WRCS - Apr 2007

Warringah Radio Control

Society Incorporated
(Incorporated under the Association Incorporation Act 1984)

Newsletter - April 2007

Tom Wolf, Peter Papas and "Jess" (a young local from Gloucester) at the Gloucester Cup weekend after the jet demonstration. We shared the field with 1:1 scale aircraft as seen in the background, report inside

MEETINGSMEETINGSMEETINGSMEETINGSMEETINGSMEETINGS
The next meeting will be on Tuesday, 10 April 2007 at Tennis Cove, Eastern Valley Way, starting at 7.30pm. The next meeting after that will be on Tuesday, 8 May 2007

SCALE DAY
Sunday,20 May 2007

Classes: Military, Civil, both Small and Large Scale.
Scale helis welcome

Special manufacturer category is "Central Powers" and "AXIS". In other words any warplane that flew FOR THE OTHER SIDE IN EITHER WORLD WAR. Bring along your Fokkers, Taubes, Messerschmitt's, Stukas, Dorniers, Focke- Wulfs, Heinkels and less known stuff.

THIS IS A FUN EVENT WITH SAFETY PARAMOUNT
Competition Director - Mark Rickard

The 2006 pointscore has been published by MAS for the State-run competitions. Congratulations to SHANE AUSTEN who came 2nd in Pattern, PETER KERNEY and MIKE MEDLOCK who came 2nd and 10th respectively in Pylon. The list was published without indication of which clubs the entrants came from, so apologies to anyone whose name was not recognised by the Editor.

AND CONGRATULATIONS TO GEORGE ATKINSON who has been selected to represent Australia in the World Championships for helicopters. Members are requested to kindly assist George and co-operate with him when he needs to utilise the field exclusively for short periods of time in practising the difficult and precise procedures required for his competition in late July.

Kerry Smith had to cancel his arrangement to go to Gloucester with the WRCS flyers after booking the motel, his place was taken by Tom Wolf who went with his wife and had to check in at the motel as ... you guessed it! ... Mr & Mrs Smith. Brought back memories of over 35 years ago.

Stan Begg suffered deep cuts to the back of his right hand when his Saito threw a prop as it backfired while Stan was tuning it. Luckily for Stan, after gashing his hand the spinning prop hit him on his tummy (not as big as before) and then by-passed his face and head by millimetres as it flew off. Talk about lucky, but the injury may not have happened if Stan had not been positioned at the front of the model as he was working on it!

I wanted to start this Near Miss with some smart, piffy comment about the philosophy of cause and effect. If I can put a couple of good examples as a lead in, I thought, people would much more quickly grasp my real intent. Off I go and do a web search on “cause and effect” straight into Wikipedia and this is what I get:

“If x is a necessary cause of y; then the presence of y necessarily implies the presence of x. The presence of x, however, does not imply that y will occur.”

How about this one:

“If x is a sufficient cause of y, then the presence of x necessarily implies the presence of y. However, another cause z may alternatively cause y. Thus the presence of y does not imply the presence of x.”

Mmmmm…bugger…all I’ve done is confuse myself. So let me take the simple approach. At last year's October Scale Day the crash of an electric model prompted a Board of Enquiry to be set up to investigate the cause/s of the crash. Why? Two reasons, firstly the plane overflew the car park on its way down narrowly missing some cars (but more importantly a couple of young kids playing in the car park…thus being serious enough to warrant an Enquiry) and secondly, one of the main reasons we set up any Enquiry is so we can all share learning’s from an incident in an effort to stop it happening again.
What made this incident interesting is that the conclusion was reached that no one could actually determine the cause which led to the effect (i.e. a plane crashed !).
In fact there may have been any of a number of possible causes ranging from the weather, receiver glitches, frequency interference, or even contingent causes (e.g. a previous hard landing) may have caused something else which then caused the effect….I know I know …Wikepedias got to me.
This is a bit of a shock to me and maybe to you….we should always know cause and effect… isn’t that how the world runs…how are we supposed to learn anything if this doesn’t apply….this is more serious than a mere model crash….back to Wikepedia…and yes here is the answer…

“...it may be impossible to know that certain laws of cause and effect always apply - no matter how many times one observes them occurring. …. the best that we can do is to maintain an open mind and never presume that we know any laws of causality for certain. “

Now before I go any further let me state that I’m definitely not saying/implying that the pilot in this case tried to save the plane above all else, it’s very doubtful he had any control at all.
What I am saying though, is that, sometimes when you look back at things you can’t piece together what actually happened and what caused what.
All that you are left with is the fact that we know a plane is going to crash, regardless, and sometimes the only safe thing to do is….DUMP IT…FLY IT INTO THE GROUND, GET IT AWAY FROM WHERE IT CAN CREATE AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM.
This is hard, counter instinctive….for me at least… I LOVE my models….how can I fly them into the ground?
It’s a bit like the stories we hear about the full size pilot steering his crippled plane clear of a built up area no matter what the personal consequence.
So here follows the real message and learning from this inquiry:

…. sometimes knowing what caused a crash doesn’t matter, there is no learning, sometimes the only thing that matters is managing the effect…..what we did when its on the way down and what we did to minimise the effect….regardless of what it means to us personally.

Ciao Dino

A BELROSE SUNDAY

Report by Mike Minty

Sunday the 4th March saw the usual small gathering of pilots but we had five planes that exemplify the multiple facets of our invigorating and mind stretching sport/hobby! (Phew)
The first two must go somewhere towards the sublime and the ridiculous and I’ll let you choose whichever you want. There was Mark Connor with his massive super fast racing 1.20 powered AT6 and Monte Udrzal with his ultra-lightweight all foam electric highly manoeuvrable aerobat.
Mike Minty was there with his Ford Flivver, a detailed scale model of the only plane designed and built by the Ford Motor Company in the 20s now powered by an OS 52 rather than the ancient Saito 40 that just got it off the ground and into the trees last time it flew.
And then Simon Press turned up with his super smooth Duellist (those engines sound great in the air) and a helicopter that he is learning to fly.

It certainly takes all sorts and we’ve got them!

Trophy Tales:

The John Meeks Glider Trophy

This handsome trophy was awarded for the first time this year, it was donated as a perpetual trophy by the family of the late John Meeks to reward the best glider pilot of each year's competition.
Dubbed "Mort's Mug" after the nickname John was known by, the inaugural winner of this trophy in 2007 was Al Zuger.

2.4 GHz EQUIPMENT POLICY REMINDER Members are reminded that 2.4 Ghz radios used in Australia must conform to the requirements of MAAA MOP 058. Amongst other things this specifies that radios must comply with the requirements of the Australian Communications and Media Authority and the relevant Class License. To show compliance radios must have a ‘C-tick’ sticker which is affixed by the importer/distributor of the equipment. 2.4 GHz radios brought into the country direct (e.g. purchased from retail outlets or by mail order from Asia or the USA) will not have this ‘C-tick’ sticker and are therefore illegal for use at our field or anywhere else in this country.
The implications are serious. If you have an accident which caused injury or property damage while you were using a non-‘C-ticked’ radio, it’s unlikely you’d be covered by MAAA insurance and would have to bear the full cost yourself. It’s just not worth the risk.

A BELROSE SATURDAY

Pictorial report by Grant Furzer

Showing a few of the many of the regulars on Saturdays:

Tom Sparkes with Geoff Browne "holding"

Ron Clark gets out of the Sun in the Gerry Shed

Peter Coles prepares for flight

David Menzies on the way to the flight line

Left: David Foster "revs up" while Peter Coles "holds"

Right: Shane Austen tries his hand at helicopters

"Relaxation in action" demonstrated by Barry Mason and Des Rim

Graham Swalwell and Tony Martin hard at work

Peter Clarke chatting with Dianne and Peter Sharpe

David Foster with Peter and Elaine Coles smiling for the camera

Lynette Austin with Sidney

A busy flight-line, with Monte Udrzal, George Ward, Tom Sparkes, David Foster and David Menzies "all concentration"

THE GLOUCESTER CUP Members of WRCS and their spouses made their way to Gloucester yet again on 10/11 March and a fantastic time was had by all. The weather was fantastic and the flying was spectacular (as can be seen in the photos by Chris Hebbard and Sandy Wolf)

The boys seek comfort from the heat in the shade of the hangar

Great shot of the Grech "Stuka"

Peter Papas' Pitts while it lasted

Tom Sparkes' low pass in Big Beautiful Doll

Dave Menzies in his customary pose doing what he loves best

Tom Wolf gets the "Hebbard experience"

Al Zuger with his electric bipe, the conditions were ideal

While the boys were flying, the girls enjoyed their Coffee/Tea Club and a quick game of Bocce and the whole group had a great Saturday night at a local

COMBAT DAY - 18 MARCH 2007

Pictorial report by Mike Minty

The start was of the event was delayed to 11:00am on a rather grey and cloudy day but by then Warren Lewis, the CD, had George Atkinson, Al Zuger, Mark ter Laak, Jim Masterton, Simon Press, David Pound, Matthew Dean and Mark Connor in the Sport section, and Al Zuger, Jim Masterton, Harry Polis, Simon Press, David Pound, and Mark Connor in the Open Class, and then Peter Coles turned up too..

Sport Class was flown first with seven (yes 7) planes up together. It was fast and furious as ever with 5 cuts but only 6 planes landed! There was a BRRRRRTTTT as Mark C passed close to Jim and then Jim’s plane dived in to the ground – Splatt! That’s combat for you.
And then during the massed landing Mark tL’s transmitter was knocked as he was landing and the resultant clonk on the ground broke the wing mounting so he was out.
The remaining rounds saw no cuts in Round 2 but David Pound picked up 2 in Round 3 and not by use of his cunning leading edge (he had put double sided tape on the LE so streamers wouldn’t just run over it!).
At the point score time we had David in the lead and Al, Matthew and Marc C in equal second place so they did a fly off – scored no cuts and so tossed a coin for the result. So this meant that:

Sports Class	1st	David Pound
	2nd	Matthew Dean
	3rd	Mark Connor

Open Class was then flown and Mark ter Laak had the bad luck to have the shortest ownership of a model. Mark borrowed Peter Coles' model on condition that the model remained Peter's unless it was damaged ... and wouldn't you know it ... it was in a collision with Harry Polis' model which also crashed.
Three rounds were again flown and when the points were added up we got

Open Class	1st	Simon Press
	2nd	Harry Polis
	3rd	David Pound

Trophies were awarded and the field was open to general flying again.

A great day and fun was had by all, thanks to Warren Lewis for co-ordinating the day, to the competitors and the spectators many of whom helped as observers.

THE MARCH MEETING

For some time now some Members have asked the Committee to organise special discussions/activities at the monthly meetings to beef them up a bit, so Dean Riebolge organised the first of a series of "Show and Tell"-s.
The March Meeting was entertained by a demonstration by Peter Papas of his yet unflown F-22 Raptor turbine jet model.
The model is a kit and Peter explained each component with precise detail before we all got a real "close-up" look.
If you missed it, you missed a fantastic night!!

WORTH A VISIT!
Warbird Adventures at Mareeba

Mike Minty reports that he was up near Cairns on a recent holiday and came across Mareeba Airport on the Atherton Tableland. There were two large hangars with a very old DC3 parked outside but inside was quite a show. In one of them there was a collection of memorabilia from WWII complete with a diorama showing the remains of a P40 Kittyhawk “as found” in the PNG jungle after being shot down in 1943, shown here. In the next hangar they are rebuilding it which, as is so often the case these days means building a virtually new aircraft with whatever bits you can salvage off the original. You can see it here behind the Winjeel being worked on and due to fly this year though it looked a long way from it when seen.
The Winjeel, along with a Harvard and a Nanchang are available for joy rides at between $200 and $280 per half hour flight plus $50 if you want aerobatics! Here’s the Nanchang (one of over 20 in Oz) just after a flight.
A place worth a visit if you are up around there.

"THE SPIRIT OF SHA TIN"
or a Celebration of Hong Kong’s First Flight

by Tom Wolf

As I reported recently, I was surprised to find a replica 1910 Farman hanging off the ceiling of Hong Kong's new International Terminal and I set out to find some history behind it.
Very few passengers who pass through Hong Kong International Airport have time to admire the replica aircraft tagged as "The Spirit of Sha Tin", and to learn the aircraft’s history and connection with Hong Kong.
Charles Van den Born, made the first flight in Hong Kong in a 1910 Farman bi-plane on the afternoon of 18 March 1911 at Shatin near the new airport.
Charles Van den Born was a Belgian aviation pioneer who also made flights in Shanghai, Bangkok and in Canton (the modern Guangzhou) before returning to France,
Before it became cocooned in the air conditioned Terminal Building, for a brief time in 1997 the replica aircraft recreated that momentous event of 86 years before.
The project literally started from scratch as there were no plans of the Farman flown by Charles Van den Born and although a few Farman bi-planes still exist around the world, they all differ very much from the aircraft flown in Hong Kong. A number of photographs of the original aircraft were obtained and plans were drawn up based on these photographs.

The Vintage Aviation Services of Marion, Texas, USA, constructed the replica aircraft as close as possible to the original specifications of the 1910 aircraft within the requirements of modern airworthiness regulations, the one obvious exception was the engine - a modern 150hp Lycoming engine replaced the original 50hp rotary Gnome engine.

The aircraft made its first flight in August 1997 in the US and a FAA Permit to Fly was issued before the aircraft was dis-assembled and delivered to Kai Tak Airport where it was re-assembled.
The site of Charles Van den Born’s flight is now a park in the middle of one of Shatin Town’s many high-rise housing areas, and so the commemorative event to fly the replica had to take place at another location.
At that time Kai Tak was at its busiest with one movement scheduled for every 90 seconds during the daylight hours, therefore there was no way of flying the frail craft there, sharing the single runway with the non-stop stream of 747s, MD11s and Airbuses. As the new Hong Kong Airport was nearing completion, ready for opening in 1998, permission was given for the Farman to fly from the new runway.
So the Farman was to become one of the first aircraft to take off and land at the new airport and once again the aircraft was dis-assembled and loaded on to a barge for a short journey through Hong Kong harbour and around Lantau Island to the new airport at Chek Lap Kok for re-assembly again.
After a number of test flights on 16 and 17 November 1957 a certificate of Airworthiness was issued and the aircraft was registered as B-HMB for its brief flying career, and on 18 November 1997 in front of 500 invited guests, some wearing costumes of the 1911 era, Mr Roger Freeman, owner of Vintage Aviation Services, took off from runway 07R and completed 6 circuits before the final landing of the Farman.
During the next few days the aircraft was transported across the airport to the Terminal Building where it was carefully lifted up to its current position above the southern arrivals and departures area.

ADELAIDE HERE WE COME! WRCS will be well represented at the Tenth Anniversary Adelaide Air Races at the Constellation Field on April 13 to 15.
In the Golden Era (Radial Engine) class Tom Sparkes will be racing his Laird Turner which was extensively re-built after being almost completely demolished during its test flight in February. After weeks of midnight oil burning, the ‘new’ Laird was certified and successfully test flown during the Gloucester weekend. Tom has been using every opportunity since to get extra stick time and tame the new beast.
Six of our pilots - Mark Connor, David Foster, Ron Clark, Grant Furzer, Peter Coles and Monte Udrzal - will race in the AT-6 class which has 35 entries, the maximum accepted by the organizers.
Our flyers will be well backed up by a contingent of essential callers, pit crew and supporters, including Brian and Noelline Porman, Barry and Michelle Mason, Des and Sandra Rim, Doug Radford, Caroline Sparkes, Elaine Coles and Sue Clark. We wish them all every success in the races as well as a safe journey to Adelaide and back

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