92 MODEL AVIATION
Flying for Fun D.B. Mathews | Docsflyingforfun@aol.com
D.B. gets ripped off!
WRITING THIS COLUMN has been
difficult for me from a time standpoint and
from being dispirited. Many of my “spare”
models, kits, and engines have been stolen
from a storage unit. They were of
considerable sentimental value to me; it is
a bit like losing some old friends.
This unhappy event brings up the
question, How much merchandise on the
various classified-ad Internet sites might
be stolen? How can you tell? If you notice
a 4-120 Bipe or Big Bingo kit on the
Internet and the seller doesn’t seem to be a
modeler, be suspicious.
It seems that those gated storage units
aren’t nearly as secure as I thought. The
police officer who investigated seemed
cavalier about the whole thing; several
units besides mine were broken into.
Apparently this sort of thing happens
often. It’s certainly not reassuring.
Error: In the December column I
attempted to describe how an electric
outrunner motor worked. I took notes
while asking two modelers and somehow
totally messed up. If you wonder if anyone
is reading your material, make a mistake!
Several modelers have sent E-mails to
point out the error, and I appreciate it.
To straighten things out (hopefully), in
a hobby outrunner motor the armature
does not move. Instead, the magnet
structure moves, and it is in the case. The
magnet is a rimmed wheel that spins
around the outside of the coils.
Internet Site: The address of a site worth
checking out came from Kelvin Heath of
Rochester, Minnesota. I mentioned Bob
Holman’s laser-cut kits of the deBolt
Champ and other old RC designs in the
January column, and Kelvin advised Bob
Harris of Early RC Models in Apex, North
Carolina. This company has a long list of
laser-cut kits of other early models from
the rudder-only days. Visit www.earlyrc
models.com/ for Esquires, Lil Roughnecks,
School Boys, Mambos, etc.
Many of these designs—particularly in
1/2 and 1/4A sizes—would make attractive
Mark Cole’s Great Planes Shoestring with an O.S. 91 FSR. It had a midair where it lost a
wingtip and an aileron, yet finished the Formula I Sport Racing heat.
Robin Cowley with his World Models Midget Mustang powered with an O.S. .91 FX.
Robin Cowley’s Midget Mustang begins its
takeoff roll in Formula I Sport Racing.
electric-power conversion models. I’ll bet
that replacing the dry-cell battery packs
and heavy receivers we had back then with
modern microservos and receivers,
brushless motors, and Li-Poly cells would
result in a model that is not much heavier
than the original—perhaps lighter.
If you enter Bob Harris’s site you’ll
notice that several Ken Willard designs,
such as the School Girl, the Roaring 20,
and others, feature all-sheet-balsa
construction. These building techniques
were common in kits and designs of the
1950s and 1960s.
Bending sheet balsa over heavier sheet
ribs is a nice way to create a quick-tobuild
and relatively damage-proof wing.
Also included in this column:
• Outrunner motor operation
clarified
• An Internet site to check
out
• Formula I Sport Racing rules
explained
Using slow-setting cyanoacrylate adhesive
would beat the old way of holding things
together overnight with pins while waiting
for the nitrocellulose (Ambroid, etc.) glue
to dry. I am in the midst of building a .15-
size, enlarged School Girl biplane, and it’s
astonishing how much simpler things are
going with decent wood and
cyanoacrylate.
A common complaint about those kits
when they were new was the poor quality
of the wood—particularly the sheet. The
supplied wood was often heavy, brittle,
and flawed. Reproducing the aircraft with
hand-selected wood is proving to be a joy.
This all sounds fun, doesn’t it?
AMA and Rules: You may be fully aware
of the multiple reasons to belong to AMA,
such as insurance; representation with local,
state, and federal agencies; a voice with the
Federal Communications Commission;
flying-site assistance; this magazine; etc.
However, we tend to forget the compilation
and standardization of competition rules.
Were it not for this rule-making
function, those who compete would have no assurance that an outof-
town or out-of-state event they attended would be flown under
the same set of standards that are used locally. One could easily
make the trip to a contest only to learn that his or her airplane did
not meet local rules.
Some local special operational guidelines such as unusable
frequencies, reduced maximum flight times, or flightline procedures
can vary, but the overall rules are the same for every official event
everywhere. This national standardization of rules was one of the
earliest reasons for the establishment of the Academy.
Here in Wichita an active group of modelers has been having fun
with what it calls “Formula I Sport Racing.” The fliers have evolved
a set of rules requiring unmodified ARFs of Goodyear racers using
.90 engines. They employ a 1,000-foot, two-pylon course of six laps
using a matrix of three to six heats for scoring.
The choice of ARFs is currently the Great Planes Shoestring, Lil
Tony, and Minnow and the World Models Midget Mustang.
Engines are limited to SuperTigre, O.S., and GMS. No
modifications are permitted. Pressure fuel-feed systems are illegal,
as are bladders, pumps, etc. Any propeller and any fuel can be used.
I’ve watched these fliers compete with
each other, and it is obvious that they are
having loads of fun. Since the aircraft and
power plants are so closely matched,
piloting skills in negotiating the pylons is
much more important than the model used.
Although the event is hotly contested,
there seems to be no tension between
contestants. The contest is remarkably
laid-back. Part of the attraction is the
simple rules. No rulers, calculators, or
scales are needed to process the entries;
there is only a safety check.
The subcommittee of AMA’s
competition-rules group has passed a set of
provisional rules for this event. A period
for additional input is underway, and
comments should be submitted to the
AMA Web site. A second vote on these
proposals will be followed by an action by
the full competition rules-making body. At
some point Formula I Sport Racing will
then become a rule-book event.
The provisional rules currently include
a minimum model weight of 7.5 pounds
and a maximum weight of 10.0 pounds, a
April 2006 93
Dean Cranston’s Great Planes Lil Tony was later totaled in a midair collision.
John Balcom’s World Models Midget Mustang takes off.
George Sauer’s Enya .19-powered Midwest Esquire was built in 1961.
64-inch-wingspan minimum, a wing area
of 750 square inches, a minimum wing
thickness of 1.5 inches, a minimum tail
thickness of .5 inch, a fuselage minimum
depth of 9 inches, and a width of 4.5
inches.
The aircraft must have full fuselages and
cheek cowls. A 3-inch minimum wheel
diameter is required, and wooden propellers
are prohibited. This was a short review of
the provisional rules as published at
www.modelaircraft.org/Comp/2007Proposal
s/RCRacing.htm.
The old Formula One RC Pylon Racing
event has nearly died out for a number of
reasons, not the least of which was the
subject of appearance points, which
involved judging. Additionally, to be
competitive the model had to have an
exquisite finish and markings, which were
often well beyond the average builder’s
skills.
Perhaps another factor was the
“racehorse” start used in the event, in which
all models in a heat were released
simultaneously. Takeoffs could get hairy.
In the local sport pylon event, each
aircraft takes off individually and then they
bunch up for an even start as they cross the
start line. A starter uses an air horn to signal
a start if they are lined up properly. This is a
much safer and easier system for the pilots.
I would think the ARF aspect of the
Wichita rules would be attractive to
potential competitors if for no other reason
than the great reduction in required building
time. In this age many fliers lack the time
and/or skill to build a model for an event in
which wear-and-tear rates are high.
If this event seems fun to you, check out
the AMA Web site and talk it up with your
flying buddies. Those who enter and enjoy
Formula I Sport Racing range in flying skill
from advanced to
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/04
Page Numbers: 92,93,94
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/04
Page Numbers: 92,93,94
92 MODEL AVIATION
Flying for Fun D.B. Mathews | Docsflyingforfun@aol.com
D.B. gets ripped off!
WRITING THIS COLUMN has been
difficult for me from a time standpoint and
from being dispirited. Many of my “spare”
models, kits, and engines have been stolen
from a storage unit. They were of
considerable sentimental value to me; it is
a bit like losing some old friends.
This unhappy event brings up the
question, How much merchandise on the
various classified-ad Internet sites might
be stolen? How can you tell? If you notice
a 4-120 Bipe or Big Bingo kit on the
Internet and the seller doesn’t seem to be a
modeler, be suspicious.
It seems that those gated storage units
aren’t nearly as secure as I thought. The
police officer who investigated seemed
cavalier about the whole thing; several
units besides mine were broken into.
Apparently this sort of thing happens
often. It’s certainly not reassuring.
Error: In the December column I
attempted to describe how an electric
outrunner motor worked. I took notes
while asking two modelers and somehow
totally messed up. If you wonder if anyone
is reading your material, make a mistake!
Several modelers have sent E-mails to
point out the error, and I appreciate it.
To straighten things out (hopefully), in
a hobby outrunner motor the armature
does not move. Instead, the magnet
structure moves, and it is in the case. The
magnet is a rimmed wheel that spins
around the outside of the coils.
Internet Site: The address of a site worth
checking out came from Kelvin Heath of
Rochester, Minnesota. I mentioned Bob
Holman’s laser-cut kits of the deBolt
Champ and other old RC designs in the
January column, and Kelvin advised Bob
Harris of Early RC Models in Apex, North
Carolina. This company has a long list of
laser-cut kits of other early models from
the rudder-only days. Visit www.earlyrc
models.com/ for Esquires, Lil Roughnecks,
School Boys, Mambos, etc.
Many of these designs—particularly in
1/2 and 1/4A sizes—would make attractive
Mark Cole’s Great Planes Shoestring with an O.S. 91 FSR. It had a midair where it lost a
wingtip and an aileron, yet finished the Formula I Sport Racing heat.
Robin Cowley with his World Models Midget Mustang powered with an O.S. .91 FX.
Robin Cowley’s Midget Mustang begins its
takeoff roll in Formula I Sport Racing.
electric-power conversion models. I’ll bet
that replacing the dry-cell battery packs
and heavy receivers we had back then with
modern microservos and receivers,
brushless motors, and Li-Poly cells would
result in a model that is not much heavier
than the original—perhaps lighter.
If you enter Bob Harris’s site you’ll
notice that several Ken Willard designs,
such as the School Girl, the Roaring 20,
and others, feature all-sheet-balsa
construction. These building techniques
were common in kits and designs of the
1950s and 1960s.
Bending sheet balsa over heavier sheet
ribs is a nice way to create a quick-tobuild
and relatively damage-proof wing.
Also included in this column:
• Outrunner motor operation
clarified
• An Internet site to check
out
• Formula I Sport Racing rules
explained
Using slow-setting cyanoacrylate adhesive
would beat the old way of holding things
together overnight with pins while waiting
for the nitrocellulose (Ambroid, etc.) glue
to dry. I am in the midst of building a .15-
size, enlarged School Girl biplane, and it’s
astonishing how much simpler things are
going with decent wood and
cyanoacrylate.
A common complaint about those kits
when they were new was the poor quality
of the wood—particularly the sheet. The
supplied wood was often heavy, brittle,
and flawed. Reproducing the aircraft with
hand-selected wood is proving to be a joy.
This all sounds fun, doesn’t it?
AMA and Rules: You may be fully aware
of the multiple reasons to belong to AMA,
such as insurance; representation with local,
state, and federal agencies; a voice with the
Federal Communications Commission;
flying-site assistance; this magazine; etc.
However, we tend to forget the compilation
and standardization of competition rules.
Were it not for this rule-making
function, those who compete would have no assurance that an outof-
town or out-of-state event they attended would be flown under
the same set of standards that are used locally. One could easily
make the trip to a contest only to learn that his or her airplane did
not meet local rules.
Some local special operational guidelines such as unusable
frequencies, reduced maximum flight times, or flightline procedures
can vary, but the overall rules are the same for every official event
everywhere. This national standardization of rules was one of the
earliest reasons for the establishment of the Academy.
Here in Wichita an active group of modelers has been having fun
with what it calls “Formula I Sport Racing.” The fliers have evolved
a set of rules requiring unmodified ARFs of Goodyear racers using
.90 engines. They employ a 1,000-foot, two-pylon course of six laps
using a matrix of three to six heats for scoring.
The choice of ARFs is currently the Great Planes Shoestring, Lil
Tony, and Minnow and the World Models Midget Mustang.
Engines are limited to SuperTigre, O.S., and GMS. No
modifications are permitted. Pressure fuel-feed systems are illegal,
as are bladders, pumps, etc. Any propeller and any fuel can be used.
I’ve watched these fliers compete with
each other, and it is obvious that they are
having loads of fun. Since the aircraft and
power plants are so closely matched,
piloting skills in negotiating the pylons is
much more important than the model used.
Although the event is hotly contested,
there seems to be no tension between
contestants. The contest is remarkably
laid-back. Part of the attraction is the
simple rules. No rulers, calculators, or
scales are needed to process the entries;
there is only a safety check.
The subcommittee of AMA’s
competition-rules group has passed a set of
provisional rules for this event. A period
for additional input is underway, and
comments should be submitted to the
AMA Web site. A second vote on these
proposals will be followed by an action by
the full competition rules-making body. At
some point Formula I Sport Racing will
then become a rule-book event.
The provisional rules currently include
a minimum model weight of 7.5 pounds
and a maximum weight of 10.0 pounds, a
April 2006 93
Dean Cranston’s Great Planes Lil Tony was later totaled in a midair collision.
John Balcom’s World Models Midget Mustang takes off.
George Sauer’s Enya .19-powered Midwest Esquire was built in 1961.
64-inch-wingspan minimum, a wing area
of 750 square inches, a minimum wing
thickness of 1.5 inches, a minimum tail
thickness of .5 inch, a fuselage minimum
depth of 9 inches, and a width of 4.5
inches.
The aircraft must have full fuselages and
cheek cowls. A 3-inch minimum wheel
diameter is required, and wooden propellers
are prohibited. This was a short review of
the provisional rules as published at
www.modelaircraft.org/Comp/2007Proposal
s/RCRacing.htm.
The old Formula One RC Pylon Racing
event has nearly died out for a number of
reasons, not the least of which was the
subject of appearance points, which
involved judging. Additionally, to be
competitive the model had to have an
exquisite finish and markings, which were
often well beyond the average builder’s
skills.
Perhaps another factor was the
“racehorse” start used in the event, in which
all models in a heat were released
simultaneously. Takeoffs could get hairy.
In the local sport pylon event, each
aircraft takes off individually and then they
bunch up for an even start as they cross the
start line. A starter uses an air horn to signal
a start if they are lined up properly. This is a
much safer and easier system for the pilots.
I would think the ARF aspect of the
Wichita rules would be attractive to
potential competitors if for no other reason
than the great reduction in required building
time. In this age many fliers lack the time
and/or skill to build a model for an event in
which wear-and-tear rates are high.
If this event seems fun to you, check out
the AMA Web site and talk it up with your
flying buddies. Those who enter and enjoy
Formula I Sport Racing range in flying skill
from advanced to
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/04
Page Numbers: 92,93,94
92 MODEL AVIATION
Flying for Fun D.B. Mathews | Docsflyingforfun@aol.com
D.B. gets ripped off!
WRITING THIS COLUMN has been
difficult for me from a time standpoint and
from being dispirited. Many of my “spare”
models, kits, and engines have been stolen
from a storage unit. They were of
considerable sentimental value to me; it is
a bit like losing some old friends.
This unhappy event brings up the
question, How much merchandise on the
various classified-ad Internet sites might
be stolen? How can you tell? If you notice
a 4-120 Bipe or Big Bingo kit on the
Internet and the seller doesn’t seem to be a
modeler, be suspicious.
It seems that those gated storage units
aren’t nearly as secure as I thought. The
police officer who investigated seemed
cavalier about the whole thing; several
units besides mine were broken into.
Apparently this sort of thing happens
often. It’s certainly not reassuring.
Error: In the December column I
attempted to describe how an electric
outrunner motor worked. I took notes
while asking two modelers and somehow
totally messed up. If you wonder if anyone
is reading your material, make a mistake!
Several modelers have sent E-mails to
point out the error, and I appreciate it.
To straighten things out (hopefully), in
a hobby outrunner motor the armature
does not move. Instead, the magnet
structure moves, and it is in the case. The
magnet is a rimmed wheel that spins
around the outside of the coils.
Internet Site: The address of a site worth
checking out came from Kelvin Heath of
Rochester, Minnesota. I mentioned Bob
Holman’s laser-cut kits of the deBolt
Champ and other old RC designs in the
January column, and Kelvin advised Bob
Harris of Early RC Models in Apex, North
Carolina. This company has a long list of
laser-cut kits of other early models from
the rudder-only days. Visit www.earlyrc
models.com/ for Esquires, Lil Roughnecks,
School Boys, Mambos, etc.
Many of these designs—particularly in
1/2 and 1/4A sizes—would make attractive
Mark Cole’s Great Planes Shoestring with an O.S. 91 FSR. It had a midair where it lost a
wingtip and an aileron, yet finished the Formula I Sport Racing heat.
Robin Cowley with his World Models Midget Mustang powered with an O.S. .91 FX.
Robin Cowley’s Midget Mustang begins its
takeoff roll in Formula I Sport Racing.
electric-power conversion models. I’ll bet
that replacing the dry-cell battery packs
and heavy receivers we had back then with
modern microservos and receivers,
brushless motors, and Li-Poly cells would
result in a model that is not much heavier
than the original—perhaps lighter.
If you enter Bob Harris’s site you’ll
notice that several Ken Willard designs,
such as the School Girl, the Roaring 20,
and others, feature all-sheet-balsa
construction. These building techniques
were common in kits and designs of the
1950s and 1960s.
Bending sheet balsa over heavier sheet
ribs is a nice way to create a quick-tobuild
and relatively damage-proof wing.
Also included in this column:
• Outrunner motor operation
clarified
• An Internet site to check
out
• Formula I Sport Racing rules
explained
Using slow-setting cyanoacrylate adhesive
would beat the old way of holding things
together overnight with pins while waiting
for the nitrocellulose (Ambroid, etc.) glue
to dry. I am in the midst of building a .15-
size, enlarged School Girl biplane, and it’s
astonishing how much simpler things are
going with decent wood and
cyanoacrylate.
A common complaint about those kits
when they were new was the poor quality
of the wood—particularly the sheet. The
supplied wood was often heavy, brittle,
and flawed. Reproducing the aircraft with
hand-selected wood is proving to be a joy.
This all sounds fun, doesn’t it?
AMA and Rules: You may be fully aware
of the multiple reasons to belong to AMA,
such as insurance; representation with local,
state, and federal agencies; a voice with the
Federal Communications Commission;
flying-site assistance; this magazine; etc.
However, we tend to forget the compilation
and standardization of competition rules.
Were it not for this rule-making
function, those who compete would have no assurance that an outof-
town or out-of-state event they attended would be flown under
the same set of standards that are used locally. One could easily
make the trip to a contest only to learn that his or her airplane did
not meet local rules.
Some local special operational guidelines such as unusable
frequencies, reduced maximum flight times, or flightline procedures
can vary, but the overall rules are the same for every official event
everywhere. This national standardization of rules was one of the
earliest reasons for the establishment of the Academy.
Here in Wichita an active group of modelers has been having fun
with what it calls “Formula I Sport Racing.” The fliers have evolved
a set of rules requiring unmodified ARFs of Goodyear racers using
.90 engines. They employ a 1,000-foot, two-pylon course of six laps
using a matrix of three to six heats for scoring.
The choice of ARFs is currently the Great Planes Shoestring, Lil
Tony, and Minnow and the World Models Midget Mustang.
Engines are limited to SuperTigre, O.S., and GMS. No
modifications are permitted. Pressure fuel-feed systems are illegal,
as are bladders, pumps, etc. Any propeller and any fuel can be used.
I’ve watched these fliers compete with
each other, and it is obvious that they are
having loads of fun. Since the aircraft and
power plants are so closely matched,
piloting skills in negotiating the pylons is
much more important than the model used.
Although the event is hotly contested,
there seems to be no tension between
contestants. The contest is remarkably
laid-back. Part of the attraction is the
simple rules. No rulers, calculators, or
scales are needed to process the entries;
there is only a safety check.
The subcommittee of AMA’s
competition-rules group has passed a set of
provisional rules for this event. A period
for additional input is underway, and
comments should be submitted to the
AMA Web site. A second vote on these
proposals will be followed by an action by
the full competition rules-making body. At
some point Formula I Sport Racing will
then become a rule-book event.
The provisional rules currently include
a minimum model weight of 7.5 pounds
and a maximum weight of 10.0 pounds, a
April 2006 93
Dean Cranston’s Great Planes Lil Tony was later totaled in a midair collision.
John Balcom’s World Models Midget Mustang takes off.
George Sauer’s Enya .19-powered Midwest Esquire was built in 1961.
64-inch-wingspan minimum, a wing area
of 750 square inches, a minimum wing
thickness of 1.5 inches, a minimum tail
thickness of .5 inch, a fuselage minimum
depth of 9 inches, and a width of 4.5
inches.
The aircraft must have full fuselages and
cheek cowls. A 3-inch minimum wheel
diameter is required, and wooden propellers
are prohibited. This was a short review of
the provisional rules as published at
www.modelaircraft.org/Comp/2007Proposal
s/RCRacing.htm.
The old Formula One RC Pylon Racing
event has nearly died out for a number of
reasons, not the least of which was the
subject of appearance points, which
involved judging. Additionally, to be
competitive the model had to have an
exquisite finish and markings, which were
often well beyond the average builder’s
skills.
Perhaps another factor was the
“racehorse” start used in the event, in which
all models in a heat were released
simultaneously. Takeoffs could get hairy.
In the local sport pylon event, each
aircraft takes off individually and then they
bunch up for an even start as they cross the
start line. A starter uses an air horn to signal
a start if they are lined up properly. This is a
much safer and easier system for the pilots.
I would think the ARF aspect of the
Wichita rules would be attractive to
potential competitors if for no other reason
than the great reduction in required building
time. In this age many fliers lack the time
and/or skill to build a model for an event in
which wear-and-tear rates are high.
If this event seems fun to you, check out
the AMA Web site and talk it up with your
flying buddies. Those who enter and enjoy
Formula I Sport Racing range in flying skill
from advanced to