Electronic Second Wind 91-2
Second Wind 91-2
THE NEWSLETTER THAT HITS A SOAR SPOT!
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Introducinmg a New Song . . . THE ANTHEM!
The plane that forever changed soaring's tune is reborn!
The unparalleled performance of our Saber has prompted us to develop the Anthem. The Windsong/Lovesong (or just The SONG) is probably the most respected thermal competition glider design of our time. Its classic, stately and scale-like appearance is without peer among serious competition performers. This does not even take into account the fact that in 1982, the Windsong/Lovesong single-handedly set the standard for modern glider control (separate flap and ailerons with full-span camber change and Crow). With several thousand kits sold over the last 9 years, it is a true classic! Our new ship, the Anthem, merges the Saber technology with the Windsong/Lovesong classic configuration (notice my restraint in not calling the new ship "The Love Saber").
Shawn Lenci and his Anthem.
For those who prefer the larger glider with a scale-like profile that is easy to see at great distances and who want the added L/D of a long span, high aspect ratio wing, there is nothing available that can match the Anthem. The Anthem utilizes obechi skin on all flying surfaces. It is designed specifically for computer radios and has both the aileron and flap servos in the wings. It shares the saber's elegant, friction-free and reliable elevator/rudder pushrod system (non of this hokey and trouble/maintenance prone pull-pull string). It has a 3/8 diameter wing rod and utilizes the bullet proof spar system introduced with the Saber (but 48 long on the Anthem). Best of all, the Anthem takes advantage of the fabulous SD7037 airfoil that has made the Saber unbeatable in competition. In fact, "where Sabers are flying, the other designs are dying". People in most parts of the country are finally figuring out If you want to beat the top flyers in your area, you won't do it if you fly the same plane that they are flying. You have to fly a plane that gives you the performance edge over the competition. That is just what the Saber is doing!
For a limited time we will continue to offer the Lovesong for those who do not have a computer radio or for those who prefer the slower flying yet high-performance tripped Eppler 214 airfoil. However, to be sure that you get a Lovesong while they are still in production, we suggest that you do not wait. When thy are gone, they will be gone. But cheer up! The Anthem does everything that the Lovesong does and more! The SD7037 is about the only airfoil that has a higher maximum L/D than the tripped Eppler 214. The SD7037 has another interesting characteristic. It is about the fastest climbing airfoil that we have seen! Best of all, it has a top end that is incredible, particularly when you use 3 degrees of reflex! For example, flying a speed run cold, (he had not flown a speed run in over 10 years) with no ballast (73 oz. flying weight) in his Saber at the July, 1991 Seattle Soar 91 Contest, Dave Banks flew the course in 28 seconds to post the fastest time of any contestant. He believes that with practice and ballast he could easily shave 5 seconds off that time. A 23 second speed run capability is getting mighty close to what the world class F3B ships can do! Not bad for the same ship that Dave has thermaled out from a handlaunch 7 times in one afternoon! The Anthem has a speed range similar to the Saber in thermal and cruise mode. It has a slightly lower top end (probably because it has a slightly lower wing loading) and it has a slightly higher maximum L/D. It has the long flaps of the Windsong/Lovesong and so can slow down on landing approach like no other glider has been able to do! With the horror stories going around about the "new latest fad" Spectra fuselages disintegrating on tow and or curling up like a pretzel in moderate heat, we are happy to provide a "no compromise" enhanced version of our strong, stable and lightweight composite fuselage as was made famous on our Windsong/Lovesong. The Anthem fuselage is even stronger and easier to build than the Lovesong fuselage. We devised this uniquely successful fuselage construction, after many years of producing conventional all fiberglass fuselages. The advantages of our composite fuselage are a lighter, stronger and more temperature stable fuselage. If you have been sucked in by the promise of "Spectra" only to experience the nightmare of the reality and you are getting no respectra", then you will appreciate the Anthem fuselage. The reality is that no matter if you "sandblast it" or not, Spectra is too slippery to get a satisfactory bond to the epoxies used in the model industry. After a little time, flexing and temperature variation, Spectra begins to break away from the epoxy matrix, leaving a Spectra cloth skeleton draped over epoxy crumbs. One NW flyer had less than a magical experience when the tail of his Spectra fuselaged kit disintegrated on tow! Kevlar has the same problem only not quite as bad. With no sheeting splicing, no mandatory (it is optional) wing TE fiberglassing and no complex mechanical linkages to rig, the Anthem builds considerably faster than does the Lovesong. We even have available the same prefabricated spar option that we offer for the Saber. This speeds up the construction even more. In spite of two extra servos, the Anthem has about the same flying weight as does the Lovesong (about 75 oz.) due to the fact that the obechi sheeting is lighter weight than is the 1/16 balsa wing sheeting used on the Lovesong. One surprising thing about the Anthem is that for some mystical reason it has a much higher roll rate than does the Lovesong. In fact the Anthem is about as quick responding as is our Saber! Logic dictates the long wing should have a slower roll response. Logic is over-ruled in this case and the Anthem is the winner with breathtaking handling and response! OK, should you buy a Saber or an Anthem? Buy a Saber if any of the following apply:
You prefer a moderate sized competition ship that has the quick feel of a sports car without giving up much ultimate performance. You want an outstanding competition glider that is as fast and easy as possible to build and yet, one that soundly outperforms all its other competition such as: the Falcon, Legend and the untripped Magic (no one I know flies the Magic tripped because they do not like how it handles). You need a smaller size glider to transport more conveniently. You want a multichannel glider that is as easy handling as possible and one that is easy to hold in a thermal turn.
Buy the Anthem if any of the following apply:
You want a glider that extracts that last little bit of performance and you do not mind spending a few more building hours to get it (the Anthem has a slightly lower minimum sinking speed and a slightly higher L/D than does the Saber). You want a larger glider that you can see easily at great distances. You want a scale-like appearance in a high performance glider (or you just like the classic look of the Anthem). You demand a glider that will slow down to a Lovesong crawl during landing approach.
The Windsong/Lovesong has been the performance leader since 1982. Now the tradition of the "Song" is carried forward, to a generation ahead of the competition, in the new Anthem. Oh sure, the others may eventually copy our obechi construction, move up to the SD7037 airfoil and come up with a plane in the same performance league as the Anthem, but judging from the past, I wouldn't hold my breath. Heck, they're still fooling around with polyhedral wing tips and short flaps! Anthem Price: $279.00 Anthem Price with Pre-built Spar: $345.00 *Anthem Price with Pre-sheeted Wings, Stabs and Rudder: $430.00 Anthem Shipping in the 48 Contiguous United States for all configurations: $12.00 Saber Price: $295.00 Saber Price with Pre-built Spar: $360.00 *Saber Price with Pre-sheeted Wings, Stabs and Rudder: $445.00 Saber Shipping in the 48 Contiguous United States: $15.00 * The kits with the Pre-sheeted obechi wings, stabs and rudder have limited availability. Your prepaid order will reserve your slot. We will try to keep our back-orders to shipment within a month. We can only do about two Pre-sheeted kits per week so we will only be able to take a finite number of orders.
Price Increase:
As of August 15, 1991 the price of the Lovesong will increase to $250.00, the Camano to $185.00, the Pixy to $175.00 and the Pivot plus to $85.00.
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No one CAD do plans like Dodgson Designs
As in control systems, etc., Dodgson Designs set the industry standard by going to Autocad generated plans several years ago. Most other manufacturers are finally starting to dink around with tentatively drawn CAD plans. Well, we have just stepped ahead another generation! Our kits now include another industry first . . . original real-time desktop CAD plots. Rather than supplying rolled blueline prints (even ones made from high quality Autocad plots) that can fade and that can creep off size slightly, we now supply continuous, original fan folded plots with the Anthem. We will soon offer the same plan breakthrough on the Saber and we will then have it trickle down to our other kits in the near future.
The advantages of our new desktop CAD plots are: 1) The wings are shown full length so there is no need to splice the plans to build the wings. 2) Since they are 12 feet long but fan-folded, you can fold out only a small area of the plans if you have a question that is answered in a specific part of the plans. You do not have to have 3 big sheets of plans laid out all over the house (In fact, the plans are only 14.5 high so you can use them right on your building table)! 3) They are original plots that are pin fed with near-perfect registration so there is no creep or distortion in the dimensions and they will not fade upon long exposure to light. 4) They store flat and can be filed easily for safe, long-term keeping. 5) Best of all, since each copy is an original and is printed just before the kit is sent out, it will automatically have all the latest changes incorporated. Usually, there is a lag time of months and even years before changes get incorporated into the plans. We can now do it from day-to-day as improvements come to light! Our plans will always incorporate the absolute latest changes! Where good glider designing is being done, you will find that Dodgson Designs is the CADalyst. Real-time, desktop CAD plotted plans (we invented the concept) is just one more example of why Dodgson Designs has been the leader in multichannel competition glider design for the last 19 years!
To augment our new plans, we are now supplying professionally spline-bound building instructions with plastic covers. This makes it easier to keep them open to the proper page and it facilitates finding specific sections faster. While providing a new high-brow look and feel, like our new plans, the building instructions are desktop published (in PageMaker 4) in real time so that all of the latest information is instantly available with each new kit we ship! Is that big-time or what? ________________________________________________________________________________
Titillating Tips
5 Cells Will Give You Quite a Turn!
from Erik Eiche - BC Canada
One minor problem that the Sabers have been having is that they can get going so fast that the air load on the aileron servos can stall them out yielding sluggish roll response at super high speeds. Erik suggests that you simply go to the old 5 cell airborne battery pack in the Saber (and Anthem) to increase servo power by nearly 20% over that provided by a standard 4 cell pack. After all, all the tests and specifications are made with the airborne pack running at 6 volts. A 5 cell pack will give you the six volts rather than the usual 4.8 volts.
In Search of the Invisible Hinge.
from Buddy Roos - Woodstock, GA
To prevent the checkerboard effect you get from the Monokote hinges showing through the not-so-opaque Monokote covering, I make all my Monokote hinges from clear Monokote. I still get the very slight lumps under the covering but I don't get the dark squares.
Quote of the Month
from Craig Aho - WA
Craig, always the consummate diplomat, was trying to comfort me and soothe my ego. You know Bob, Mark Allen may be the biggest name in soaring right now . . . but you've got the most names! Needless to say, that bit of news perked me right up!
Saber Decals
We now offer a double set of Saber decals that really spice up your ship. They are made on a water transfer decal film that is so thin you can hardly feel it on the wing. The set consists of one black sheet and one opaque white sheet each 8.5 x 20. Each sheet contains one large Saber/sword decal, assorted smaller Saber/sword decals with the smallest being 2.5 long, a Dodgson Designs logo, and many assorted Saber (the word) slanted both front and back. The great thing about having them in both black and white is that you can place them on any color scheme and even place them on both the top and the bottom of your wings. The price of the two decal sheet packet is $15.00 plus $3.00 shipping. Naturally, if you purchase the decal set with your Saber kit there is no extra shipping charge.
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If you think that Building wings is the sheets,
try our new pre-sheeted Saber and Anthem kits!
We are now equipped to offer a limited number of Saber and Anthem kits (retail only) with pre-sheeted flying surfaces. We are not talking just the wings, as is the case with many other kits. Our pre-sheeted kits come with the wings, stabs and rudder pre-sheeted with obechi! The obechi is applied with 3M-77 contact adhesive that is used in conjunction with a vacuum bagged cure time of 12 hours minimum. Since the Saber has the most complete fiberglass fuselage in the industry (even the tow-hook block is installed), with the pre-sheeted option, you could have your Saber in the air in no time! The pre-sheeted wings come with the spar installed, the sub LE installed and the sheeting installed. The wiring channel is pre-cut in the wings so that you can easily insert the wire for the wiring harness. Naturally, you must still cut out the servo wells and install the servos. You also still have to install the spruce LE, the root rib, the wing-tip plate and cut the flaps and ailerons free. If you want the optional TE reinforcing, you will have to install the 3/4 oz. glass cloth on the flaps and ailerons, using epoxy.
Not surprisingly, we can only produce a maximum of 2 pre-sheeted kits per week and we can take only prepaid orders with no discounts allowed. We will ship on a first in, first out basis and will try to cut off the orders periodically, as necessary, so that our backlog is never more than a month. If you want the pre-sheeted Saber or Anthem, get your order in while we still have some slots open! We do not know how long we will be able to offer this service but we are pleased to be able to offer it for now! What about the quality, you ask? If you are an average builder, you will be pleased with the good solid structural integrity, the light weight and the basic workmanship. The work is being done by the same craftsman who constructed the first prototype test Anthem. It goes without saying, that if you are a consummate perfectionist that you should stick to doing your own building. No one else could possibly afford to put in the time and the love and care that you would on your own glider. However, while Dodgson Designs cannot guarantee absolute perfection in these pre-sheeted kits, I can tell you that I will not ship out anything that I (Bob Dodgson) would not be happy to fly myself (if that doesn't scare the sheeting out of you, I don't know what will). For those who want to get the best performing gliders built well, light-weight and in the air as fast as possible, the pre-sheeted Saber or Anthem is a great way to go! ________________________________________________________________________________
Flutter?
Lest anyone get the impression that flutter is a common occurrence with the Saber let me say that as far as I know, Al Doig is the only one who has ever managed to flutter a Saber! They have been flown to the extreme outer limits of the envelop, in all climates and in many extremely hot conditions and yes, where transfer tape was used for adhering the obechi . . . nary a flutter! In fact, I am inclined to believe that the Saber is the most flutter resistant high-performance thermal competition kit that has ever been sold the US! Al, I wonder if you did not mistake a series of sonic booms for flutter? Dodgson Designs makes no promises if you choose to fly at more than Mach One. However like Al says, anything will eventually flutter if you can get it going fast enough. I must say, I always enjoy Al's writing and his scewed outlook on the world. In fact, he reminds of myself when I was younger. I am extremely pleased that he is writing for Second Wind. I need Al around to keep me humble. Enjoy . . . and thank you Al.
--Bob Dodgson
FLUTTER and Its Relation to Modern Society
as seen by Al Doig
It was a cold September night in San Diego. A freezing rain beat against the glass. A dying fire sputtered and crackled in the huge fireplace. The old professor sat in his favorite chair. At his feet, curled round the hassock was Yeti. The professor for many years held an honored chair in the hallowed halls of Tijuana Tech. Now retired, he finally had the opportunity to set to print all the things he held to be the truth. The Yeti, who was getting to be a problem, size-wise, was found by the professor during a sailplane hunt at the 1990 NWSS contest, near Walla Walla Washington. When a Canadian flier launches, it is common courtesy for all mobile contestants to start out on a hunt for the sailplane. Whilst beating the brush, the Professor came upon Yeti. He had apparently been hidden under the brush by his parents, to escape detection. Yeti was quite small. However the Sasquatch, who are occasionally seen by our guru, Bob Dodgson, from his kitchen window, are reported to be 21 hands high. Anyway- Yeti and the professor had come to be great companions and Yeti's enquiring mind was an eager sink for the Professor's volcanic output. "Tonight we are going to consider flutter," the Professor announced. "Oh good" said Yeti, "I'll make some popcorn". "I said flutter, not butter" the Professor replied, somewhat annoyed. "I've been having some aileron flutter problems with my Dodgson Design Saber, Yeti". "Oh, and prithee tell what are those problems?" Yeti was being a bit cute. The Professor looked around the room quickly. "Wait a minute", he said. The Professor strode to a bust of Bob Dodgson sitting on a stand in the corner of the room. He quickly installed a set of ear muffs on the statue. "Never did trust that thing since Mr. Dodgson insisted we keep it in the thinking room"
"Anyway - let's look at the causes of flutter. The subject isn't new. In 1911, Otto Lilenthal wrote a book, Birdflight as the Basis of Aviation. On page 89, he says 'The constant fluttering, in a strong wind, of flags which are mounted on vertical poles, can be explained by the peculiarities of curved surfaces.
A stiff weather-vane, made of sheet metal, places itself in the wind direction, but not so a flag made of soft material. Fig 65 shows the plan of a weather vane. The soft flag, however, executes sinuous movements, which may be explained as follows:- Such flags are in unstable equilibrium, because the slightest curvature to one side increases the wind pressure on this side, and, in consequence, the curvature becomes more pronounced (Fig 66). If the wind pressure becomes sufficiently great, then this curvature is pushed, through to the other side and the shape of the flag changes to that shown in Fig 67, and so the play continues.' So, you see, Yeti, flutter is not a new problem. " Well, if it isn't a new problem, how come you didn't know about it?" Yeti said with a puzzled look on his hairy face. I knew about it, but just got careless. The Saber ailerons, and flaps are secured with three sets of three tape hinges. Then a tape is applied, for the full length of the surface as an auxiliary hinge, and to assure the surface hinges from the proper surface. This is fine, but with time, dirt gets under the tape and the area between hinges becomes 'soft'. That is, you can move it up and down. Any area that can be easily 'wiggled', will be violently wiggled by flutter. Every surface can flutter, and will, given the proper speed. A 'soft' surface will flutter at a low speed. A "hard' surface will flutter at a high speed. The flutter frequency must be above speeds normally encountered by the sailplane. The saber, and all sailplanes of this type, the hinging of both flap and aileron should be continuous. Take the time to remove the tape and install continuous hinges on both flap and ailerons. Check to make sure your flap and aileron linkage is tight and your servos will not move in their mounting." "Hey! that's good advice, and then all your flutter worries will be over - won't they?" said a smiling Yeti. "Not quite!!" The old Professor glanced furtively around the room. He grabbed up a down-filled comforter and wrapped it around the bust of Bob Dodgson. "Old Bbbbob may not like what I'm about to say." Transfer tape is a neat and clean way to stick sheeting. The average guy has little trouble and it seems to work just dandy." "But?" said Yeti. "But - two problems rear their heads. First, a really convenient way to prepare the foam to receive sheeting is to fill all the nooks and crannies with a filler. This is absolutely necessary with the obechi used in the Saber. Any glitch in the spar area - any stutter of the foam cutting wire will show up in the surface of the obechi. A really wizard product to fill any surface is DAP FAST 'N FINAL SPACKLING. This is a practically weightless spackle that goes on with a putty knife and makes perfect surface fills. However, be advised that when transfer tape is applied, the spackle powders off and the tape doesn't stick. The second problem is that transfer tape never hardens. In fact, under heat, it will soften. On a 100 degree California contest day, those wings get pretty hot. It is advised that you either keep the flying surfaces in the shade, or, if there is none, keep the wing bags on. But, remove them before making an ascent." Is that what caused your wing flutter at the 1991 Western States Champs in Stockton CA ?" Yeti queried. " I reckon so, but really don't know. It was 97 degrees and the Saber had been sitting in the sun. In my boyish enthusiasm for altitude I may have pushed the launch a bit hard. I bent the 3/8 wing rod into a V. The good news is that the wing didn't break." "Wow!" said Yeti, "My new Saber shouldn't have any flutter potential at all. I'm really excited about it. The obechi is vacuum bagged using epoxy. The trailing edge has a 4 lamination of fiberglass and carbon fiber. And - get this, Yeti, the obechi is a natural finish, covered with - Japanese tissue. Think of that." "Can I take it to nursery school tomorrow, for Show and Tell" said Yeti, breathlessly. "Well, no" said the kindly old professor, as he stoked up the fire. "But next issue you and I will tell Bob Dodgson how to easily build the plu-perfect Saber wing. I wonder how he will react to that?" "With his usual boyish wonder, I guess, and a big WWWWHATTT???" Yeti said with a grin. "Well, it's off to bed with you" said the old professor. And after planting a big kiss on the Professor's cheek, Yeti trundled down the hall to his room, with the flap on his Doctor Denton's dragging behind. ________________________________________________________________________________
Sampling of 1991 Contest Wins
Dave Banks has flown 8 contest days so far this year with his new Saber and has a average score over 97% of perfect with no throw aways! His lowest day was 95%. Since Dave has been flying the Saber his percentage has risen nearly 2% over his last season average with his fabulous Lovesong and last season he had the highest percentage of perfect of any flyer in the North West Soaring Society.
As mentioned earlier, Dave flew an unballasted and unpracticed speed run with his Saber in 28 Seconds to post the highest speed at the July, 1991 Seattle contest. The Saber climbs out in light lift so well that Dave has achieved a new personal best . . . he has thermaled out from a handlaunch 7 times in the one day of flying. Even I, who have not won much hardware in the last few years, won a major NWSS contest in June, flying my year old prototype Saber. I flew 99% of perfect on Sunday!
Randy Holzapple - Spokane, WA holding his T-tailed Lovesong. Randy is the man who designed the Hijacker and Gull kits back in the early 1970s. When he sold out to us, we continued these kits for a while under our name. Randy built the Lovesong in two weeks! It weighs 65 oz. Randy has only been flying it for a couple of months and has already won one contest with it! Great to have you back in soaring, Randy!
Dave Johnson - OR, flying his Lovesong caught everyone's attention when he won the Portland contest with a blistering 99% of perfect for both days! The Lovesongs just keep flying better and better.
Bob Teseo - NY, has been setting the East Coast on its ear brandishing his well honed saber. As an example, at the June 23, 1991 Empire State Soaring Classic with over 50 entrants, Bob with magic flowing through his veins placed first against all the ESL top dawgs.
On June 22, 1991 Robert Teseo Jr.. - NY, placed first, flying his Lovesong at the Empire State Soaring Classic (the Teseos decided to keep it all in the family). Interestingly, Robert went back to flying his Lovesong after buying and trying out a Magic. ________________________________________________________________________________
Where have all the Falcons gone?
Gone to Sabers Every One! When Will They Ever Learn?
When the 1991 NWSS contest season started, there were about 5 contest flying Falcons in the Seattle area. After a month into the contest season, their owners are all buying, building and flying Sabers or Anthems!
No one knocks the Falcon in the Northwest. In fact, we all agree that it is a good airplane but it is also accepted that it is not a great airplane! The Saber is a great airplane! ________________________________________________________________________________
Letter Rip
April 1, 1991
Dear Bob, Couldn't resist sending you pictures of my Lovesong (my wife Pat modeling). I got it for Christmas (1989) and it took me about 9 months of evenings to finish. I just discovered a bad (new) servo so am waiting for Airtronics to send a replacement before the first flight. I entered it in the WRAM show in N.Y. (static) and it took 3rd place. I'd like to say I built it stock . If I had it would not have taken 9 months and would certainly weigh less. It is 99 oz. It has some glass and carbon added in the vacuum bagged wings. I covered the wings with nylon stockings and glassed them. The hinges are all silicon hinges. The paint (automotive acrylic lacquer) matches a scale effort that matches a full scale Aeronca Sedan. The bottom and the wing tips are dark blue and the top is light blue and I shaded between with the airbrush. It has a thermal sniffler on board and is wired up with navigation lights - so when the sniffler is on the Nav lights are also on. You can just see the red light on the port wing in one picture and you can clearly see the white light atop the total energy probe where my wife is holding the close up.
I have had it to 3 show and tells so far (including WRAM) and everybody loves it. My only complaint about the kit was the plastic aileron horn covers. Since you warned that they would react to lacquer, I used them as molds and created fiberglass covers instead. I have a Vision radio in it so the Aileron servos are out in the wings. It will not be a hanger queen - as soon as the servo arrives, I intend to start flying. Our first contest out this way is in May.
By the way, I found an anomaly in the setup of the Vision that was a pain. Since you want to set the flaps for just 6 degree up travel but 90 degree down travel what you really want is a different amount of atv than down. The Vision only gives you a total travel limit for flap (although they give separate travel limits for several other channels). So, you are forced to set the center way off from zero. By itself, this is no problem but I found that I could not have a large offset and a modest travel limit and still have reflex on the flaps. I had to be more modest with the offset and stall the servo in the flap down position. Since I am using a Futaba 128 for the flap and since the silicon hinges are kinda tight on the flap this works out OK and since I don't plan to fly around with the flaps down too often I'm not worried about the battery drain with the stalled servo but I was not pleasantly surprised at the trade off. I called Airtronics and talked to Dick Albrecht to get help. He wanted me to have the flap set at zero offset. Hmmmm . . . Anyway - great plane. Keep up the good work. Have I earned a discount coupon yet? --Bye, Kay R. Fisher, Orange, MA. But wait, there is more! May 31, 1991 Dear Bob, couldn't resist sending you another letter about my Lovesong. I flew it once at the local airport and trimmed it out. On the first flight I blew the landing and put it down on the tar. That cost me one sharks tooth and some sanding and painting again. On the second flight, I took it to a local soccer field. Uneventful For the third flight I took it to the first contest of the season out her in Biddeford Maine. This was my first contest with the Lovesong. I won unlimited class. There were 24 entries and we flew 3 rounds of 10 minute precision duration. This was my first contest with a Dodgson Design sailplane and the first contest I have ever won. Prior to this, I have only taken a few 3rd places. I just ordered a Pivot through Northwest Sailplane Products. Since I won a $25 gift certificate at the contest it seems fair that I should apply it towards another Dodgson sailplane. Can't wait to see the box arrive. Anyway - great plane. Keep up the good work. Have I earned a discount certificate yet? --Bye, Kay R. Fisher Kay, no one that I know of around here has had any trouble getting the flap throws that they wanted with the Vision radio. You must be trying to use flaps with a spring centered stick, rather than the ratcheted stick. We set the planes up so that when the stick is at the top, the flaps are at neutral. When the stick is at the bottom, the flaps are at 90 degrees positive. For the 3 degree full TE reflex we use a pre-set switch. It works great this way. I can't imagine trying to use a spring centered stick for flap control, if that is what you are doing. Yes, you earned your 2-Wind discount certificate! Thanks for the letters. --Bob Dodgson
April 19, 1991 Bob, this letter is to serve 3 purposes: 1. To place an order. 2. To give you info and pictures of my Dodgson sailplanes. 3. To submit some ideas for Second Wind. For the first part: I would like to order a Saber. If it is any better than a Lovesong, it will be like cheating. Next, the pictures: The Windsong was built from a kit I purchased from a friend and fellow club member. The wing cores were damaged so I purchased a set of one piece wing cores from Competition Products. After discovering that they were several inches longer than the original cores, I decided to leave them full length. This gave me a 140 wingspan. You can see the difference in the picture of me standing next to David Lindsy with his stock Lovesong. I installed the complete Lovesong conversion kit but call it a Windsong+ just to be different from my friends. It weighs 75 oz. with a Vision PCM receiver, 3 - 102 servos in the fuselage and 2 - 401 servos in the wing. The fuselage is painted with K&B Superpoxy and has a coat of Deltron clear. All flying surfaces are covered with Monokote. This was my first aileron sailplane and I was amazed at how gentle it is. The stalls are so soft I hardly notice them. It just drops the nose a little and continues on its way, losing very little altitude. I feel better making low altitude turns, 6 or 8 feet high, with my Windsong than I do with my Olympic II. I can pick-up thermals with my Windsong that before I could only get with my 13-1/2oz. HLG. The yellow and red V-tail sailplane doesn't look like one of yours but owes its flying ability to its Pixy wings. Last year at the AMA Nats, I watched as a Pixy dove straight into the ground from about 800 feet due to radio interference. I went over to look at the damage and ended up buying the wings for $10.00. The wings were the only thing left. When I got home, I stripped off the covering and found that the only damage was very slight tip damage. I had them repaired in less than and hour. I purchased a generic fuselage and made the V-tail from the front part of a damaged set of Windsong stab cores. I made the elevators from solid balsa. The Buzzard fuselage has a very short nose so it took 7 oz. of lead in the nose to balance. The total weight is 52 oz. For a wing loading of 11 oz. per sq. ft. I'm using a Vision radio with 831 servos for rudder and elevator, 102 servo for flaps and 401 servos in the wing for ailerons.
I built it with slope flying in mind but when testing it off of a hi-start, I was shocked! It thermaled in light lift like a gas bag floater and would fly in winds that kept all the other sailplanes at the field grounded. I can't wait to get my Pixy kit built because it should be about 7 or 8 oz. lighter and fly even better. I call my creation a Vixen because it sounded like a good name for a V-tail Pixy.
I don't have any pictures of my Pivot. It is now in the covering and painting stage. I was amazed at how fast it went together. I believe it took a lot less time to build than a built-up all balsa model. It is certainly the best looking small glider I've ever seen. I built it with the 72 wings because I already have a couple of 60 hand launched gliders. I plan to use it on light slope lift and for playing around off a short hi-start. Being inexpensive and easy to build, I may order another one and make it 60. When I finish the Pivot, I'll start on my Pixy. After the Pixy, I'll either build the Orbiter kit I have or the Saber I'm ordering. This should give me a complete set of Dodgson sailplanes except for the Camano. I'm sure I'll get around to it sooner or later . . . Sorry this letter is so long but I had a lot of stuff to get to you. As you can see, I love your designs. So far, I haven't flown anything that can compare with them. Thanks, Buddy Roos, Woodstock, GA. June 28, 1991 Dear Bob, I received the 3 video tapes, the new catalog, and the Second Wind newsletter. The video tapes were excellent. Even though I have built a Windsong, Hijacker, several Camanos, a K-Minnow, and a Maestro, I still found the tapes very informative and did pick up several useful techniques. I would recommend these tapes to even experienced flyer/builders. Obviously, Dave Banks is a modeler extraordinaire. The hand launch to thermal of the Lovesong with Dave Banks is worth the price of the whole tape. The Second Wind newsletter was real good, especially the templates for setting up flap settings on the Lovesong and Saber. I really enjoyed the polyhedral slap. While I can appreciate the fact that US modelers enjoy floating around with polyhedral ships for fun, this is not real glider flying. I own a Bird of Time and it is a fun plane. However, next to a Dodgson Designs sailplane there is just no comparison. Even the so called state of the art gliders are just gimmickry to try and sell another trendy kit. Dodgson sailplanes are a true departure from the commercial aspect of the hobby business; these are real world class soaring machines. Every new sailplane that D. Designs creates has been a step forward in the evolutionary process. The homegrown industry aspect of Dodgson Designs is real fresh air these days.
Because of the composite construction techniques, the average balsa polyhedral modelers shy away from these great kits. That is a shame as they are no more difficult to build than those trendy kits. Just a little extra effort and the final result is a beautiful sailplane that is capable of dominating all other competition. On top of this, these are kits that can teach a modeler new and better modeling techniques. After all, isn't this really a developmental type of hobby, where we keep trying to push the envelope? I like to think it is. Once construction is completed, the modeler has a sailplane that is capable of taking you to a new performance level. Even if you do not fly competition and just for fun, these are still the most satisfying kits/airplanes in the sailplane market today.
U.S. F3B - A Proposal to Second Wind subscribers.
By the time you read this, they will have flown the World Championships in Holland. Bob, F3B is not very popular in the US. Development in the US F3B Multichannel scene is extremely limited. As a result, we see the US team buying up German technology to compete. It would be nice to see a well practiced U.S. team with an American technology sailplane competing in the next championships.
The Proposal
The best place to start is at the design end. The premier designer of course is what is needed. To that end, I would like to propose to the readers of Second Wind that Bob Dodgson be commissioned to design a prototype of the next American F3B entry. This in order to give the U.S. team the technology needed to bring home the winning trophy. The results that could be obtained would be very beneficial to U.S. soaring in general. If it helps stimulate the broader interest in U.S. multichannel soaring that is not really pure F3B then the whole process would have been worthwhile.
The design process is probably the least expensive part of this proposition. If Bob Dodgson accepts the challenge of designing the new ship it would be obvious that D. Designs would go ahead and construct the airplane prototype and take it to the logical production phase of a limited amount of planes. This of course is expensive and that is where the readers and sailplane enthusiasts would have to pitch in as sponsors. The benefits in technology spin-off would just be fantastic. So what do you say Bob; are you willing to be commissioned and if so, what would be the price tag to construct (10?) Sailplanes to compete in the next world championships? Hopefully you will entertain this idea with Second Wind readers. If enough interest is generated why not pursue this. The first steps would be to 1) Secure Bob Dodgson's go ahead, 2) Estimate a budget for the project 3) Name that plane -example the F3B Windsong but leave it up to the subscribers of Second Wind to create enthusiasm. This sounds like a limited Americas Cup Campaign but I think this could generate a lot of interest, and hopefully, US soaring could benefit; as well as Dodgson customers once the molds are completed. A new era in Dodgson fuselages (this will probably create a Molded Taco Shell Controversy). Hope the answer is positive. Best regards --Christopher L. Scliris, Miami, FL. Well Chris, you sure earned your 2-Wind discount certificate! You may still see your Americas Cup dream come true with the US team flying US designed gliders. I understand that at least two of the three present team members plan to fly US designed ships in the next World Championships! Naturally, I am pleased that you mentioned me to be the designer of the Great White Hope US F3B glider. However, I believe that F3B is a minor siding on the railroad of soaring. Further, I believe that it has not produced any significant trickle down technology benefits --nor is it likely to. The state-of-the-art technology used in F3B ships was developed and used first by other soaring modelers and then eventually incorporated into F3B ships. Hollow core composite wing technology was used in the late 1960s on the Nelson KA6 that was produced in CA. Vacuum bagging was used about the same time by modelers such as Earl Pace from Seattle, WA on his scale Labelle flying surfaces. We developed, for the Windsong, and employed the now standard control system for several years before the F3B people saw the light. F3B gets great press and hype but has done little that has had any real effect on the soaring world.
If a Saber can run the F3B speed course in 23 seconds and yet still dominate thermal competition contests, how much more versatility can you expect to gain by using gold plated materials and labor intensive fabrication methods? The Designer of an F3B ship has got to be a true believer and sorry to say, I am an F3B atheist. On a related matter, the Seattle Areas Soaring Society did the best job that I have ever seen in integrating a speed run into a thermal contest. In their July 1991 contest CD Walt Volhard flew 6 rounds each day of mostly 10 minute precision duration events. One round, however was a speed run with a 35 second cap. The only restriction on the plane was that it had to fly the speed run at no heavier weight than it flew the duration flights on either side. Pilots were given the option of substituting a 3 minute precision flight for the speed run. Surprisingly, most chose the speed run. The first day, many flyers came in under or near the 35 second cap with a Saber running it in 28 seconds. The speed run went quite well with a minimum of complaining. On Sunday, we had downwind launches and ensuing low tows. The only plane to make the cap time was Dave Banks and his Saber. In general, the flyers were not as pleased with speed on Sunday. Overall, the reaction to the best run sport speed event that I have ever seen was lackluster. It is doubtful whether Walt will run one in the next contest. It is a mildly interesting diversion but it is highly questionable as to whether it is worth the effort. Distance has all the pitfalls of speed without the adrenaline rush and it takes forever to run. In the end, a good duration contest can push a pilot and plane's performance to the limits. I see pure S3B or F3B type contests as having about as much chance at a serious second life as I do for the re-emergence of the 8 track stereo. --Bob Dodgson
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