BBYY BBEENNNNYY LLAANNTTEERRMMAANN
Grreatt Pllanes Hostts
Foamies were the
most popular type of
model at E-Fest.
Crossbracing on
Fancy Foam Models’
27-inch Xcalibur adds
extra lift in knife edge.
The latest Vrolet from Jason
Noll has updated drag
devices. To be even lighter
the 2mm Depron prototype
was milled out to 1mm in key
areas.
Oh the weather
outside was
frightful, but
inside it was
perfect for flying!
E-FEST 2007 was held February 10-11 at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in
Champaign. On campus the weather was way below
freezing and there were piles of snow all around.
However, in the Armory, where the event was
held, I was warm, comfortable, and surrounded by
some of the finest people you can find anywhere.
Add to that the excitement of roughly 10 airplanes
of all kinds flying at any time, and this becomes one
of the RC model-aviation highlights of the year. If
you had an airplane and an opportunity and didn’t
18 MODEL AVIATION fly at this event, you missed a treat.
06sig1.QXD 4/23/07 3:31 PM Page 18
Snoopy’s Doghouse will fly! This version
spans approximately 24 inches, uses
elevon control, and is powered by a
Himax motor.
Dave Sloan’s P-82 Twin Mustang spans 48 inches and uses inexpensive GWS 350C
brushed-motor systems. Yes, it will hover!
Wayne Geffon flew his tape-towing model
and ensnared this Ikarus Pitts, which was
gently lowered to the ground.
Marc Stermer’s Me 163 Komet will
be available from RabidModels.com.
The flat foam model weighs 11
ounces and spans 32 inches.
Greg Hahn’s beautiful scale Blériot XI spans 36 inches and weighs 11 ounces. He used it to test Futaba’s new 2.4 GHz radio.
Photos by the author
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At center stage Great Planes sponsored a batterycharging
station as a courtesy to the registered
pilots.
Jack Frost enlarged his Flutter-By design 200%. The 80-inch, three-channel model floated
gracefully around in the Armory with Michael Ramsey (in inset) at the controls.
Hobby Lobby is importing a new line of
premium foamies for precision indoor
aerobatics. The Fusion has a twodimensional
fuselage and airfoil-shaped wing.
John and Peter Glezellis built this Pilatus Porter PC-6—one of the larger models at EFest.
It spans 55 inches, weighs just 14 ounces, and features a variable-pitch propeller
system.
A high-wire-tangled model became the
test object for a gruesome idea now known
as the Piñata event. The pilots involved
were very sporting despite the outcome.
20 MODEL AVIATION
06sig1.QXD 4/23/07 4:06 PM Page 20
Wayne Geffon was able to weave his model’s 100-plusfoot
videotape streamer through the ceiling rafters and
into a knot.
Brain Bremer hovers the new Heli-Max Axe CP mini helicopter inverted. Day-
Glo covering on the tailboom makes it much easier to see.
Spectator stands were full during the Freestyle Airshow, Pylon Race, Combat,
and Helicopter Smackdown. Even more spectators stood elbow to elbow
behind the pit areas looking at manufacturers’ displays.
Ron McGrath’s 3.6-gram Plantraco Butterfly has an
infrared control system. It uses rudder and power
for guidance and is sold as an RTF package
Andrew Jesky pilots
the 41-inch ElectriFly
Yak-54 during the
noon demonstration
time. The all-wood
model weighs just 27
ounces.
red a batteryhe
registered
June 2007 21
06sig1.QXD 4/24/07 10:09 AM Page 21
This VTOL, designed by Doug Allgeier
and flown by Brendan Jones, spans 24
inches and uses an E-flite 370 motor
mounted on center.
Kids assembled and decorated FlyZone Cessna foam
gliders in the Hobbico-sponsored build-a-model
contest. Mass-launch prizes included Most Creative
airplane, longest Time of Flight, and Distance traveled.
Left and above: Mike McConville flew his Sobre design, trailing dual
75-foot videotape streamers, with the transmitter behind his back
during the Freestyle Airshow. Janet Reckers of Horizon Hobby’s
22 MODEL AVIATION consumer sales division enjoyed his performance.
06sig1.QXD 4/24/07 10:28 AM Page 22
Caroline Goldsmith flies the 30-inch-span Butterfly (above right)
smoothly and gracefully. It weighs 6 ounces and uses an E-flite
250 motor.
Wayne Geffon’s 3DX Hobbies foamie
towed more than 100 feet of videotape
through the Armory. In the photo his
model laps the streamer.
The Butterfly is constructed from carbon-fiber rod with plastic-film covering.
Jenny Kimball brought several airplanes to the E-Fest and flew
them all. She was an adept aerobatics pilot and showed a serious
interest in racing.
See More of E-Fest
on the Internet!
The author has posted hundreds of extra photos on
the Internet at http://public.fotki.com/benlanterman/.
Please visit and enjoy them.
RCGroups supplied live video coverage of the event.
You can watch the rebroadcast at www.rcgroups.com/
forums/showthread.php?t=641553.
For more information about the event, visit the Great
Planes E-Fest home page at www.gpe-fest.com. MA
—MA staff
The Combat event filled the air with angry airplanes
including I.F.O.s, Slow Sticks, various types of flying wings,
and standard-configuration models.
June 2007 23
06sig1.QXD 4/24/07 10:44 AM Page 23
Many vendors were present and enjoyed talking about their
products. Great Planes and Horizon Hobby had RC flight
simulators available for the spectators to try.
E-Fest paid tribute to the US military’s dedicated service by
conducting an honor ceremony performed by the local ROTC.
David Pane personalized his prototype E-flite JN-4 Jenny with extra scale details. It was
also modified to use aileron control.
Jason Noll built this WACO ARE from a Dumas electric-powered RC kit.
Pat Tritle designed the laser-cut, 35-inch-span model.
Del Oren launches his RC Pennyplane, which weighs
roughly a gram and uses rudder-only control.
The signs and banners for the various
model-industry E-Fest sponsors were
mounted on the far wall of the Armory.
Those companies and the individual
workers are to be commended for the
effort it takes to make this event a
reality.
I understand that Frank Noll and
Amanda Noll are responsible for a great
amount of the hard work that went into
this E-Fest. Everyone I spoke with
deeply appreciated their work.
I thank Carol Pesch for her kindness
and for making me and my lovely wife
Bonnie feel welcome at the event. I also
thank Bonnie for taking care of me all
weekend, making sure I ate and that I
was presentable for polite society (no
small task), and those kinds of things.
E-Fest was hosted by Great Planes,
24 MODEL AVIATION
06sig1.QXD 4/24/07 10:56 AM Page 24
ElectriFly, Futaba, Heli-Max, and Carl
Goldberg Products. Gold sponsors were
RCGroups.com, JR, Spektrum, Fly RC,
Model Airplane News, Backyard Flyer,
AMA, and MA. Silver sponsors were Hobby
Lobby, Castle Creations, and Himax. The
Bronze sponsor was ZAP. You are
encouraged to remember these companies
during your next visit to the hobby shop.
Probably the only thing that was amiss
and that we didn’t enjoy much was the
frigid weather. Luckily the snowstorm
struck the week before and the week after
the second weekend in February. Perhaps
that was more good planning by the event
administrators!
The University of Illinois Armory is a
perfect flying site. A long side and short
side were where people could be. The pit
areas included a space along the wall where
manufacturers could set up and show their
wares, a pedestrian walkway, and then two
rows of tables for modelers and
manufacturers.
There was room for everyone, but at
times the models were squeezed in with the
pilots. The long side across from the pit
area was the flying area.
The short side across from the pit side
had spectator stands, which were full
Saturday for the various manufacturer
demonstrations and for Racing, Combat,
airplane aerobatics, and the Helicopter
Smackdown. These activities were
enjoyable, and everyone seemed to get into
the spirit of the events.
As part of flier preparation the first day,
Frank Noll had a pilots’ meeting in which
he outlined the few/simple rules of flying.
Then he let the pilots loose to fly.
Announcer Bob Sadler kept things
interesting, informative, and entertaining
Saturday and Sunday, which is difficult
considering that a large part of the crowd
was RC pilots.
Day-Glo orange cones marked the pilot
stations, and there were buckets filled with
sand in case a Li-Poly battery decided to get
too hot. I remember seeing only one battery
in a bucket during the two days of the event.
Entry to the pilot stations was through
one “gate.” At times several fliers were
waiting in line to fly, but it seemed to be a
fair system to make sure everyone had the
opportunity to fly. It stopped some of the
more mischievous pilots from sneaking
through the tables to get extra flight time.
During the day selected times and flight
areas were set aside for 3-D airplanes,
slow/micro flyers, helicopters, jets, and
manufacturers’ demonstrations. A few types
of models, such as the slow/micro flyers,
did not have much allotted time, but not too
many were present. Some of those flew
during the standard indoor times and
seemed to enjoy good success.
Yes, there were model collisions; the
“Midair Gremlin” attacked all kinds of
aircraft, without regard to type or pilot. An
accident at the E-Fest is not fatal; with an
aptitude for puzzles, pilots were back
flying again in an hour or so. Even the
total wrecks didn’t involve much monetary
loss.
I enjoy the manufacturers’
demonstrations because they give me a
chance to see the latest modeling
equipment flown by good pilots. It is
entertaining and ends with Bonnie having
to go to extreme measures to hide my
credit cards.
Sunday the manufacturers gave up their
demonstrations to allow the registered
pilots to have more flight time. It was a
classy thing for them to do.
Several things from this E-Fest linger in
my memory:
• Jason Noll’s beautiful demonstration of
F3P aerobatic flight with his smooth, slowflying
Vrolet.
• The swarming Combat entries. (Note to
self: bring EPP-foam airplane with motor
in center.)
• Seeing the slowest airplane win a race by
being the only one left flying,
• The friendliness of the people.
• Seeing roughly 20 Blade CX2 helicopters
fly at once (the technology has matured).
• The in-the-dark Black-Out Nite Fly.
Experiencing the Black-Out Nite Fly
was a first for me. The building isn’t
totally black, with a capital “B,” but is
closer to dusk to keep us from tripping
over each other. You can see the outlines
of the airplanes in flight because they are
illuminated by onboard lights. Even a
model with just a few lights looks great
and can be flown safely.
The “night” air was full of all types of
lights; some were solid, some were
blinking, and some were strips. The
airplanes were beautiful, and there were
many more than I had expected.
After spending both days at the event
from 8 a.m. to closing, I was still not ready
for the E-Fest to be over. It is too much
fun to consider going home, but even good
things must end.
I took several thousand photos and had to
pick just a few to include in this article.
Some are of the Armory’s interior, some
are of interesting people or things, and
apparently I have never seen an airplane I
didn’t like. I look for models that get my
attention instantly. The pilot is secondary.
Using that approach normally results in
a good mix of airplane types and pilots.
When I come home from an event I think
about the overall visual impression that has
stuck in my memory and try to duplicate
that.
If you find yourself in the Midwest next
February and are wondering how to get
warm, don’t think about going to a beach
somewhere in the tropics; come to the EFest
instead! MA
Benny Lanterman
[email protected]
Wild Berry Productions
3609 S. Wadsworth, Ste. 255
Denver, CO 80235
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June 2007 25
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