Dallas Fridjididjit New Year's Fun Fly

[David Russum]

Good weather today, a little cool (only 40 deg cooler than we see during the contest season), light winds, no soccer kids, and the return of the ceiling fan!!  Bill Bischoff had his Hellcat carrier trainer for everyone to fly - even Bill Lee and Doug Moon took a turn on the handle.

[David Russum]

More photos.

[David Russum]

The latest edition of the ceiling fan autogyro was similar to last year's but without the tail (which only served to break on take-off and foul the rotor blades).  The result was, in technical terms: "extremely divergent in pitch".   Pilot Dave Ek let it gain speed for about 2 laps and said "now or never" and fed in just a touch of up elevator.  The craft immediately took off and flipped over almost within its own length - so fast that I only got a picture after it crashed down.  Tom Niebuhr got a blurry in-flight picture - maybe he will post it later.  Doug Moon said that it needs wheelie bars like a dragster....

[David Russum]

For next year I am going to suggest that Dave should look into using this fan for the autogyro.  The extra blade count and blade area would be helpful, plus the fact that it would be just too cool to not work.

[Mike Keville]

Dave Ek will get it figured out eventually.  Ask him sometime about the whacked-out rubber free flight we "built" at the 1962 Glenview Nats!  (Wish I still had that photo!)   

[john e. holliday]

Thanks for the great pics.

[wwwarbird]

 Looks like it was a good time, thanks for the pics!

[Tom Niebuhr]

Yes, we had a great time. And the lunch at Chubby's had a great gathering. I did not put pictures on my thumb drive, so I will post some tommorrow.

[Doug Moon]

My thought is if he puts a wheelie bar on it and let it get more speed before lift off the spinning fan will pick it sraight up and the elevator/canard device thingie can be used to keep it level and keep it from pitching. 

[Doug Moon]

David,

That is a great pic of me and Grace flying.  She just turned 8 the day before!  She like flying and wants to try it some more.

[Tom Niebuhr]

More pictures as promised. 1st) Dale Gleason and Mike Scott; 2nd) Dave Russum at work;  3rd, 4th, 5th ) Dave Ek and his latest Ceiling fan Bill Wilson holds on.

[Tom Niebuhr]

And more: 1) Doug Moon and Dave Ek; 2) Doug and Grace Moon

[Joseph Patterson]

  Great pic's David! looked like yawl had some fun.
        Doug

[BillLee]

And more: 1) Dale Gleason and Mike Scott; 2) Doug and Grace Moon

Tom,I think the first picture is Doug Moon and Dave Ek, not Dale Gleason.

[PJ Rowland]

Awwww What a cutie

[Tom Niebuhr]

Bill,
You are correct. I was thinking of the first group of pictures that I sent. That is Gleason and Scott