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Newsletter

April 2010Editor Nick Neve. Number 84

Membership Matters - David Toye, our Membership Secretary writes:

As your new Membership Secretary, I hope that this will be of interest to you, the first of anoccasional series of articles under this heading in the Newsletter. The purpose of these articles willbe to update you on membership matters, welcome new members, perhaps go on to include news ofmembers to the extent that newsworthy items of information come my way.

The first item is the annual tough message, of which Nick will remind you elsewhere in this issue, thatthis is the last Newsletter that you will receive if you have not renewed your membership. At the timeof writing (12th March), we have just 50 paid up members which is about 10 less than at this timelast year. No doubt a harsh winter and cold spring have a lot to do with this, but the facts are thatwe need about 70 members to have a chance of breaking even financially. Come on, with betterweather around the corner, now is the time to check those models over and reach for your chequebook. We need you and for that matter, could do with your money!

?? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A BARGAIN ??

?? HAVE YOU ANY MODEL GOODS TO SELL ??

THE MALVERN SOARING ASSOCIATION

ANNOUNCES THAT ITS ANNUAL

AUCTION

OF

R/C MODEL GOODS AND EQUIPMENT

WILL BE HELD IN COLWALL VILLAGE HALL

ON THURSDAY APRIL 1st 2010.

DOORS OPEN AT 7.30 PM, AUCTION STARTS 8.15 PM.

All are welcome to attend. If you have any surplus models, modelling goods,

magazines, accessories, engines, radios, plans, kits etc to sell please bring them

along. Remember your unwanted goods may be just what somebody else is

looking for. All lots are booked in on the night but if you are planning to bring

many items please contact us beforehand. We deduct 10% from the sale price

[up to a maximum of £5.00] to defray costs. We expect to have a wide range of

model goods brought in for sale, if past years are anything to go by. This should

include ready-to-fly models and a range of equipment and accessories. For more

information contact:

Nick Neve on 01684 561160 or send email to nickneve@clara.co.uk

Colwall is situated on the Malvern to Ledbury road, B4218, about four miles East

of Ledbury. The Hall is signposted off the B4218 just after the railway bridge.

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We welcome one new member so far this year. Alan Alderwick of Malvern Link visited us at theColwall indoor evening in February. He joined us within a few days, being our 50th member this year.He has flown with Hereford Model Club at Much Marcle and is fast getting involved with us. We hopeyou have a long and happy stay with us, Alan! More next time, David Toye

WINTER CONTESTS. Mike Grantham reports: “We successfully flew our second Winter Leaguethermal comp at Upton today. This completes the planned programme and the final results are asfollows:-

Thermal League Slope League

1st S Hannon 1st M Grantham 2nd= J Freeman 2nd S Hannon 2nd= M White 3rd S Pearse

The temperature was -1C, it rose to the giddy heights of +2C around lunchtime. The sky was abrilliant blue all day with unbroken sunshine and the wind was in the East. Not ideal you might thinkfor thermal flying. Certainly I don't often fly at Upton in gloves. However nearly all slots were flownout and for a change the first 4 places were decided by 1 round of 15 mins. Both Steve and Geoff flewthis out, with Malcolm managing approx 13 mins and John 11. Steve just pipped Geoff on landing.Must say we were all surprised by the amount of thermal activity around. All in all a good day despitemany early season mishaps. Many thanks to all those who supported the programme (14 differentpilots flew in one or more event)”.

Well done Mike, your efforts I know are much appreciated

2010 PROGRAMME - the next few months.

April

Thursday 1st Auction: Doors Open 7:30 pm, Auction starts 8:15 pm. Colwall VillageHall

Sunday 4th Slope 2 - Limbo Table Hill

Friday 16th Indoor Flying, "The Chairman's Challenge" [7 - 9:30 pm] Elms School

Saturday 17th F3b - BMFA National League Fish Meadow(no club flying)

Sunday 18th Thermal 1 - Precision Duration Fish Meadow

May

Sunday 2nd Thermal 2 - Three Flight Aggregate Fish Meadow

June

Sunday 6th Slope 3 - Loops Table Hill area

ESOARING - THE FEBRUARY 2010 MSA CLUB NIGHT TALK. Bruce Baker and Denis Christie of the Clent Soaring Association gave us a talk on the new eSoaringevents planned for 2010 in the Midlands. For an overview of the scene go first to the eSoaringwebsite: http://www.esoaring.net For a good introduction to the class and the models download an leaflet: “eSoaring Introduction”from: http://www.esoaring.net/uploads/File/eSoaring%20Leaflet%205.PDF The two venues are at Pillerton Hersey (3 Sundays), near Stratford and Hopwood near J2 (ifNorthbound) of the M40 (3 Saturdays). For the 2010 eSoaring calendar see: Competition Dates andVenues at: http://www.esoaring.net/index.php?page=competition-dates The rules call for two classes of model, (up to 2m.) and Open (up to 4m.). The model has to carry anapproved height limiter switch, which cuts the motor at a height of 200 m. above the launch point,or after 30 seconds, whichever comes first. Models are flown in BARCS type slots of 11 minutesduration with a target time of 10 minutes plus a spot landing. The full eSoaring rules can bedownloaded from:

http://www.esoaring.net/uploads/File/BMFA%20eSoaring%20Rules%20091204.pdf I learn that a number of MSA members are building models that meet these rules so why not trythese self-launching models for yourself. No need for winches, or large flying fields and the motors

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and batteries are becoming cheaper and more affordable as I write. Finally the URLs in this notecannot be clicked on, especially if you get this newsletter delivered through post.

MSA CHAMPIONSHIP - 2010.

Our annual club championship for theAutogroom Trophy started again for the 36thyear on 21 March. As one member put itsuccinctly “The Chairman crashes out, theSecretary crashes out and the Treasurermakes a good effort at taking his own headoff! Nothing like setting the tone”. However10 members took part in what was a wellorganised event flown in light winds to startwith and the sun was shining making apleasant change to the weather we haveexperienced over the winter. Three rounds ofslope slalom were flown. The wind directionwas from the South West and started off verylight, however as the morning past, the windspeed increased to something approaching10 mph.

The models flown were of the lightweightvariety. Results were:

FISH MEADOW GATE Reminder: the barrier has to be kept up and locked at all times except whenentering or leaving the meadow. The code for the combination lock has not been changed fron lastyear. If you have forgotten the code please call 01684 561160.

MAGAZINE SECTION

The scientific theory I like most is that the rings of Saturn are entirely composed of lost airlinebaggage - Ryanair PR spokesperson.

The bulk of mankind is as well equipped for flying as thinking - Jonathon Swift.

TRAVEL SUPPLEMENT, THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTRE. Your editor fled the snowy wastes of theMalvern Hills for the Florida sunshine last month to visit the Kennedy Space centre at Cape Canaveral.My diary goes like this:

Friday 26 February. Well here I am are in freeeezing Florida, -1 degree outside with bewilderednatives huddling in groups to keep warm. I thought I was leaving that all behind. A least the hightoday - briefly - is going to be 18 degrees. I have a nice new Avis rental Subaru outside the HamptonInn and the Space Centre beckons. The problem is it is very early in the morning and my jet-laggedbody clock is bewildered. After a strange breakfast consisting of muffins soaked in a white goo called

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Jon McBride was pilot of the Orbiter Challenger STS-41-G, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on October

5, 1984. This was the first crew of seven. During their eight day mission, crew members deployed the Earth Radiation

Budget Satellite, conducted scientific observations of the earth with the Large Format Camera, and demonstrated potential

satellite refueling with an EVA and associated hydrazine transfer. Mission duration was 197 hours and concluded with a

landing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on October 13, 1984.

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sausage sauce, I set out to the Space Center which is a 12 mile drive away down empty highways.I decided to become a NASA “Up Close SpecialGuest” and combined this with a two-day ticket.I started with an hour of relaxing 3-D Imax allabout life in a space station. It is now a 15nation cooperation with naturally the USA andthe Russians in the lead. A snack lunch precededthe coach tour around the various launch siteslasting over two hours and ending up at theground control centre for the Apollo moonprogramme.

Another excellent presentation here emulatingthe countdown for Apollo 11 and the chaos thatwent on before the last minute of the moonlanding when the lunar module computer wentinto overload and Neil Armstrong had to pick anew landing spot with only a few seconds of fuelleft. This was followed by a tour around themighty SaturnV three stage rocket, 363 foot long.

Saturday 27 February. The forecast was right and it is grey, overcast and warmer. I havediscovered the joy of BBC streaming Radio 4 and 5 over the Internet on my netbook. The sound isFM quality, loud and clear and is coming through a small Sony extension speaker I brought with me.

I spent the day again at the Kennedy Space Centre. I firstbooked ‘Lunch with an Astronaut’ which today happens tobe Jon O’Brien who once flew the Space ShuttleChallenger. Then to the ‘Robot Scouts’ exhibition, all aboutNASA developing and sending robots to Mars and beyond.This was followed by a visit to the ‘Rocket Garden’ whereold ex-military rockets, modified by NASA for their spaceprogramme, such as the Redstone and Atlas are displayed.It is their sheer size that impresses.

It was now time for lunch. About 50 visitors were seateda round tables, each seating 10. A buffet lunch, nicesalads, chicken and with cheesecake to follow. Captain JonMcBride wandered around each table and then answered1

questions, mainly from children - how do I become anastronaut? He advised very sensibly that they must study

hard at school, get good grades, don’t drop out, don’t do drugs. Was he ever afraid? No he was anavy man, only Air Force pilots get scared! I chatted briefly with him afterwards and had the picturetaken. He had completed over 600 carrier deck landings in his navy days.

Then on to the MAX 3-D theatre, this time for a trip to the moon and stroll around on the surfacebefore blasting back to rain and reality. A look at Challenger and mission control and the very movingmemorials to the 24 astronauts who have lost their lives reminding everyone that going into spaceis a hazardous occupation. Finally I attended ‘Meet an Astronaut, again the same Jon O’Brien, wholectured us all in a most amusing way about his navy and NASA career. In summary, NASA knowshow to present itself being very well organised and presented. Being close to Orlando, with its manyother attractions, this would be a great place to take yourself, children, grandchildren or any“significant other” [a new prase I have just learnt about, seems to cover most modern liaisons].

Final Reminder: If you have not yet renewed your MSA membership for 2010 then this will be thelast copy of the MSA Newsletter that you will receive. We really do not want to lose you as amember. As a club with one of the lowest subscription rates in the country and with world class flyingfields and slopes, you will get outstanding value for your money, together with BMFA membership andinsurance and BMFA News as well. It really is a bargain.

Please fly safely at all times, Nick Neve.

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