What is air racing ?

[First time Juke]

Hi dudes !

Don't get me wrong. I am just trying to figure out if air racing could be something else than just pure speed.

Ever tought about it differently ? I was trying to design a very lite and costeffective model for RC flying and I figured there is no class under FAI for it.

Parameters for the race I was thinking would be;

1. Ability to carry a payload of certain size and weight.
2. Flying longest distance with limited amount of fuel.
3. Take off and landing of the shortest distance.

Anyone find this interesting ( modellers and pilots comment all welcome ) ?

So far we have found out that the rulez are hard to define...altought I figured one set for the rules.

I personally was off to design something in between Steve Fossett global record braker and Pilatus Porter ( or Piper Cup ).

yours,

Juke

[Red]

Re: What is air racing ?

There used to be a race here called the CAFE 400 which which the object was (if I recall correctly) not speed but calculating efficiency. You had to plan your burn, time etc. Sort of like those cross country car rallys.

Red

[First time Juke]

Re: What is air racing ?

Thanks Red,

What ever happened to that class ?

Juke

[Red]

Re: What is air racing ?

I'm not sure..seems like the CAFE foundation either scaled back or lost some key personnell or something. I think it still exists.

It used to be a real big deal, I remember several of my friends talking about the race every year.

The CAFE foundation was pretty cool. The did alot of objective testing on a ton of homebuilts and published them. One of the coolest ones I ever saw was the quest to get true zero thrust glide data on a C-150 I think. They installed a crank sensor to measure end play and calculated RPM vs. airspeed to get zero thrust. That wasn't good enough so they removed the prop and towed the c-150 up like a glider and cut it loose Good story to hear from the pilot!

[First time Juke]

Re: What is air racing ?

C-150 like Cessna ?

Here; http://www.pilotfriend.com/aircraft%...150%20c152.htm

The idea came to me...when trying to figure out what makes plane a classic...and Cessna 150 is a classic too.

It is something about the form and function.

Is Cessna 150 more beautiful than a Piper J-3 Cup ?

[Whiteside]

Re: What is air racing ?

World famous, C.J. Stephens flew that propless C150. He was the Chief Test pilot for the CAFE Foundation and is still doing flight test for them. Recently he worked with them on the NASA PAV program.

http://cafefoundation.org/v2/main_home.php

Check it out!

Will Whiteside

https://www.teamsteadfast.com

[First time Juke]

Re: What is air racing ?

Thanks Whiteside...very interesting stuff.

I guess I have to find a builder and a sponsor and call CAFE people to check the efficiency of the modest bird that i drew recently.

Frankly my kite is more for the bush flying suited...and resque kinda thing for red cross and ambulance flying.

Maybe there is still uncharted territory in flying somewhere between Reno racing and CAFE-class. Intention in my head was to create new ideas for efficiency by designing and testing cheap R/C models and then with this whole new concept finding the "real winner" or a revolutionary new classic aeroplane !

I am still amazed every time I see a bird flying. For instance how they land and take off. Last time when a duck too off....it's tail points down.. elevator usually points up when taking off. Honestly I think we are still far from creating an really efficient AC. I hope I did not offend any reader by this.

[ignomini]

Re: What is air racing ?

Dear Juke,

A Cessna 150 may be many things, but classic ain't one of them. My father had one painted all white. One day his mechanic added a bar code to the door. Funniest dang thing you ever saw. The locals still laugh about it 20 years later.

[bonzo_buster]

Re: What is air racing ?

Nick Jones used to run a race called the Oshkosh 500 or Lowers, Baker Faulk 500. It included a take-off over a barrier at a prescribed distance, with a max fuel burn (dependent on config and payload), and speed equation. It ran out of Fond du Lac in conjunction with EAA convention. The first few years it was dominated by Steve Wittman in Bonzo. Later A.J. Smith built a sleek 2 seater similar looking to to Cory Bird's plane and won the last several races.

[mustang5151]

Re: What is air racing ?

Hi dudes !

Don't get me wrong. I am just trying to figure out if air racing could be something else than just pure speed.

Ever tought about it differently ? I was trying to design a very lite and costeffective model for RC flying and I figured there is no class under FAI for it.

Parameters for the race I was thinking would be;

1. Ability to carry a payload of certain size and weight.
2. Flying longest distance with limited amount of fuel.
3. Take off and landing of the shortest distance.

Anyone find this interesting ( modellers and pilots comment all welcome ) ?

So far we have found out that the rulez are hard to define...altought I figured one set for the rules.

I personally was off to design something in between Steve Fossett global record braker and Pilatus Porter ( or Piper Cup ).

yours,

Juke

A long time ago,(1913) a man named Schneider had the exact same idea as you. Basically, it was to stretch the ideas of a PRACTICAL airplane and to expand its capabilities and usefulness, to get every last ounce of available technology. Fortunately for us, man being man turned it into a pure speed contest which morphed from Schneider to Thompson to Reno, and god how I love it. I'm a little off topic now, but if they ever invent a mobile wash machine, sorry, two mobile wash machines, man WILL race them!!! I think its in the blood - LOL

[Red]

Re: What is air racing ?

World famous, C.J. Stephens flew that propless C150. He was the Chief Test pilot for the CAFE Foundation and is still doing flight test for them. Recently he worked with them on the NASA PAV program.

http://cafefoundation.org/v2/main_home.php

Check it out!

Will Whiteside
www.teamsteadfast.com

Name dropper! You really have to hear it straight from C.J. to get the full effect. The guy is full ofthe best stories I've ever heard!

[Reever]

Re: What is air racing ?

Hi dudes !

Don't get me wrong. I am just trying to figure out if air racing could be something else than just pure speed.

Ever tought about it differently ? I was trying to design a very lite and costeffective model for RC flying and I figured there is no class under FAI for it.

Parameters for the race I was thinking would be;

1. Ability to carry a payload of certain size and weight.
2. Flying longest distance with limited amount of fuel.
3. Take off and landing of the shortest distance.

Anyone find this interesting ( modellers and pilots comment all welcome ) ?

So far we have found out that the rulez are hard to define...altought I figured one set for the rules.

I personally was off to design something in between Steve Fossett global record braker and Pilatus Porter ( or Piper Cup ).

yours,

Juke

Nope, never even crossed my mind. Just go fast, and turn left.

Reever

[Reno_Steve]

Re: What is air racing ?

For RC racing I think I have devised the cheapest , least time consuming class.

I am using one of the cheap electric aircraft of ebay which comes ready to fly with Rc equipment for about $50.

This could be a class in itself but is a bit slow.
I then upgraded mine with a 2408 direct drive brushless motor and a 1100mAh LiPo for quite spectacular performance. Cost of upgrade about $20

Repairs are very easy as the foam glue works very well.

The advantage of electric models for racing is one of the main problems beginners have in RC air racing is getting the engine started quilckly at the beginning of the race.
These models are very light so landing is simply a case of reducing power and gliding in.

[BatGurl]

Re: What is air racing ?

I have to Beg to Differ with whomever said a Cessna 150 is NOT a classic. It most certainly is....to say it is not is to say a 120/140 is not as well. I have kicked around the idea of buying an older straight tail 150, and putting around in it. (Unfortunately I have this innate need for speed...so that will have to wait for another day)
I have spent more hours instructing in the 150/152 than I care to recall, but it is a trusty bird, and can take enormous amount of abuse, and keep right on going. There will come a day when more people repsect the trusty 150, and see it as a classic like I do........just my two cents.

[CJS]

Re: What is air racing ?

(I am still amazed every time I see a bird flying. For instance how they land and take off. Last time when a duck too off....it's tail points down.. elevator usually points up when taking off.)

Well in my 20 years of CAFE Foundation research we never did flight testing on ducks but you are corrrect that ducks do put down their tail when they land. It does the function of flaps in lowering landing speed. They control the pitch by moving their wings forward, a wing motion that would be more like the F-14 swinging its wing forward and aft.

And Yes the CAFE Foundation is still alive and well invloved in some very interesting projects about the future of Aviation.

'C J' Stephens