P.30 and Coupe D’Hiver Postal
Full rules for the 2024 P30 and Coupe d’Hiver Postal can be found here
The 2024 competition will consist of one round which will be run between 1st September to 31st October inclusive. The round will consist of several flights to an increasing maximum time as follows:
The maximum for the first flight of each entry will be 90 seconds. If this is achieved, the entrant is permitted a second flight of maximum 120 seconds, and so on, the maximum increasing in increments of 30 seconds until either a max is not achieved, or flying cannot continue (e.g. because the model is lost or damaged and can’t be repaired in time). The score for the entry is the total flight time including the sub-max final flight.
Congratulations to all competitors in the 2023 P.30 and Coupe D’Hiver Postal for staying the course and being patient whilst we got the Fly-Offs done. The final results are:
Position | Name | Model | Class | Score | Location | Fly-Off |
1 | Simon Richardson | Ephemeral | P30 | 270s | Hazelhead, Aberdeen | 331s |
2 | Simon Milan | Skyscraper | P30 | 270s | Port Meadow | 143s |
=3 | Andrew Longhurst | Piffle | P30 | 270s | Port Meadow | 0 |
=3 | Andy Blackburn | Sweet P30 | P30 | 270s | Port Meadow | 0 |
4 | Chris Brainwood | Etienvre | Coupe | 253s | Port Meadow | |
5 | Gary Law | Etienvre | Coupe | 213s | Port Meadow | |
6 | Gary Law | Sweet P30 | P30 | 104s | Buckminster |
Prizes are due as follows:
- Overall Winner: Simon Richardson with an Ephemeral P30
- P30 Winner: Simon Milan with a Skyscraper P30
- Coupe D’Hiver winner: Chris Brainwood with an Etienvre Coupe.
All winners are due some Tunnocks comestibles, and as the overall winner Simon R will be the recipient of a “Completely Useless but Mildly Decorative” trophy as specified in the rules as soon as I can get one organised.
We will be running a repeat of this event next year but I think we’re probably going to change the way that it’s done, because running a fly-off during November and December seems to have been a bit of a lottery.
OMFC P30/Coupe Postal Fly-off
Max starts at 90 seconds with the max increasing by 30 seconds
R1 90s max
R2 120s max
R3 150s max
R4 180s max
R5 … and so on. Flying stops when the max cannot be made.”
Name | Model | Total | R1 | R2 | R3 | Timer | Date | Location |
Andrew Longhurst | Piffle | |||||||
Simon Richardson | Ephemeral | 331s | Max | Max | 121s | Self | 9/11 | Aberdeen |
Simon Milan | Skyscraper | 143s | Max | 38 | — | G.Law | 11/11 | P.Meadow |
Andy Blackburn | Sweet P30 |
Simon Milan was next to record his times at Port Meadow
For the record, herewith my disappointing P30 fly-off times at Port Meadow last Saturday morning, 11 November. NW wind about 4mph, temperature around 6 deg C. In these conditions I wasn’t expecting there to be much good air, and certainly nothing like the thermally conditions that helped my 3 maxes on 9 September. So I didn’t have any real expectations about challenging Simon Richardson’s times. Anyway:
Flight 1 105 secs Self-timed. Maybe a little lift, and an encouraging start!.
Flight 2 38 secs Timed by Gary Law. A slightly over-enthusiastic launch plus some turbulence meant less height gained than flight 1. Then found a severe downdraught during the glide phase almost causing the model to spiral in!
Total 143 secs
Never mind! It was all good fun, so hopefully we can do the same next year.
Name | Model | Class | Timer | Flight 1 | Flight 2 | Flight 3 | Total | Location | Date |
Andrew Longhurst | Piffle | P30 | J.Paton | Max 90s | Max 90s | Max 90s | 270s | Port Meadow | 6/9 |
Simon Richardson | Ephemeral | P30 | Self | Max
90s |
Max
90s |
Max
90s |
270s | Hazelhead
Aberdeen |
7/9 |
Simon Richardson | JGP30 | P30 | Self | Max
90s |
Max
90s |
Max
90s |
270s | Hazelhead Aberdeen | 7/9 |
Chris Brainwood | Etienvre | Coupe | A.Trinder
A.Blackburn |
Max
90s |
Max
90s |
73s | 253s | Port
Meadow |
9/9 |
Simon Milan | Skyscraper | P30 | Self | Max
90s |
Max
90s |
Max
90s |
270s | Port Meadow | 9/9 |
Gary Law | Sweet P30 | P30 | T.Gautrey | 23s | 24s | 57s | 104s | Buckminster | 15/10 |
Andy Blackburn | Sweet P30 | P30 | D.Lovegrove | Max
90s |
Max
90s |
Max
90s |
270s | Port Meadow | 16/10 |
Gary Law | Etienvre | Coupe | Self | 54s | 78s | 81s | 213s | Port Meadow | 26/10 |
Gary Law’s Etienvre
Simon Milans O/D Skyscraper P30 Inspired by the Wakefield by Bob Hatschek flown into 2nd place in the 1959 World Champs.
Andy Blackburn’s SweetP30 designed by Spencer Willis
Andrew Longhurst’s OD Piffle P30
Simon Richardson’s OD Emphemeral 01 P30
Simon Richardson’s JG P30
Andrew Longhurst has done a very good introduction to Coupes in the October 2022 Meadow Flyer as well as an excellent article giving a more detailed approach to flying Coupes in the November 2022 edition of the New Clarion – the journal of SAM1066
For those wishing to build a Coupe there are numerous plans available on Outerzone
Three designs have been recently reprinted as free plans in Aeromodeller and have the advantage of a build article and trimming tips
Garter Knight – Bill Dennis revisits Derl Morley’s design from the 1960’s AM Feb 2022. The plan is also available on Outerzone -Garter Knight
Etienvre – David Beales builds Michel Etienvre’s 1954 design AM Sept 2015. This model was available as short kit from Hummingbird Model Products in the US along with a couple of other Coupe designs. The plan is also available on Outerzone – Etienvre
If you fancy building one I have started a build thread for the Hummingbird Models Etienvre on Hippocketaeronautics.com
Fluke – F1G model designed by Spencer Willis AM April 2018. The plan is available as a free download from the Aeromodeller website
For magazine back issues visit the Aeromodeller website
For P30s the Spencer Willis Sweet P30 is available from Free Flight Supplies as either a kit or plan as well as the Mayzee A P30, a tail less design
Also on OuterZone is the Teachers Pet by John O’Donnell, a very Coupe looking P30 and there is the Pongo too