CHRISTMAS WITH THE PHOENIX:
Well, its not really Christmas with the Phoenix but really “The Phoenix Aproaches Christmas”for our last night’s flying for the year 2006 was only a short time before that crazy old guy in the red suit packs up his flying models, gets out his plans and works on what he is going to build in the cold spell. Now – come on – he can’t run
round with his reindeers through the whole of winter – he must get away and live a life of his own for a little while. THAT’S when he’ll look over his plans.
Aren’t we fortunate in living in South Australia – most of us within a short drive of Model Flight and other model suppliers in the Metropolitan Area – where it takes very little incentive to produce the cheque book or plastic money and drive away with yet another model, from which we shall glean copious hours of enjoyment.
Now I don’t really know whether there is sufficient time, between when you take in these words of wisdom, and when you motor into your hobby shop and collect a model of which I am going to speak now, because there is only so much time, uh?At ETSA Park on our last indoor night for the year, in which our attendance was really painful, we witnessed the release or public showing of a new squadron, albeit fairly small of helicopters. Now these you CAN fly anywhere – I have flown mine in EVERY room of my humble abode – well – yes it would even be possible in that room from a sitting position, and they are, to say the least, fascinating.
We lose a bit of translation now and again twixt our dear friends in the Chinese or Czech Republic, who are such clever builders, so I shall call this little flea “The Honey Bee.”
Officially, it is called the PicooZ and, built into this delightful little bee is a Li-po battery pack that is recharged by plugging in a lead, cunningly concealed within the transmitter, to the receptacle on the side of the Bee and, ‘voila’ you can fly again 20 minutes later.
There is one hi-tech statement here … included in the pack is a spare rear rotor prop, and I’ll talk about that in a moment and also three little stick-on weights – I suggest that you do not fly until you have balanced your model.
They are contra-rotating models – now just wait until I check that, please. No! The two blades rotate in the same direction but the fascinatingly tiny motor, that controls the tail rotor is just SO SMALL. Now my knowledgeable friend, Mark Stone, who is the reigning President of the Southern Soaring League, tells me, and I have no reason to doubt his vast knowledge, that this tiny motor is the same one as is used in your mobile fones to control the vibrator. Well! It’s a small world uh? Now! When you get all excited – let it be known that the same source of your excitement, is powering the tail rotor of our tiny all-foam Honey Bee Indoor helicopters.
Oh gosh! Before you rush in to your favourite hobby shop, I had better tell you the bad news. They may be sold out, at $69 a pop they went almost before they hit the shelves. No doubt there are more on the way, or there maybe a couple left but, please believe the Phoenix, they are a tower of fun and can be flown almost anywhere – yes even outdoors providing there is absolutely, NO WIND. Oh gosh! Was I reporting on indoor activities at ETSA Park. Of course! I cannot impress upon people who fly with us, that THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO INDTRODUCTION OF NEW RULES that will affect your flying enjoyment at ETSA Park, so please do not be put off by those scaremongering tactics of a harmless few who have tried for quite a while now to shoot us down out of the peaceful air within ETSA Park. We are firmly embedded in that magnificent flying area and we cannot be moved by a few half-whitted ideas that could never be brought into fruition at ETSA Park. John Jansse, of Constellation Model Flying Club, continues to make great inroads with his flying. A few chuckles were heard last week when JJ (as he is affectionately known) found that his aircraft had similar characteristics to its previous owner. None-the-less, JJ had two hours of enjoyment with several models with which he armed himself for the night. Now I shant say’too much regarding Mark Stone’s flying for the night. He came armed with a delightful foamie and, I would say, about half way through the night, his model had the appearance of having been attacked by a shark, or a spinning propeller. I think they were invented for Mark’s model. It is a shame that more members of the Southern Soaring League are not able to attend these flying nights – and fly. Their treasurer, John Blanchard with his over-sized shadow, Manny were there, as was Phillip Neate, but- they were not flying.
Okay, so what I am looking for, rather than at, is their ten dollars which, as no doubt, dear readers, you realize, DOES HELP US PAY THE RENT. But to have them there as spectators is most appreciated. Our Web Master, who is such a busy gentleman these days, may not be able to produce this epistle to you before Christmas – so – apart from wishing all my indoor friends a wonderful Christmas, I do hope that, during the year 2007, you get all those things, be they small or large, for which you had wished during 2006.
Sincerely, The Phoenix.
Phoenix Indoor Flight Reports
Indoor Flying at ETSA Park 2008
| Date |
Court |
Time |
| September 18th |
1 |
8.30-10.30pm |
| October 16th |
1 |
8.30-10.30pm |
| November 20th |
1 |
8.30-10.30pm |
| December 18th |
1 |
8.30-10.30pm |
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I
want a quote on how much freight it will cost to send items to me.
