April 2010 News
From Tuesday 4th May
Training to Fly a Fixed Wing Radio Controlled Model
is offered to KLAMC members
at the Wootton Marsh Flying Site
4.00pm until 7.30 ish! - Subject to weather conditions
and
Thursday 6th May - Club Night at Roydon
Here's an arresting technique!
We could ask the white van for a jump start!
Want to know what's flying where?
KLAMC Flyers enjoying perfect weather conditions at the week-end.
Catch-up with the latest round of the Red Bull Air Races here!
Abu Dhabi, March 26/27
Perth, April 17/18
Rio De Janeiro, May 8/9
Windsor, Ontario, June 5/6
New York, June 19/20
EuroSpeedway, Lausitz, August 7/8
Budapest, August 19/20
Lisbon, September 4/5
You could win one of two $1,000 R/C Shopping Sprees... or one of four other valuable prizes.
MonoKote has been the #1 film covering for 40 years, and Top Flite is celebrating by giving you the chance to show your creativity and covering skills...and win big!
And this time, any R/C pilot can win, because there are two contest categories: one for kit builders — and another for pilots who fly ARFs!
That’s right: you can re-cover an ARF or cover a kit — and win either way! Sound good?
Then check out the “Covering Corner” video and let Bill and Bob fill you in on the details!
Has Iceland's erupting Volcano closed the Roydon Flying Field or will it help to slow Global warming?
This week has seen the largest upheaval to air traffic since 9/11. With flights from France and Belgium to the Czech Republic and the Eastern Baltic States, aviation authorities declared their airspaces closed, with many predicting that the bans would last until at least Sunday. It is not only short-haul flights that were caught up in the chaos as the ash cloud interfered with several key paths in and out of Europe. Transatlantic flights from the US east coast were badly affected, with only 120 of around 300 scheduled crossings going ahead on Friday morning. With airlines including Qantas, Korean Air and Cathay Pacific cancelling their flights, around 60 services between Asia and European cities were also called off.
Hopefully you have managed to avoid the repercussions of airports closing and are enjoying a few peaceful days without any high flying jets dominating your lifestyle. You may find it difficult to source your favourite exotic fruits flown several thousand miles from the sunny shores of Guatemala or that week-end roast of freshly flown-in New-Zealand lamb in the next few days! But at least the week-end weather promises some good flying at the Roydon Field – totally unaffected by this latest meteorological catastrophe. They tell us that unless you already suffer from breathing problems you have nothing to worry but my physics theory dictates that eventually, what goes up, must come down – somewhere. Will the countryside be covered in a layer of abrasive ashen dust? Enjoy the spectacular sunsets promised by the weather man. Who knows which way the wind will blow? However, just think how much fuel is being saved. Maybe demand for aviation fuel will drop sufficiently for the price of petrol and diesel to drop to a level that may encourage the motorist to buy a few more litres! I suspect that alternative public transport will consume the lion’s share.
Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano has been erupting for nearly a month, but it wasn't until clouds of ash halted air traffic in Europe this week that the eruption drew global attention. The volcano could continue erupting for months on end - the last time it blew, in 1821, the eruption lasted for two years - so climatologists are questioning whether the volcano will have a cooling effect on the earth's climate.
When volcanoes erupt, they release sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere, where the gas transforms into sulphuric acid droplets, also known as aerosols, which reflect sunlight. Historically, large volcanic eruptions have caused discernible global cooling. When Mount Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991, it emitted 17 million tons of sulphur dioxide that caused a 0.5-0.6°C drop in the Northern Hemisphere's temperature. Mexico's Mount Chichon eruption in 1982 also had a demonstrable cooling effect.
Advocates of geo-engineering, or manipulating climatic elements in order to slow climate change, have suggested mimicking this cooling effect by spewing sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere. One of the flaws in their argument, in addition to the need for an 18-mile-long vertical hose, is that sulphur dioxide is not all fun and cooling games. The gas also causes acid rain and wears away the ozone layer, a key barrier to the sun's rays.
At this point, scientists think Iceland's eruption is too small to cause cooling - notwithstanding the massive disruptions it is causing to air travel in northern Europe. If Eyjafjallajokull continues to spew gas into the atmosphere, though, that could change. The eruption is already ten times more powerful than a different Icelandic one last month, and the ash cloud extends seven miles into the stratosphere - so at least the sunsets are pretty.
Standing on Roydon common, on a warm sunny morning and looking towards Hunstanton into the seemingly clear blue yonder, who would believe me if I said “Mister President, we have a problem!”
Iain's Aero Flicks!
View the largest flying model -
Flying At It's Best 2010
Rougham Airfield
Bury St Edmunds
LARGE MODEL AIR SHOW
Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd MAY 2010
A must for all Aero Modellers and RC Flyers
Bury Model Flying Club have helped the model show season
to lift off each spring with their Flying at its Best event.
Large Model Flying Displays
A great array of trade stalls with everything available from Balsa kits
to a complete catalouge of ARTF machines.
From a basic bit of balsa to the latest engines to power your beast.
Bury St. Edmunds Model FLying Club - Bring & Buy section
that’s becoming a growing feature of the show.
If you’ve never been to 'Flying at its Best' then make this your first visit.
The airfield was home to USAAF 322 and 94 Bomb Groups in WW2 and the original control tower has been restored as a museum. A lasting tribute to those who gave their skill and courage, and often their lives, to the allied cause.
It is situated just a couple of miles east of Bury St. Edmunds adjacent to the A14.
Take a look at www.roughamairfield.org
Carbon fibre, solar powered
Solar Impulse makes history.
Capable of flying around the world day & night powered only
by energy from the sun.
12,000 solar cells built into a carbon fibre wing as wide as a 747 took to the skies from Payerne military airport in the Swiss countryside. Somewhat reminiscent of the Wright brothers a century ago, Solar Impuse cruised for 87 minutes, reaching a speed of just 28 mph. The fearless German test pilot, Markus Scherdel reported that "Everything worked as it should" after proving that the prototype could take off and land safely.
A night flight is planned for the end of June. This will test the lithium batteries that will store the surplus energy stored from the day's sunlight. Eventually, if all goes to plan with the prototype then a new plane will be built for a round the world flight. It is predicted to attain a maximum alltitude of 28,000 feet and an average speed of 44 mph. Staying airbourne for up to 5 days at a time and not using an ounce of fuel.
It has taken Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard and his team six years to reach this stage. Piccard, who completed the first non-stop round-the-world flight in 1999, plans to co-pilot the round-the-world flight in 2012 with Swiss engineer Andre Borschberg.
Go to the Solar Impulse Blog for tips on building techniques, instructions and see it flying!
Tip: Click on MORE - bottom right, before viewing for a bigger screen!
DVD's
Dave Platt DVD’s
Dave has a fantastic range of multi-region DVD’s on
offer covering a wide range of subjects.
From Building, Glassing, Finishing and Weathering.
If you enjoy building - these DVD’s are brilliant
Can be obtained from Dave directly
Easter Special Offer - ½ Pint size - £8.99 each!
This is only open to subscribers of the Newsletter.
Subscribe Now!
Having difficulty balancing your models?
The here is the American answer.
Sig Balancer Pro only £29.99
or
EZ Balancer £55.00
Check out the colours available!