Topic: SAS Mamba

This is my first glider/combat wing/non powered model as i've always had engine or electric powered models.  I bought it as a kit so i thought i would do an online build for you all.
Here is the kit laid out in the box.  You get the two wing halves, glue, fibre tape, two rolls of coloured tape and the accessories required to complete the model.

First the wings need sanding smooth and the leading edge is square so it needs to be rounded off along with any large lumps of melted foam to be picked off.  The wings then need all the dust removing and they are then covered in the fibre tape.

The cut out for the RX and servos is pre cut and is not covered in fibre tape.

The wings are then glued together with a PVA contact adhesive which does provide a very strong bond.  The joint is then covered with fibre tape.  At the trailing edge root of the wing you can see two pieces of tape crossing each other.  This is done on the top and bottom and is a preventative method of the wings splitting if the model hit something nose first.

The elevons (per cut) are then top and bottom hinged with 1" wide fibre tape

Radio gear installed.  Standard sized Futaba 3003 are used.  The mounting lugs have been cut off as per the instructions.  The reciever is a 4 channel Futaba one and fits nicely inbetween the servos.  Aerial is then taped so it doesn't get caught by the pushrods and then taken down one of the elevon correx flutes.

Switch and battery pack installed into the lower fuselage part.  800ma 4.8 volt pack pushed right to the front has put the c.g. spot on and no extra weight has been required anywhere. 

Charge lead is taped to the access hatch

Wing has been covered in coloured tape to make the wing easier to see and differentiate in the sky.  The tape also retards the UV degredation of the fibre tape.  Winglets have also been added.
UPPER

LOWER

I have flown the Mamba for a couple of hours in total.  All that was required was a little up trim for level flight.  Throws as per the booklet and -30% exponential. Flys fine in the invetered and will roll and loop without problem.  If rolled quickly it will yaw a little but nothing major.
Overall a very simple and easy build which can use cheap standard gear.  Can't wait to do a bit of combatting with it 

great glider the mamba, I've redone mine recently and made it a bit more combat proof.

BF, what slope(s) do you fly at?

Pat.

Slopes, slopes how dare you.  Bridlington is cliff flying country  .  I've been made aware that i'm very lucky when it comes to gliding.  With Flamborough head jutting out into the sea and Filey and Reighton north of Flamborough i can pritty much cliff fly in anything from a northerly right round to a south westerly.
Westery to northerly i have flown at a place called Levisham which is quite a drive from Brid but quite a nice place to fly

I know the area well, I've flown all the coast slopes from South Landing up to just north of Filey Brig but you wouldn't want to fly combat on most of the cliff sites.
I've often thought that Cayton Bay looks good but never got round to trying it, probably because it's pretty well in the same orientation as Reighton & not so convenient.

Levisham's good but a bit of a hike up to the top. Have you flown the Hole of Horcum? It's just as good & easier to reach. At one time you could launch & land from just opposite the car park but I think it's been put off limits by the National Parks now. I think there's also some restrictions on weekend & Bank holiday access.
 
Do you know of any Westerly sites in the Wolds?
I've often thought that there must be a few good west facing slopes to the west of Hunmanby & south of the A64 but haven't had the opportunity to expore that area. It would save a lot of a mileage up to the the N.Yorks Moors.

Pat.
 

I believe you need to be a member of the North York Moors Ridge Soaring Club to fly at the Hole of Horcum & Levisham!

from what I've read you arn't very welcome at the hole.

even tho it's been there for hundreds of thousands of years,and will do long after the dinosaurs at the club have gone and been forgotton

Neather of you are correct thankfully.  Its national trust land and as members of the BMFA we are not only welcome to fly on it we are also insured too as well.  Patmac why would you not want to combat off the cliff?

not what Andy has said in RCM&E when he's been there.

Neather of you are correct thankfully.  Its national trust land and as members of the BMFA we are not only welcome to fly on it we are also insured too as well. 

The flying sites at Levisham & Hole of Horcum are within the North York Moors National Park & administered by that authority. i.e. NYMNP are the landlord.
NYMRSC appear to have negotiated the sole right to fly at the sites & pay an annual licence fee to the Parks Authority for this.
Visitors seem to be welcome but must pay a daily fee of £3 & be accompanied by a club member.
http://www.nymrsc.org.uk/index.html
http://www.nymrsc.org.uk/want%20to%20join.htm
http://www.nymrsc.org.uk/club%20rules.htm

Patmac why would you not want to combat off the cliff?

Some of the cliff sites have no access to the bottom except by boat (And even that might not be possible), some that do have a beach at the bottom are too much of a PITA to get down, some have footpaths along the top & are too popular with the general public to allow safe combat flying to take place. Anything that gets lodged part way down is a potential temptation for children if left within sight so must be recovered but might be too dangerous to retrieve without proper climbing equipment.

Pat.

hi
 to answer some of the comment made about NYRSC you are welcome tocome and fly at the hole allthe club asks is tha that you contact them first as for insurance the BMFA INSURANCE  does not cover you to fly at the hole that is why the club charges £3pr day to cover you . membership for the club is only £20 that inc insurance to fly gliders only
                                            cheers alwyn

Hi

Personally, I wouldn't mind paying £3 for a day's flying at the Hole, to support the local organisation who maintain the local relationship.

However, it would be nice if it was really easy to pay, and I would also rather not have to get a local member to be present when I wanted to fly.

Cheers

Nige

Yeh if someone was there collecting the £3 then i would not have any problems doing so.  But the time i went nothing was ever mentioned and no money was collected. 
Reighton and Filey Brigg are fine to fly from and models can easyily be retrieved if put into the cliff side.  Filey you could even land on the beach if required

not what Andy has said in RCM&E when he's been there.

Cant help feeling mis-represented here somewhat. You really are Carp at geography Phillybay (or Cactus if you prefer here).
The Hole of Horcum is in Yorkshire. My column refers to Wales!

Never had a problem at the hole. Nice bunch of lads and excellent hills. No problem with guests BUT.....
The extra insurance cover is mandated by the landlords (Levisham Estates) who want additional landowner protection of a figure over and above that which the BMFA cover currently provides. You will be covered as always with your BMFA insurance for your own negligence, but it is the reserve of the landowners to ask for additional cover to insure them against you!
If you attend the levisham moors regularly, do the right thing and join the club. It is a 'private' site and they have to use it every weekend, paying rent to the landowners then being good enough to throw access for model flying open to all.
A link to their website has already been posted here. I have nothing else to either add or do aside from buy Cactus a map!

Andy Ellison

Cheers for that.  If i do ever go again which may happen next April i'll try to make the payment.

P.S do they take paypal 

Phillybay (or Cactus if you prefer here )

can't change to Cactus over on RCG, i've tried 

where was it you had the trouble with the old guy claiming the rock was his?
i thought it was there, sorry for that.

The great Orme (North Wales). He's dead now, but not before writing off another fliers car by crashing his 1/4 scale ASH26 into it. And he was uninsured!

BTW. Should be down your way in a few weeks.

was just thinking maybe it was the Orme.

let me know when your down, if your far enough i'll see if i can get up Staggy.
your ole mucker making the trip too?

Yeh if someone was there collecting the £3 then i would not have any problems doing so.  But the time i went nothing was ever mentioned and no money was collected. 
Reighton and Filey Brigg are fine to fly from and models can easyily be retrieved if put into the cliff side.  Filey you could even land on the beach if required

I think the onus is on the visitor to check before flying at any known used site so as not to jeopardise existing club/landlord arrangements. Now you have the links for NYMRSC it should be tickety boo. 

Reighton & Filey Brigg are two of my favourite slope soaring sites.
Reighton is a great site for combat but it ain't a cliff site.
Filey Brigg is not suitable for combat. It's too popular with the general public most days. Flying combat there would probably constitute a breach of the ANO. Landing on the beach is also a bit hazardous if there are people down there and a PITA to retrieve the model from. Retrieving from the cliff side isn't too bad so long as it's not at the east end which would be dangerous.
The most suitable cliff site for combat is probably South Landing it's a bit small but doesn't get many passers by. Again retrievals are a pain though not as bad as Filey.

Pat.

your ole mucker making the trip too?

He tends not to come on my family holidays.......Anyway he's on about moving up to the flatlands of Lincoln!

That'll be towhooks on everything then....

Reighton & Filey Brigg are two of my favourite slope soaring sites.
Reighton is a great site for combat but it ain't a cliff site.
Filey Brigg is not suitable for combat. It's too popular with the general public most days. Flying combat there would probably constitute a breach of the ANO. Landing on the beach is also a bit hazardous if there are people down there and a PITA to retrieve the model from. Retrieving from the cliff side isn't too bad so long as it's not at the east end which would be dangerous.
The most suitable cliff site for combat is probably South Landing it's a bit small but doesn't get many passers by. Again retrievals are a pain though not as bad as Filey.

Pat.

Retrieved from both reighton and filey before without bother and never have any problems with passers by.  South landing is a great place for gliding as well although i think retrieval might be a bit on the tricky side

... never have any problems with passers by. 

I think your missing the point here.

Flying combat at Filey Brigg is irresponsible except on very limited occasions.

Pat.

20 - 30 people in April didn't seem to have a problem with it

Flying combat there would probably constitute a breach of the ANO.
Pat.

Wow! There's quite a jump from flying combat to breaching the ANO Patmac.
I assume you're vying towards 'reckless negligence'. Most combat that does take place on public access land is  'organised and considered' in my experience.
Start buzzing people on the patch or using them as slalom poles and you might have a point but the odd clatter of Zagis and busted servo arms isn't going to raise the eyebrows of the CAA.

Andy
(Who helped arrange the BMFA combat guidelines)

He tends not to come on my family holidays.......Anyway he's on about moving up to the flatlands of Lincoln!

That'll be towhooks on everything then....

better keep that Alula arm in good nick then.


Combat at Staggy stops whenever a walker goes past.

then again, theres not been any for ages.

better keep that Alula arm in good nick then.


Combat at Staggy stops whenever a walker goes past.

then again, theres not been any for ages.

You frightened them all off Cactus?

dunno.. used to be a lot of slopers around here.
i started alone, loads come, they went, i'm alone again.

then, glidings nice alone.

I have some spare Alula kits..........................

What is an Alula?

have a hunt for my review.

their great! just making mine more grabable/goable now.

Not too bad looking.  Think i'll stick with my mamba for now

it ain't the looks, it's what it'll do.

What will it do?

go read the review 

Already have done and watched the video (quite amusing lol) it doesn't appear to do anything special

video.. is that the lavawing one with the dancing?

special is SAL, Side Arm Launching. you can get to around 30 or so feet with a simple lob, then go out and hunt low level thermals or float around for half a min or so.

they also excell in sloping when theres just no wind and even the birds flap..

it's a bit like a DLG, but so much easier to pop in the car or grab for a back field lob.

to that end i'm going to fit a single 400mAh li-po cell to mine so it's always charged and ready to go.

there was one at Weston park, all be it twice the weight it should be.

We've always got too much wind here hence the Mamba.

I have some spare Alula kits..........................

Any chance you would like to sell one ?
I have just come back from California and wanted to bring one back with me.
However, 2 E-mails to Michael Richter and I did not get a reply.
Cheers
Karl

Drop me a pm.

Wow! There's quite a jump from flying combat to breaching the ANO Patmac.
I assume you're vying towards 'reckless negligence'. Most combat that does take place on public access land is  'organised and considered' in my experience.
Start buzzing people on the patch or using them as slalom poles and you might have a point but the odd clatter of Zagis and busted servo arms isn't going to raise the eyebrows of the CAA.

Andy
(Who helped arrange the BMFA combat guidelines)

Andy, You’re mis-representing my comment. I wasn’t refering to “most combat” but to a specific site. You obviously don't know the site.
I’m afraid BF’s judgement is being clouded by his enthusiasm & lack of experience.

Pat.
(Who didn't help arrange the BMFA combat guidelines)

Combat at Staggy stops whenever a walker goes past.

If that rule applied at Filey Brigg combat would be prevented from even getting underway on most days.

Pat.

Andy, You’re mis-representing my comment. I wasn’t refering to “most combat” but to a specific site. You obviously don't know the site.
I’m afraid BF’s judgement is being clouded by his enthusiasm & lack of experience.

Pat.
(Who didn't help arrange the BMFA combat guidelines)

If you consider flying combat on Filey brig is reckless and negligent thats fine. Others do not appear to agree with you.
What one person perceives as 'dangerous' is sometimes harmless fun in the eyes of another.
You intimated that to fly combat on this site would be bordering on a breach of the ANO. I don't make a correlation between 'combat' and reckless endangerment and neither in my experience does the CAA or the BMFA. Perhaps the bigger concern for Filey Brig is the amount of public access and the way in which any type of model flying interfaces with that. Not just combat.
Is it any more dangerous for the public than to buzz them at high speed with a fully loaded mouldie?

Combat flying does not necessarily mean an increased danger over and above that which some might readily accept from different types of models or flying. That is my point.

Andy
(Who knows you didn't)  :ww

Andy, You’re mis-representing my comment. I wasn’t refering to “most combat” but to a specific site. You obviously don't know the site.
I’m afraid BF’s judgement is being clouded by his enthusiasm & lack of experience.

Not just my judgement but the judgement of 20 - 30 people who unlike yourself didn't have a problem with combat at Filey or Reighton.  Can I suggest it is you that doesn't know the site.  Combat flying experience i may lack but safety still takes priority for me