An airplane’s balance point is likely
the most crucial part of any model.
Designers who draw plans
pinpoint it, manufacturers that produce kits
explain the range, and factories that build
ARFs give us the exact measurement. After
all, if it’s to fly, that very point needs to be
perfect if complete fulfillment of the effort is
to be realized.
During a scratch-, or plans-built project,
part of the fun is getting into equipment
selection and placement. My goal is that
when the model is finally assembled, the
airplane sits on the CG and requires no
ballast.
The passion of aeromodeling can be
intense; it should be if we respect our
creations’ capabilities. That one point, the
center of gravity, influences everything and,
justifiably, we cling to the harmony it creates.
Focus on the CG, get it right, and the rest will
follow suit.
As in Goldilocks and the Three Bears,
we’re looking for the fit that’s just right. It’s a
chase, and working through the course
satisfies our passion.
As soon as the wheels leave the runway, a
pilot can tell whether or not the moments to
follow will be great joy or sheer terror. I like
the joy element, but not every project has
worked out so flawlessly.
Regardless, that’s the pursuit, and I go for
it with every project. Along the way, the
differences discovered between one model
and the next are appreciated and add abilities
that will benefit the project that follows.
The trouble is, to achieve the center of
gravity, we sometimes sacrifice other things;
we compromise. Exchange a large engine for
a lighter one (maybe give up some power),
move the servos around the fuselage (cut
more holes and make some dust)—that sort
of thing. When I’m passionate about a
project, I sometimes let all other daily stuff
fall off the to-do list.
Driving through neighborhoods,
sometimes you can tell where the modeler
lives; it’s the house with the tall grass in the
yard. I’ll stay up late some nights, skip a few
dinners, and chase the garbage truck down
the street because I’ve forgotten to take the
trash out—all supposedly for the good of the
model that needs to be completed for an
important occasion. When compromises
occur, consider the consequences—like the
sight of my running down the street in
slippers after the garbage truck.
The reality is that family, friends, and a
career are what we juggle so that we maintain
the correct center of gravity that includes a
hobby/sport. After I work long hours on a
project, I look forward to the time I’ll give
back to the people in my life. As with the
model project, when we maintain good
balance, the benefits affect all things.
Life lessons and modeling lessons go
hand in hand. So now my modeling skills
Editor Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
will be applied to my home-improvement
skills—by painting the upstairs hallway. But
afterward, we’ll go out and watch our son’s
soccer team kick some butt. Go Titans!
Team building is an exercise that
members of aeromodeling clubs do without
even knowing. Like minds create a harmony
that attracts others and, sooner than later, a
great family results. Eric Henderson’s article
about team flying is as much about
developing relationships as it is about
communication and proficiency, otherwise
known as teamwork.
At a full-scale air show, the audience is
captivated by aircraft that are in close
proximity to each other. I don’t know if it’s
the drama in the possibility of sudden contact
or the awe of human talent and machine
ability.
Many of us have seen the Blue Angels and
Thunderbirds perform. After the show, the
crowd moves on with a profound respect for
the teams—a marketing tool if there ever was
one.
Team flying is an example of how club
members can get together and be successful.
And they do it with something they’re already
having fun with: a model airplane. The
entertainment value is virtually limitless, both
in the successes and the failures. Lucky for
us, the pilots are safe on the ground.
Eric’s article is good at describing how to
start small and work your way up. I like the
idea of beginning with foam models, since
accidents with those would less likely
puncture the wallet.
When the effort comes together, the team
has the ability to display, in an appreciable
form, what it is to be a member of an
aeromodeling group. It’s something special,
that’s certain. MA
The Inside Loop
Published by The Academy of Model Aeronautics
Rob Kurek
Director of Publications
Editorial offices: (765) 287-1256, extension
224 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays); Fax: (765)
281-7907
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Dave Mathewson
President
Mark Smith
Executive Vice President
Staff
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Model Aviation is an official publication of The Academy
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… the benefits affect all things.
6 MODEL AVIATION
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