Reporting from the flightline at TIMPA airfield in Tucson Arizona, trusty FlyingGiants crack field reporter Ken Thompson is brings back Monday's practice session reports! Thanks for the work Kenny! Read below for the uber-suprise!

Hey crew!

This is the first time I've come to the TAS early. Last year arriving on Wednesday evening seemed like the right thing to do...what could possibly happen before the start of the contest?

The decision to come early hinged on the fact that Nick wanted to get some pracitce on the field he'd be competing on, it was a smokin' arse decision!!

I have to tell you folks, if you ever have a chance to come here, especially a few days early, I promise you won't regret it. The guys and gals here are some of the best people I've met in the hobby...all are friendly, helpful and have been very courteous. To get a flight in here, put your bird in line, wait your turn and get it in the air...that's it!

We're flying two flight lines, so it takes a bit to get your turn...but their's plenty of friends here to keep you busy.

Here's a pic of the NCFR crew collaborating on a flight with Jason Noll at the sticks.

It's pretty dark right now, so the big planes are put away...now it's time for the lighted birds to hit the air, like I said...we're havin' a ball!!!

Photos and perspectives throughout the day Tuesday.

Ken Thompson

----------------------------------

Now on to something pretty cool! The Shootout is our favorite time of year, and y'all know we like to kick off this week with a BANG! As a tribute to the past Tucson Shootout's, and in honor of the week's events, we've got something very cool in store for ya.

Starting Tuesday evening and again Wednesday at precisely 6pm PST (GMT-8), we will be broadcasting the FlyingGiants Video Productions "2006 Shootout Freestyles!" DVD live for our members! We'll post a link with tomorrow's LeadingEdge update, with all the access details. This will be an actual broadcast, and you'll have to be present during these exact timeframes to view the video. This is a one time deal, and a thanks to our members for your ongoing support of our work.

Beginning Friday when the action heats up, we'll be pumping high quality video of the day's events back to our members as well, along with daily photo floods, realtime scores, and perspectives from our onsite staff.

A BIG THANKS to the TIMPA Crew for putting on yet another to be amazing event, and to Desert Aircraft for letting us run amok with our camera onslaught! Stay tuned right here for all the latest!

Here's a few pics of some service being done on our very own Super Dave's airplane. Dave's motor started missing early in the day, each time the plugs were pulled, carbon was found in one of the plugs...once on the right, once on the left.
The decision was made to do something more drastic...

How about cleaning the carbon deposits off the the pistons through the exhaust ports?

How's that for Gettin' it Done!!!

Originally Posted by Boulder

Here's a few pics of some service being done on our very own Super Dave's airplane. Dave's motor started missing early in the day, each time the plugs were pulled, carbon was found in one of the plugs...once on the right, once on the left.
The decision was made to do something more drastic...

How about cleaning the carbon deposits off the the pistons through the exhaust ports?

How's that for Gettin' it Done!!!

Boulder, do you know if he is using Amsoil? I have seen this quite a bit where a small piece of carbon gets logged between the electrode and the ground when using Amsoil.
Garrett

That's totally sweet! The 2006 TAS DVD is the best RC video in my opinion.

Go North Central!!!

NCFR!

Originally Posted by torquen

Boulder, do you know if he is using Amsoil? I have seen this quite a bit where a small piece of carbon gets logged between the electrode and the ground when using Amsoil.
Garrett

Yep, AMSOIL. But the engine is pretty used and has not been serviced in a while. Never had a problem until the biggest contest of the year...UGH. We cleaned out the engine and flew her right at dusk with a new set of plugs coutesy of Zak West and she sang. Big thanks to him and especially Twizlair (Jeramy) who is playing crew chief for me this week. Could not have done that extensive of a fix without him. He literally scrubbed out each cylinder by hand, thought the exhaust ports. THE MAN IS A NUT!!!

Hopefully the flights this morning go better.

SD out!

Originally Posted by torquen

Boulder, do you know if he is using Amsoil? I have seen this quite a bit where a small piece of carbon gets logged between the electrode and the ground when using Amsoil.
Garrett

In talking to Jeremy, aka Twizlair, he explained how this happens with Amsoil and many other synthetic oils. Many synthetics need about 265 degrees to burn efficiently, and when you run the motor rich and cool it, as we do, the oil never has a chance to fully burn, thus the development of carbon deposits.

Guy's

Food for thought as well. Some people believe that running amsoil saber at 80 to 1 lubes the motor better and that is just false, only speeds up the development of carbon. Use amsoil at 100 to one and no more, to have the best results.


Tony Fandino

Originally Posted by Boulder

In talking to Jeremy, aka Twizlair, he explained how this happens with Amsoil and many other synthetic oils. Many synthetics need about 265 degrees to burn efficiently, and when you run the motor rich and cool it, as we do, the oil never has a chance to fully burn, thus the development of carbon deposits.

This is one reason I got off the Amsoil Saber and the 100-1 a year and a half ago and have now been using Pennsoil air cooled. Please ! Not trying to get everyone in an oil war, just stating what has been working for me and others.

Originally Posted by DKnippen

This is one reason I got off the Amsoil Saber and the 100-1 a year and a half ago and have now been using Pennsoil air cooled. Please ! Not trying to get everyone in an oil war, just stating what has been working for me and others.

I second that Penzoil Aircooled has worked well for me, never tried Amsoil It could be better

Go NCFR!

And Seth,
Where's my blow gun?

NCFR!!

Latest update on Super Dave's motor...

When the stuttering issue started again this morning it was deduced that the carbon on the plugs may have been a result of the missing, not the cause.

With the helpful advice of Ian, of the Aussie crew, the ignition was checked. With a battery plugged into the ignition directly the missing was cured...hence the decision to pull the regulator and LiIon pack and install a 5-cell NiMH.

Bottom line...back to basics...battery to switch to ignition...KISS!!!

With all the hard work Super Dave has done on the fund raiser, I know he will do well in the competition.