Article : Slope soaring in Singapore (RCM)

[joe yap]

For those who are interested in the article posted in the March 1999 issue of the RCM magazine on slope soaring in Singapore.

Sorry, this post is temporarily edited till permission is granted from the Publisher. Please bear with me.

[Yeek]

Cool!

Hi Joe,

Great stuff! Thanks for taking all the trouble and putting in all the effort in typing out the whole article for us to read!

Now we all know how a friendly flying foreigner sees our home country and how we've been using "Hawker Centre" incorrectly, it should be "Hawker Stand" !

3 cheers to Joe and BR!

Cheers!

Yeek

[joe yap]

I'm sorry. I thought that the now defunct RCM magazine website no longer exist but I was wrong. I just read the fine print on the first page and found out that the website is still active. No case here, but I'd rather seek permission from the publisher before posting again.

[Adrianli]

Lucky I finished reading before it was edited.

[joe yap]

I'll like to take this opportunity to specially thank Radio Control Modeler Magazine (RCM).

SLOPE SOARING IN SINGAPORE
By Ken Kehlet

Great Friends and Flying

It's late January, the middle of the Monsoon Season, just prior to Chinese Lunar New Year. The sky is overcast and the rain is threatening. The wind is from the northeast between 15-20 mph, coming straight up the face of the long, smooth, grass-covered slope where we areflying a myriad of R/C gliders. We are standing on the top of a 90 foot high grass-covered hill, above the Bedok Water Reservoir in the country of Singapore.

Singapore received independence from Malaysia in 1965. The country of Singapore is a very small island, about 26 miles by 24 miles, just off the bottom tip of Malaysia. The common language is English, carried over after the British gave up the colonies. In just the past 33 years, Singapore has become a world leader as a Container Seaport, High Tech manufacturer, and one of the cleanest, safest, most beautiful countries in the world.

This "Slope" is about 1000 feet wide at the bottom near the water and an open area about 400 feet wide at the top. Behind us, there's a 12 foot wide brick walkway, rest rooms, two sun/rain shelters, benches, playgrounds, and some tall trees. Out in front, R/C glider pilots have a clear view down the 1000 foot face of the 20 degree incline, past the shoreline walking path and park benches, across the reservoir, and out towards the Changi International Airport that is about 5 miles away.

[joe yap]

The Singapore Government maintains this beautiful area just for public recreation and, of course, for the sport of R/C Slope Soaring.

Today, there are nine Singaporeans and myslef, all with the common interst of flying R/C models. Four or five pilots are lined up across the top of the hill enjoying the relaxed flying. With the transmitter antennas all the way out, we look like a bunch of fishermen waiting for a bite. Every so often, six or seven large blackbirds come out of the tres and decide to chase the gliders for a closer look. These birds are so graceful as they ride the rising air currents-guess they are just as curious about these monsters invading thier airspace. Remember, the glider wings are not supposed to flap; keep your eyes on the model.

Out in front, riding on the up-lift, is a Goldberg Gentle Lady, a Super Ridge Runt, an Amigo II, another Gentle Lady, and a Classic Bird of Time. Waiting thier turn to fly is another Ridge Runt, a Klingberg Wing, a Foam Flying Wing covered in brown paper. A Challenger, a Goldberg Mirage (electric), a Rubber Ducky, and an original design called the Blue Diamond.

I'm doing a company business during the week and spending my weekends with some of the best people in the world, R/C modelers. We have been meeting on and off like this for the past several years. The common language is model airplanes and good times.

Frequency control is verbal, "Anyone on 29.XX?" as Mr. Fong handed me his transmitter and tossed his Gentle Lady out in front of me. Okay, here we go. Let the rising currents carry the model up to about 150 feet, I didn't have to touch the controls. A slight turn and then just float all along the slope. Need to keep the nose up in the turns. What's wrong? It's not responding to elevator? I'm bending the gimbal, and still no response, turns are okay. Left stick Dummy, we are flying Mode I .

Good thing no one noticed that uncontrolled spiral, maybe I'd better get some altitude and do it again, just in case someone was watching; this way, maybe they'll think I did it on purpose.

Here I'm standing, half a world away from my home field, attempting to fly someone else's aircraft, using a transmitter that I'm not familiar with, having the time of my life.

This elevator control on the left stick sure is difficult to remember. Instinct says move the right thumb. If this were a power job, I'd really be in trouble.

[joe yap]

Off in the distance it's raining. Coming towards us quite fast, cars on the other side of the reservoir are turning on thier headlights. I've been up about 20 minutes now, better get this thing down or everthing will get soaked, including me. Darn, the wind is starting to pick up. 50 feet, 30 feet, 10 feet, 2 feet, 2 feet, 2 feet, the ground effect won't let me land. Look Out? I almost hit myslef. Here comes the rain, another approach, looks good, a smooth landing. Wonder how I did that? Quick, grab the glider and run for the shelter.

Now the laughter beins as each of us tell our wild stories about each other. As you know, every modeler has this "Tall Tale and Exaggaration" space that surrounds thier body wherever they go. Of course, as a visitor to the country of Singapore, my space was larger than anyoneelse's; no one could prove or disprove that I may be stretching the truth, just a little.

Way down by the water's edge, we could see a few joggers who weren't paying any attention to the rain. They were taking advantage of the wide walkways and slowly making thier way around to the other side of the reservoir. The rain stopped and we wiped the water splashes from the models. This Monokote is about the greatest thing since sliced bread.

[joe yap]

Back out onto the slope to get in a few more flights. William Foo put up his big Blue Diamond, K.C. Tsang has his Flying Wing up, Lawrence Fonseka cheated by using his Carl Goldberg Electric Mirage to gain altitude, Johnny Wong just tossed hif Flying Wing, and Richard Fong was flying the Goldberg Gentle Lady that I almost re-kited. Starting to get hungry, we have been out here all afternoon. Batteries are getting a little low, must be time to quit for the day.

Remove the wings and pack up everything for the walk back down to the parking area, past the children playing on the swing sets and the menon the excercise equipment, past the immaculate flower gardens, exotic flowering trees, and manicured grass.

We may stop in one of the famous Singapore Food Courts, commonly referred to as a " Hawker Stand." The Food Courts usually six or eight vendors from different countries cooking up thier specialties-local food, low prices, and very tasty. Maybe we'll go to Newton Circus for some famous tiger prawns, farm-raised shrimp as large as small lobsters, stir -fry vegetables, and story telling.

Mr. Fong will give me a ride to the bearest Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station. From there, I can have a comfortable ride back to the Westin Stamford Hotel. (The tallest hotel in the world,73 stories.) The MRT is an above ground/underground automated rail system covering most of the island. Fares are very low and the trains are super clean inside and out.

Tomorrow, I go to Changi International Airport and head for home. It's seven hours to Tokyo, a four-hour wait, twelve hours to Chicago, custom clearance, a three-hour wait, two hours toMemphis, two-hour wait, and one hour back into Oklahoma City. Thirty-one hours later, and it's still the same day. I'm sure tired (but ready to go back again).