13
AUGUST
WING
SPAN
MAAALogo.
stuck. You will need to check all
fittings for firm fit. There should not
be any air in the UAT (bubble trap). If
there is air in the UAT, find out why.
Free Flight
F1A is the premier class for free
flight gliders and these are flown
in World Cup events in over 30
countries across the world, as well
as the World Championships every
second year. Gliders undergo a
lot of stress during launch and in
windy conditions. When preparing
my glider for events, I perform the
following checks:
• LiPo batteries – charged
before each event and in good
condition, plus spares.
• Electronic timer – fully
operational and loaded with
latest software.
• Palm pilot – operational with
fresh batteries, plus spare
palm device. This hand-held
programmer loads launch and
flight parameters and these
can be altered prior to flight to
suit conditions.
• Model programs – launch
sequence bench tested and
copied to memory card and
Excel spreadsheet, with hard
copy backup. Ensure each
model has the correct program
loaded.
• RDT – fully charged and bench
test its function. This device
communicates with the model
enabling the flyer to terminate
the flight at any time.
• Towlines – no knots or frays
in line, flag in good condition.
Also check spare line/s.
• Model structure – repair any
damage to covering, check
for and repair any damage to
D-box, main spar and rib caps
in wing or stab.
*Courtesy of Malcolm Campbell
Secretary of the Brisbane Free Flight
Society Inc