Designs and Kits

[smartkid222]

Creating topics for helicopter

[masterhat]

I seem to think that the Parlor Copter kit sold here: http://www.a2zcorp.us/store/Category.as ... er+Powered is a pretty good design. Might have to modify it though for size requirements in the rules.

[Flavorflav]

Your link doesn't work. It seems that the formatting of the url is preventing the forum from recognizing it, so anyone looking to go there should copy and paste the full url. Clicking on it will not work. http://www.a2zcorp.us/store/ProductDeta ... uctID=4562

[robotman]

Your link doesn't work. It seems that the formatting of the url is preventing the forum from recognizing it, so anyone looking to go there should copy and paste the full url. Clicking on it will not work. http://www.a2zcorp.us/store/ProductDeta ... uctID=4562

To fix this problem you can use a url shortener and get http://bit.ly/blNLk8
so Parlor Chopter Kit

[calgoddard]

I won't get the 2011 rules until October 6, 2011.

Are there any bonuses this year and if so what are they? Please indicate if they are for regionals, state or nationals.

Thanks.

[Primate]

I won't get the 2011 rules until October 6, 2011.

Are there any bonuses this year and if so what are they? Please indicate if they are for regionals, state or nationals.

Thanks.

Just briefly glanced through the rules, and I don't see anything. Just penalties for incomplete/missing flight logs, and construction violations. Otherwise everything's based on your flight time.

[franklinknights]

we rnt using rules. we r using last year's directions from illinois state. except we will modify to this year's rules

[andrewwski]

Gargh! That is the one thing that makes me cringe! That's not a good strategy.

Build to this year's rules. First, what is to be accomplished by building to old rules? The design won't be optimized for the current specifications.

Second, I've seen way too many cases of confusion when it comes to working with multiple sets of rules. Every year, there were at least 2 or 3 teams at my regional competition that would come with a device built to an old version of the rules, and 5 or 6 more that had some sort of violation - usually because they didn't pay enough attention to the rules, or were confused by multiple versions.

Get the current rules. I'd imagine they should be coming in from your state soon - and if not, go online and order a copy - it's well worth it.

I'd even go so far to say that it's worth waiting an extra week to start working and have the correct rules in hand.

P.S. "Are not" is abbreviated "aren't."

[calgoddard]

Jeff, I have years of experience with Wright Stuff but only built one helicopter back when the trial rules were being formulated.

Do these helicopters have climb, cruise and descent flight phases like Wright Stuff airplanes? In the videos I have seen, they seem to have virtually no cruise phase, and descend very rapidly. I suppose once the torque gets below a certain amount the blades cannot be driven in the correct direction fast enough to generate sufficient lift when the helicopter is falling.

[jander14indoor]

OK, you are now going to hear the big secret. I don't know!
I have to think that no, they don't have the same flight path at WS that can glide at a steady pace for quite a while after the torque falls below that needed to maintain level flight, whereas in a copter, you can only reduce the rate of downward acceleration once the thrust falls below system mass.
But that's only theory. One reason I'm excited by this event. Looking forward to the surprises that students come up with.

Of course I still have to wonder if we aren't all missing something by not better understanding how real copters work. They get at least SOME of the lift off their rotors from forward flight. Is there something their we're missing with the twin rotor vertical flight path?

Hmmm...

Jeff Anderson
Livonia, MI