Vladiball data compilation thread

[edid 0]

Seems like there are a lot of discrepancies between everyone's Vladiball experiences as far as fall rate and ball flight. Perhaps an exacting compile of data wouldn't go amiss. So how about making this thread for that purpose (and for the sake of quick and helpful reference, nothing else please).

Posts to contain...

weight:
type of weight and size:
tail length /width / material:
fall rate (use 1st half TAS):
flight comments:

(plus, for the sake of correllation and comparatives can we put all data in one standard. Metric would be best. I know America likes to work to the old imperial standard of inches and pounds but metric was adopted in most other modern countries because it is more exacting easily divisible; and every modern tape measure and scale is calibrated for both. Cheers)

[quade 4]

Quote

. . . metric was adopted in most other modern countries because it is more exacting easily divisible . . .

COMPLETELY UNTRUE!

You can easily divide (without any remainder) a foot OR yard into 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and 1/6.

Try doing that with a meter.

The TRUTH is that the metric system was imposed on the rest of the planet by -- sorry this is gonna hurt -- the French.

The "Imperial" units of measurement actually come from a time and people that understood geometry and why it was important to be able to divide things intelligently. It let folks design and survey things like the pyramids. Not a bad system at all.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[airann 1]

Quote

The "Imperial" units of measurement ... able to divide things intelligently. ...design and survey things like the pyramids.

Huh... I guess boring skydiver could mean watching the History Channel a lot?

So anyway, back to the ball ---

~AirAnn~

[quade 4]

Well, not to hijack the thread any more than I already have (), yes, but that has nothing to do with this discussion. This is just something that bugs me about the metric system and it's bugged me since grade school -- and -THAT- was a very long time ago!

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[edid 0]

What part of ..."(and for the sake of quick and helpful reference, nothing else please)"... did you not understand, Mr Moderator? Can we just have the data please, in any form then, OK.

[quade 4]

Sorry -- just jokin' around a bit, but seriously, metric is no "easier" than anything else, it's all just point of view.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[VectorBoy 0]

Quade I was led to believe that the metric system is easier on large contractor type jobs, big buildings and dams. From what I heard ( I'm not a large scale contractor ) larger units lets say bulk cement or linear units of steel reinforcement were better managed in metric. Don't flame me I'm lousy at math and anytime I do concrete I'm good for at least a 10% error. Its just what I've been led to believe. Glen

[SurfFlite 0]

Here is some data from test performed by Trent Alkek at Spaceland. More testing is currently ongoing.

******************************************
We used Lead Shot to fill it, since we were afraid it'd be slow. (lead
shot in our first, pullup cord tailed ball fell at about 170mph with 1lb
6oz of weight. The diameter of the lead shot is just about 2mm, I'm not
shure of the shot #, but it's small.

Here's some more data:

NORMAL PULLUP TAIL:
Avg speed: 170mph (from pro track, TAS)
Movement: small circles, about 3-4 feet wide.
Tail length: stock, 8.5 inches
Weight: 1lb 6oz

CONE DROGUE TAIL:
Avg Speed: About 110mph
Movement:Prett wild spinnin, but seemed to be falling relatively straight.
Weight: 1lb 4oz

Only the skinniest guy on our team, with the longest arms and legs was
able to catch it. Even then, it was a stretch. We got it though.
******************************************

Here's some results from our test with the regular ball:

Tail Length: 7 3/8ths inch, standard pullup cord.
Weight: 1lb 6.8oz
Shot: Lead, 2mm diameter
Average Fallrate: 170mph, maybe a bit more... hard to tell with the
protrack
Movement: Almost none. Fell very smoothly. Barely even had a rotation in
the ball itself. Best setup yet.

We're going to try to lighten the ball a bit and fill a little with sand
to take up space. We'd like to get the fallrate to about 155.
******************************************

Just got down from testing the cone tail, shortened to 2" of line, not
including the 4" cone itself. It flew fine for belly for about 3 seconds,
then the cone caused severe wobbling, which turned into a helicopter spin,
which slowed it WAAAAY down. We last saw it at about 10 grand. I apoligize
that we lost the ball, but hope that the results of that test help you
out. Here's some facts:

Ball weight: 1lb 6.8oz
White fabric length: 2 inches
Cone length: 4 inches
Shot: #9 lead
Speed: Held at about 120 for a few seconds, then it was sub 100 we're
guessing.

So ball #1 is gone, but we landed with the rubber bands, so it deployed
over unpopulated fields.
******************************************

Here's the latest.

Ball Model: the Vladi-Saw (mesh screen washer)
Tail Length: 7 3/8 inch
Ball Weight: 1lb 7oz
Shot size: #9 lead
Average Speed: 155-160 mph (nice)
Movement: It seems that there was a lot of different fallrates with this
version. It would slow down and speed up sporadically moving a few feet
horizontally as it did.
******************************************


Based on all the data (from above and others I've talked to) it appears that the optimum ball would be #9 lead mixed with sand ~3:1 ratio ,total ball weightwith a 7 3/8 tail ~ 1 lb. 4 ounces

Kerry

[Trent 0]

Thanks Kerry. I didn't want to post anything until you did. We'll keep jumping the other experimental tails. This week for sure!!

I have a feeling you're right on with the lead/sand mix and weight. We're all over that one too!

Talk to you soon.

Oh, hello again!