From: earl@trsvax.tandy.com
Newsgroups: rec.models.rc
Subject: Re: Quickie 500 Needs to be REFORMED!!
Date: 12 Aug 92 19:35:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #R:hacgate.SCG.HAC.COM:22808:trsvax:5000016:000:5052
Nf-From: trsvax.tandy.com!earl    Aug 12 14:35:00 1992



In a previous article, lew@4ccvt2.scg.hac.com (Lyman Lew) says:

>Last Sunday at Whittier Narrows, CA, a Quickie 500 contest was held. I
>was chatting with a friend of mine in the Control line area when an 
>earth shaking thud halted our conversation. The fuselage of Q500 racer
>made a long and deep divot in the lawn just 10 feet away from us then
>it went sailing another 70 feet before it careened against the park 
>fence and settled in the grass among the trees and the picnickers.
>The plane was a high wing job with a fiber glass fuselage powered by
>the notorious Nelson 40. The rear wing bolts were still threaded into
>the fuselage but it front wing mount appeared to have sheared off.
>That crash scared the crap out us. Fortunately we were very very 
>lucky. This crash could have maimed or caused a fatality if one was
>in the path of impact.
>
>Upon inspection of the airplane, I feel that the new Nelson 40
>are overpowering the airframe. I feel that one or more of the 
>following suggestions must be implemented to insure the safety of
>spectators and to maintain the existence of this flying site.
>
>1. Proof load all high wing Q500 aircraft to see if the fuselage
>will separate from the wing. The loading should be applied to
>the fuselage while the aircraft is supported on both sides of
>the wing.
>
>2. Ban all high wing Q500 aircrafts using this powerplant since
>the stresses and loads are concentrated rather than evenly
>distributed like a low wing aircraft. This is true in positive
>G maneuvers.
>
>3. Ban the Nelson engine from Q500 or put some kind of performance
>limitation on engines of this nature.
>
>4. Relocate the contest outside of populated area. At Whittier
>Narrows, the Pomona Freeway is several hundred yards from the end of
>the RC runway. In its path are controline circles and a speed circle
>fence and these are located on the south side or upwind. Down wind
>are residences and businesses. To the east are picnic areas, trees,
>and soccer fields crowded with people.
>
>5. Put fuel shutoffs of some kind on the engines should a wing 
>depart from the fuselage.
>
>6. Install a drag chute in the fuselage should the wing depart
>from the fuselage.
>
>These are suggestions that I will be e-mailing to the AMA. If
>you netters want to discuss the pros and cons or want to offer
>any more suggestions, you are welcomed. I feel that something
>must be done. It is just a matter a time before an accident 
>happens and should a fatality occurs, you can kiss this hobby
>goodbye!
>
>
>Lyman Lew, lew@caesi.scg.hac.com
>
************************************************************

     That was not a place to hold a unlimited Quickie 500 race. It should
have been held in a more isolated area, so as to minimize the risks to people
who aren't there for the races.

     As to whether the model's wing came off. Did anyone check to see if, during
the race, if the crashed plane contacted another plane. Almost always, during
a race the plane below the other winds up crashing, due to parts coming off.
If this happens, the fuselage can go a long way real fast.

     Cutoff's and such would be a good touch for safety purposes and this does
need some thought and work in this area.

     I used to like Quickie 500 racing, when it was restricted to basically a
Spickler Q500 kit, and a K&B 40 engine. Then the money guys all started buying
20 engines and using only the best of the lot. Then others started sending
engines to Clarence Lee and others for blueprinting work.  Then it wasn't
fun anymore, as these guys got too serious about racing. Nowadays you have
to have a hot Nelson in order to seriously compete. I feel it should have
stayed low cost, fun, fun, fun.

     A long time ago, we used to hold Q-TEE races. This was great fun and very
low cost too. All you did was use Airtronics' Q-TEE 1/2a planes, in stock form.
Add a Cox Black Widow 1/a engine a 2 channel radio setup of your choice, and
you were in business. Everyone competed on a even basis, and it boiled down to
skill, and needle valve settings. The course was a bit smaller to allow for
four laps, plus a startup time limit, as the stock tank doesn't hold too much
fuel. But it was great fun. Besides the little 1/2a Q-Tee planes are hard to
crash and are unlikely to cause serious bodily injury if they do hit a person.
The people hosting the race spotted the fuel, and if you thought someone had
somehow cheated with their engine, you could buy it for retail price right on
the spot (between heats of course). 


***********************************************************************


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						Earl W. Bollinger
						@ <trsvax!earl>


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