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Newsletter

August 2009Editor Nick Neve. Number 80

BBQ and RAFFLE DRAW.

A BBQ will be held in the Chairman’s

garden on 22nd August starting at 7 pm.

During the evening the draw will take

place for this year’s raffle of the 3.3m

Xperience Pro V F3J fully moulded

model.

Please bring your own meat and drink,

however sauces, salads, rolls, fruit salad and ice cream will be

provided. If the weather is looking totally unsuitable, a 24 hour

postponement notice will be emailed and also placed on the website by 12 noon, but since this is the

“BBQ summer” [!] according to the Met Office it will probably be a beautiful evening. If you plan to

attend then please send an email to nickneve@clara.co.uk as this would help me estimate the

numbers. A map can be sent/emailed if you need it. If one of you could bring a small [gas ?] BBQ

that would help. A charge of £2/person will help cover the costs, please pay on the night.

This very popular local show will again take place on

Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th

at the Hereford MAC flying field

at Much Marcle

WINCH BATTERIES.

----- Original Message -----

From: "Nick Neve", To: "Bill Haley", Subject: Winch Batteries.

Bill, Recently you advised: "The best battery to get for your winch is the Lucas / Yuasa 078/4

battery. This meets the F3B spec and is a very reliable battery. All Lucas batteries are made by Yuasa

therefore if you need to order it may come as a Lucas OR a Yuasa battery. Normal price will be under

£40 ." I circulated this around the MSA. The feedback is that nobody can locate one and google can’t

either. Is the data correct and up to date?. Best wishes, Nick.

From: "Bill Haley" To: “Nick Neve”, Subject: Re: Winch batteries.

Nick , Anyone that sells LUCAS batteries can source them. Bill Haley

From: “Paul Stubley”, to “Nick Neve”, Subject “Winch Batteries”.

Hi Nick, I was the originator of the question asked on F3B user group. I have recently located and

purchased my Lucas / Yuasa 078/4 battery from the following supplier:

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DEGGZ AUTO SERVICES, Unit 47, Bay 1, 2nd Avenue, Pensnett Trading Estate, Kingswinford, West

Mids. DY6 7UZ Tel 01384 291266

They delivered it to my place of work in Halesowen, the day after ordering, however the best price

I could negotiate was £54 total hope this helps and look forward to seeing you at Fish Meadow soon

regards Paul.

PS If you contact Manbat, they put me in touch with the above supplier and may be able to advise

a Lucas Battery retailer closer to you. MANBAT LTD., Unit 1, Grange Business Centre, Lancaster Rd,

Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 3LG. Telephone: 01743 460790 Fax: 01743 460791, e-mail:

shrewsbury@manbat.co.uk

WHITE KNIGHT TWO. The Scaled Composites Model 348 WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) is a jet-powered

carrier aircraft which will be used to launch the SpaceShipTwo spacecraft. It is being developed by

Scaled Composites as the first stage of Tier 1b, a two-stage to suborbital-space manned launch

system. WK2 is based on the successful mothership to SpaceShipOne, White Knight, which itself is

based on Proteus.

Virgin Galactic has ordered two WK2s. Together WK2

and SS2 form the basis for Virgin Galactic's fleet of

suborbital spaceplanes.

The first WK2 is named VMS Eve after Richard

Branson's mother; it was officially unveiled on July

28, 2008, and flew for the first time on December

21, 2008. The second is expected to be named VMS

Spirit of Steve Fossett after Branson's close friend

Steve Fossett. WhiteKnightTwo is roughly three

times larger than White Knight, in order to perform

a captive carry with the larger SpaceShipTwo

spacecraft. The WK2 is similar in wingspan to a B-29

Superfortress. Despite that comparison, White

Knight Two is a thoroughly modern aircraft - even the flight control cables are constructed of carbon

fibre, using a new patented design.

WK2 will provide preview flights offering several seconds of weightlessness, before the actual

suborbital event. It is intended to have a service ceiling of about 60,000 ft (18 km), offering a dark

blue sky to passengers. This will allow tourists to practice before the real flight. WhiteKnightTwo

consists of a twin boom with two jet engines per hull.[8] One hull is an exact replica of that of

SpaceShipTwo (to allow tourist training), and the other will carry cut-rate day-trippers into the

stratosphere. The design is quite different from the White Knight, both in size, use of tail, engine

configuration and placement of cockpit(s). The White Knight uses two T-tails, but the WhiteKnightTwo

uses two cruciform tails. Engine configuration is also very different, with engines hung underneath

the wings on the WhiteKnightTwo as opposed to engines on either side of the sole cockpit on the

White Knight.

Virgin Galactic contracted aerospace designer Burt Rutan to build the mothership and spacecraft. On

January 23, 2008 the WhiteKnightTwo design was revealed. On July 28, 2008 occurred the completion

and rollout of the first aircraft, Eve, (Tail Number: N348MS[12]) at Scaled's Mojave headquarters.

Branson predicted that the maiden space voyage would take place in 18 months: "It represents the

chance for our ever-growing group of future astronauts and other scientists to see our world in a

completely new light." The launch customer of WhiteKnightTwo is Virgin Galactic, which will have the

first two units, and exclusive rights to the craft for the first few years.

EVENTS AND SHOWS. World Aerobatic Champs. The British Aerobatic Association is working with

Flying Aces and Silverstone Circuits to host the FAI World Aerobatic Championships at Silverstone

between the 18th and 29th August 2009. Around 60 pilots are expected to compete in two separate

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competitions, the Classic Championship and the Freestyle Championship. More information can be

found on their website at http://www.wac2009.com/

17TH F3B WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

These championships are taking place at the new model airfield at Ivancice near Brno (Czech

Republic), from August 2nd to 9th, 2009. You can follow the action at http://www.f3b2009.com .

Sadly there is no British team entered, the first time this has occurred in 17 championships.

INTER-CLUB COMPETITION. This will take place again this year on Sunday August 9th at Fish

Meadow between the MSA and the South Cotswold Soaring Association. This is a four-man team

challenge match to BARCS percentage slot rules. John Freeman will be announcing our team nearer

the event. Club flying will be restricted on that day to when the event finishes at approximately 2:30

pm.

CALENDAR. The next five months main events are:

August

Sunday 2nd Thermal 4 - Rudder Elevator Spoiler event followed by HLG 4 at 2pm. Fish Meadow

Sunday 9th Four-man tem contest versus South Cotswold SA, meet 9:30 am. Fish Meadow

Saturday 22nd BBQ and Raffle draw. 7pm. Eynhallow, The Purlieu, Upper Colwall, WR14 4DJ

Sunday 16th Thermal 2 - Three Flight Aggregate followed by HLG 2 at 2pm. Fish Meadow

Sunday 23rd Thermal 3 - Progressive Time followed by HLG 3 at 2pm. Fish Meadow

Sunday 30th Slope 5 - Cross Country Table Hill area

September

Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th Hereford MAC / LMA Show Much Marcle

Sunday 6th Thermal 5 - Regressive Time followed by HLG 5 at 2pm. Fish Meadow

Sunday 20th [revised date] Thermal 6 - BARCS Rules followed by HLG 6 at 2pm. Fish Meadow

Sunday 27th BMFA F3b League Fish Meadow (no club flying)

October

Sunday 18th Slope 6 - Speed Table Hill area

November

Thursday 5th Club night Colwall Village Hall

December

Thursday 3rd Annual General Meeting Colwall Village Hall

BRITISH MODEL FLYING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. This annual event is taking place at

Barkston Airfield, just North of Grantham beside the B6403 over the late August bank holiday

weekend on 29, 30 and 31 August. It is not only our national championships, it is a true festival of

model flying attended by thousands of modellers from all over the country. Many of the major

manufacturers and retailers are in attendance; there is also display flying stretching over the three

days as well as the various RC and Control Line championship events. Indoor hangar flying and a

‘free-for-all’ takes place in the evenings after the serious stuff is over for the day. Overnight camping

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is available and details appear in your BMFA News.

MAGAZINE SECTION

AA (American Airlines) - Always Awful

ALITALIA - Always Late In Takeoff And Luggage In

Amsterdam

CA (China Airlines) - Choose Another

DELTA - Departing Even Later Than Anticipated

EAL (Eastern) - Eastern's Always Late

EL AL - Every Landing Always Late

JAT (Yugoslav Airlines)- Joke About Time

KLM = Koop Lockheed Majesteit (Buy Lockheed, Your

Majesty, after the Lockheed bribe scandal which

involved HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands)

LOT (Polish Airlines) - Luggage On Tarmac

LUFTHANSA - Lunch Unavailable For THere Are No

Stewardesses Around

PA (Philippine Airways)- Please Avoid

PIA (Pakistan Intl. Airline) - Panic In Air

QANTAS - Queer And Nasty Types As Stewards

SABENA (Belgium) - Such A Bad Experience, Never

Again

SAHSA (Servicio Aero Honduras SA) - Stay At Home,

Stay Alive

SAS (Scandinavian Airline System) - Sweet And Sexy

SIA (Singapore Intl. Airline) - So Incredible, Aah

TACA - Take A Chance Airline

TAP (Portuguese Airlines.) - Take Another Plane

TWA (Trans World Airlines) - Tiny Wings A’flappin

USAIR - Unfortunately, Still Alleghany In Reality

High Fashion and Society Events.

Brrrrh! Fish Meadow weather can be a bit unpredictable at times.

Please fly safely at all times, Nick Neve.