Ever hit a model aircraft?
In the mid 70s there was a lot of model aircraft flying at Nutts Corner, near Aldergrove. It was on one our our entry routes and on several occasions there were near misses on the way in. They had just fitted the Pumas with some gawd awful multi frequency radio that couldn't communicate with anybody. What it could do if you selected 27megs and transmitted with about 100 watts was to jam up the model aircraft. It would go into either a full power spin or spiral dive. At about 30 ft. you released the button and gave it back to them.
Good unusual attitude training.
Good unusual attitude training.
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 25th Apr 2008 at 13:35.
Good job you didn't use it on the correct frequency then!
Presumably this was back in the days when the IRA were using R/C to detonate IEDs? So, fly around and press the Tx key every so often and with luck Mr Murphy's lads would go up with the device.
Thread drift. Before cellphones, I had a CB in my car. No, not to play that 'rubber duck' nonsense, but to get traffic info (once saved me from getting stuck on the M-way, thanks to a trucker's tip-off)....
Anyway, one of the things you had to do was to tune the antenna with a SWR meter. Transmit, set 'forward', adjust to show 1.0, then set 'reflected' and tune for minimum value. Excessive VSWR could damage your transmitter, as well as weakening the signal, so it was important to 'SWR' the antenna properly.
When the 'lower 40' CB channels became legal in the UK, I needed to retune the antenna to cover the whole range. But the 'lower 40' also covered R/C channels.....and a couple of lads nearby were testing their new car. I noticed that, whenever I transmitted on a particular channel, the thing would go to max chat and full steering deflexion.
This was too much fun! So, fo the next 5 minutes, every time they tried to pick it up I would key the Tx and it would scoot away from them. They never did find out what was causing the problem!
10-4
Presumably this was back in the days when the IRA were using R/C to detonate IEDs? So, fly around and press the Tx key every so often and with luck Mr Murphy's lads would go up with the device.
Thread drift. Before cellphones, I had a CB in my car. No, not to play that 'rubber duck' nonsense, but to get traffic info (once saved me from getting stuck on the M-way, thanks to a trucker's tip-off)....
Anyway, one of the things you had to do was to tune the antenna with a SWR meter. Transmit, set 'forward', adjust to show 1.0, then set 'reflected' and tune for minimum value. Excessive VSWR could damage your transmitter, as well as weakening the signal, so it was important to 'SWR' the antenna properly.
When the 'lower 40' CB channels became legal in the UK, I needed to retune the antenna to cover the whole range. But the 'lower 40' also covered R/C channels.....and a couple of lads nearby were testing their new car. I noticed that, whenever I transmitted on a particular channel, the thing would go to max chat and full steering deflexion.
This was too much fun! So, fo the next 5 minutes, every time they tried to pick it up I would key the Tx and it would scoot away from them. They never did find out what was causing the problem!
10-4
More bang for your buck
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Whilst I suppose they will mainly use them over built up areas what about police UAV's? They, if used to cover say a car chase, won't be notamed.
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Membury Airfield
If you fly low level in the south of England please note that Membury Airfield (just south of the services on the M4) has model aircraft activity Seven days a week dawn untill dusk and some light aircraft activity.
I have also flagged this up via the normal channels.
I have also flagged this up via the normal channels.
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Waddo swingers!
I was up at Waddington last week and was amazed to see golfers taking their swings next to a live taxyway
and runway! This was followed by someone walking their dog in the same area later on!
I'm not sure about the incident at Benson but this was a station sanctioned golfing area with no fences or barriers. Seemed strange to us onlookers as we sat waiting for our jet to return.
and runway! This was followed by someone walking their dog in the same area later on!
I'm not sure about the incident at Benson but this was a station sanctioned golfing area with no fences or barriers. Seemed strange to us onlookers as we sat waiting for our jet to return.
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A mate of mine managed to pick up a kite with his Herc on the way into Kabul. Unfortunately no video of a little Afghan boy water skiing 200 ft behind Albert. Would have been good for the "alternative ending" on the Kite Runner DVD.
There have been a few near misses between airliners and these infernal drones, usually operated by people who haven't been taught about airspace co-ordination.
For example, this A300 nearly collided with a drone when on the approach:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NOar22TX2k
Which is why the UAV operator community needs to learn to walk before they try to run!
For example, this A300 nearly collided with a drone when on the approach:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NOar22TX2k
Which is why the UAV operator community needs to learn to walk before they try to run!
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The approach into Shoreham Airport from inland crosses a reasonably large hill which seems regularly used by R/C model aircraft; they were certainly close enough to be worth a special look-out, and a collision was distinctly on the cards.
We do occasionally get buzzed by full size
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Oh not Kites as well. A well known large military grass airfield used to rent out the airfield for kite festivals. Whilst sat in the restraunt of the adjacent military museum I watched one of the resident historic flight aircraft land on an area of the airfield well away from the kites (Middle Wallop is a large airfield and Austers don't need that much to land in.... Oops I've given it away).However during the taxy back to the apron the propellor collected the string from an errant kite, my colleague saw the girl at one end of the string fly off the ground whilst I just saw the Auster's prop stop, the pilot climb out and using his knife cut the offending string free, climb back in and restart the engine and complete his taxy.Once we stopped laughing we had a good discussion about how many miles the rules say you have to away from an airfield when flying a kite.
Tradition has it that the Chinese invented kites and it is one of their national pastimes. Flying across Shenzhen at the regulation 300 metres you have to keep your eyes peeled for them if it is a good day with about 15 knots of wind. Some of them are big, 4 or 5 metres across, and a lot of them are at your height. Some of them are a damned sight higher.
Ther is no problem at night. The only thing you have to do is switch all your external lights off so that rooftop tripod mounted lasers cannot find you.
Ther is no problem at night. The only thing you have to do is switch all your external lights off so that rooftop tripod mounted lasers cannot find you.
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Wasnt there an accident report in mid 80's where a jag hit a model sustaining cat 3 damage?
Also the first picture on this thread...I didnt know Phill Jupitus was into aircraft models !
Also the first picture on this thread...I didnt know Phill Jupitus was into aircraft models !
Last edited by goneeast; 25th Apr 2008 at 13:31. Reason: spelin
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Can't believe there are still people flying wot4's! Surely Mr Foss could have designed something better by now! 
Still, if people keep buying them... IMHO, there is only one type of model to fly - something that flies low, goes fast and turns left! 
Pylon racers rarely get above 50ft, so chances of collision with full size are small! And the drivers are less geeky - no bull$**t because the clock doesn't lie!
Yes - I admit!
Still, if people keep buying them... IMHO, there is only one type of model to fly - something that flies low, goes fast and turns left! Pylon racers rarely get above 50ft, so chances of collision with full size are small! And the drivers are less geeky - no bull$**t because the clock doesn't lie! Yes - I admit!
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The reason they have lasted this long is simply that they are the most versatile model ever. I learnt to fly on one, yet when you see what Mr F can do with his, you tend to pack up and go home.
Imagine a Cessna 152 and an Edge 540 roled into one aircraft.
(Sorry for the thread creep
)
Imagine a Cessna 152 and an Edge 540 roled into one aircraft.
(Sorry for the thread creep
)
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Vintage rocket powered UAVs
Here are some stick and tissue flying models, unlikely to be more than 2 ounces, not much of a hazard - free flying rocket powered.
As Herr Dorfmann explains in 'Flight of the Phoenix' - free flight model flying is much harder than fullsize, and he found both navigators AND pilots to be unneccessary.
So be a complete anorak and tell us which model manufacturer's catalogue he showed to James Stewart et al....
Aeromodelling ought to be compulsory for schoolkids - not only does it teach the basics of aeroplane control and stability, but also the virtues of patience and precision. At my prep school, we all had to make 'chuck gliders' from a few sheets of balsa wood - no-one else to blame if yours speared in whilst others flew well!
Although the elf 'n safety tosseurs have probably banned x-acto and Swann-Morton modelling knives, Britfix 66 balsa cement, Humbrol cellulose dope, model engine fuels and all the other hazchems we used to play with at the age of 11.
As for starting a PAW 19 BR with one's bare fingers.... That would cause the huggy-fluffies to have apoplexy!
Aeromodelling ought to be compulsory for schoolkids - not only does it teach the basics of aeroplane control and stability, but also the virtues of patience and precision. At my prep school, we all had to make 'chuck gliders' from a few sheets of balsa wood - no-one else to blame if yours speared in whilst others flew well!
Although the elf 'n safety tosseurs have probably banned x-acto and Swann-Morton modelling knives, Britfix 66 balsa cement, Humbrol cellulose dope, model engine fuels and all the other hazchems we used to play with at the age of 11.
As for starting a PAW 19 BR with one's bare fingers....
That would cause the huggy-fluffies to have apoplexy!