Indoor Free Flight

IND-09-1 – Easy B for event 206. 19.2.6 removes no weight limit. Adds minimum weight of .021 ounces (.6 grams).

Easy B for event 206. 19.2.6
Change from “There shall be no minimum weight restrictions on the model.

To: 19.2.6 The model shall weigh a minimum of .021 ounces, (06 grams) without the rubber motor.

Logic:
During the past three years there has been a dramatic change in the weight that the AMA Easy B is being built & very few modelers are adapting to this super light model of .011-.014 ounces (.3-.4 grams). Participation is rapidly declining. The most common comment is that they don’t have the wood to build such a model. For this reason some top fliers have dropped the Easy B Event. The proposers of this rule change feel that it is in the best interest of the event to have a minimum model weight of .021 ounces (.6 grams).

Submitted by: Wallace Miller, AMA #742

IND-09-2 – For event 221, Indoor Free Flight Electric Power, change power from NiCad cells to Lithium-Polymer. Add allowable electronic speed control powered by same LiPo.

1. Model Specifications: The models shall be powered by no more than one (1) 10 mAh LiPo cell and may weigh no more than 10 grams. An electronic speed control, adjusted on the model and run by the same LiPo cell, is permitted. No remote control equipment is allowed. There shall be no other restrictions on model size or configuration.

Logic:
The intent is to change from two 50 mAh NiCad cells to one 10 mAh LiPo cell which is much lighter and has one tenth the energy. This will result in lighter, slower flying models that will be more compatible with indoor models being flown at the same time in competitions. In addition, currently available NiCads are not as good as earlier versions, such as SR batteries or yellow-colored Sanyo batteries. The 10 mAh LiPos are available from several sources and are much more consistent in charge.

Changing the max weight from 1 ouch to 10 grams will put indoor flyers more at ease, having worried that relatively heavy models would be flown in this event. Models for these rules are anticipated to have wingspans in the range of 24 to 36 inches. They should fly at speeds similar to those of Pennyplanes.

The use of a speed control is equivalent to setting the throttle on a gas motor and will simplify setting the initial climb rate of the model. Presently, the only way to control the climb rate is to adjust prop pitch. This is a very sensitive adjustment. With a speed control, adjustable-pitch props may not be needed. It also will broaden the choices of motors that can be used for the event. These speed controls are commercially available.

Submitted by: Ray Harlan, AMA #131