Flight Times

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jsegal
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Flight Times

Post by jsegal »

I would like to tell everyone that I am getting 20 seconds in a 20ft ceiling.
Last edited by jsegal on February 2nd, 2020, 10:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Flight Times

Post by NewSciolyer »

That's really good! Any tips on how you increased the flight time? I'm getting 17-18 seconds in a 20 foot ceiling.
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Re: Flight Times

Post by jander14indoor »

Times from the Centerville Invitational:
Ceiling height was listed as 23' 7", that was to the net drawn up in the center of the gym. If you were able to launch accurately, there was at least another 4 ft available. AC was off all day. As typical this early in season teams really need to learn how to pick their launch position and adjust for the room conditions. I ended up rescuing between 6 and 10 planes from the net with my pole. Another one or two from rafters or lights.

45 teams competed, including several that have regularly made nationals over the past 10 years or so. I noticed one team from as far away as Charlotte, NC.

Longest single flight raw time (no bonuses) was 23.2 seconds.
Best Score was 79.64
Three teams beat 70
Another four teams were between 60 and 70.
Six teams between 50 and 60.

Two canards entered, neither performed well enough to be competitive. But I'm not very confident they had squeezed out full performance, so to me it remains to be seen if it is worth the bonus.

A big thank you to the volunteers from Meads Mill and Granville that helped me run the event.

Jeff Anderson
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Re: Flight Times

Post by coachchuckaahs »

Thanks for the report, Jeff.

I wish or state was as competitive. Two teams I worked with were the only ones that actually glided, the rest glorified yard darts. I can only offer help so many times!

At regionals, Best team averaged 20 seconds. Lights at 26 feet, but they only launched to about 20. Second team averaged about 10 seconds, but their flaps had relaxed some so there were trim issues. She made the right adjustments, just not enough, so plane was too nose down. Further work with her at our weekly indoor sessions have her up to over 15 seconds in 22 feet with a heavy Guru plane (over 4g).

State in two more weeks!

Coach Chuck
Coach, Albuquerque Area Home Schoolers Flying Events
Nationals Results:
2016 C WS 8th place
2018 B WS 2nd place
2018 C Heli Champion
2019 B ELG 3rd place
2019 C WS Champion
AMA Results: 3 AAHS members qualify for US Jr Team in F1D, 4 new youth senior records
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Re: Flight Times

Post by jander14indoor »

Not sure many states are as competitive as this Invitational. It draws some very competitive teams from across the nation, as well as Ohio. Former invitees to SO Nationals from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina and Florida that I caught. Might be others.

Think of this invitational as an early indicator of nationals winning times. Most states will only have a few teams at the level of the top 5-10 teams in this invitational.

Good luck to your teams at your state tournament.

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI
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Re: Flight Times

Post by Maxout »

The Jeffrey Trail invitational at Portala HS had lights around 24'. Top competitors launched high enough above the lights and girders to complete a full circle before getting below the lights (world class flying to put it mildly). One of them had a top time in the competition of 29 seconds, the other did 31. I expect that if nationals is held in a site as high as last year at Cornell, winning times will include single flights of 38-40 seconds if not higher. If it's lower, say 30', top times should be 32-35 seconds. I've witnessed 30 second flights under a 26' ceiling.
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Re: Flight Times

Post by NewFlyer20002 »

Maxout wrote: February 14th, 2020, 5:43 pm The Jeffrey Trail invitational at Portala HS had lights around 24'. Top competitors launched high enough above the lights and girders to complete a full circle before getting below the lights (world class flying to put it mildly). One of them had a top time in the competition of 29 seconds, the other did 31. I expect that if nationals is held in a site as high as last year at Cornell, winning times will include single flights of 38-40 seconds if not higher. If it's lower, say 30', top times should be 32-35 seconds. I've witnessed 30 second flights under a 26' ceiling.
Just out of curiosity Josh, how high were the ceilings beyond the lights? Also, were there rafters as well, or were they up against the ceiling to be "out of the way"? My two teams are verifying that the ceiling/rafters do indeed exist....multiple times. The Science teacher, who is now addicted to flying your SuperProtege (!), ensures the basketball backboards are not illusions.

Cheers,
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Re: Flight Times

Post by NewSciolyer »

Maryland Science Olympiad Regionals 1st place for ELG has an average flight time of 20 seconds with the longest time of 21 seconds in a 25ft ceiling. (Overall very consistent with launching)

2nd place has a flight time averaging 15 seconds with the longest time of 20 seconds in the same gym (Had much mishap happen, only one good flight).

Both teams used Dave's Freedom Flights kits. Both teams used precision launchers made from meter sticks.

Saw many other kits, but they didn't do as well. Saw many Super Proteges and Proteges, but kids didn't know how to properly trim them out, so they didn't perform to their fullest potential. Most problems were the transition part. Many planes weren't launched in optimal position, so many got stuck in pull-out bleachers. Only the 1st and 2nd place used the full ceiling height. MD SO doesn't have good glider teams, as 3rd place only averaged around 12-13 seconds and 4th place averaged 7 seconds.

Didn't see any teams go for the canard bonus, though I'll admit, I wouldn't expect them to perform competitively even if they went for it.
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Re: Flight Times

Post by fifty_missions »

Two weeks ago one of the NW Indiana Regionals took place at IUNW. The gym's ceiling is about 30' high. The ELG event was won by Thomas Jefferson MS (TJMS) with 3 best flights of 24.00, 21.26 and 23.98. The second place team was less than 20 seconds for their three best flights.

TJ is headed to the state competition at Purdue the end of March. The max height for a 50' orbit circle is at 33' high in the Purdue Armory. TJ will be using a new glider design that weighs 3.25 grams and can bunt into transition at various heights. That glider is currently producing 1' to 1 sec descents so 30+ seconds have been happening in their 30' fieldhouse. Though the wing uses 1/64 balsa, it features an
anti-flutter web structure to allow the wing to "flap" without failure.

This new design replaces the MELLONHAWK which is another blended lift glider which won the ELG event at the Indiana State Competition last year. It was designed to climb very high and did 45 seconds under the 55' ceiling.

High Transitions to All,
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Re: Flight Times

Post by Maxout »

NewFlyer20002 wrote: February 25th, 2020, 7:34 am Just out of curiosity Josh, how high were the ceilings beyond the lights? Also, were there rafters as well, or were they up against the ceiling to be "out of the way"? My two teams are verifying that the ceiling/rafters do indeed exist....multiple times. The Science teacher, who is now addicted to flying your SuperProtege (!), ensures the basketball backboards are not illusions.

Cheers,
Newflyer20002
The actual roof was around 4-5' higher than the lights. The girders came down almost level with the lights. Made things quite tricky, but at least 3 teams successfully launched up there.

Super Proteges have definitely become very popular. I've very much enjoyed seeing young people gain such success with them and with the standard Protege. Gonna miss flying gliders with all these kids as the event cycles out.
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