In about 1962 or so, we were flying an indoor contest in the NAS Dallas Drill Hall (some of you might remember it from the Navy Nats held at NAS Dallas).
I was flying a helicopter that had the top rotor driven by a rubber motor and the bottom rotor driven by the torque of the top rotor. There was a peg protruding from the top rotor so that the model could reach the ceiling and keep the top rotor clear. At that time I was the AMA senior national record holder and was trying to up the record. My timer was the late Bud Tenny. I launched the model and it climbed briskly to the top of the building and the peg engaged the ceiling and the flight was going according to plan. After a few minutes the top rotor ceased turning and at point in time my timer declared the model to be hung up. Thinking quickly I told Bud, no it isn't hung up the thrust of the bottom rotor is keeping it up there. He protested but kept the watch running. I was hoping for a gust of wind to come along and knock it down as I knew it was hung up, but if I could convince Bud it was flying I could have a super record. Well, the wind never came and as the motor ran down it was clear to all the model was hung up. It took several taps with a balloon to get it down. Bud had made the right call and frankly, I don't know what I would have done if the model had fallen free. I suspect i would have not applied for the record as it was obvious upon examination of the model that it had been captured by a cobweb. Any protest would have not ruled in my favor. In fact I was simply pulling Bud's leg. We still get a good laugh about this story after all these years.
In Bill's case, he has called it correctly.
Jerry Murphy
9 Via Escondido Valle
Manitou Springs, CO 80829
719-685-3766
From: ddeloach_at_comcast.net
To: Indoor_Construction_at_yahoogroups.com
CC: jb_murphy_at_msn.com
Subject: RE: [Indoor_Construction] Re: SO Helicopter
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:49:52 -0600
I agree with Bill. This rule loophole needs to be closed if it isn’t already.
To muddy the waters further, there is a precedent in AMA Helicopter, going back 45+ years. I’ll now ask Jerry Murphy (now Chairman of the FF Contest Board) to weigh in.
Don DeLoach
Editor, NFFS Free Flight Digest
From: Indoor_Construction_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:Indoor_Construction_at_yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of William Gowen
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 1:43 PM
To: Indoor_Construction_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Indoor_Construction] Re: SO Helicopter
My understanding is that in the 2 state finals I'm familiar with the top rotor locked into either a ceiling tile or a light fixture.
The copter then stayed there until the torque dropped enough for it to fall free.
The kid I was helping had his copter hang the top rotor on a practice flight. It took over 10 minutes for the bottom rotor to stop. In his case the copter didn't fall so it wouldn't have been a legal flight (I guess).
So I don't think we're talking about an aerodynamic phenomena. The copter is being supported by the ceiling - not by the thrust from the bottom rotor.
On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 3:34 PM, Jeff <janderson_at_twmi.rr.com> wrote:
Received on Wed Mar 30 2011 - 15:55:00 CEST
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