Christchurch and District Model Flying Club
 

Chairman’s Musings

Wow, what a summer we’ve enjoyed weather wise. (until August that is)

I note the BMFA have more reported accidents (insurance claims) than recent years. I’m sure this is because more BMFA club modellers have been at their local club flying sites after possibly a long lay off because of the awful winter. Equipment AND people get rusty I guess?

The club Friday night pure glider comps have had a few less entries until the introduction of electric thermal gliders on Friday evenings when a noticeable increase in members coming along and participating since July. Don’t forget, bring something along and enjoy a fly and a social chat. Entry isn’t obligatory. If using 35mHz gear PLEASE bring a peg with your name and frequency number on it. Should you have a number of crystals bring a peg for each one. They take little space, are light and cheap. Remember, PEG ON to fly. 2.4 GHz isn’t a problem, although bring a peg with name and painted black helps reassure 35 Meg users that you are thinking not just ignoring others. Should you go back to a 35 mHz Tx you won’t have lost the safety habit.

For those who have purchased a Spectrum 2.4 module for their JR9X radios there is a new module holder available. It cost £15 and can be ordered through any Spectrum agent (model shop). This does away with the screw in type aerial and cable and is a much tighter fit into the module holder on the transmitter. A vast improvement all round.

We arranged a club day out slope soaring during May. 20% of the membership met up and moved on to Ringstead Bay, a great south/south west slope site near Weymouth. Because the weather has been favourable this summer further arrangements were made for a repeat day in July. It was blustery with winds between 25 & 32 mph, again on Ringstead. Fewer members on this occasion. Those who thought it too windy missed a fabulous day.

Two members have passed their Electric Thermal Glider BMFA “A” tests during April. Well done Malcolm Bird & Andrew Ford-Hutchinson.

Three club members took part in the Rose Bowl Pure Thermal competition held on a Wessex Soaring Association site at Chalbury Farm, Horton, Dorset. WSA have a splendid thermal soaring site and now WSA members can enjoy Electric Thermal Soaring from this site. Well worth the membership. Two non participating C&DMFC members also attended and just helped with flight timing. See elsewhere in ‘Sloping Off’ for pics and results.

Being in the last 3 months of our Club year it’s time to consider winter talks, etc. We have David Shires entertaining us at the October club meeting. November is our annual club auction and December is the Annual General Meeting.

Finally, if you have changed your email address PLEASE advise me terrence_antell@sky.com AND Brian Brockway brian@r-brockway.freeserve.co.uk as a few continue to bounce back.

Cheers for now and remember, safe flying is no accident.

Terry (and also see Terry’s piece on the Height Limiter on p9)

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