Yes, much of my problem is in not having an adequately programed model program. Yes, Mike's program is very powerful. It wasn't until Mike brought it to my attention that I was aware of the power in OpenTX to program the rates and expo on ether side of center stick. (thank you Mike). Thank you, I'll see about tying the rate to the flight mode.
Before, all my models have had about 20% head room for down after the flap compensation. This now appears to not be enough.
Yes, I removed all the flap after seeing that full down did not change the attitude of the model. The SLoT landing zone has very narrow zones along the top of the ridge. This is a very technical site. Heck, even the USA FAI team captain crashed his ship landing yesterday.
As to bystanders getting hit or damage to property we have strict safety protocols. The CD is actively making sure all participants are flying to the standards need to be safe. The NCSS places safety at the top of all activities. While we have to demonstrate a certain level of flying competence to fly at the SLoT, I admit I'm not the at the top of the pilots list. But with practice my flying proficiency is improving, both in flying the SLoT and my general slope flying skills. Other than myself, nobody has been hit by my flying. I take offense that you are implying that the club does not have safety at the forefront of our activities. I assure you nobody was in danger.
We have a large safety zone. You might recall that I had a ship where the ballast broke free. The loss of full control was great concern for all. But I had enough down, even with the major shift in the CG, to pilot the crippled ship away from all bystanders. And my last crash was as a result of me not having the proper tecnique to fly a ship with asymetrical lift and drag. And thanks to pilots like
@Pinepig I now have that experiance!
I did not say I didn't have down elevator. I said I may not have had enough down. But if your ship is in the post stalled condition the amount of down really won't make too much difference.
Mention of Taiwan here makes me want to add a little bit, while Konrad is shovelling up his gut pile.
So what actually happened?
The accident in Taiwan was bound to happen sooner of later and tragically ended up as a fatality with at least two main victims. You have a completely unpoliced national park along in which the public is allowed to, and has the right to, wander at will. Unfortunately this same park is where the Typhoon race has been held several times. I was not present, but I got a call within 10 minutes of the accident's occurrence.
While LongPan park can produce record breaking conditions for F3f slope flying, its actually a strip of land 1.5 to 2Km long and possibly 300 metres wide, bordered by the main road at the rear, and the slope face at the front, so the landing area requires a walk or maybe 75 Metres to the right of the flying area, otherwise the approach is directly behind the competitors - which, ironically as it turned out is deemed not to be safe.
Crossing the landing area, parallel with the road there is a board walk that the walkers, visitors and sightseeing families etc use. It's there due to the somewhat rough going through the elephant grass patches in the area. The boardwalk is safely constructed and elevated so you get a good view all around while also keeping dry if it's been raining. Consequently it's well-used, and the people who do use it, having nothing to do with the model aeroplane competition, rightly or wrongly often do not appreciate being stopped every time someone wants to land.
On this occasion, in extremely windy conditions, David Cortina from USA -
And it could have been absolutely anyone - lost sight, or somehow lost control of his model while it was headed downwind across the walkway to the designated landing area. It was too low, and horror of all horrors hit a lady walking along the boardwalk carrying her very young son. She was apparently struck in the neck/head by the model which was of course fully ballasted, and to the absolute dismay of all was killed instantly. The woman's son was thankfully unharmed other than a couple of scratches as according to eye-witnesses she'd had the presnce of mind to throw you youngster away from her into the soft grass, as the model suddenly approached at high speed and she knew she could not avoid it. This brave woman actually saved her son but sacrificed her own life.
What followed can only have been, and probably still is a living nightmare for the poor woman's family, and also for the second 'victim' David Cortina who no doubt still lives with it.
Easy in hindsight: Dangerous models, flown in dangerous conditions, in an unpoliced and highly popular national park where the well-used public path crosses the model landing area, is a recipe for disaster. Frankly it was only a matter of time, and if any blame is to be apportioned, then it must fall on the shoulders of the organizers of the race.
The pictures below are self-explanatory.
I think that would best be defined in acres.
