[Sticky] Introduce yourself here.

Hi,

I'm Robert. I'm not undertaking paid employment at the moment which means I am lucky enough to be able to do the things that I would like to:

• Voluntary consultancy and other work
• Cycling, walking, phography
• Sailing
• And increasingly flying models

My career started as a research biologist working in Life Sciences. I then jumped into IT where I did everything from business analysis, application support to running a data centre.

My passion for flying model aircraft started with my father taking me to see RC planes flying on disused WW2 runways near Brockenhurst in the New Forest. I built and crashed a few Kielcraft gliders as a child (the Dolphin and Conquest spring to mind - I remember that the conquest was the better flyer). Then nothing until I was fortunate enough to be made redundant near my 50th birthday. I had some time on my hands and inspired by videos of Zaggi wings decided to learn to fly fixed wing with a Flying Wings V tail trainer. I was a complete disaster and after glueing the plane back together after the nth crash (I also got stuck in a tree or two) left the plane in a corner and gave up.

In 2015 a friend gave me an amazon voucher and told me to do something frivolous with it. So I purchased a Syma toy drone and strapped an action camera to it. After mastering it, I decided to buld my own quadcoter (tricopters were still a big thing at that time). So I bult an FPV Night Hawk 250 with a Revolution flight controller (openpilot) and GPS. I also tried my hand at Camera drones with a DJI Spark before downscaling to sub 250g drones (GepRC Cinepro 4K, Tyro79 and hybrid (Chris Rosser 3.5" frame, Babyhawk FC & motors, HD zero)).

Encouraged and trained by my cousin (who has the patients of a saint) I've now branched out into fixed wing. Initially with a sonic model a AR Wing with FPV and FC (perhaps not the best choice as a trainer) to starting to earn my wings with a Riot (better choice). I now have a large hanger of foamies (scale, wings, gliders, UMX) My second favourite plane to the Riot is the e-Wots Wot. I've discovered that there are paralels between cycling and model flying in that the ideal numer of planes/bikes is n+1.

I'm about to embark on a balsa Dancing Wings Tiger Moth so perhaps I have gone full circle to the balsa models of my youth!

I fly with Old Warden Model Arcraft Club, South Cambs Model Flying Club and on my cousins farm. I'm aiming for my 'A' Cerificate.

Interests include: 3D printing, Inav, Betaflight, ELRS, Crossfire, EdgeTX, HD Zero, Walksnail, FPV quadcopters and fixed wing, DJI Camera Drones, CineWhoop cinematography, fixed wing. sub 250g quads and fixed wing.

A few Youtube videos:

OWMAC GepRC Cinepro plane chase

Flying Fish (sub 250g fixed wing) FPV maiden

DJI Mini 2 Tree Fun

Hello Robert

There are a few of us on this forum who started their model flying at Beaulieu (the site that you mention) it was a hot bed of activity in the 60', 70's and 80's.

Welcome to the forum.

Barrie

@pylonuk Thank you, it's great to be here.

Hi, my name is Les Adams and I'm a member of Thamesmead MFC & Bickley MFC. I am a full size pilot who also flies RC fix wing, helicopters and drones. I love building and have a history in I.T. with building networks and electronics. I have been involved in writing firmware, using most modern programming languages and tools. I also use 2D & 3D CAD software with laser cutting and 3D printing.

@leadfoot Hello Les, welcome.

I am presently working on .stl files to produce a 1/6 scale head and shoulders of a pilot for a Tiger moth, would you be prepared to offer advice when I get stuck? I am presently using freecad, for my sins.

All the best,

JB

@johnbailey Hi John, yep no problem at all. Have done this myself using the scaling option within the slicer. I use Simplify3D a lot but have used Cura to achieve the same objective. 3D scaling is better with the scale in all dimensions, Just be careful with the Infill option when scaling right down.

Les

@leadfoot Ah thanks for that Les, it's just what I needed to get started. I will let you know about progress.

John

Hi all,

Kevin here.

I have been a model flyer, builder for almost 30 years now. Have recently (well relatively if you count 3 years )acquired a 3D printer. Make small parts for models, not that I am a designer, more a follower.

Hoping to learn something new.

Oh and I do enjoy photography, particularly models aeroplanes.

Kev

Hello Kev

Welcome to the forum and we hope that you enjoy your time here.

HI - FIRST PLEASE EXCUSE CAPS - BUT I AM PARTIALLY SIGHTED - AND CAPS HELP

SO I AM - DAVID BRIAN HOMEWOOD - I AM 64 - AND BEEN BUILDING - PLAYING AND FLYING MODEL AIRCRAFT FOR OVER 50 YEARS

MY FIRST SUCCESFUL MODEL WAS A KEIL CRAFT CAPRICE - AND I AM BUILDIN ANOTHER ONE NOW - WITH RC THIS TIME - RUDDER - ALL FLYING TAIL AND DETHERMALISER

I ALREADY HAVE TOO MANY PLANES - BUT BUILDING KEEPS ME BUSY - I HAVE A NICE LITTLE WORKSHOP IN MY FLAT - WITH A 8 ft x 2 ft AND 6 ft X 2 ft BUILDING BOARDS

MY FIRST LOVE IS SLOPE SOARING - I AM VERY LUCKY THAT I CAN NEARLY SEE THE SOUTH DOWNS FROM MY FLAT - SO FIRLE BEACON - BO PEEP - ARE ABOUT 30 MINUTES AWAY

I LOVE SANDING ON FIRLE AND LOOK OUT OVER THE WEALD. I HAVE JUST MOVED TO FRSKY ETHOS AS TRANSMITTERS - I AM WRITING TEMPLATES FOR VARIOUS MODELS - F3F - F5J - BIG SCALE GLIDERS

I AM LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO FLY SOME OF MY PLANES - MY EYESIGHT HAS NOW LET ME DOWN

SO IF YOU FANCY FLYING A JARO MULLER ELLIPSE 2T OFF FIRLE BEACON - PLEASE GET IN TOUCH

VERY INTERESTED IN LASER CUTTING - LOVE NEW TECHNOLOGY

THANKS

CATCH YOU LATER

TAKE CARE

HAPPY FLYING

DAVID - WOODY1958UK - 

@woody1958uk David welcome to the forum, we hope you enjoy it

Hi all.  A lifelong model builder and flier, currently Sec. for Coventry & District MAC.     Previously trained in aircraft electrics by Hawker Siddeley Aviation (now BAE Systems) and specialised in avionics, particularly Buccaneer.   Launched cardboard kits in the late 70's, the Apprentice 60 and Craftsman.   Currently lead trainer and pilot for Skyfarer.  

@graham-stanley Welcome to our Forum, great to have you here.

Hi, My Name is Mick Hall, aged 70 and I have recently retired from being an IT Support Analyst for an insurance underwriter.

I fly helicopters and at the moment own 3, my original Raptor 30 that I learnt to fly with, a Raptor 50 and a Trex 450 XL. All of these are now quite old but still in good flying order.

I have also built 3 drones from Chinese parts, one large drone to take a GoPro or DSLR and two racing drones with FPV systems on these, although not actually raced them.

I also love my 3D printers, of which I have 2. One I bought as a kit, as a winter project, and after having set that up and printed many items, I decided I could build a better one

myself, so I did that. They both have 210mm x 210mm bed size.

At the moment all my equipment is stored away as I am hoping to move this summer.

I am also getting knowledgeable about solar power as I intend putting together a solar storage system at my new property.

I had motorbikes in the past, Honda 250 single trail bike, Yamaha 125 trials, Suzuki GS850GT and Kawasaki GPZ1000RX, but gave all that up as I like speed too much.

@mick-hall Mick, welcome to the forum. Quite a bit going on here.

Regards Barrie