Drifting

Jack Prescott
(Internet Published) Jun 2000

It is very rare to find a kit of Tipplers that remains within a 1/4-mile radius of the loft, that is, if they do any kind of time. The small kit of three to five encourages this "drift--return shuttling" and is highly conducive to long times. The Rollers, of course, are not required to fly for long times and a large kit of these encourages close range. The last thing that a roller man wants is a drifting kit. However, such drifting is essential with a kit of contest Tipplers.

It is, however a mixed blessing if this drifting at very high altitude is involved. With the kit's absence for long periods, it could easily mean disqualification. All too often such magnificent style has led to disqualification when a kit has not been seen for more than 1 hour. When seen eventually, such a kit may be flying at such a great altitude that it is extremely unlikely that the kit has been down somewhere taking a break. However, the rules must apply and the DQ must stand.

Drifting at low altitudes is always a worry if it extends to more than about 15 minutes. Such a low flying kit could easily drop briefly and then re-appear over the loft area. That is why in Sheffield with the actual Sheffield type (which were not high flyers) mobile supervision was generally involved. Timers and spectators would tour the fly path rather than just sit in the yard. This form of mobile timing often discovered a kit that was taking a break on some building out of sight from the loft.

The snag was "how could a timer go down the street searching for a kit and watch the loft and yard for any kind of "scaring off" or transgression of rules there."

This form of mobile timing is not liked by several Tipplermen in the USA. Of course, it must be carried out carefully and with intelligence and mostly when a kit flys low for some considerable time. It is my opinion, shared by many good fanciers, that if a low flying kit is away from the loft area for more than 20 minutes then it is most likely "down". However, the letter of the rule indicates that they can be away for up to 1 hour regardless of altitude. In the USA, I believe that many fanciers explore the idea of the timer leaving and going out of sight of the loft. There has been trouble.