MTK

I found this PDF in the Classic Pattern Forum. It was written by Prettner. I shamelessly took it and am posting in this Forum too. It's fun to compare the maestro's thought process back in the mid 90's to where we've taken the sport in the last 18 years.

One thing he comes back to time and again is the "low" rpm, constant speed style that presents so much better to the judge than others styles....Enjoy!

rosnik

Thank you!!

Rendegade

Wow, a great read, D/L'ed for posterity!

MTK

Had Hanno Prettner flown in the 1995 WC, the first true semi scale looking wide bodies would have been seen back then. It took some 7-8 more years to see the Smaragd, which initiated the current trend in pattern models.

Had semi scale models won a patternWC, that would've been something special and possibly a paradigm shift in design thought. Like I said, just fun to think about the possibilities

flywilly

My Feedback: (121)

I think Dick Hanson did some pioneering in that area, too, with his Excess design. Of course, Hanno winning a WC with one of those airplanes would have had a greater impact!

Bill Clark

man, that guy was well ahead of the curve back then. movable c/g, state of the art construction. too cool. the comment about finally being able to reduce flutter was kinda scary though

MTK

Bill,

If you flew back then, before rubber isolation of engines, ailerons would tend to reach a resonant freq and would tend to buzz. Aileron servos especially, took a beating.

I doubt that "flutter" of the classic aerodynamictype, where things come apart inthe blink of an eye,is whatPrettner really meant

Rubber isolation, aka, soft mounts, largely eliminated that problem and equipment life improved at least 5X. Indeed, soft mounts enabled the future trend (future from the early 90's perspective) towards larger yet lighter and lighter airframes that we have today.

Bill Clark

Matt,
Ya I was thinking he possibley meant a different type of flutter as we know it today.
reading that makes me wonder what F3a will be like in in 2040. I imagine there will be no more arfs. one will simply purchase the CAD file from the designer then have the local 3D print shop spit it out. vibrations wont be an issue because pistons will be long gone (unfortunatley)

MTK

Electrics make some things obsolete, that's true. But for me, I'm having so much fun figuring out my gasoline set-ups, I hardly notice most things electric.

On the other hand, my gasoline set-ups would not work without electricity. So, I suppose my powerplants are sorta hybrids?? I've been done with glow since 2009 andnever going back there

Speaking electrics, I've heard that Prettner is doing something with that. Whether he is healthy enough to come out of retirement and compete, that's yet to be seen.....