Thursday was a frustrating day. Gary had built the models for the day\'s two events, D Helicopter Duration and 4xA Cluster Altitude. I would be mainly providing recovery support.
We decided to start with helicopter. Gary\'s models feature internal rotors and tend to boost higher than the normal Rotoroc-style models with external rotors. The timers were having trouble seeing the other high performance models, so we decided to fly our lowest performing model. The booster was one that we had flown several years ago which was BT-55 based with a 24mm mount for D12s. There was only one problem. It was too short for any of the rotor assemblies that we had. Rather than cut the rotors, we extended the tube with a wrap of Kapton.
Since by that time we were approaching the end of the current range crew\'s shift, we decided to wait for the new crew in the hopes that these timers would have better vision. Most new people get assigned to timing duties, since it doesn\'t really require any special knowledge, but it\'s always a crapshoot as to what you\'re going to get. While we were waiting, we decided to start prepping the cluster model.
Gary had worked for hours crafting two pieces of aerodynamic art for the event. However, they were not in the model box! They had been left back at the hotel. The back-up models were there, but not the primary ones. Fran went back to retrieve them.
In the meantime, we flew the helicopter. The model boosted straight out of the tower and at burnout, came apart. The nose had been too loose in the Kapton tube and we fell victim to drag separation. The stress of the high-speed ejection caused one of the rotors to shear off. Although the other two auto-rotated, it was a DQ for separation.
When Fran returned, we got the cluster model ready to fly. It shredded its fins and thrashed about the sky. Another DQ.
We prepped the the second helicopter flight, but by then it was our turn for range duty, so we would have to wait. This time, it worked and turned in a flight of just short of two minutes. While we didn\'t expect that that would be good enough, it ended up in fourth place.
We went with one of our back-up models for the second cluster flight. With time winding down, we took it out to the pad. The daily thunderstorms were closing in and the range was shut down early before we could launch.