Elastic Launched Gliders B

[bernard]

raw scores were leaked. While NSO maintains that they do not release the raw scores and aims to stop the spread, some people were able to download the full set of raw scores and I imagine that it has been widely distributed by now.

Wow, I'm posting in a building forum again. I'm pretty sure people ARE NOT supposed to circulate nats raw scores. I heard that someone nearly got banned from scioly.org for circulating the scores or something.

We take this issue very seriously as the documents being circulated originated from an unofficial source that was not necessarily accurate. Bans will be issued and I am willing to forward violations to the national office.

[Scienceoly]

At nationals, the event supervisor asked our team to put the gliders upside down and then push down the fuselage to measure the weight. This may cause the wings to deform. Did this happen to any other teams? I thought no one except the students themselves can touch their gliders.

As a result, both our gliders performed really strange. It can consistently fly 28-30 s during practice and only fly average 23 s at competition.

[builderguy135]

At nationals, the event supervisor asked our team to put the gliders upside down and then push down the fuselage to measure the weight. This may cause the wings to deform. Did this happen to any other teams? I thought no one except the students themselves can touch their gliders.

As a result, both our gliders performed really strange. It can consistently fly 28-30 s during practice and only fly average 23 s at competition.

Agreed. The ES was definitely touching the glider a way you're not supposed to.

I don't think this would change much though, ngl it was probably just the way you flew the glider that affected the timing. What specifically happened? If the glide changed, couldn't you have done something about it?

[Pastaman202]

At nationals, the event supervisor asked our team to put the gliders upside down and then push down the fuselage to measure the weight. This may cause the wings to deform. Did this happen to any other teams? I thought no one except the students themselves can touch their gliders.

As a result, both our gliders performed really strange. It can consistently fly 28-30 s during practice and only fly average 23 s at competition.

Agreed. The ES was definitely touching the glider a way you're not supposed to.

I don't think this would change much though, ngl it was probably just the way you flew the glider that affected the timing. What specifically happened? If the glide changed, couldn't you have done something about it?

I am pretty sure if we have time we can adjust the gliders back to the original state. However this happened right before our competition and there was no time to do it. According to the ELG rule, "Only participants may handle aircraft components until the event ends." So doesn't matter if the ES mess up the gliders or not, he was not supposed to touch it as all!

Who is the ES for ELG at National? I am thinking about filing a complaint to NSO.

[Maxout]

At nationals, the event supervisor asked our team to put the gliders upside down and then push down the fuselage to measure the weight. This may cause the wings to deform. Did this happen to any other teams? I thought no one except the students themselves can touch their gliders.

As a result, both our gliders performed really strange. It can consistently fly 28-30 s during practice and only fly average 23 s at competition.

Agreed. The ES was definitely touching the glider a way you're not supposed to.

I don't think this would change much though, ngl it was probably just the way you flew the glider that affected the timing. What specifically happened? If the glide changed, couldn't you have done something about it?

I am pretty sure if we have time we can adjust the gliders back to the original state. However this happened right before our competition and there was no time to do it. According to the ELG rule, "Only participants may handle aircraft components until the event ends." So doesn't matter if the ES mess up the gliders or not, he was not supposed to touch it as all!

Who is the ES for ELG at National? I am thinking about filing a complaint to NSO.

Matt Chalker. Someone who should know better.

My team got screwed by the timers being lazy and sitting down so that scores took easily 1/3 of their time allotment to record. Completely unacceptable.

[builderguy135]

Agreed. The ES was definitely touching the glider a way you're not supposed to.

I don't think this would change much though, ngl it was probably just the way you flew the glider that affected the timing. What specifically happened? If the glide changed, couldn't you have done something about it?

I am pretty sure if we have time we can adjust the gliders back to the original state. However this happened right before our competition and there was no time to do it. According to the ELG rule, "Only participants may handle aircraft components until the event ends." So doesn't matter if the ES mess up the gliders or not, he was not supposed to touch it as all!

Who is the ES for ELG at National? I am thinking about filing a complaint to NSO.

Matt Chalker. Someone who should know better.

My team got screwed by the timers being lazy and sitting down so that scores took easily 1/3 of their time allotment to record. Completely unacceptable.

Completely agree on the second part!

I had times that varied between 2 seconds on the same exact flight. I don't think chalker was there but the volunteers clearly did not know what they were doing.

[Mwang12324161]

Hi I'm having an issue with my glider transitioning from the launch to the glide.
The glider does not have flaps and is made entirely of balsa. It has dihedral in the wing and stabilizer (no rudder/fin) When I just threw it, it glided pretty smoothly and was turning, but in the launch, it went straight up, then the glider suddenly pitched down and nose-dived into the floor. Does anyone know what is causing this? Do I need to launch it a certain way, or change the wing incidence, or change the surface area of the wing?

Thanks.

A quick and simple solution is just to launch the glider with more roll to the left if you are turning left and vice versa. No need to change the glider, just the launch position.

[Mwang12324161]

Has anyone built and tested the Freedom Flight or J&H Aerospace kits?
How heavy is your glider? What kinds of times are you getting?

Every glider is different and no two are alike (i know this is a cliche)
It all depends on the build and your skill level. My team has some experience... Our FF weighed in at 3.5 grams and max time was around 25. Placed 13th at '19 nationals with a consistent 24, 25, 24, 23, 24 second score.

[builderguy135]

Hi I'm having an issue with my glider transitioning from the launch to the glide.
The glider does not have flaps and is made entirely of balsa. It has dihedral in the wing and stabilizer (no rudder/fin) When I just threw it, it glided pretty smoothly and was turning, but in the launch, it went straight up, then the glider suddenly pitched down and nose-dived into the floor. Does anyone know what is causing this? Do I need to launch it a certain way, or change the wing incidence, or change the surface area of the wing?

Thanks.

A quick and simple solution is just to launch the glider with more roll to the left if you are turning left and vice versa. No need to change the glider, just the launch position.

You might be right but a rudder/fin might help...

[Mwang12324161]

Has anyone built and tested the Freedom Flight or J&H Aerospace kits?
How heavy is your glider? What kinds of times are you getting?

My freedom flight got 13th at nationals with a consistent 25 seconds each flight. If you are skeptical I am from Wilmington Academy of Arts and Sciences. The FF is a solid competitor but it all hinges on your luck, experience level, and building skill.
My experience is that the JHs are not quite as good as the FFs. I think they are a bit harder to trim and are flimsy. Good for practicing building/trimming though.
Good luck.