Some time we have to take a step back to see the bigger picture

In my last posting I was moving on, that was the intension, but…life has done it to me again. Threw me a curve ball sot of speak, shortly after Jan 13 I was laid off with a severance after 22 years with the company. You could imagine my response, at first anger and blaming economy did not work. I also seriously though a conspiracy was the notion with my counter part in the U.S. “take care of their own” before the talented Canadians. With that all aside now I have weathered the storm and matured with little remorse, in fact I am looking at this as an opportunity to investigate my potential in living my hobby instead of living someone else’s lifestyle. What I mean by that is to possibly make a living in doing the thing I love to do. Since my lay off I have done little and have been exploring my inner self. This had gone several stages of denial and attempting to change the course of my present dilemma. Believe it; I am still working at it. I had six months now of not working for someone else, what a treat, not to have the hustle and bustle of getting to someone else office and work for them, but there is a down side of this. The end of my settlements money will be running out soon and I will have to make a commitment with finding a way to satisfy paying my bills once more.

I am still seeking for the field of dreams. I have entertained the idea to start a business for myself in designing RC and selling the product. This proves to be a challenging and not very lucrative lifestyle, but it would be fun. I am working on a business plan to pursuit this, it is slow going. My other choice is to go back as a free lance design draftsman and hope I encounter the people in my future paths and discover new interests that may promote in participating in my endeavours with my dreams.

Well what have I done since last… not much… “You reap what you sow” this worries me now. Since I have not done much it is time to change all that. I feel I have wasted all that time. The truth is not far from that, but what I have done is of substantial advancement that will play a large part in future development, matter of fact I learned new things and will begin to implement them.

Some time we have to take a step back to see the bigger picture to continue the journey ahead. I look forward to the journey ahead with all the new challenges it offers.

First action I will take the time to update the BetterFly.ca site with what was done last year in the development of the experimental planes I have been working on. Then investigate new technologies with WEB development to improve the process of promoting my findings and networking with others out there in the same interest. I have a knack of wondering around and dabbling into too many things at once and this will have to narrow down to focus on the current projects to satisfactory conclusions. That is the first order of the plan for now.

One more round

Happy New Year 2009 to all

With each year we learn more for the next to apply what we have learned.

2008 was a slow year, again was not a productive on my web site. Development has been put aside with the lack of flying in 2008 due to work taking over my private life. Some development on the Ductling was done in attempt to include VTOL to it. This will be further explored in the attempt to simplify the maintenance approach. New development has begun on the Buck Rogers AERTH ALLIANCE FIGHTER as the BR-X series. This BR-X series has good potential for an exciting fun and attractive flying craft. I can’t call it a plane because there are no wings; it is more a lifting body with winglets. Here is a preview for those interested.

I have found pleasure in micro helicopters especially the E-flite Blade MCX. This kept me satisfied with the challenge of flite, lots of fun in the living room or office. The best $150 spent for a toy. Also I have been exploring micro flying with PLANTRACO the Micro Butterfly cool stuff. This allowed me to experiment with my designs at a smaller scale hopping to fly them in the underground parking. Was a good plan but frustrating to deal with columns and low ceilings.

This year I have committed myself to move and find the field of dreams. I plant to be settled in by March 2009 with workshop and field all at my convenience. No more excuses and hold back the dreams are about to be materialize and realize into action.

Time has served me well, some complaint where there but in all I am grateful for how thing have turned out. With the new prospect of finding the field of dreams I am looking forward to having more fun.

P2

New Outlook

It is a new year with a positive outlook. Last year, the flying time was not in abundance due to my laziness and lack of motivation. I hope this year this will be remedied by my plans to move out of the city, perhaps a retired farm where the field of dreams will be.

Recently I have been working on my eXperimental concepts with the new tail fins for The X-DLB series. Looking good…. So far, the prototypes are working out fine. I have not done much on the WEB site and so and update or two was needed. I plan to document all my new findings on LiPo, Brushless motors and new designs for the Ductlings.

Moving forward with a positive outlook

All the best to all of you Happy New Year

P2

What if....

Today I feel sad. Realizing not all is happening with a smile. Summer was nice, but did not really enjoy it as intended. A lot has happened with my design development, had little time to write about it because lack of passion.

I noticed joi de vivre is fading because my dream is fading. Day to day I see another day passing by and lost. I need to find that field of dreams a farm land any farm land will due, but only one requirement it is not too far from work place since work is the only true survivor here that can fuel my other passion to by the things I need to build with, but even this is fading because I find my time indoors when the sun is out. I need to spend more time out in the early rays of light and less time in the cavern I call home. A mild depression is setting in when I give a though of moving as the insecurities of acting out to make a move to the north for the field of dreams.

I look at my pass achievements and find them amazing, though they are stagnant in time because the joi de vivre is fading and so is the dream. It seems little positive is recorded here and make me sound like a depress individual. The truth is probably I am just like many who ride the roller coaster of life.

I find it hard to go outside with no one to share event with, maybe this is where the joy of living has faded away.

I need to be freed from this sadness in my heart. What if…

FOCUS on the LOCUS

Well it has been some time since my last post, and a lot has happened.
1. I joined some forums and learned a lot
2. Have switched to new brushless an Li-Po technologies
3. Have put on hold the D-WAVE and picked up the LOCUS still tying to find a name for the new development. So far out of a contest it is referred as the TooCan since it resembles the bird

The plan is still the same, but now concentrating on the single seat sport version lifting bobby. I have had some difficulties in identifying my configuration. It looks promising with the first prototype, so far three maiden launch attempts were made and modifications where made. It doe fly, I had one successful controlled flight, but the plane might have been under powered or the alignment of engine and wing to body are out. All of these will require some attention till the formula is worked out. As I mentioned I have joined forums a great place to exchange and learn. Some of my postings on the TooCan venture are here.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=655255#post7073815

As the DragonSleigh one of the names it was given based on a sketch that can be seen on my site under the SnowHawk.

http://betterfly.ca/BetterFly/RC_cncpt_SNOWHAWK.htm

Pitfall

It has been some time since last, and all in on hold. I am still looking for a new field with runway for the test flight. My determination is dwindling, so it seems, I am depressed with the though that destiny is taking away the ownership of my quest and dream. I am struggling with myself to muster the energy to get the job done. I think, the fear is that it may not work and not knowing the reason why, is cause for procrastinating the quest to succeed, maybe… I’m just not ready….
The other day a letter with pictures arrived in my E-mailbox. The sender sent me a concept he has worked out, an improvement in stabling the flight of a rubber powered aircraft. This concept seems to concur with literature I read on insect wing characteristics and behavior. Basically, insect wings have a rough surface that causes the air to tabulate on top there by creating lift. My assumption with this concept on the rubber powered aircraft is similar. I had considered something similar by rippling the wing surface of the Ductling when I first conceived the VeeBee configuration. It was inspired by the fossils sea shells my mother in-law had given me.
The question now is… when will I begin? This rut I’m in is not fading. Like a roller coaster ride and I’m heading downhill. I know this will not last forever, but I sure could use some relief or some positive support and inspiration. I guess I should look back to the rubber powered aircraft, it was uplifting, and I should work with that.
What is really bringing me down is the lack of money. We are planning for a vacation, a short one because that is all we can afford, but, out comes the shadow of surprise attacks. I get into accidence and total my front end of my vehicle. No one was hurt, thank God for that, but now I have inherited an unplanned expense that conflicts with procuring the vacation we had so desperately needed. It is my wife’s determination to continue our goal to take this vacation even if it put us in the poor house, not that we are already there, living beyond our means.
I probably have the same posture as the majority of the populous, the dept we are all trying desperately to get out of. Now I am beginning to understand my pitfall.

I need that break…

Is there a better way?

I have been a busy bee. My WEB my plane all got some TLC.
The past couple of weeks I have been revamping my WEB site, because it was not working. There are some problem still hidden, but this will have to wait till I find them. The plane is under going structural and control changes. This is the third time I made changes to the structure of this prototype. I feared the worst when I begun to prepare for flight. The controls where not working with accuracy, there was too much flex in the control rods. This needed to be fixed before I fly. There is too much invested in the model to simply ignore the possibility to bad design in control surfaces. So… redesign and improve. My feelings are conflicting with my knowledge on the subject. Being a self taught designer/inventor this does cause for dowt, but the internet is my salvation in finding the solution. The problem is, there is little in the specifics of my design. Back in the time, trial and error will cover the questions and answers.
I took time off from work to address these issues, but the weather was not planed, and is contributing to my fear of not achieving my goals. Part of the problem was the control surfaces needed to be redesigned to ensure safe flight. Now I’m left with 4 day to complete and test, prevailing the weather permits. This weather is the deterrent of the project making it hard for the dream to prosper. Is there a better way?