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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Howard Rush on August 16, 2018, 12:14:57 AM
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Monday evening was pleasant with a nice breeze coming from a favorable direction, so I went to fly some stunt. Scores of swallows set upon the circle, buzzing my aircraft. They dodged the reverse wingover, but came back for the inside squares, where I hit one with a line, detaching a feather. I flew out the flight level to be predictable. I then affixed a bird-scaring owl, recommended to me by Uncle Jimby for woodpecker deterrence, to my wind pole (see photograph). Swallows were undeterred. Then I got an air horn used to start combat matches and honked it at the swallows to no avail. Hundreds of swallows turned out for my last flight, but stayed high enough that I only had to skip the last three maneuvers.
I promised my neighbors that I'd only fly electric. I'd kinda like to fire up a combat plane and clear the air, so to speak.
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Forget trying to chase swallows away. They know and rely on their agility too well.
Had a similar thing while in Massachusetts many yrs back. Flew at a commuter rail station that was about 105% occupied weekdays, but empty Sats and Suns. For the half-buck or less parking fee, I had a great site.
A small bird must have had a nest with hatchlings somewhere nearby. He swooped in and tried to catch up with a Magician I was flying. Gave him some exercise chasing me, but surprised him with a wingover entry. He was more surprised when inside squares not only dodged him, but came back at him! The image of him backpedaling out of the way remains a grin for me! He never figured going over the top to intercept.
Never did catch me, gave up about at the Sq 8s.
Only time I had a line strike was at a Lake Charles NATS. Definite twang I could feel! Model felt okay, and it was an Official, so plowed on through the pattern. Yep, a feather and a small smear of blood on the lines. but no kinks.
Memories, memories...
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Waaay back when (1970?) I was practicing using an X powered "Vampire" combat ship at about 115+ MPH. Had one of those swallows enter the circle and start dicing with the plane. Mistake. For a few frenzied seconds it was great fun chasing and dicing with it, and I finally got him/her with the inboard wing... a few feathers flew.... it did a few somersaults in the air... then, quick as a snap, it regathered itself... and made a beeline for parts elsewhere. That was a hoot! From then on I loved it when one or more would show up to dice... but can't recall ever hitting another.
Andre
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It is the swallow version of Extreme Dodgeball.
Shug
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Barn swallows inhabite the overhang at our field. We have learned to live with them and them with us. In all the years they have been around I have not experienced or heard of a mishap. They are very good at staying out of the way. The only complaints are of their waste. It piles up on the slab under the overhang wherever there is a nest.
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Concerning that owl facsimile. I can't imagine a creature on this earth that would notice or, much less, be intimidated by that pitiful looking thing.
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Concerning that owl facsimile. I can't imagine a creature on this earth that would notice or, much less, be intimidated by that pitiful looking thing.
LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~
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That was what was fun flying at the old KC City Park and later years at the Shawnee Mission Park. Have take a few feathers with the night hawks skeedaddling to other parts of the park. Wonder how many guys remember me taking out a small bird at Topeka Gage Park 1/2A Mouse Race. Poor bird I don't think knew what hit him/her. Wings were wrapped around the fuselage and wing. That Golden Bee didn't even burp but speed was just barely fiyable. H^^
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Caution: Not c/l related: About 8 years ago we had a infestation (?) of Starlings in our Alky Unit at work. They somehow figured that they numbered into the 2500 to 3000 range. No idea how they counted them to come up with that number. Anyway, these bird sort of hung out in the processing unit for about two weeks before we brought in a professional pest control guy to get them to move on to a different location. The noise and the mess they made was unbelievable. So bad that fellow operators were at one point beginning to refuse to go into the unit to do the normal routine work.
Don't think you could fly in this type of situation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eakKfY5aHmY
This one's c/l related, and a story I've told before but... Back around 1985 we started flying Ringmasters/Fox 35's and Enya 35's in a open field near a industrial warehousing complex away from the housing area's. One evening during the middle of a flight a Kill Deer took flight and basically flew combat type moves against the planes. We noticed that his/her nest was actual in the tall-ish grass inside our flying circle. He/she was simply protecting the nest. Happy to say there were not any line contact or plane/bird strikes that night. We shut things down because of the bird and failing light.
T.
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Electric airplanes may have more of a bird problem than acoustic airplanes. Paul Walker hit a bird just before the 2008 world champs, destroying his airplane. I presume it was a swallow. They infested that field, too. Swallows kept their distance from the louder planes.
Reminds me of a conversation I had one time with Boeing's VP of environmental stuff, whom I confronted in the cafeteria. "The problem with airplanes now is that they are no longer loud and smoky," I told him. "People don't respect them like they did in the old days." He didn't listen. Nobody pays any attention to me.
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As noted, perhaps a more realistic Owl with sound effects. A Screech Owl, perhaps
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Often, swallows are attracted to the bugs we stir up. Our activity gets the bugs in the air, swallows come in for an easy meal! In free flight, its a good sign of a thermal. Bugs are looking for an easy ride, lunch time for the swallows.
Norm
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Electric airplanes may have more of a bird problem than acoustic airplanes. Paul Walker hit a bird just before the 2008 world champs, destroying his airplane. I presume it was a swallow. They infested that field, too. Swallows kept their distance from the louder planes.
Reminds me of a conversation I had one time with Boeing's VP of environmental stuff, whom I confronted in the cafeteria. "The problem with airplanes now is that they are no longer loud and smoky," I told him. "People don't respect them like they did in the old days." He didn't listen. Nobody pays any attention to me.
The Jivettes do!
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Considering where you stuck that pole to mount it, its no wonder the birds weren't afraid...
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I had a bird incident recently also. I took off without noticing the dove that was sitting on the runway. As I passed quietly over him at about 12" of altitude he jumped up and put his head thru my leading edge sheathing. I finished the flight and never found the dove. It was a bother to fix.
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To get rid of the swallows you need a new hobby - falconry >:D
Lost a PA 40 powered Saturn to a swallow strike once. Hit the elevator and broke it off the model.
There were a bunch flying around at the practice site in France, made me quite nervous.
But the parrots(?) in Perth were much scarier, the locals said they took out models quite often.
At the practice site a whole flock through right through the circle while I was flying, fortunately the model was on the other side of the circle at the time.
Pat MacKenzie
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I think they're just after all the mouse poop on your wings. And yeah, that owl is terribly under qualified. :)
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Might do the trick .
(https://image.dhgate.com/0x0s/f2-albu-g4-M00-75-23-rBVaEVdH7-aAUGpXAAGtTuknZj0213.jpg/rc-flying-toys-rc-helicopter-owl-kids-toys.jpg)
or this .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N1KyN4IkUE
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Swallows? PFFT.... Eric tells me the guys in California have to dodge Condors.
Mike
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Concerning that owl facsimile. I can't imagine a creature on this earth that would notice or, much less, be intimidated by that pitiful looking thing.
Agreed. The local Kroger put those plastic owls above the entrance to keep the pigeons away. I would look up and see a pigeon perched on the head of that owl.
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A reasonably realistic owl "decoy" will be effective on the short term... until the critters figure out it ain't moving and acclimate to it. Only about two longer-term options, and a couple long term options:
Longer term:
* Move it to a different location often.
* Get one of the animated ones that moves it head. (You'll have to move it to a different location less often.)
Long term:
* Accept the critters and go about yer business.
* "Neutralize" them.
FWIW: Decades ago, had a swallow set up shop (built a mud nest) under the eave of my carport. (Complete with droppings on the vehicle/etc.) The only true solution was is neutralize the critter. That was accomplished via my 1960s model Sheridan "Blue Streak" pellet rifle. (Of all the BB guns I've owned, and this pellet rifle, I haven't shot my eye out yet.) Never had another swallow try the carport again. Guess the word got around about their dearly departed feathered friend.
Andre
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Are you near Capistrano?...
..
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Often, swallows are attracted to the bugs we stir up. Our activity gets the bugs in the air, swallows come in for an easy meal! In free flight, its a good sign of a thermal. Bugs are looking for an easy ride, lunch time for the swallows.
Norm
Norm has it right. Swallows are the only kind of bird I trusted for a sign of thermal activity. They're there for the bugs sucked up in thermals. Howard's solution is to spray for the bugs, thus encouraging the Swallows to go elsewhere. We see lots of Swallow nests under bridges while fishing. If there are any bridges near Stonehedge, I suggest inviting a certain Canadian truck driver to come meet the Jivettes, and provide appropriate routing information. y1 Steve
PS: Howard needs to 3D print a large owl with flapping wings and engineer a hybrid power system to make it look alive and threatening.
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Paint shark teeth on it?