Today, my XP3 hit a pole, a 3 ft high metal pole. It did not hit hard, and little harm was done, but hard enough to say that it "hit" rather than just "touched." I had noted the pole earlier, but it seemed far away: you know, nothing to worry about far away. At first I considered the possibility that the accident could be due to the flaws in my flying skills or my eyesight,(I am due for new glasses) but then I remembered some old physics lessons.
And, it dawned on me: This should not have happened as the attracting force between two objects (a) increases with the mass of the objects, and (b) decreases with their distance, quadratic no less, if I remember well. Well, the XP3 certainly has not a great mass - it came out weighing 11oz. Also, the last time I saw the pole it was far from the plane, hence there should have been very little force in this respect as well. But, it now seems obvious that the pole must have attracted (almost "lured") the plane, exactly what physics says should NOT have happened! I'm sure some of you guys have had similar experiences. Perhaps we should inform the National Bureau of Standards (or some such institution) concerning this violation of the laws of nature. Or, on a more ominous note, we might look into what plane manufacturers do in their workshops to bring about such effects! --- Rense Lange --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off.
