Indoor is back

Over the weekend of 12^th/13^th November, my collegue Garry Chiles and I, set about hosting the 1^st ever RAFMAA Indoor R/C event at RAF Digby. Organising an unknown event posed many issues as to the content, times, interest levels, etc.After many meetings to discuss the proceedings, we decided that the first one should be an “off the peg” affair to gauge levels of interest and before long, the first morning was upon us.

It is at this point, that I normally mention the dark and gloomy winter (annual) weather in RAF Lincolnshire, but over our chosen weekend, you couldn’t have asked for better outdoor flying weather. Bloody typical. Still, on with the indoor!!

I arrived at the RAF Digby gym to an unfamiliar, warm feeling. Yes you guessed it, the H*&ting was on in the gym!!!!Strange!! I also noticed straight away, that there were 2 rather awkwardly placed Basketball hoops that had been left there by the tall folk who bounce their balls on the floor. My plan was to “SIMPLY” unbolt them from the floor and “SIMPLY” wheel them off to the sidelines. No chance. As the final thread came out of the floors anchor nut the whole thing started to topple forward in a similar fashion to that of Titanic. I quickly threw my whole bodyweight onto it to stop it from falling forward (and probably through the floor) whilst I called Neil Tricker over, from the far end of the gym for some “Assistance”. Despite trying to fight back the tears of laughter, we managed to screw it back down, walk away and pretend nothing had happened.

The first morning saw Colin Waite and a couple of guests arriving at the gym, after what must be, the worlds fastest Warton to Lincs journey time ever known in the history of the RAF. They brought with them a variety of Depron based models

Before long, another 5 or 6 flyers had appeared including the legendary Mike Golby and all of his fingers, and the gym air was soon alive with prop hanging, gravity

Pallister arrived. Not only did he have a superbly built Depron based biplane in his possession but he also had his latest creation in a protective box.

Using what seemed to be the smallest radio gear in the world, Ian has managed to convert his Peanut scale Biplane into an R/C model. This beautiful little model managed to stop everyone in their tracks, as we all watched it happily fly around the gym as if it has been doing it for years.

I had decided before the weekend to try placing some helium filled balloons on streamers around the gym for people to practice limbo or just to create some safe obstacles to fly around. This, I feel, was met with appreciation as it broke up an

otherwise dull flying area. As the flying continued, I personally managed to break a few more GWS props on the unforgiving Gym floor as I re taught myself how to fly indoors.

In between shocky flights, I managed to get my Depron Eurofighter into the air, The Fiegao In-runner motor creating a howl as it hoofed it down the hanger. After a

number of high speed laps of the hanger, I managed to stuff the nose in to the roofing girder so hard that the LiPo battery dislodged itself from the airframes Velcro mount and somehow place itself on the 2 inch wide ledge. I Couldn’t do it again if I tried!!!!

Out came the Indoor Roach pole and I was once again reunited with my trusty 3 cell.

Always keen to try something wacky and new I pondered on the earlier conversation with Neil Tricker about pilots eye view from a shocky. I’ve got it!!!!!! I know, I will diamond tape my video phone onto the side of my shocky!!!! Unsafe? Probably! Crazy? Definitely!!!

First flight. For the first flight I flew it gently at about 15ft around in a circuit and landed. Surprisingly the video looked pretty good.

on board ultimate bipe.wmv

Flight No. 2. For my next trick I decided to push the boundaries a little further. Rolls, Loops and a bit of prop hanger were the order of the day!!!!!

Hope to have a video clip of the flight here soon.......... However, have a look at the onboard footage of Tim Wheater's (Waddington) Ultimate Bipe. Photos of the bipe are at the bottom of the page.

By 4.30pm the numbers were dwindling down and we decided to call it a day and try to catch the model shop before it closed, for some more indoor props for the next day.

Sunday

On the Sunday there were a few different faces from the Saturday with the likes of Fred Lacey appearing to set up his electric Heli. New RAFMAA member Andy Rake appeared at around midday armed with his E Flite Tensor 4d model (see pic) after a rather lengthy wait I must add, for his cooked breakfast by his good lady wife. Good Man!!!

Unfortunately, the Tensor had a rather heavy liaison with the gym floor and subsequently retired itself to the B1N. SEE PIC!!!!

As the weekend came to a close and the die hard few (Garry, Andy Rake and myself) had ONE MORE FLIGHT, it was only a matter of time until one of us had their model wedged in the ceiling. Garry was the chosen one.

His Ikarus Yak 54 shocky was well and truly stuck. Despite extreme control inputs on Garry’s Tx it wasn’t budging an inch. I offered to knock it out with my shocky but Garry being ever the gentleman, politely declined my offer.

After one last fist full of throttle, it unhooked itself from the heating pipes and floated down to terra firma.

Indoor Depron Typhoon

Video 1

Indoor Depron Typhoon

Video 2

Paul Whittle brought along this nice looking brushless, Depron Typhoon model all the way from Lancashire. This was its first indoor flight - I think from the video, it's pretty impressive (Ed)

Apart from all that, we all had a wail of a time. Let hope we see some more of you there in the future.

If you haven’t got a suitable model then please feel free to pop along and watch or maybe blag yourselves a go on one of our models. You’ll Love It!!!!

Don’t tell anyone but Martin Paffett was seen to be pricing up shocky parts. Is this something special brewing????? Answers on a postcard.