Spad Racing
03-29-2004, 09:33 PM
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Spad Racing
This may be a contreversial post, but I am going to post it anyway.
I have seen the "Spad" revolution of late and wonder why this type of building construction is not used in any of the rule book "racing" events.
Would it make sense to start a Spad introductory class for beginning pylon?
People seem to be infatuated with the low cost of entry into spad, and I think it could stimulate local growth in racing if presented properly. I have seen a local spad "gnat" class grow out of nothing, and I feel that pylon could benefit by this low cost entry with the correct guidance.
I like my balsa, ply, and composite quickees as much as anyone, but I have seen what the low cost spad can do in terms of interest. Has anyone tried this at a local level????
I have seen the "Spad" revolution of late and wonder why this type of building construction is not used in any of the rule book "racing" events.
Would it make sense to start a Spad introductory class for beginning pylon?
People seem to be infatuated with the low cost of entry into spad, and I think it could stimulate local growth in racing if presented properly. I have seen a local spad "gnat" class grow out of nothing, and I feel that pylon could benefit by this low cost entry with the correct guidance.
I like my balsa, ply, and composite quickees as much as anyone, but I have seen what the low cost spad can do in terms of interest. Has anyone tried this at a local level????
03-30-2004, 03:26 AM
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RE: Spad Racing
Dave,
I also became fasinated with the SPAD phenomenon and the almost religious fervor that the SPAD fliers have for their planes. I figured I'd put one together to see what it's all about and built a 3D plane. I had a great time with it and built two combat planes and started flying informal combat with a few guys at the field. It started to catch on and after I built 15 more combat planes we had a weekly group flying combat.
There are many designs avilable and some would surely lend themselves to pylon. If someone is interested in starting some club racing I would suggest building several planes since if you buy enough material to build one you'll have enough to build four. Offer them to some other pilots and you'll easily get some interest if they have a minimum of effort and money invested. As with any racing the biggest factor is one or two devoted individuals to plan and organize the event, promote, motivate and make it happen on a regular basis, not an easy task.
I also became fasinated with the SPAD phenomenon and the almost religious fervor that the SPAD fliers have for their planes. I figured I'd put one together to see what it's all about and built a 3D plane. I had a great time with it and built two combat planes and started flying informal combat with a few guys at the field. It started to catch on and after I built 15 more combat planes we had a weekly group flying combat.
There are many designs avilable and some would surely lend themselves to pylon. If someone is interested in starting some club racing I would suggest building several planes since if you buy enough material to build one you'll have enough to build four. Offer them to some other pilots and you'll easily get some interest if they have a minimum of effort and money invested. As with any racing the biggest factor is one or two devoted individuals to plan and organize the event, promote, motivate and make it happen on a regular basis, not an easy task.
03-30-2004, 09:36 AM
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RE: Spad Racing
Dave,
I would think you could build one to look and fly very simular to a Q-500 plane. Use 2 mil coro for the fuse and wing. You would probably want a foam leading edge/spar wrapped with 2 mil for the wing. Of course, maybe you where thinking something easier to build than that. I have built just about every spad design out there (went thru a long SPAD phase after soloing my trainer last year) and have thought about building a Q-500 just for kicks. I think it would be pretty tough to keep the weight down and and still be strong enough to handle the speed. If I get some time before the first race maybe I'll build one and bring it out just for giggles. Again, maybe you where thinking a QHOR or something like that.....
Lee LaValley
NMPRA 33w
I would think you could build one to look and fly very simular to a Q-500 plane. Use 2 mil coro for the fuse and wing. You would probably want a foam leading edge/spar wrapped with 2 mil for the wing. Of course, maybe you where thinking something easier to build than that. I have built just about every spad design out there (went thru a long SPAD phase after soloing my trainer last year) and have thought about building a Q-500 just for kicks. I think it would be pretty tough to keep the weight down and and still be strong enough to handle the speed. If I get some time before the first race maybe I'll build one and bring it out just for giggles. Again, maybe you where thinking a QHOR or something like that.....
Lee LaValley
NMPRA 33w
03-30-2004, 09:46 AM
#4
RE: Spad Racing
This is from another post I made:
This was my first time racing, so I do not have any experience.
I think its a good entry into pylon racing, this was our goal last Saturday. Not many people showed up, they thought it was too windy to fly and just knew we would postpone. But, lest we forget, these are SPADS....
Our next goal is to meet up on a Saturday afternoon(when a lot of people are at the field) and race in-between flying so more people can see how much fun it is. We were also talking about having classes, basically race a particular type (like the dart) with a .46 sized engine, same prop, etc.. When the 2 darts were racing, it was very close and it definitely came down to who ran a tighter course.
I also think those combat planes make good pylon racers. They are fast, and they turn on a dime, just look at our stats in that 30mph wind.
BTW-I found out that I won that last heat by 1.5 laps
They acutally stopped counting at 10 laps, but we were having too much fun to stop...
This may sound odd, but may I recommend some SPADS...
Ne kidding here, we just had a spad pylon race last Saturday. We were going to have 2 classes (spad and unlimited) but only spads showed up to race.
We set up a 2 pylon course where 10 laps = 2 miles. Fastest time was 2:07 (56.6mph/lap). Winds were 20mph(gusting 30mph...believe it....we measured). There were only 3 of us willing to try it out, 2 darts and me with my dogfighter (check out my post under the SPAD forum Yesterday was a good day). People don't believe how well these little plastic airplanes fly. Not to mention the plane cost about $20 to build. One guy crashed full throttle on a downwind leg (est. speed about 90mph) and all he broke was the motor mount (the only regular part on his plane).
I lost every race (just could not pull on the upwind side, but I could smoke them on the downwind side) but I enjoyed every minute. The last race was so good (the winds had died down some, so I could keep up on the upwind side) that we went 25 laps. Talk about fun, the guy I was racing is a much better pilot than I. He would beat me on the turns and I would kill him on the straight-aways. The only reason he won is because I went high on the last lap.
I want a rematch...
Ne kidding here, we just had a spad pylon race last Saturday. We were going to have 2 classes (spad and unlimited) but only spads showed up to race.
We set up a 2 pylon course where 10 laps = 2 miles. Fastest time was 2:07 (56.6mph/lap). Winds were 20mph(gusting 30mph...believe it....we measured). There were only 3 of us willing to try it out, 2 darts and me with my dogfighter (check out my post under the SPAD forum Yesterday was a good day). People don't believe how well these little plastic airplanes fly. Not to mention the plane cost about $20 to build. One guy crashed full throttle on a downwind leg (est. speed about 90mph) and all he broke was the motor mount (the only regular part on his plane).
I lost every race (just could not pull on the upwind side, but I could smoke them on the downwind side) but I enjoyed every minute. The last race was so good (the winds had died down some, so I could keep up on the upwind side) that we went 25 laps. Talk about fun, the guy I was racing is a much better pilot than I. He would beat me on the turns and I would kill him on the straight-aways. The only reason he won is because I went high on the last lap.
I want a rematch...
I think its a good entry into pylon racing, this was our goal last Saturday. Not many people showed up, they thought it was too windy to fly and just knew we would postpone. But, lest we forget, these are SPADS....
Our next goal is to meet up on a Saturday afternoon(when a lot of people are at the field) and race in-between flying so more people can see how much fun it is. We were also talking about having classes, basically race a particular type (like the dart) with a .46 sized engine, same prop, etc.. When the 2 darts were racing, it was very close and it definitely came down to who ran a tighter course.
I also think those combat planes make good pylon racers. They are fast, and they turn on a dime, just look at our stats in that 30mph wind.
BTW-I found out that I won that last heat by 1.5 laps
They acutally stopped counting at 10 laps, but we were having too much fun to stop...
03-30-2004, 12:20 PM
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RE: Spad Racing
Dave,
That's your cue ... duplicate the Seeker in coro and publish the plans on the Web.
The sanction application would be for AMA event 424, Sport Quickie, with the following items listed under "variations from rule book":
"Aircraft must be constructed entirely from corrugated plastic except for firewall, wing spars, and hard points for attachment of wing to fuselage, landing gear, radio system, and control horns. Minimum weight 4 pounds. Maximum engine displacement 0.46 cu. in. No tuned mufflers."
Or something like that.
Back to the future!
McFly
That's your cue ... duplicate the Seeker in coro and publish the plans on the Web.
The sanction application would be for AMA event 424, Sport Quickie, with the following items listed under "variations from rule book":
"Aircraft must be constructed entirely from corrugated plastic except for firewall, wing spars, and hard points for attachment of wing to fuselage, landing gear, radio system, and control horns. Minimum weight 4 pounds. Maximum engine displacement 0.46 cu. in. No tuned mufflers."
Or something like that.
Back to the future!
McFly
03-30-2004, 12:48 PM
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RE: Spad Racing
Hey dave, remember my goose chaser ? the wings built with 2mm coro and a downspout for a fuse. Maybe we'll get Dick started started on one. Or use a flatbat for the fuse.
The wing has 2 wooden yardsticks and is plenty strong.
Would'nt want to race gnats though, too unpredicable.
The wing has 2 wooden yardsticks and is plenty strong.
Would'nt want to race gnats though, too unpredicable.
03-30-2004, 01:38 PM
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RE: Spad Racing
Jesse,
I really don't think we need to look at a spad class for our club because we already have high interest with 20-25 people at each race. I'm really suggesting this for an area that may want to get started in racing??
I agree about the gnat, but it sure goes pretty good with a cox conquest .15 on the nose.
I really don't think we need to look at a spad class for our club because we already have high interest with 20-25 people at each race. I'm really suggesting this for an area that may want to get started in racing??
I agree about the gnat, but it sure goes pretty good with a cox conquest .15 on the nose.
