Big Falcons Chasing a Model Aeroplane

[FalconGriff]

A few days ago I went out exercising some big falcons behind a Model Plane. Some of you may be interested.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff37/falconsgriff/bird%20to%20model%20aero/Copy1ofCIMG0226-Copy.jpg

Now before I go any further I want to make sure I have understood Simon instructions as I thought I should now have seen a picture rather than a link! So if this works I continue with the link if not its back to the drawing board Simon who can't believe he is teaching anyone as daft as me!:confused:

[FalconGriff]

Got it. Thank the lord says Simon and me as well!
right well first the basics. This is a fairly big model it is designed as a trainer to have a 60 in cubic inch engine. Because the power is needed quickly this one has a 90 size engine in it and with this if necessary it can stand on its title and climb vertically. As we go on I'll try to explain to you why this is so important. Also I'm going to put a set to link with each picture so that I don't get carried away and it means I can come back and do bits at a time.

[Dirtwinger]

I had a lannerette that caught a kids balsa glider once. Flew with it to a building and tore it to shreds looking for the meat:)

[FalconGriff]

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff37/falconsgriff/bird%20to%20model%20aero/CIMG0229-Copy.jpg
The engine has so much power that he could more or less just drop it and away way it will go. You will notice a thin line underneath the tail of the plane, attached to this is a quail or it could be a pigeon.

[Eryr]

That doesn't look like Barry Island!!!:lol::lol::lol:

[FalconGriff]

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff37/falconsgriff/bird%20to%20model%20aero/008.jpg

Mohd getting the Gyr ready to chase the plane or at least the quail under it

[FalconGriff]

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff37/falconsgriff/bird%20to%20model%20aero/mohammed.jpg

This is Mohammed getting ready to fly the plane it took him three years to be good enough at flying to be able to do this even though he is a very competent full-sized pilot. Even so it needs several people one to release the plane wasn't to fly the plane and lost but not least one to release the falcon!

[Fly]

looking good griff their is a big club have weekends by me at bellview its the same field as the north devon show

[FalconGriff]

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff37/falconsgriff/bird%20to%20model%20aero/008.jpg

This is the white female gyrfalcon that was going to be flown to the plane first. This is the bird which Mohamed has been hunting all season. It can not be hunted around Dubai as there is no quarry and so it has to be taken at least a long plane ride away to be hunted. It sometimes is not hunted for two or three weeks at a time and this is why keeping the bird super fit is so important. Sometimes there is literally no warning at all that they are going hunting, one minute they seem to be chanting about what they would do tomorrow and the next they'll all into the planes under way to Pakistan!

[OutHawkn]

That is so cool. Thanks for sharing it. I have got to find me a job overthere.....:supz:

[FalconGriff]

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff37/falconsgriff/bird%20to%20model%20aero/022.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff37/falconsgriff/bird%20to%20model%20aero/019.gif

The above photo's are a passage Peregrine which as yet has not been hunted but is being exercised to the model plane.
Right now for the flight. As soon as the plane was released with the quail bumping along the ground the Gyr that was un hooded and immediately gave chase, the plane climbed in tight fast circles till it reached an estimated height in excess of 2000 feet! Certainly I would not have liked to have flown a plane myself as you could barely see it, the gyrfalcon could not be seen. During the climb in the gyrfalcon is wings where pumping without rest. I guess it took no more than three or four minutes to reach this great height. Mohammed then vertically dived at the plane towards the ground with the engine screaming, the gyrfalcon folded up like a dart behind it. At about 100 feet from the groundthe plane was flown in tight circles to the grond after doing two loops with the gyrfalcon chasing it. The reason for this was to bleed off the enormous speed that Gyr had reached. I was very impressed with the fitness of the Gyr particularly as this was repeated three times! On the last time when most of the speed have been lost, the plane is speed was reduced under the gyrfalcon allowed to take the quail which was then by a flick of a switch was released from the plane. It was prevented from carrying it away as on the end of the line was a small parachute which quickly brought it to ground within 100 feet or so of us. Mohamed tells me that with this degree of fitness it can fly any who Hubbara down. Certainly I have never seen a Gyr as fit as this. I hope to train a crow Peregrine this way on my return to England! I asked Mohammed how long it takes to get a bird to chase the quail under a plane. He then told me that the Peregrine on the above photo had never been under a plane before so I was very interested. The Peregrine instantly gave chase to the quail being attracted to the flapping wings it climbed to a hight not less than 400 feet. Remember that this bird having been flying a lot in the wild was fit anyway, but it certainly was not bothered by the sound of the engine or the plane.

[FalconGriff]

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff37/falconsgriff/bird%20to%20model%20aero/037.jpg

End of day after feeding up. This gyrfalcon is one of the smaller ones that Mohamed Hunts. It was a one off the ones which I inseminated her Mum for last year. I must be honest and say it makes me very proud to produce falcons of this quality for a falcon of Muhammad's undoubted falconryability. I consider myself very fortunate.

[Ben C]

Have you a picture of the release mechanism if the falcon catches it?

[FalconGriff]

If your confused by the English in the above report, I use voice recognition software and it sometimes gets a bit confused and sometimes I get a bit carried away - sorry!:rolleyes:

[Paris]

If your confused by the English in the above report, I use voice recognition software and it sometimes gets a bit confused and sometimes I get a bit carried away - sorry!:rolleyes:

TOP POST GRIFF I will read this with intrest. VERY NICE FALCON'S M8


ATVB Harry Pyle . ps who is having a hard time with a eagle out there .:supz:

[Fenlands Rescue]

Really interesting thread and a stunning bird.
Thanks

[Little Joe]

Nice thread Griff. I love that little calidus tiercel! :supz: Was he taken as a haggard this year or did they keep him from a previous season?

[RobCole66]

very interesting Griff , sure would get one hell of a fit rook hawk

rob cole......

If your confused by the English in the above report, I use voice recognition software and it sometimes gets a bit confused and sometimes I get a bit carried away - sorry!:rolleyes:

[Ben C]

If your confused by the English in the above report, I use voice recognition software and it sometimes gets a bit confused and sometimes I get a bit carried away - sorry!:rolleyes:

Not confused just didn't read it all.

Do you have a picture?

[David Rampling]

Fascinating stuff Griff.

Was also wondering, how do the Gyrs cope with working so hard in the heat?

[AvianManagement]

In flight

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww111/avianmanagement/nad7.jpg

[FalconGriff]

Have you a picture of the release mechanism if the falcon catches it?

Dead easy, standard servo pulling a wire between two loops

[FalconGriff]

Fascinating stuff Griff.

Was also wondering, how do the Gyrs cope with working so hard in the heat?

At this time of the year it is no warmer than a nice summer day in UK. Later we fly in just the evening and late everybody who is not working migrates to the UK!! Last year top day while I was here was 48C in the shade!! Coming from the air conditioned pens at about 10C into that shakes the body about a bit particularly as the humidity is approaching 100%

[AyrshireTaxidermy]

Can anyone else see the videos? Im just getting a little photobucket message saying the image has been deleted or moved.

[John'B']

Hi Griff,
Your old friend John here. For some reason I cannot see the photographs apart from a Gyr in flight on page three.
Hopefully I will be coming down to see you on your return to blighty, look forward to it after so many years. Hope you are well,
John

[FalconGriff]

There are no videos they are all stills and the Gyr in flight is up on my page??
Hello John hope you and yours are well.

[Dave Johnson]

Can anyone else see the videos? Im just getting a little photobucket message saying the image has been deleted or moved.

Thats all im getting as well.

[Alan G]

Same here, no photo's showing.

[Jim Wale]

i could see the pic about 1hr ago but cant any more :confused::confused:

[Fenlands Rescue]

Can still see all the pictures.

[Harris]

Don't panik, my student appears to have deleted all his pics from photobucket and hence they won't show up. I've emailed him to explain what he's done. :lol:

[Flash]

i can only see 1 pic

[Harris]

i can only see 1 pic

Read my post above yours :yawinkle:

[Kat67]

Don't panik, my student appears to have deleted all his pics from photobucket and hence they won't show up. I've emailed him to explain what he's done. :lol:

Tut:lol: Come on Grasshopper... Wax on, Wax off:supz:

[Harris]

Heres the pics from his first 3 posts, he'll rectify this when he logs on. :lol:

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff186/puppysandwich/Griffs/CIMG0226.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff186/puppysandwich/Griffs/CIMG0228.jpg

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff186/puppysandwich/Griffs/CIMG0229.jpg

[FalconGriff]

Sorry chaps I was trying to tidy up Photobucket and deleted them not realising
that then you couldn't see them, I am only a beginner at this but with lots of help I think I now have it sorted so stand by for more photographic threads!!

[Alan G]

Ah well, can see the one's above now. :lol:

I could be way off the mark here, but didn't the Ford mess around with RC planes at Gleneagles at one time, though not with much success.:confused: