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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C. (Read 36378 times)
Kittyfritters
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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #104 - Jan 6th, 2022 at 9:10pm
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The annual Martin Luther King Day fun fly and contest held by the Black Sheep Exhibition Squadron and O.F.F.C., The King Fling, will not be held this year. The field at the Stonehurst Recreation Center has been graded for reseeding and is fenced off. Next year.

KF
  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #103 - Dec 21st, 2021 at 9:49pm
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YES, the OFFC is back in business as an indoor flying club.  The City Parks Department has let  us back into the Stonehurst Rec Center gym...but with a few conditions.

We are officially known to the City as the “All Year Model Airplane Club.  We are open to anyone, not just senior  Black Sheep members (Well, we always have been.)  They charge us a facility fee of $15 per person for three months, payable at the Park Director’s office.  That’s $5 a month which is not bad for facilities fees these days.  You must provide proof of Covid vaccination and a photo ID when you sign up.  We are supposed to wear masks in the gym.

Our first contest since the shutdown will be on Wednesday, December 29, 2021.
The event is "ROG Almost Unlimited (no plastic or condenser paper covering)".

You can fly any rubber-powered FF indoor model you like, as long as it can make an unassisted take off from the floor.  Unlimited attempts for your two best flights (unless airspace crowding limits the attempts).

Airframe dimensions, prop size, landing gear configuration, and construction materials are open (except that plastic film and condenser paper coverings are not allowed).
In celebration of this rebirth of the OFFC, Bill Watson himself will serve as CD for this inaugural contest.


Remember, we meet in the Stonehurst Recreation Center gym each Wednesday at 9am for aviation discussion and indoor model flying. .

  

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Kittyfritters
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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #102 - Jun 24th, 2021 at 11:18pm
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The Spot/Time contest went on as scheduled.  I didn't compete since I had a doctor's appointment but Dave Gee gave me the results.

Spot-time  (Closest to predicted time)

1 Dave Gee                      0.4 seconds
2 Bill Watson                    0.55 seconds
3 Don Butman                  1.39 seconds

Spot-landing (Closest to flag)

1 Don Butman                      14 feet
2 Barry Daugherty                16 feet
3 Bill Watson                        25 feet

  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #101 - Jun 3rd, 2021 at 10:02pm
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Yes, the contest that even Covid couldn't stop will happen again this year.

The O.F.F.C Spot-Landing/Spot Time contest will be held, on the field at the Stonehurst Rec Center,9901 Dronfield Ave, Sun Valley, CA on Wednesday, June 16 at 8:00 AM.  The rules are the same as last year, any rubber powered model that can take off from a card table, 15 second minimum flight, spot landing and predicted flight time tasks.

Detailed flier attached.

KF
  

2021_spot_landing_OFFC_2.pdf ( 342 KB | 39 Downloads )

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #100 - Sep 22nd, 2020 at 10:06pm
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A few OFFC members have been meeting on Wednesday mornings, at the usual Stonehurst Recreation Center location,  despite heat, smoke and pandemic.  They bring lawn chairs, some card tables, and set up under the trees of course with social distancing and masks.  This can lead to some very interesting flying experiences as Bill Watson related in an email on September 16th.

Went flying today.  Made a new rubber motor for the Frog 2 and wound it up. Launched it for my first flight - it caught a little lift and drifted over a tree - and landed on the top of the tree.  Took about 1/2 hour to see it in the tree - finally saw it with binoculars from 200 feet to the side.  Stuck the 45' pole up into the tree, positioned it by looking from the side with the binoculars.  With the pole near the right spot, I looked straight up with the binoculars from under the tree to see the plane from there.   Took another 15 minutes to see it.  With a hook on the top of the pole to pull on branches, and a fork to push on branches, got it one branch lower, then another, then another, then down.  Surprised to see no damage since it is made from 1/32" soft balsa.  Score for the day - 30 seconds to fly one flight, one hour twenty minutes to get it down.


We’ve all had a day like that but how many of us would have Bill’s persistence?  Of course Bill is not the only one who has treed a model at Stonehurst. Don Butman treed a model at the Skybunny contest on Labor Day.
 
Come to think of it I treed two models in the same day three weeks ago at Stonehurst, fortunately, low enough that my pole could reach them. 

“Stuff” happens!

KF
  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #99 - Aug 22nd, 2020 at 10:39am
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Glad you were able to get some air time.  Also glad you played it smart and retreated to the airconditioning before getting overheated!  We've had rain yesterday so no chance to fly.  But I'm still not up to getting out!  Hopefully soon!
Sky9pilot
  

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Your attitude will determine your altitude!- John Maxwell
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Jn 8:32
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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #98 - Aug 21st, 2020 at 6:21pm
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I got up at 6:30 Wednesday morning intending to go to the OFFC meeting and flying session (outdoors and with masks) but my wife had some gardening to do and she needed assistance.  I didn't get to Stonehurst until 10 which was a bit iffy since the high temperature was predicted to be 107 (F of course).  When I got there only two other fliers were still there, one flying cat gliders and the other a small electric RC foamy.  The breeze was coming up but I set up my table and chair under the trees anyway.  The other two fliers decided to retreat to home and air conditioning.  When they left  the breeze stopped.  With a clear sky and dead air, it was a perfect day to fly. 

Anticipating a breeze would come up by my late arrival I only brought my simplified models because they have good penetration.  I decided to fly the Double Trouble and it flew beautifully getting a few one minute flights on about 800 turns.  I sat down at my table to set up my Plain Plane when I started to sweat a bit.  I checked my phone which will tell me temperature and humidity.  92 degrees and 50% humidity...Humm?  I Googled Heat Index Calculator on my phone and entered the figures.  That gave a heat index of 102 (F)...in the shade!...dangerous for someone my age.  I packed up and made my own retreat to home and air conditioning.

KF
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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #97 - Jun 24th, 2020 at 10:22pm
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Due to several issues I was unable to attend the O.F.F.C contest last Wednesday, however I have pictures and results passed on by Dave Gee.

The OFFC is back in business! Contest results:

Spot-Time
  • 1st Hugh Langhans
  • 2nd Dave Gee
  • 3rd Don Butman


Spot-landing
  • 1st Dave Gee
  • 2nd Bill Watson
  • 3rd Don Butman
  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #96 - Jun 13th, 2020 at 3:42pm
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Here is the official announcement of the O.F.F.C. contest next Wednesday.  The rules differ slightly from past years.


Hello friends!
The O.F.F.C. is back in business, at least for one day.  June 17,2020 will see the yearly outdoor contest presented at Stonehurst Rec Center.  Whether weekly meetings will resume has not been decided, but we WILL have this one event under the big trees and on the field.

As always, any rubber-powered FF model can be used.  Take off from a card table and meet your predicted time, and/or land as close as possible to the flag.

Minimum flight 15 seconds, 3 attempts at each task.

Tables, flag, and timekeeper will be onsite at 8am.  Contest ends when blown out or all pilots are finished.

Quasi-lavish prizes may be offered.

Doughnuts WILL be provided.

Not all O.F.F.C. members get email, so please pass this information along.  All comers are welcome of course.

Wear your plague-masks and keep your distance during this time of chaos and craziness.

-Dave, your dedicated CD
  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #95 - Jun 5th, 2020 at 11:23am
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Yippee!  The O.F.F.C. contest schedule resumes this month with the Predicted Time/Spot Landing contest.  This is our only outdoor contest of the year and will be held, as usual, on the grass at the Stonehurst Recreation Center. The date is Wednesday, June 17.  The contest starts at 8:30 AM and runs until the wind blows us out. (That's usually about 11:00 AM.)  Face covering and social distancing required.

For those who have never seen it, the rules are:

The contest is for any rubber powered, free flight model that can ROT (Rise Off Table) from a card table. (Several card tables are provided to move the contest along.)

The minimum flight time for an official flight is 15 seconds.

A contestant may have five official flights for each category.



For Spot Landing:

A flag is planted out in the center of the field.  A 50 foot tape measure is attached to the flag pole.  The contestant may position the card table anywhere in the field to launch the model.  The model must land within 50 feet of the flag.  The tape is used to measure the distance to the flag pole from the part of the model that is closest to the flag.

The winner is the contestant whose model lands closest to the flag pole.

For Predicted Time:

The contestant must announce the duration of the flight which is written into the timing sheet BEFORE launching the model.

The card table may be positioned anywhere in the field to launch the model.

The contestant must get a clear, visual response from a timer indicating that his model is being timed before launching the model. (Usually, this is the timer raising the stop watch while looking at the contestant.)

The timing is to the nearest tenth of a second from the model being released until it touches the ground.

The winner is the contestant whose model flight duration is closest to the time predicted.

Now, this sounds like there is a lot of luck involved and this is true for models that win the spot landing contest by touching the pole and those that get exact times in the predicted time event.  (Both have happened!)  But, this is a club for older modelers who know how to get a model dialed in and there are usually models that consistently get withing five feet of the pole and it's not unusual for three to five contestants to have flights within one second of their predicted time.  (I once flew within 0.4 seconds of my predicted time and finished third!)

Results next week.
  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #94 - Mar 17th, 2020 at 2:28pm
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OFFC meetings and contests are postponed until further notice due to the virus situation.  The park gyms and all other available venues are closed.  The building season has been extended.

KF
  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #93 - Feb 29th, 2020 at 9:47pm
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On the morning of February 26th the OFFC once again held one of the most popular and fun contest events on its schedule, the Delta Dart Build on Site contest.  Our esteemed Black Sheep Squadron President, Dave Gee, provided the materials and building boards for the mad scramble to build the models in the hour before the contest.

Of course, when Dave prints up the plans/skins for Delta Darts he can’t resist having a bit of fun with the markings!  The contest was for the total of the best two attempts so there was a constant trimming effort during the contest and the times got better as the contest went on.  The end of the contest was the traditional Delta Dart mass launch. 

The results were:

    1. Bill Watson......................82.0 Seconds
    2. Don Butman....................77.3
    3. Dave Gee........................73.6
    4. Barry Daugherty...............66.6
    5. Howard Littman................58.9
    6. Will Woods......................53.9
    7. Don Smith.......................33.7
    8. Kurt Young........................9.8

The mass launch winner was Dave Gee.
  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #92 - Feb 25th, 2020 at 9:44pm
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On January 29 the OFFC Minnow contest was held at Stonehurst.   Five contestants participated.  Some of the models were new builds and some had been flying for over a decade. 

The results were:


    1.      Bill Watson                                    206 seconds
    2.      Don Butman                                  120
    3.      Will Woods                                    106
    4.      Howard Littman                               77
    5.      Don Martin                                      45


Bill Watson was CD.

I would have put the group picture on this post but we can’t seem to get it off Barry Daugherty’s phone..
  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #91 - Jan 22nd, 2020 at 1:40pm
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At today's O.F.F.C. meeting the 2020 Directory and Contest Calendars were distributed.  The Contest Calendar is as follows:

Date           Event                               CD Name                   
Jan 29        Minnow                            Bill Watson                
Feb 26        Delta Dart (Built on Site)    Dave Gee                  
Mar 25        Embryo                            Will Woods                
Apr 29          No-Cal                            TBS*                         
May 27        Dime Scale                      Joe Whiting
June 10 Outdoor Spot-Time Dave and Ralph
Jun 24 A-6 Howard Littman
Jul 29 Peanut Scale Dave Gee
Aug 26 RTP Rubber Speed Jim Leuken
Sep 30 Legal Eagle TBS*
Oct 28 One Design Bill and Dave
Nov 25 P-18 Paul Avery
Dec 30 R.O.G. Unlimited Ed Slobad (FBTG)

CD will issue rules for each meet, possibly with customized requirements.  No griping!
Dissenters invited to volunteer as a CD next year.

Other unlisted events are possible. Anyone requesting another event will be CD for that event

TBS* indicates that the CD for this event will be shanghaied from the membership.

There was quite a bit of discussion about the RTP speed event.  It looks like there will two classes, Unlimited and Racing Plane Profile Scale.  The profile scale event will be No-Cal models but with all sheet construction allowed.  Another possible rule for the profile scale class is to have all models use the 5 inch, Guillow's, red prop.  This would keep the speeds in the 25 mph range.

We shall see...

The Minnow contest is next week.
  

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Re: Indoor Flying With The O.F.F.C.
Reply #90 - Dec 23rd, 2019 at 6:22pm
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ED SLOBAD MEMORIAL ROG UNLIMITED CONTEST

Since it is open to any rubber powered model that can ROG this is always one of the more interesting contests of the year.  You never know what kind of model that people will bring.  There were designed for the job models, P-18s with landing gear, Legal Eagles, and even an Embryo. 

Bill Watson and Jim Leuken brought designed for the job models.  Bill flew away with it, to no one’s surprise.  Jim got some tough competition from the Legal Eagle and P-18 fliers.  There wasn’t a dull moment with models in the air right to the end.  This was a fitting end to the OFFC ‘s 2019 year. 

At the meeting, the contest schedule for 2020 was finalized.  We’re short CDs for three contests but we can Shanghai members as needed.  OFFC members will get the contest schedule with the 2020 directory.  The contest for January is Minnow on January 29th.

The contest results were:  (Best single flight)

1.      Bill Watson            Own Design            186.0  seconds
2.      Paul Avery            Legal Eagle            111.0
3.      Don Butman            P-18                     97.0 
4.      Jim Leuken            Own Design               88.0
5.      Howard Littman      Legal Eagle               83.0
6.      Joe Whiting            Legal Eagle               76.0      
  

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