Duration

[chalker7]

Since I heard here that WM had a good Chinook going, when I found out they were going after my team (end of the 2:00 slot), I decided to stay a bit with my teammate and spectate.

The Chinook flew just fine, it's just that they didn't wind the rubber maximally. How they got DQ'd is for them to tell, I left after the first flight. I suspect it was because they either didn't make 2 official flights or they communicated with their team, who were outside the closed doors (with rather large windows).

Helicopters at 2:00 was such a long wait, but it was worth seeing the Chinook. The winding/loading/launching mechanism was quite ingenious.

I won't say too much, I'll let danyalukin say what he wants to about his event.

Have other teams in the past or on Saturday gotten DQ'd in New York for not making 2 official flights?

[twototwenty]

I dont even know if this is wy the wm helicopter got DQed...I only know thier c divsion team did because of one kid from made it apparent that it had to those around him at the awards ceremony.

[chalker7]

I dont even know if this is wy the wm helicopter got DQed...I only know thier c divsion team did because of one kid from made it apparent that it had to those around him at the awards ceremony.

Ok....but that isn't really the question I was asking. Has anyone (not just the possibility of Ward Melville) ever been DQ'd in New York for not completing two official flights? I assume this would be relatively well known, as every tournament I have ever supervised has had at least one team completing only a single flight for a variety of reasons.

[danyalukin]

1:30 was just a very safe flight - i could have put at least 150 more winds into the rubber, but I was safe, because a 50 second chinook would've won states, and I didnt want anything to happen - the model was not too well tested for very high torques.

The reason for the 53rd place as opposed to 1st is not quite clear. It had nothing to do with my partner and mine's event performance - rather the fact that there was a misunderstanding between our coach and a head supervisor. Dont worry guys, this has nothing to do with the event itself.

I must say though that it was VERY BIG surprise that timing (8 mins) started once winding of the first flight began, not when the heli took off. This is the reason I did not have time for a second launch. Fitting in the 8 minute period is much more difficult for a heli builder - we have to wind FOUR rubber bands, not two. As a result, I suggest a very good strategy: make two jigs which would hold two stretched, wound motors, statically. During competition time:

1) Wind two motors for the first flight and launch helicopter. This should take about 3 minutes
2) WHILE THE HELICOPTER is in flight, wind the two other motors and place them on the motor-holder jigs. (go over the helicopter flight time if you have to, just leave the heli lying there until you are done). You will have about 3-2 minutes left.
3) load Heli with the wound rubber (takes about 1.5 minutes)
4) Launch second flight with a full 1 minute time remaining!

Good luck!

[mrsteven]

1:30 was just a very safe flight - i could have put at least 150 more winds into the rubber, but I was safe, because a 50 second chinook would've won states, and I didnt want anything to happen - the model was not too well tested for very high torques.

The reason for the 53rd place as opposed to 1st is not quite clear. It had nothing to do with my partner and mine's event performance - rather the fact that there was a misunderstanding between our coach and a head supervisor. Dont worry guys, this has nothing to do with the event itself.

I must say though that it was VERY BIG surprise that timing (8 mins) started once winding of the first flight began, not when the heli took off. This is the reason I did not have time for a second launch. Fitting in the 8 minute period is much more difficult for a heli builder - we have to wind FOUR rubber bands, not two. As a result, I suggest a very good strategy: make two jigs which would hold two stretched, wound motors, statically. During competition time:

1) Wind two motors for the first flight and launch helicopter. This should take about 3 minutes
2) WHILE THE HELICOPTER is in flight, wind the two other motors and place them on the motor-holder jigs. (go over the helicopter flight time if you have to, just leave the heli lying there until you are done). You will have about 3-2 minutes left.
3) load Heli with the wound rubber (takes about 1.5 minutes)
4) Launch second flight with a full 1 minute time remaining!

Good luck!

You say a 50 second chinook would win your state? does this mean that you had states already..? And for NY A 50 sec X3 multiplier was the best ?
does this seem consistent with the rest of you guys at states where ~150 won? I want to know where I stand considering that NY (at least last year) was awesome at helicopter. Is this still true?

[danyalukin]

Yes, just came back from NY State Competition, do read earlier posts in this thread. And yes, the first place was taken but my good friends with a time of 2:26, coaxial helicopter.

[mrsteven]

Is this first place A or AA? Its a fantastic time, by no means get me wrong that beats me, but some reason I thought NY was light years ahead of the rest of us... (well me lil ol' IL)

[Lily Essence]

Got a 2:10 minute flight in my basement tonight with a chinook, mass 3.86g, .125" rubber. A score of 6:30. Going to NY states this weekend. I'll post more info later, busy with other events right now. I'm not secretive about my design, ask if you have questions.

Wow! Congrats! How did you get your mass so low? I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to build rotors between sticks that'd weigh less than maybe 4.5

Also, how does your helicopter fly? Does it go straight up or does it circle around?

[wlsguy]

....I must say though that it was VERY BIG surprise that timing (8 mins) started once winding of the first flight began, not when the heli took off. This is the reason I did not have time for a second launch.....

This sounds like yet another example of an event supervisor who didn't take the time to READ the rules. They are pretty clear in stating the 8 minute time starts when the first flight begins (not winding). If they actually follow the rules, you have plenty of time. It's sad this happens at a State Competition.

[danyalukin]

....I must say though that it was VERY BIG surprise that timing (8 mins) started once winding of the first flight began, not when the heli took off. This is the reason I did not have time for a second launch.....

This sounds like yet another example of an event supervisor who didn't take the time to READ the rules. They are pretty clear in stating the 8 minute time starts when the first flight begins (not winding). If they actually follow the rules, you have plenty of time. It's sad this happens at a State Competition.

Yes, thank you, now I do see that I shouldn't have given their ruling so much weight after competition was over - I just tend to put a lot of trust in state supervisors, as I should. This makes thing easier!