R.F. Stevenson Memorial Raider Roundup

[john e. holliday]

Shouldn't the results be in the Flying Lines report once the officials have had time to rest up?

[Randy Powell]

Results for Sunday: There were some.

Howard won, Chris Cox was second, bringing up a distant third, me, then Mike Haverly, Mark Scarborough then John Thompson. Advanced, Addis Elmore won, Mike Hazel was second.

Folks were scared off by the weather report, but it was nice. Crappy winds and thermals, but not that bad - if you weren't wearing a yellow tee shirt and had to dodge bees while flying. That was fun.

[Tim Wescott]

Movies:

[John Leidle]

      Well done Tim.     A+

[Tim Wescott]

To the extent that I remember the Saturday placings:

John Thompson (JT) came in second in OT; Pete Peterson won first.

JT came in second in Classic, Mike Haverly came in first.

Mike Hazel took fourth in Profile, JT took 3rd, Mike Haverly took 2nd, and Fred Underwood took 1st.

JT will have a complete report on Flying Lines, no doubt.

[Mark Scarborough]

Results for Sunday: There were some.

Howard won, Chris Cox was second, bringing up a distant third, me, then Mike Haverly, Mark Scarborough then John Thompson. Advanced, Addis Elmore won, Mike Hazel was second.

Folks were scared off by the weather report, but it was nice. Crappy winds and thermals, but not that bad - if you weren't wearing a yellow tee shirt and had to dodge bees while flying. That was fun.

Sorry Randy, but the picture I have of the score sheet shows Chris Cox in first Howard second by 1.5 points

[Chris Cox]

Sorry Randy, but the picture I have of the score sheet shows Chris Cox in first Howard second by 1.5 points

ses

Thank you for defending my honour Mark!  Yes, Howard and I were definitely working hard to come out on top.  Howard lead following the first round.  We both improved a bit in the second round and I was able to edge Howard out by a slim margin.  Very close, but I'll take it!

As for the wind, the issue, especially during the first round was that there wasn't any.  It's been some time since I flew in such dead air.  Lots of back pedalling required, which would not be so bad, but due to rather tight circle/pit dimensions, one needed to immediately rush to the centre of the circle for fear of clobbering someone in the pit who may be standing a little to close to the circle's edge! (I'm exaggerating a bit, but you certainly didn't want to stand off centre for too long a time...)

Thanks Howard for managing another well run event, and once again taking pity on me and letting me win.  😄

[Mark Scarborough]

ses

Thank you for defending my honour Mark! 

 (I'm exaggerating a bit, but you certainly didn't want to stand off centre for too long a time...)

Thanks Howard for managing another well run event, and once again taking pity on me and letting me win.  😄

Chris, I felt it my obligation to defend you since you were so helpfull in my moment of crisis saturday.

as to flying from center circle, this is especially important if your lines are perhaps 6 inches to long

[Randy Powell]

Well, without a picture of the scoreboard, there is no proof.   

Yea, it's what a get for posting after flying all day only to come home and pressure wash on the house for two and a half hours THEN post. I knew Chris won, but had a brain fart.

[Tim Wescott]

as to flying from center circle, this is especially important if your lines are perhaps 6 inches to long

That circle is pretty impressive.  I thought Fred was going to run me down with his big profile when I was judging.  After that I treated the line marking the circle not as "stand with your toes here and you'll be safe", but rather "don't cross this line, ever!"

[Mark Scarborough]

Well, without a picture of the scoreboard, there is no proof.   

Yea, it's what a get for posting after flying all day only to come home and pressure wash on the house for two and a half hours THEN post. I knew Chris won, but had a brain fart.

I have a picture,, of the scoreboard,,
( I am documenting my pursuit and journey to surpassing the Powell express one day,, so I can look back and see how long it took,, )
 

[Mark Scarborough]

That circle is pretty impressive.  I thought Fred was going to run me down with his big profile when I was judging.  After that I treated the line marking the circle not as "stand with your toes here and you'll be safe", but rather "don't cross this line, ever!"

Tim, you would have been safe with me flying sunday, all my bottoms were over your head, 

[Tim Wescott]

Tim, you would have been safe with me flying sunday, all my bottoms were over your head, 

That's comforting.  I think.  You'll need to do better than that if my shoulder ever gets back into shape, though.

[Randy Powell]

"I am documenting my pursuit and journey to surpassing the Powell express one day,, so I can look back and see how long it took""

You won't live that long.   

On the other hand, if I don't get a practice site soon (or get willing to drive to Chehalis regularly), that may not be true. 

[Duke.Johnson]

I swung by sunday afternoon to find lots of friends and Greg's 5 year old flying combat. I love how he had to hold up his little pants with one hand and the handle with the other.  Greg said this was the first time he tried loops.

[Mark Scarborough]

That's comforting.  I think.  You'll need to do better than that if my shoulder ever gets back into shape, though.

Tim,, as Randy tells me,, Yo Momma,,

I think my 554 is within the realm of challanging you good shoulder and all,,
but I welcome the onslaught,, I am looking ahead,, to Randy,, just sayin,, muah hahaha,,

of course this is dependent upon not having lines break on contest weekend,,

[Mark Scarborough]

"I am documenting my pursuit and journey to surpassing the Powell express one day,, so I can look back and see how long it took""

You won't live that long.   

On the other hand, if I don't get a practice site soon (or get willing to drive to Chehalis regularly), that may not be true. 

Of course my airframes are a bit bland compared to yours,, but I do have a practice circle,, oh and my trips to the WSR dont hurt anything,,

you need to make a trip over,, 

[Randy Powell]

>>I am looking ahead,, to Randy,, just sayin,, muah hahaha,,<<

At the moment anyway, you need to pass Mike first. 

[Mark Scarborough]

>>I am looking ahead,, to Randy,, just sayin,, muah hahaha,,<<

At the moment anyway, you need to pass Mike first. 

[Fred Underwood]

I enjoyed the Chehalis site and the fact that it is only about 100 mi from Portland.  The Chehalis crew had it well prepared except the weather.  Fortunately it went from the airport reading of 16 mph plus gusts that tried to move Howard's control center, to 7 mph and pleasant in about a half hour for lunch break.

Thanks to Howard for a well run event as usual.  Too bad he forgot the lines for the twin, for profile.

I always appreciate the judges, and especially Tim, in this case, who gave up a day to judge and didn't get to fly because of his shoulder. Feel fortunate I dusted you back before Mark's practice flight.

And, if things come together, perhaps I can join the Expert chase at Fall Follies. You guys are having too much fun.

[Mark Scarborough]

I enjoyed catching up Fred,, as to the circle,, well,, yeah,, I still am not sure how I missed measuring, pretty sure my lines couldnt stretch that much .. Fortunate to make the catch on the one failing termination and VERY lucky not to jam the bellcrank.. good thing there is only one contest left so I can get my new bird built. This only having one airplane is nerve wracking,,
The best part now is that there are a group of guys that have the means to challange,, ( well sort of challange) each other and especially Randy and I have a fun banter as well as Tim,, it would be great to have you in the mix too on Sunday. Maybe next year I might do a profile, depending on how my flying improves and the new airplane comes together.
Look forward to seeing you in Salem, as well as the rest of the usual suspects.

[Fred Underwood]

I missed the part about a failing termination, just knew about the length.  You found an existing failing termination, or had a new one failing.  Anything to be learned here?  Great that you found it in time.  Assume the jammed bellcrank comment meant that you didn't find it at pull test, but before, probably when fixing length?

[Fred Underwood]

JT was kind enough to send me the Flying Lines photo of my plane, now my screen background, temporarily at least. Thank you John Thompson.

[Tim Wescott]

Maybe next year I might do a profile, depending on how my flying improves and the new airplane comes together.
Look forward to seeing you in Salem, as well as the rest of the usual suspects.

Classic and profile-legal, if you extend the cowl up to the bearers.

[Mark Scarborough]

I missed the part about a failing termination, just knew about the length.  You found an existing failing termination, or had a new one failing.  Anything to be learned here?  Great that you found it in time.  Assume the jammed bellcrank comment meant that you didn't find it at pull test, but before, probably when fixing length?

I shortened the lines a foot, and as usual swagged the ends. I know but its worked forever for me. Before a post shortening test flight, as always after doing anything with line terminations, Rod and I did a pull test, one of the lines failed right at the point between the swage and the thimble. I cannot say it was or was not a problem in the making. Due to putting heat shrink over the terminations they were not especially easy to assess with any certainty. I got the lecture from Chris and also the most gracious offer to help me re-terminate my lines which probably cost another foot in the end since we did both ends. This set of lines has been in service for a fair bit of time. I believe they have 350 flights. ( I just started working on keeping a log on my airplane) so, that pull test saved my airplane most likely. I dont think we ever really got up to the full 45 pounds before it failed. Diagnosis is that the swagge tube was to close to the thimble eyelet and caused a stress point to work on and fatigue did what it does and corrupted that part of the lines.
The blessing was that when it failed it did not appear to have jambed the bellcrank or over stressed anything though,, there is always some effect right? I did as thourough of a post incident inspection as I could without an xacto knife and pulled it again after the lines were done. The implications to my weekend, I spent the next two flights getting my nuetral back again and being over an hour late for a family dinner. so instead of two vauable practice flights, I did two trim flights. BUT I still have an airplane.
On a personal note, it was fantastic to see Rod in attendance, and my grandaughter Kyli was score runner all weekend and it was a joy to have her there with me.

[Howard Rush]

as to flying from center circle, this is especially important if your lines are perhaps 6 inches to long

and your arm is also 6 inches too long.

[Mark Scarborough]

 

and your arm is also 6 inches too long.

well there is that

[john e. holliday]

Mark,  I have been swagging my lines and leadouts ever since Carl showed me the system.  Do not use those eyelets or thimbles.   I use 1/16 tubing that ahs been run through a torch until red hot.   Cut to 1 1/2 inch length and bend around 1/8 rod after inserting the lines or cable.  Of course the swagging tube has to be on the line before you do the 1/16 tubing.   So far, knock on wood no failures.  I did break a set of lines several feet from the terminations after they snagged a weed and the plane went back out.   Couldn't move fast enough to ease the jerk the plane put on the lines,  not the jerk on the handle.  I need a better picture of my terminations.

[Randy Powell]

I'll stick with wrapped lines. While they are far from perfect, seems like they are less likely to fail.

Look forward to the Fall Follies. Should be fun.

[Mark Scarborough]

I will be using wrapped terminations from this point on,, just like my battery retainer,, if you escape once without catostrophic results, a person should not chance it a second time, the odds are against you. That said, most likely the problem was not the actual termination but more that the swagge tube was forced to close to the eyelet causing a point on the edge of the tube that worked the strands fatiguing them. SO it wasn't inherently a problem with the crimped termination, more a problem with the implementation of same and the inability to see that little section because of the heat shrink... That said, why chance it, go with the safe method and wrap them from now on.

[Randy Powell]

See Mark, you learn.