazine, last year's race was hilarious. Check out November 2017 RMC&E for the
reprinted free plan, then build one and join in the
fun!
Blunderbird racing rules are listed in
full on the singlechannel forum, but briefly:
Blunderbird Pylon Racing Rules:-
Model - Blunderbird 3
built as plan U/C optional, any covering , race number
one upper wing tip and both sides of fin.
IC Motor - Any .049cu in /
0.8cc Diesel or Glow.
E Power - Max 2S 850mAh LiPo,
Motor of your choice (LiPo size may be tweaked after
flight testing)
2 Classes -
Class 1: - S/C Bang Bang
Rudder, throttle preferred but optional, no elevator
Class 2:- Propo Rudder,
throttle preferred but optional, no elevator
Course - 2 pylons, 5 laps per heat, max 4 pilots
per heat. Points for position then add them up to see who is the overall
winner. This way everybody gets plenty of flying. Check the forum for race numbers.
The main objective as usual is to get everyone interested in retro-R/C flying
together for equal amounts of banter, burgers and button-bashing!
Once again we are privileged to have Andrew Boddington
join us, please say Hi to Andrew as 'Aeromodeller' magazine
has been very supportive of our cause lately! We're hoping Alex Whittaker will
be along too, with spare batteries this time!!!
The event rules are the same as previous years, ie
simple and few! Safety is of course paramount and PANDAS is a BMFA affiliated
club so procedures will follow the BMFA rulebook and the CAP658 responsibility
statement with which of course we're all familiar.
Eligibility for the Single-Channel event isnt hard and fast but
we suggest that models ought to have either:
1) A single control on the transmitter, ie
a button, or one single axis stick, basically a recognisable 'single channel'
transmitter, with no limit on 'compound' control surfaces.
or
2) A single controlled surface, ie a rudder, no other
control surfaces. This accommodates anyone with a rudder-only model using one
channel of a conventional, modern proportional radio set.
Ailerons-only is ok of course - previously we've had a fantastic 'X-Craft'
aileron-only aerobatic displays!
Alongside the S/C event,
Reeds, Galloping Ghost, Pulse-Propo and retro
proportional sets are of course very welcome too.
Electrics or IC engines are ok, but a throttle control or a means of remotely
cutting the engine of a wayward model is desirable.
We would also suggest that 27mhz superhets
should be used with caution as we are 600 metres from the M62 with the
possibility of CB-equipped lorries passing at any time, and obviously super-regen
equipped models would be very welcome for display purposes only, but for safety
reasons not to fly, sorry. Other bands, ie 35, UHF & 2.4
are fine at Ponty.
Once again we will also have a busy Control-Line circle with Dave Cowburn
demonstrating his stunting skills and possibly at Daves
discretion, the odd have-a-go session.
Updates and further information will be posted on the PANDAS website pandas.bmfa.org and also on www.singlechannel.co.uk as the plans develop.
So, we have a date, we just need the weather!
The PANDAS committee have devolved event organisation to members, so any
queries regarding location, facilities & organisation, to Shaun AND Phil
(please cc both). This will ensure you get a reply (or two!):
museum@garritys.net
philg@talk21.com
Last year's 'furthest travelled' award went to Tobe who just popped in from Sweden,
who knows what 2018 will bring! We're very much looking forward to seeing as
many of you as possible on the day, its going to be fantastic again!
Best regards
Phil & Shaun
(pp PANDAS Committee)