The whole rental-car experience was
actually quite painless, and after
tidying up the return paperwork I
rushed for the door. In the middle of those
three or four steps, the rental clerk cheerfully
asked, “Were you happy with our service, and
was there anything else we could have done
differently?”
Stopped in my tracks, the world of quick
fixes, fast assembly, and rapid recharging
quickly flashed before my eyes. Having paid
my bill in full, here was someone who still
wanted to know if there was any way I could
have been made happier.
Off the top of my head, I was really just
thrilled to death that the family trip didn’t
include the usual famine, flood, and locust, yet
still the question itself was enormously
refreshing.
I really didn’t have any comments to share
at the time (still don’t), but my mood—holy
cow, my mood after being asked was
dramatically improved, all because someone
thought to ask me how things could be done
better.
True, my reply to the question posed
wasn’t the solution to world peace, but the
attention made me reflect on how important it
is to remind people how much they matter.
Modeling as a whole offers the opportunity to
do things well and to share the benefits. What
a great practice it is for so many other things,
huh?
Laddie Mikulasko joins us again with a
model he designed specifically for MA. The
project began exactly a year ago, with a phone
conversation during which he asked, “What
airplane can I design for you?” All of a sudden
I believed in Santa Claus again.
Nearly a dozen three-view drawings were
passed around between the staff and the AMA
Plans Department. We finally narrowed our
choices down to four and then suggested that
Laddie pick. Having choices is always
favored. My favorite bagel is the one with
everything.
His Der Jager is special in a number of
ways. The design of the model, to me, is a
reflection of everything that was ever
charming about biplanes. It has scalloped
trailing edges, curved tail surfaces, struts and
wires galore, and, of course, the open cockpit.
The model was debuted at the 2008 NEAT
Fair and even showed up on the SKS Video
Productions DVD. Pretty cool!
New name, same great taste, the AMA
occupied the convention center once again in
Ontario, California, this past January. The
event is now known as the “AMA Expo,” and
it welcomed modelers and hobbyists in District
X and abroad for delights of person, product,
and showmanship.
MA Assistant Editor Jay Smith brought us
back some stories, including all of the ones
about the promotional efforts the Academy is
making to welcome new people into this great
activity that you and I share. Looks like you
had fun, Jay, and I’m glad.
Editor Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
Remember the August 2008 issue, in
which we dedicated the entire feature space to
jets? This month we’re proud to bring you
more jet success as reported by Chris True,
who thinks his Bob Violett Models Electra Jet
is fantastic. Although the Electra is specially
engineered, the lines and size aren’t all that
much different from other BVM sport models.
Perhaps if you’ve got an old glow-powered
ducted-fan aircraft leaning in the closet,
today’s electric-ducted-fan power systems
would breathe new life into it. Have a look!
Incidentally, our RC jet columnist, Jim
Hiller, also had a chance to play with an
Electra Jet, owned by a friend of his. Even on
the minimal setup, Jim seemed impressed with
the performance.
Will electrics take over the popularity of
the turbine? Doubtfully. However, the
prospect does make the jet experience more
convenient and accessible. That’s right—no
waiver needed.
Hey, the 2009 Midwest Slope Challenge is
coming! Dave Garwood gave us excellent
coverage of the annual event that happened in
2008. I’m sure that the only thing that has
changed is that the grass might be longer.
Other than that, let his story tell the tale of
what you Slope Dawgs ought to be doing this
spring. His imagery is breathtaking, and the
impression I got from the experience was that
fathers and sons get a bang out of the activity
as well.
What club wouldn’t want a little more
green? Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be
more of these days: green? Well, the green I’m
talking about is what a club gets after a
successful event. Michael Brown has some
great ideas for making that happen. The smiles
that result are worth more than gold. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/04
Page Numbers: 6