I love the power of the Indoor Email list. These stories are great. Thanks
Don, Bill and Jerry!
On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 6:54 PM, Jerry Murphy <jb_murphy_at_msn.com> wrote:
>
>
> 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:
>
>
>
>
--
BEN SAKS
www.bensaks.com
Received on Wed Mar 30 2011 - 15:59:19 CEST