Mercy! Mercy! That Dang Nabed PERCY!

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Many years ago I took Mechanical Drawing in Jr. High. The essence of what I learned was that given three views an object can be created in the physical dimension. These views are the side, top and front.

In building plank on frame ship models the front view is important because it gives you the profile curves of the ribs. In model airplane development the top and side views are the most important.

I am currently in the process of designing a windy weather RC flying model. This is because our flying field is windy and the conditions make learning to fly a difficult process. The wind tends to blow the model down range and care must be taken that the airplane doesn’t drift too far afield. Then there is the landing approach where the model bobs and weaves, up and down and sideways.

Over time the more experienced flyers learn to compensate and except the degree of difficulty as a matter of course. However, it is my view, that a heavier aircraft with a lower profile, wider control surfaces and additional power could make handling more predictable.

Anyway, that is what I have been doing and thinking about the past couple of days... making a model that performs well under windy conditions. I am building it from components I picked up from a variety of sources or had laying around. That to me is the fun of the hobby…. Building a model and then flying it. Trying some untraditional things to correct what I see as shortcoming, that if allowed to go unacted upon… will slowly be adapted to and seen as a state of nature. What am I talking about you might be wondering?

The point is that we adapt to things as human beings that don’t have to be the way they are. Once we make the adaptations we begin to see them as “States of Nature” rather than as variables. We get into the mindset that this is how things are and nothing’s going to change them. When I talked to some of the other club members they reply that all models are capable of flying in the wind and rather than deviating from time tested designs I need to focus on skill development and quit worrying about how to reinvent the wheel.

This is not something that is unique to the flying field. People get into ruts and think the way they have learned to do things is the only way they can be done. A fresh set of eyes is not bound by the assumptions of experience and initially see matters from a fresh perspective. Then slowly the adaptation process begins and all those ideas of a better way, drift off into oblivion. Is it just me or have some of have some of you noticed the same thing?