WE HAVE BOOKED MEETINGS FOR 2023-2024. THEY ARE ON THE 1st SUNDAY IN THE MONTH, STARTING SEPTEMBER THROUGH TO MAY. WE WILL KEEP FEES AT CURRENT LEVEL DUE TO GOOD HOUSEKEEPING BY TOM CROMPTON. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE THE FLYING TIME FROM 4 TO 5 HOURS AND WE HOPE TO RESERVE THE FINAL HOUR FOR LIGHTWEIGHT DURATION MODELS ONLY.
EACH FLYER IS IMPORTANT AS WE HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM NUMBER AT EACH MEETING TO BREAK EVEN.
LAST SEASON WE LOST HEAVILY DUE TO POOR ATTENDANCE IN MAY AND JUNE. THERE WILL BE NO JUNE MEETING THIS YEAR.
I have finally managed to compile the championship table for last season. If I have anything wrong, please let me know. It was a particularly tricky year to compile.
EACH FLYER IS IMPORTANT AS WE HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM NUMBER AT EACH MEETING TO BREAK EVEN.
LAST SEASON WE LOST HEAVILY DUE TO POOR ATTENDANCE IN MAY AND JUNE. THERE WILL BE NO JUNE MEETING THIS YEAR.
I have finally managed to compile the championship table for last season. If I have anything wrong, please let me know. It was a particularly tricky year to compile.
COMPETITION SCHEDULE FOR SEASON 2023-2024.
We have tried hard to make the comps as attractive as possible to more fliers, while retaining a challenge for the experienced comp fliers.. The Capacitor powered models have been a success, so this year, we will have a trial at a Penny Plane based Capacitor Duration Class. "Osprey" was very successful last year and resulted in the reduced popularity of "Legal Eagle" as they are so similar. Precision/Duration will use a new model called which is the BMFA Pussycat (unfortuately no longer avaialable, but chosen as a simple box fuselage model suitable for beginners and experts alike). Tom C to provide the plan.
"Penny Plane" will be run with an "expert" and "Clubman" class as last year and we have listened to the plea to change the "no touch" rule to apply only to fliers who have already achieved 4 minutes in a Clayton/NORWIND competition.
There will be a much-needed Tombola as usual in December to top up funds.
The competition schedule is:
September Penny Plane, both classes
October - Chuck/catapult Glider
November - Bostonian
December - "Capacitor Duration" (Rules as last year) and Tombola See Below
January - Kitscale / Peanut Scale
February - Precision / Duration using “Pussycat” (Plan from Tom Crompton).
March - Rigby Swallow, paper plane, see Tom C for plans.
April - Penny Plane(See Below)
May - Osprey and Legal Eagle
After much thought, we have decided that time doesn’t allow us to fly PP to the rules which we initially set out. We also want to encourage less experienced fliers. SO.. the PP competitions will be run as follows:
Rubber .75g rubber + .75g ballast spacer. model 3.1g minimum. The competition will have 2 categories of fliers:
1 Anyone who has not yet achieved 4 minute flight (no touch) will be judged in the “Clubman” category. They will be allowed to fly without the “no touch” rule. IE. They can ceiling clatter!
Once 4 mins is achieved (and I have kept records), fliers must move into the “experienced” category for this and subsequent PP competitions.
2. Any flier who has achieved 4 mins or more will be judged in the “experienced” category,. The “No touch” rule must be observed.
3. Separate certificates will be awarded for each class to encourage “Clubmen”.
4. Any number of flights, best to count.
The December competition is capacitor duration and the rules are:-
All balsa construction
Max wing span 18 inches.
Direct drive, no gearboxes
Min 2 1/2 inch plastic commercial propeller, unmodified,
Min all up weight 14 grams
10F max capacitor
ps there are still some regular fliers who have not given permission for us to hold their email address, etc. They have been removed from the mailing list. If you wish to be added, please mail me using the contact form on the website, giving your BMFA No., and a telephone No. (in case of sudden meeting cancellations).
We have tried to cater for all tastes and try to add some FUN to the meetings. The comps are serious however and we expect strict adherence to the letter and spirit of the rules. As I have said before, comps are won and lost by margins of less than a second, so “favourable timekeeping” or non-compliance with rubber/ballast/model weights, etc., will result in public disqualification if discovered. It is really tempting to add the extra bit of a second when a time falls short by a tiny margin, but it IS cheating!
VELODROME NEWS
Manchester Velodrome
21st Oct 23 at 11-4pm Fun fly meeting
30th Dec 23 at 11-4pm Funfly meeting
10th Feb 24 at 9-5pm NW Free Flight Gala
16th Mar 24 at 11-4pm Funfly meeting
I have been in contact with the Velodrome, and they inform me that refurbishment works are still progressing.
They have advised that bookings for the centre section won't be taken until the new floor is laid and that is likley to be early October. I will advise once dates are secured, but I am very hopeful we will be flying there again this season.
Dave W
We have tried hard to make the comps as attractive as possible to more fliers, while retaining a challenge for the experienced comp fliers.. The Capacitor powered models have been a success, so this year, we will have a trial at a Penny Plane based Capacitor Duration Class. "Osprey" was very successful last year and resulted in the reduced popularity of "Legal Eagle" as they are so similar. Precision/Duration will use a new model called which is the BMFA Pussycat (unfortuately no longer avaialable, but chosen as a simple box fuselage model suitable for beginners and experts alike). Tom C to provide the plan.
"Penny Plane" will be run with an "expert" and "Clubman" class as last year and we have listened to the plea to change the "no touch" rule to apply only to fliers who have already achieved 4 minutes in a Clayton/NORWIND competition.
There will be a much-needed Tombola as usual in December to top up funds.
The competition schedule is:
September Penny Plane, both classes
October - Chuck/catapult Glider
November - Bostonian
December - "Capacitor Duration" (Rules as last year) and Tombola See Below
January - Kitscale / Peanut Scale
February - Precision / Duration using “Pussycat” (Plan from Tom Crompton).
March - Rigby Swallow, paper plane, see Tom C for plans.
April - Penny Plane(See Below)
May - Osprey and Legal Eagle
After much thought, we have decided that time doesn’t allow us to fly PP to the rules which we initially set out. We also want to encourage less experienced fliers. SO.. the PP competitions will be run as follows:
Rubber .75g rubber + .75g ballast spacer. model 3.1g minimum. The competition will have 2 categories of fliers:
1 Anyone who has not yet achieved 4 minute flight (no touch) will be judged in the “Clubman” category. They will be allowed to fly without the “no touch” rule. IE. They can ceiling clatter!
Once 4 mins is achieved (and I have kept records), fliers must move into the “experienced” category for this and subsequent PP competitions.
2. Any flier who has achieved 4 mins or more will be judged in the “experienced” category,. The “No touch” rule must be observed.
3. Separate certificates will be awarded for each class to encourage “Clubmen”.
4. Any number of flights, best to count.
The December competition is capacitor duration and the rules are:-
All balsa construction
Max wing span 18 inches.
Direct drive, no gearboxes
Min 2 1/2 inch plastic commercial propeller, unmodified,
Min all up weight 14 grams
10F max capacitor
ps there are still some regular fliers who have not given permission for us to hold their email address, etc. They have been removed from the mailing list. If you wish to be added, please mail me using the contact form on the website, giving your BMFA No., and a telephone No. (in case of sudden meeting cancellations).
We have tried to cater for all tastes and try to add some FUN to the meetings. The comps are serious however and we expect strict adherence to the letter and spirit of the rules. As I have said before, comps are won and lost by margins of less than a second, so “favourable timekeeping” or non-compliance with rubber/ballast/model weights, etc., will result in public disqualification if discovered. It is really tempting to add the extra bit of a second when a time falls short by a tiny margin, but it IS cheating!
VELODROME NEWS
Manchester Velodrome
21st Oct 23 at 11-4pm Fun fly meeting
30th Dec 23 at 11-4pm Funfly meeting
10th Feb 24 at 9-5pm NW Free Flight Gala
16th Mar 24 at 11-4pm Funfly meeting
I have been in contact with the Velodrome, and they inform me that refurbishment works are still progressing.
They have advised that bookings for the centre section won't be taken until the new floor is laid and that is likley to be early October. I will advise once dates are secured, but I am very hopeful we will be flying there again this season.
Dave W
2023-2024 SEASON: SUNDAYS 11:00 - 4:00pm
September 3rd October 1st November 5th December 3rd
2024 January 7th (to avoid New Years Day)
February 4th March 3rd April 7th May 5th
