Doomking

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Hi everyone
I belong to an RC club here in North East Ohio. Around our area we have about 4 to 5 different clubs within half and hr driving distance.
What we are trying to do for the next flying season is to organize an Club 40 racing season.
I have been reading some of the discussion here on this forum as well the information on the AMA web site and RCPRO.
Since we are still gathering interest about this exciting part of the hobby, I am looking for additional information to present to our clubs when next meeting comes around.

First I was wondering if you are aware if the distributor of the Club 40 ARF would consider give discount if we place a multi club order at once in the range of maybe 20 to 30 models.
Also, one information I cannot seems to find is how you set your throttle in your plane.
Is is set with the servo ( but maybe people might cheat with trim during race)
or is it hard wired to the frame without pilot input, and if so how do you slow the plane down for landing?

Thanks for reading, and I'll probably be back here from time to time to ask for more help if it's not to much trouble and you find the time to reply.
Thanks again.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Welcome to the fun of pylon racing. You guys will really like Club 40 racing, practicing, and just kicking around at the field sport flying the planes. Get ahold of dstegal here in RCU, he is the best source to get the planes from. You can also get the Sky Raider MKII or LA Racer from any hobby shop that sells World Models kits.
Don also has great prices on engines. I would recomend you pick one engine and one prop for everyone to use. The TT.40 and APC 9x6 is a great combo but some guys like the 10x5.
If everyone is using the same engine and prop you minimize the chance for cheating since all the racers will sound the same at take off thus eliminating the need for a tach rule. The engines are all throttled like normal.

Ken Erickson

Doomking,

As fpor buying the airplanes, check with Airborne Models, the distributor. they might give a b ulk purchase discount. Check with Don Stegall. Rememeber that he will have to pay to ship the boxes to you after he getsthem from Airborne Models. check with your local hobby shops. An order of 20 to 30 ARFs should get you a discount. Then go with your best deal.

I will suggest the solid color ARFs or the ARCs. You can trim the Solid color ones or cover the ARCs. There are only two color schemes available in the regular, sporty ARFs, would not want everyone with just two color schemes. Of course, with the wing tags, high green, low green, high red and low red, it would not really be a problem.

For engines, try Don or the local hobby shops. Are you going for the 100 mph Advanced class, or the 65 mph Sport class, with the OS .46 LA or TT .42 GP?

The engines are tuned with the needle valve. These are sport airplanes and engines. This airplane is an excellent flyer. It will do beautiful vertical 8s with my .40 FPs and LAs.

If you have 20 people, you might want to look into the matrixing and scorekeeping programs on the NMPRA website.

Those are generic answers. To be any more specific, I would want to know more about your current stage. If you would like, send me an e-mail at [email protected] with your phone number and the best times to call you.

Ken Erickson
RCPRO Club 40 Committee Chr.

DonStegall

My Feedback: (1)

Quantity discounts are available on planes and engines.

If your local hobby shops don't want the business, call me at 704-225-3718.

The response to the article has been great. The areas that were aready racing are getting a boost and a lot of new areas are starting up. It's really cool.

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

Thanks for the fast reply...RCU as usual is a great place to exchange information.
Don, we are still in the process of figuring out how many people in how many clubs are participating in this, so it's going to be a slow process by the time everyone makes a decision and gets on board. I will definitely look you up to see if you can help with the plane purchase.
Once again thanks for answering so quickly and I'll be back here for sure to pick your brain once again.
Thanks ..Fabio

DonStegall

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Thanks.

Here's one thing I feel strongly about. Stay with the RCPRO Club 40 rules at www.Club40Racing.com as they are tested, and solid. Don't try to roll your own. You want to be part of the national community. You never know who may come to your races.

Yes, the Thunder Tiger Pro 40 is the best engine, but some guys may want to run the SuperTigre GS-40 or GMS 40. Let them. But keep the airframe modifications limited to the ones we allow in RCPRO Club 40.

And propellor selection is part of the fun. This one prop stuff is crap. People fly differently and weather affects things. There needs to be some variables, just like NASCAR has spring rubbers and tire pressure, etc. If things are too tighly controlled, people start thinking somebody is cheating. It is best to have a little variance and keep it fun.

I had about an hour long conversation with Don Holmes on Friday night. I went over the running of races from making up the matrix, lanes, wing stickers, pylon judges, lap counters, cuts, scoring, and anything else I could think of. I'm going to put it all down on paper in a week or two. Material for a future article and help for all these people starting up.

DonStegall

My Feedback: (1)

One more thing. With that many people, consider running Club 40 Sport and Club 40 Advanced. Club 40 Advanced is too fast for a lot of newcomers. Club 40 Sport is great for the average club flyer.

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

I think we're going to definitely run the Club 40 sport.
Some members have some racing experience and don't want to get involve in racing where the plane go so fast you don't see them in the air.
I think Club 40 sport structure is very well suited for our clubs since is more laid back in speed and airplane requirement, and still retaining loads of fun in doing so!

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

Hi all ...I am back

Here is an update....
all of our clubs (4 all together) had their monthly meeting and it seems that most of the members present at those meeting are interested in the Club 40 idea.
I have couple of questions....
Is there a minimum number of participating members that we need to have in order to have a valid racing season.....20, 30 ?
Do you usually lose members mid season due to crashes or lost interest?
Once again ,thanks for all the help.

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

One other question

Some member suggested those ideas.

To have all pilots pay a registration fee at the beginning of the racing season, so that all the money can go to prizes awarded to 1st ,2nd and 3rd place finish by points at the end of the racing season .

Also they suggested ,like in golf leagues, that on racing day, pilots would pay something nominal like $5, to go in a pull of money to make up some sort of "skin" game for the day. Like fastest lap time , list amount of cuts and so on...

My question is....if money gets involved in the process, do you think is going to enhance the racing spirit, or we're going to be rolling on the grass punching each other for disputed calls ?
Any of you have any experience with that?
I think we need all the motivation we can get to get our lazy members to participate.

thanks for all the help as usual !

Fabio

BarryReade

My Feedback: (1)

Fabio,  I have seen racing start with as few as three guys.  Technically you need at least two or it really isn't a race. 

This year the North Carolina Lowes series was four races every two weeks for the 6 weeks.  Entry fees were every race, I think $15 per entrant/event, the money went for fuel, award plaques 1-3 and fast time for each event, and a raffle prize that was for all that helped run the course (usually a kit worth up to $100).  If any money was left over it went to the organizer/promoter.  We had a total of 20 participants in the series.  I think the max at any one race was 16.  This was the second season for this group and I understand the previous year was rather sparse.  They ran both classes of Club 40, Sport/novice and Advanced.  Everybody ran advanced and the Sport class really struggled with the last race having 4 or 5 guys in the class.  In fact one reace had only two entrants and after the first heat one guys engine went sour and he had to withdraw with the other fellow being the winner by default.  We always ran the Sport class first then Advanced

So, what I am saying is use the RCPRO rules run one class only to start unless you have at least 4 planes in each class then run two.

The most difficult part of it is setting up the course and getting course workers to run the course. 

You will have growing pains.  You will have someone that doesn't want to anything but race and complain about everything else.  Who ever is the Contest Director really needs to be firm and fair. 

If you need any assistance or want to address anything else feel free to contact myself or Ken Erickson who is the RCPRO Club 40 Committee Chairman  

Ken Erickson

Doomking,

Just got kicked out again by Vista. At least this message was not as long as the one I tried to write saturday.

For now I am going to give up on this form of communication. POlease call me at 812-418-8124 or wrie an e-mail to [email protected] (that is an underscore, not a space) with your phone number and suggested times to call you.

When I get a couple of things fixed I will be on the forum.

Ken Erickson
RCPRO Club 40 Committee Chairman

Ed Smith

I raced for many years. I had no issue with entry fees. However, during the race day the seemingly endless procession of people coming round the pit area demanding more money for the "Calcutta", "Fast Lap Time", "Overall Fast Time", "Chocolate Bars". Etc, Etc, Etc. was truly annoying.

If you are trying to establish an area racing circuit maybe a membership fee for that, I think the C.A.P.S. charges $35.00 per season. After that just the race entry fee.

Ed S

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

All the races around here have some form of entry fee. They either are for awards, club finances, a charity, or cash prize. In my opinion anything over $15 gets to be a stretch if I'm running more than one class. Usually I run about $5 for my races and have always covered the awards and put the rest into the club kitty.

mdwpylonracer42h

I would just like to answer you on the part about the throttle. Club 40 racing according to RCPro rules is that the throttle servo and engine needs to act like a regular sport plane - - in other words the throttle should idle the plane down, etc. for taxiing, etc.

This is not a strict rule, but the plane needs to show that it can idle down and come for a landing under power.

It is not like fast Q500 or the fast fast class of QM40 where the engines run wide open or not at all.

By the way, Club 40 advanced is not that fast - - 100 mph max. It will not get out of site like you described. However, if you wish to be on the safe side, run bushing bearing engines with any prop you like, or ball bearing engines with a 11 x 4.


Just my opinions,

Mike W

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

Fellow Racers....
Seems that Pylon Racing here in North East Ohio, is going to be a reality.

In the past couple of month I have been in contact with few clubs in our area , and the result of that is that over two dozen of members have signed on and paid funds for a mass airplane purchase. So I am confident in saying that next spring/summer here in Ohio there is going to be some spirited racing....and crashing also.

There are so many things to get organized before than, and I am here again asking for guidance.
First I need to ask, during a race event how many position need to be manned, in order to have a successful racing event:
I am talking cut judges, callers, timers, CD, fuel station personel.....etc.

If any of you could be so kind to list exactly how many of which we need and in which role/position, I can start recruiting members that would like to join Club40 in a non racing position.

Also if briefly you could explain how a race event unfold.
From pilot registration, to plane inspection, where to keep the planes inspected so no one temper with it after inspection, fuel management, pilot matrix and so on.....

I know is a lot to ask, if there is a web site with all those information, I am all over it. I truly appreciate all the help and suggestions.
Thanks in advance
Fabio

mdwpylonracer42h

Typically, you will need at least 7 people for 4 plane heats. You will need a Pylon 1 cut judge, Pylon 2 cut judge, 4 lap counters and timers, and one starter. Check out www.nmpra.org and www.rcpro.org. Between these two sites, you should be able to gather enough information to run a club 40 race. The rcpro website has specific rules for the Club 40 class. The NMPRA has info on how to run a race. Also, get on the AMA website, www.modelaircraft.org, and look under AMA PDF documents, #540-B. This shows the setback distances for the slower planes like that of Club 40. Hope this helps.

DonStegall

My Feedback: (1)

Barry,

Can we pre-release some of the new documents to Fabio or would that be premature?

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

Thanks for the reply.
good source of info is the AMA web site under Competition regulation for Pylon Racing.
However I was reading something about the start of the race "horse race style" paragraph 13.1.9 :

" The aircraft shall be flagged off the starting line in two groups, the first group being the aircraft in lanes #1 and #3 and the second group being the aircraft in lanes #2 and #4. The starter shall use two distinct motions of the starting flag to signal both groups approximately one-half (1/2) to one (1) second apart."

No I am confused....Isn't the second group being penalized for starting 1/2 to 1 second behind ?
I know it's necessary for runway traffic, but if someone gets stuck always in the second group we might have a problem....

Thanks for the help as usual..

Fabio

BarryReade

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Don, I will have the new changes before the end of this month and we can make them available. I will talk with Ken tomorrow and see how close he is to submitting the changes to me.

BarryReade

My Feedback: (1)

Fabio, we can only take this so far with posts. You need to have a conversation with one of us, Don Stegall, Ken Erickson, or Barry Reade.

My phone is 404-805-8302 and Don and Ken's are on the RCPROweb site. Just call me before 10 PM Eastern time.

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

Barry
Fantastic phone conversation!! You explained a great deal that would have taken pages to write otherwise.
I'll be in touch with you again soon.
Thanks again.
Fabio

BarryReade

My Feedback: (1)

Fabio, it was my pleasure to answer your questions. You guys are going to have great racing next season.

These are the pylons you want to build. is my recommendation.



I look forward to more conversations is the future.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Those pylons are really nice.

BarryReade

My Feedback: (1)

Vic, are those the ones you use at your races?