“Retread” Newbie in Australia

After a ten year gap and lurking: Viola! Here I am again

Retired engineer with a gas turbine/machine tool/assorted background, I have been following the model diesel threads with interest, and revelling in the creations of Brian Rupnow

I have found my old login and may throw in my tuppenceworth where I may be able to contribute

I still have all my model Diesel engines. I still love the smell, and watching the eyebrows of chemists when you ask for a quart of ether is quite fun

I fly indoor Pelicans ( scale Pelicanus Conspicillatus)
andrew

Welcome Andrew.
Glad to have you.

You have a model engine build you are going to try?

Pat J

andrewh said:

After a ten year gap and lurking: Viola! Here I am again

Retired engineer with a gas turbine/machine tool/assorted background, I have been following the model diesel threads with interest, and revelling in the creations of Brian Rupnow

I have found my old login and may throw in my tuppenceworth where I may be able to contribute

I still have all my model Diesel engines. I still love the smell, and watching the eyebrows of chemists when you ask for a quart of ether is quite fun

I fly indoor Pelicans ( scale Pelicanus Conspicillatus)
andrew

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Welcome to the group
Dave

Do you have any video of the pelicans flying?
Doug

andrewh said:

After a ten year gap and lurking: Viola! Here I am again

Retired engineer with a gas turbine/machine tool/assorted background, I have been following the model diesel threads with interest, and revelling in the creations of Brian Rupnow

I have found my old login and may throw in my tuppenceworth where I may be able to contribute

I still have all my model Diesel engines. I still love the smell, and watching the eyebrows of chemists when you ask for a quart of ether is quite fun

I fly indoor Pelicans ( scale Pelicanus Conspicillatus)
andrew

Click to expand...

Welcome Andrew,

Just curious, which gas turbine engines have you worked on? I ask because I too, long ago, worked on several different engines,...GE F404 & F110, and a Garrett APU for the military. All my work was in the electronic fuel controls area, never any mechanical stuff.

OK, I need to get back up to speed, and learn how to insert quotes. It seems obvious but hasn’t happened (yet)

Thanks for the welcome messages. I used the be slightly active when I lived in Britain, but have been quiet since I moved to Australia ten years ago

GreenTwin. No machining equipment yet, but if I were to build a model diesel, it would be a Holly Buddy or derivative thereof.
Most likely starting point is a simple steamer, as I have a nearby and friendly boat club

Sprocket
I have a video of the whole indoor flying session, with several minutes of pelican flying, but it must be in a safe place at the moment. I will find it and post it for amusement

Andrew

Found a video! This is a pelican ( not sure of the species) made by a flying buddy who died during Covid. This is my first flight with it, so the first couple of circuits are a bit upsy wupsy and downsy wownsy till I get him under control.
Differential steering with two motors and an elevator

andrew
And, yes, I am craggy- fisted: so I am in my right mind

Brilliant! - Although it appears to have some natural instability that causes it to swoop from slight dive to almost stall, before becoming a dive again... Perhaps the Pelican's tail feathers have been damaged by a rival male or something? I think birds use their tails for steering and pitch attitude control? - But I am not a flier, so don't really know what I am talking about (as usual?).
K2

Steamchick said:

Brilliant! - Although it appears to have some natural instability that causes it to swoop from slight dive to almost stall, before becoming a dive again... Perhaps the Pelican's tail feathers have been damaged by a rival male or something? I think birds use their tails for steering and pitch attitude control? - But I am not a flier, so don't really know what I am talking about (as usual?).
K2

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That’s never stopped me!

that was my first flight- my dead flying buddy , Wes, didn’t trim the pelican - he used an elevator to make up for “ creative” motor thrust lines. So it took me a few circuits to find the ideal speed/ turn trim.
Also the configuration is a Platz planform, and very short in length, so the stabilisers don’t have a good leverage
but it flies
My big pelican “ Connie” is completely stable and just drifts round looking for fish
andrew

Found another ( professionally made) video
My pelican flies from 4.25
Andrew

Sprocket said:

Do you

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. WELCOME ABOARD from minnesota USA the cold north 30 deg f this morning at 6 am