Originally Posted by Wouter


The moths are a really impressive designs TaipanFC.

I have even proposed using them for novice control engineering student as a project. I thought there are excellent subjects that speak to the imagination of the student and allow for the optimization of simple non externally powered control systems.

I would love to give one a try sometimes or indeed cooperate in developing an automatic control setup as suggested above. Take some work load of the driver.

My other reply was just a playful stab back, nothing serious grin

I also like doing distances races and take a friend along. Other then that I believe a top 10 crew in the F18 worlds could also pump some more performance out of the F18's (and F16's) then we all can. However, the moth will never be a slow boat, that is for sure ! So you got a point on "bang for the buck".

Regards,

wouter


There are a few moths in Netherlands now. Look up a guy called Eelco Boers.

And for the control set up, still lots of development to go. Latest is a manual ride adjuster. Allows you to ride high upwind, and then you dial it down for the downwinds, so when your speed increases you can still ride high and in control rather than having ventilation problems. Adds about 2-3 knots of speed difference!

But gearing and sensitivity, plus trying to work out why and when vortices appear are parts of the engineering equation you would love. For me, just get on, sheet in, and launch!