• Page:
  • 1

TOPIC: Flight Witness

Flight Witness 10 years 1 month ago #736

  • J. QUIGLEY
  • J. QUIGLEY's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Posts: 6
  • Thank you received: 0
G'day Folks

I would like to start a discussion on the availability of suitable witnesses. I do know what the rules are but I would like to offer some history/availability etc.

When the LSF started here in Australia level 5 seemed impossible though an Australian had set a world record for RC Glider duration. A special model and radio was devised.

World records are controlled by the FAI and the FAI in both Australia and the US have FAI observers. The US and Australia have modellers who have held and lost records so the system of FAI observers has considerable status in both countries.

I am currently L4 and working for L5 but distance and location is making it difficult to get observers together to ratify my flights.

I know one of the aims of the LSF programme is to foster partition but with a total of about 10,000 aeromodellers of all facits in Australia and scattered over an area the size of continental US getting Suitable witnesses is proving, for me, difficult.

I would like to ask the question: Could an FAI observer who has LSF1 standing together with an LSF member who meets the L5 requirements be considered suitable as two witnesses for flights?

May be even mandate a GPS log. Remember GPS was not a public device when the LSF programme was conceived.

As I understand the position, 747's did not have GPS as we know it today. They had three navigation systems as redundancy, using an imaginary point of zero and displaying the distance from that point to their destination. May be the US military had a form of GPS.

I am sure some folks will say no change but I think there is a need to catch up with modern times.

What do others think or even a balanced comment form the committee.

Cheers John Quigley

Flight Witness 10 years 3 weeks ago #741

  • ROB GLOVER
  • ROB GLOVER's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Posts: 53
  • Thank you received: 0
John -

I'm sorry that I haven't seen this earlier, but I confess that I haven't regularly checked the forums over the past couple weeks. If there is ever anything that I can address for you in a more timely manner feel free to email me using the contact link.

I believe that the intent and hoped for result of the witness requirement was to help motivate the more advanced members, such as yourself, to find some hapless friend and drag them through the program to serve as witness. I have actually seen this work on more than one occasion, I suspect that others have as well. In other words, the easy way for this to happen would be for you to help your level I witness become a Level II witness by passing along your wisdom and expertise.

I do agree that times and technologies have changed dramatically. However, it's still beneficial to drag folks together and force them to interact and help each other. I'd also note that if you are short of witnesses for your level V tasks you're really going to have a tough time finding contests that qualify.

Best of luck,
Rob Glover, LSF Secretary

Flight Witness 10 years 2 weeks ago #743

  • RYAN WOEBKENBERG
  • RYAN WOEBKENBERG's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Posts: 129
  • Thank you received: 0
John,

I'm in America and I struggle with witnesses too. I have been attempting to do what Rob suggests and that is get my friends who do fly gliders but otherwise might not have taken the time to work on the SAP to do so. I have one friend that now is about half way through level 2.

Ryan

Flight Witness 9 years 10 months ago #748

  • J. QUIGLEY
  • J. QUIGLEY's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Posts: 6
  • Thank you received: 0
Hi Ryan

I understand the rules and objectives. The simple fact is there are pockets of activity in gliding and distance is a problem.

A recent change to Aviation rules is that our current field has had its height limit reduced from 1000ft, which is almost unlimited, to an absolute 400ft.

This has all but eliminated the possibility of thermal flying but ALES is possible.

Way back the LSF chapter in Australia insisted on the competitors at the annual LSF contest have L1 rating. The result is many who gained L1 and no further interest in LSF.

Cheers John

Flight Witness 9 years 10 months ago #749

  • RYAN WOEBKENBERG
  • RYAN WOEBKENBERG's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Posts: 129
  • Thank you received: 0
John, I wish you success with your endeavors. If there are many that have attained L1 then perhaps you can convince one or two to pick the program back up and finish L2. L2 shouldn't be that difficult. Perhaps given the 400 foot ceiling a floater launched from a high start should be able to do the 15 minute thermal on a good day and stay under 400. My friend who I am working with the program on and I are hoping to attend a contest this month so he can get his first ever L2 points and maybe I can get some L5 points.

Ryan
  • Page:
  • 1
Time to create page: 0.063 seconds
Powered by Kunena Forum