90 MODEL AVIATION
Dave clarifies his position as safety columnist
Safety Comes First Dave Gee | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Near-disaster story
• Rubber winding issues and
stories
• Bill Hannan’s special Delta Dart
• Ni-Cds can have charging
issues too!
• Bad bearings can cause
interference
• More Randy Ryman tips
• Not all hazards are modeling
related
Hugo Yaccouci designed and built this unique torque meter for his
Indoor models. It can be read while the winder is turning!
Tom Bauer converted this gorgeous Dumas Hurricane kit to RC.
It has Li-Poly power and a handmade motor.
Simple FF models can teach new and
seasoned RC pilots about aerodynamics.
Bill Hannan built and photographed this
customized Delta Dart. He is an author
and longtime promoter of such models.
I LOVE READING E-mail messages and
letters from modelers. We seem to be an
upbeat bunch despite the fact that nearly
all of us seem to have some ghastly tale of
near disaster.
Winn Kausch of the New Orleans
Model Aviation Club was kind enough to
share an especially good story. He wrote.
“At the field one of our more
experienced fliers was starting his engine,
kneeling in front of the airplane with an
electric starter. When the motor is running
at about 1/4 throttle he finds he cannot slow
it down or speed it up. What’s wrong?
Aha! The switch on the airplane was not
turned on.
“To turn on the switch from his
position he reaches with his right hand to
the left side of the fuselage, with his arm
moving too close to the prop arc. One of
his flying buddies screams over the noise
of the motor ‘Watch the prop!’ and he
pulls back with only a scratch on his right
arm.
“Lucky him. This only shows why
every student is taught to make sure all
controls are working before starting the
engine.”
That is an excellent argument for not
flying alone! I am always grateful when a
buddy stops me from doing something
dumb or dangerous. The tiny bruise to my
ego heals much faster than the injury I
avoided would have.
Your stories, comments, and
suggestions are welcome. My E-mail
address is at the top of this page, but penand-
ink letters are a treat. Send ’em to me
at Box 7081, Van Nuys CA 91409.
I get occasional requests for my “official
AMA position” on an issue. A bit of
clarification may be in order.
I am not actually part of the AMA
leadership, nor do I serve on the AMA
Safety Committee. This column contains
my opinions and whatever I can pass along
from experts, which does not constitute
AMA policy in any way.
My views on any given matter are just
the thoughts of an AMA member—not the
final word from Muncie. Since I am not an
actual AMA muck-a-muck, I retain the
right of all members to gripe and claim
that I know all the answers. (Don’t we
all?) I do serve on the AMA Education
Committee, but even there I am a mere
lowly schlub newbie among the actual
We discussed the fact that modelairplane
rubber has occasional variations in
consistency despite the manufacturers’ best
efforts. The best grades are fairly
expensive, and Will said he tried not to
waste good rubber-motor material since it
didn’t exactly grow on trees. When I
mentioned that it actually does grow on
trees, he indicated that our discussion was
over.
Every rubber-power enthusiast has seen
motors break, and the savvy ones arrange
their winding rig so that no body parts can
get hit if a snap occurs. This is obvious with
big outdoor competition motors, but I have
been snagged by a tiny wire hook when a
relatively small Indoor motor let go. It
provides all the joy of a fishhook snag
without the barb, plus your friends get to
ask you if you need CPR or just a Band-
Aid.
I have long been a fan of famed author and
designer Bill Hannan. He enjoys simple,
fun models that provide maximum
enjoyment and education for minimum
effort and expense. Such airplanes can
teach us all a few things about flight, and
many RC pilots take pleasure in an
occasional FF model even though their
thumbs twitch nervously while it circles
overhead.
Bill sent me a shot of a Delta Dart he
made from the “invitation” to Carlo Godel’s
memorial fun-fly, printed as model
plans/covering sheet. More Delta Darts
have been built than any other design in
history, and it has been thousands of
people’s first model airplane. It is delightful
that this timeless Frank Ehling design was
used to draw modelers together to honor a
departed friend.
Many of Bill Hannan’s excellent
publications are available from his wife
Joan Hannan’s Runway Web site at
www.hrunway.com. You can look for the
out-of-print books at www.abebooks.com.
That great-looking Hurricane is the work
of Tom Bauer, who built the CD-ROM
motor. I love stick-and-tissue scale models,
but this has nothing to do with Tom’s Email.
He mainly wanted me to remind
everyone that in the excitement about Li-
Poly charging hazards, we might forget that
old-fashioned Ni-Cds also react poorly to
overcharging. My own past foolishness has
led to ruined batteries and damaged models,
so I’m passing along his warning not to
become complacent when using Ni-Cds.
Last month’s column featured a warning
from Ray Hansen about runaway heat guns.
His E-mail contained a second topic, which
follows.
“Let me tell you about my O.S. FS-40
engine. I have had the engine for several
years. The last time I flew it I had been
flying for about the time of a full tank of
fuel and brought it in to refuel and check
my battery packs.
“When everything seemed to check out
I taxied out for the takeoff. As soon as I
advanced the throttle the airplane took off
and headed away from the field toward a
road, not responding to any of my
transmitter input.
“Thanks to the powers that be, it
crashed and did no damage to anything
other than the airplane. While rebuilding
the airplane and running the engine on my
test stand, I realized the bearings were bad
and did the bearing overhaul job on the
engine. When I removed the bearings from
the engine there was so much wear it was a
wonder they held together!
“I had never thought about checking the
crankshaft for any play or grinding
indicating the bearings were worn, but
from now on I will. There must have been
a lot of metal-to-metal clatter going on
during that last flight.
“Later on I learned that one of the
conditions that will lead to radio reception
interference is bad bearings. I checked out
the radio and the receiver in a second
airplane with no problem. The AMA
always prints articles about safety in flying
our models, and I do not want this to
happen again where it could cause injury
to someone or damage to something.”
How many of us were unaware that this
situation could develop? Thanks to Ray for
putting the word out.
Randy Ryman gets a kick out of seeing
his name in MA. He edits The Flying Times
(newsletter of the Valley RC Flying club),
and he put me on his E-mail subscription
list in a blatant attempt to curry favor. His
plan is working because here are some
more of his handy tips.
“I’ve learned: that the cost of almost
any crashed airplane is generally much
more than the cost of a good piece of test
equipment that may have prevented the
crash in the first place.
“I’ve learned: that buying an expensive
piece of test equipment with all the bells
and whistles is absolutely useless—if you
don’t know how to use it properly, or
know how to interpret what it’s telling
you.
“I’ve learned: that thousand-dollar
transmitters and hundred-dollar digital
servos will not make you a better pilot.
You cannot spend your way to proficiency.
The best way to proficiency is practice,
practice, practice!”
If your club’s newsletter has a digital
version and you don’t mind being
plagiarized by lazy columnists, please
follow Randy’s lead and send me a copy.
Then brace yourself for the paparazzi and
autograph hounds who may arrive.
With apologies to Norm Furutani,
following is part of an Internet posting of his
that tickled my funny bone. Taft is a
California FF site that is famous for frequent
small tornadoes and miles of open land.
“... Once in Taft I came upon a Honda,
motor running, no one in sight. Thinking
someone was hurt, I drove around the area
looking.
“About a half hour later, I could see a
guy off in the distance, with an airplane,
walking in big circles. I went over and, sure
enough, he had lost his bike! I don’t tell these
stories to non-fliers; they think I’m crazy!”
I know Norm, and he really isn’t crazy—
just a little eccentric.
The point of the story is that many
hazards we might face have little to do with
our models. Just being out at the field is
reason enough to keep our eyes open, and
working with motorbikes, lawn mowers, or
trailers calls for a bit of care.
Don’t spread it around, but a fiendishly
simple folding chair once got the best of
me, and I still bear the scar. Of course,
nowadays when I tell the story I mention
escaped lions and swordplay since
admitting that I was vanquished by lawn
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/07
Page Numbers: 90,92,94
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/07
Page Numbers: 90,92,94
90 MODEL AVIATION
Dave clarifies his position as safety columnist
Safety Comes First Dave Gee | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Near-disaster story
• Rubber winding issues and
stories
• Bill Hannan’s special Delta Dart
• Ni-Cds can have charging
issues too!
• Bad bearings can cause
interference
• More Randy Ryman tips
• Not all hazards are modeling
related
Hugo Yaccouci designed and built this unique torque meter for his
Indoor models. It can be read while the winder is turning!
Tom Bauer converted this gorgeous Dumas Hurricane kit to RC.
It has Li-Poly power and a handmade motor.
Simple FF models can teach new and
seasoned RC pilots about aerodynamics.
Bill Hannan built and photographed this
customized Delta Dart. He is an author
and longtime promoter of such models.
I LOVE READING E-mail messages and
letters from modelers. We seem to be an
upbeat bunch despite the fact that nearly
all of us seem to have some ghastly tale of
near disaster.
Winn Kausch of the New Orleans
Model Aviation Club was kind enough to
share an especially good story. He wrote.
“At the field one of our more
experienced fliers was starting his engine,
kneeling in front of the airplane with an
electric starter. When the motor is running
at about 1/4 throttle he finds he cannot slow
it down or speed it up. What’s wrong?
Aha! The switch on the airplane was not
turned on.
“To turn on the switch from his
position he reaches with his right hand to
the left side of the fuselage, with his arm
moving too close to the prop arc. One of
his flying buddies screams over the noise
of the motor ‘Watch the prop!’ and he
pulls back with only a scratch on his right
arm.
“Lucky him. This only shows why
every student is taught to make sure all
controls are working before starting the
engine.”
That is an excellent argument for not
flying alone! I am always grateful when a
buddy stops me from doing something
dumb or dangerous. The tiny bruise to my
ego heals much faster than the injury I
avoided would have.
Your stories, comments, and
suggestions are welcome. My E-mail
address is at the top of this page, but penand-
ink letters are a treat. Send ’em to me
at Box 7081, Van Nuys CA 91409.
I get occasional requests for my “official
AMA position” on an issue. A bit of
clarification may be in order.
I am not actually part of the AMA
leadership, nor do I serve on the AMA
Safety Committee. This column contains
my opinions and whatever I can pass along
from experts, which does not constitute
AMA policy in any way.
My views on any given matter are just
the thoughts of an AMA member—not the
final word from Muncie. Since I am not an
actual AMA muck-a-muck, I retain the
right of all members to gripe and claim
that I know all the answers. (Don’t we
all?) I do serve on the AMA Education
Committee, but even there I am a mere
lowly schlub newbie among the actual
We discussed the fact that modelairplane
rubber has occasional variations in
consistency despite the manufacturers’ best
efforts. The best grades are fairly
expensive, and Will said he tried not to
waste good rubber-motor material since it
didn’t exactly grow on trees. When I
mentioned that it actually does grow on
trees, he indicated that our discussion was
over.
Every rubber-power enthusiast has seen
motors break, and the savvy ones arrange
their winding rig so that no body parts can
get hit if a snap occurs. This is obvious with
big outdoor competition motors, but I have
been snagged by a tiny wire hook when a
relatively small Indoor motor let go. It
provides all the joy of a fishhook snag
without the barb, plus your friends get to
ask you if you need CPR or just a Band-
Aid.
I have long been a fan of famed author and
designer Bill Hannan. He enjoys simple,
fun models that provide maximum
enjoyment and education for minimum
effort and expense. Such airplanes can
teach us all a few things about flight, and
many RC pilots take pleasure in an
occasional FF model even though their
thumbs twitch nervously while it circles
overhead.
Bill sent me a shot of a Delta Dart he
made from the “invitation” to Carlo Godel’s
memorial fun-fly, printed as model
plans/covering sheet. More Delta Darts
have been built than any other design in
history, and it has been thousands of
people’s first model airplane. It is delightful
that this timeless Frank Ehling design was
used to draw modelers together to honor a
departed friend.
Many of Bill Hannan’s excellent
publications are available from his wife
Joan Hannan’s Runway Web site at
www.hrunway.com. You can look for the
out-of-print books at www.abebooks.com.
That great-looking Hurricane is the work
of Tom Bauer, who built the CD-ROM
motor. I love stick-and-tissue scale models,
but this has nothing to do with Tom’s Email.
He mainly wanted me to remind
everyone that in the excitement about Li-
Poly charging hazards, we might forget that
old-fashioned Ni-Cds also react poorly to
overcharging. My own past foolishness has
led to ruined batteries and damaged models,
so I’m passing along his warning not to
become complacent when using Ni-Cds.
Last month’s column featured a warning
from Ray Hansen about runaway heat guns.
His E-mail contained a second topic, which
follows.
“Let me tell you about my O.S. FS-40
engine. I have had the engine for several
years. The last time I flew it I had been
flying for about the time of a full tank of
fuel and brought it in to refuel and check
my battery packs.
“When everything seemed to check out
I taxied out for the takeoff. As soon as I
advanced the throttle the airplane took off
and headed away from the field toward a
road, not responding to any of my
transmitter input.
“Thanks to the powers that be, it
crashed and did no damage to anything
other than the airplane. While rebuilding
the airplane and running the engine on my
test stand, I realized the bearings were bad
and did the bearing overhaul job on the
engine. When I removed the bearings from
the engine there was so much wear it was a
wonder they held together!
“I had never thought about checking the
crankshaft for any play or grinding
indicating the bearings were worn, but
from now on I will. There must have been
a lot of metal-to-metal clatter going on
during that last flight.
“Later on I learned that one of the
conditions that will lead to radio reception
interference is bad bearings. I checked out
the radio and the receiver in a second
airplane with no problem. The AMA
always prints articles about safety in flying
our models, and I do not want this to
happen again where it could cause injury
to someone or damage to something.”
How many of us were unaware that this
situation could develop? Thanks to Ray for
putting the word out.
Randy Ryman gets a kick out of seeing
his name in MA. He edits The Flying Times
(newsletter of the Valley RC Flying club),
and he put me on his E-mail subscription
list in a blatant attempt to curry favor. His
plan is working because here are some
more of his handy tips.
“I’ve learned: that the cost of almost
any crashed airplane is generally much
more than the cost of a good piece of test
equipment that may have prevented the
crash in the first place.
“I’ve learned: that buying an expensive
piece of test equipment with all the bells
and whistles is absolutely useless—if you
don’t know how to use it properly, or
know how to interpret what it’s telling
you.
“I’ve learned: that thousand-dollar
transmitters and hundred-dollar digital
servos will not make you a better pilot.
You cannot spend your way to proficiency.
The best way to proficiency is practice,
practice, practice!”
If your club’s newsletter has a digital
version and you don’t mind being
plagiarized by lazy columnists, please
follow Randy’s lead and send me a copy.
Then brace yourself for the paparazzi and
autograph hounds who may arrive.
With apologies to Norm Furutani,
following is part of an Internet posting of his
that tickled my funny bone. Taft is a
California FF site that is famous for frequent
small tornadoes and miles of open land.
“... Once in Taft I came upon a Honda,
motor running, no one in sight. Thinking
someone was hurt, I drove around the area
looking.
“About a half hour later, I could see a
guy off in the distance, with an airplane,
walking in big circles. I went over and, sure
enough, he had lost his bike! I don’t tell these
stories to non-fliers; they think I’m crazy!”
I know Norm, and he really isn’t crazy—
just a little eccentric.
The point of the story is that many
hazards we might face have little to do with
our models. Just being out at the field is
reason enough to keep our eyes open, and
working with motorbikes, lawn mowers, or
trailers calls for a bit of care.
Don’t spread it around, but a fiendishly
simple folding chair once got the best of
me, and I still bear the scar. Of course,
nowadays when I tell the story I mention
escaped lions and swordplay since
admitting that I was vanquished by lawn
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/07
Page Numbers: 90,92,94
90 MODEL AVIATION
Dave clarifies his position as safety columnist
Safety Comes First Dave Gee | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• Near-disaster story
• Rubber winding issues and
stories
• Bill Hannan’s special Delta Dart
• Ni-Cds can have charging
issues too!
• Bad bearings can cause
interference
• More Randy Ryman tips
• Not all hazards are modeling
related
Hugo Yaccouci designed and built this unique torque meter for his
Indoor models. It can be read while the winder is turning!
Tom Bauer converted this gorgeous Dumas Hurricane kit to RC.
It has Li-Poly power and a handmade motor.
Simple FF models can teach new and
seasoned RC pilots about aerodynamics.
Bill Hannan built and photographed this
customized Delta Dart. He is an author
and longtime promoter of such models.
I LOVE READING E-mail messages and
letters from modelers. We seem to be an
upbeat bunch despite the fact that nearly
all of us seem to have some ghastly tale of
near disaster.
Winn Kausch of the New Orleans
Model Aviation Club was kind enough to
share an especially good story. He wrote.
“At the field one of our more
experienced fliers was starting his engine,
kneeling in front of the airplane with an
electric starter. When the motor is running
at about 1/4 throttle he finds he cannot slow
it down or speed it up. What’s wrong?
Aha! The switch on the airplane was not
turned on.
“To turn on the switch from his
position he reaches with his right hand to
the left side of the fuselage, with his arm
moving too close to the prop arc. One of
his flying buddies screams over the noise
of the motor ‘Watch the prop!’ and he
pulls back with only a scratch on his right
arm.
“Lucky him. This only shows why
every student is taught to make sure all
controls are working before starting the
engine.”
That is an excellent argument for not
flying alone! I am always grateful when a
buddy stops me from doing something
dumb or dangerous. The tiny bruise to my
ego heals much faster than the injury I
avoided would have.
Your stories, comments, and
suggestions are welcome. My E-mail
address is at the top of this page, but penand-
ink letters are a treat. Send ’em to me
at Box 7081, Van Nuys CA 91409.
I get occasional requests for my “official
AMA position” on an issue. A bit of
clarification may be in order.
I am not actually part of the AMA
leadership, nor do I serve on the AMA
Safety Committee. This column contains
my opinions and whatever I can pass along
from experts, which does not constitute
AMA policy in any way.
My views on any given matter are just
the thoughts of an AMA member—not the
final word from Muncie. Since I am not an
actual AMA muck-a-muck, I retain the
right of all members to gripe and claim
that I know all the answers. (Don’t we
all?) I do serve on the AMA Education
Committee, but even there I am a mere
lowly schlub newbie among the actual
We discussed the fact that modelairplane
rubber has occasional variations in
consistency despite the manufacturers’ best
efforts. The best grades are fairly
expensive, and Will said he tried not to
waste good rubber-motor material since it
didn’t exactly grow on trees. When I
mentioned that it actually does grow on
trees, he indicated that our discussion was
over.
Every rubber-power enthusiast has seen
motors break, and the savvy ones arrange
their winding rig so that no body parts can
get hit if a snap occurs. This is obvious with
big outdoor competition motors, but I have
been snagged by a tiny wire hook when a
relatively small Indoor motor let go. It
provides all the joy of a fishhook snag
without the barb, plus your friends get to
ask you if you need CPR or just a Band-
Aid.
I have long been a fan of famed author and
designer Bill Hannan. He enjoys simple,
fun models that provide maximum
enjoyment and education for minimum
effort and expense. Such airplanes can
teach us all a few things about flight, and
many RC pilots take pleasure in an
occasional FF model even though their
thumbs twitch nervously while it circles
overhead.
Bill sent me a shot of a Delta Dart he
made from the “invitation” to Carlo Godel’s
memorial fun-fly, printed as model
plans/covering sheet. More Delta Darts
have been built than any other design in
history, and it has been thousands of
people’s first model airplane. It is delightful
that this timeless Frank Ehling design was
used to draw modelers together to honor a
departed friend.
Many of Bill Hannan’s excellent
publications are available from his wife
Joan Hannan’s Runway Web site at
www.hrunway.com. You can look for the
out-of-print books at www.abebooks.com.
That great-looking Hurricane is the work
of Tom Bauer, who built the CD-ROM
motor. I love stick-and-tissue scale models,
but this has nothing to do with Tom’s Email.
He mainly wanted me to remind
everyone that in the excitement about Li-
Poly charging hazards, we might forget that
old-fashioned Ni-Cds also react poorly to
overcharging. My own past foolishness has
led to ruined batteries and damaged models,
so I’m passing along his warning not to
become complacent when using Ni-Cds.
Last month’s column featured a warning
from Ray Hansen about runaway heat guns.
His E-mail contained a second topic, which
follows.
“Let me tell you about my O.S. FS-40
engine. I have had the engine for several
years. The last time I flew it I had been
flying for about the time of a full tank of
fuel and brought it in to refuel and check
my battery packs.
“When everything seemed to check out
I taxied out for the takeoff. As soon as I
advanced the throttle the airplane took off
and headed away from the field toward a
road, not responding to any of my
transmitter input.
“Thanks to the powers that be, it
crashed and did no damage to anything
other than the airplane. While rebuilding
the airplane and running the engine on my
test stand, I realized the bearings were bad
and did the bearing overhaul job on the
engine. When I removed the bearings from
the engine there was so much wear it was a
wonder they held together!
“I had never thought about checking the
crankshaft for any play or grinding
indicating the bearings were worn, but
from now on I will. There must have been
a lot of metal-to-metal clatter going on
during that last flight.
“Later on I learned that one of the
conditions that will lead to radio reception
interference is bad bearings. I checked out
the radio and the receiver in a second
airplane with no problem. The AMA
always prints articles about safety in flying
our models, and I do not want this to
happen again where it could cause injury
to someone or damage to something.”
How many of us were unaware that this
situation could develop? Thanks to Ray for
putting the word out.
Randy Ryman gets a kick out of seeing
his name in MA. He edits The Flying Times
(newsletter of the Valley RC Flying club),
and he put me on his E-mail subscription
list in a blatant attempt to curry favor. His
plan is working because here are some
more of his handy tips.
“I’ve learned: that the cost of almost
any crashed airplane is generally much
more than the cost of a good piece of test
equipment that may have prevented the
crash in the first place.
“I’ve learned: that buying an expensive
piece of test equipment with all the bells
and whistles is absolutely useless—if you
don’t know how to use it properly, or
know how to interpret what it’s telling
you.
“I’ve learned: that thousand-dollar
transmitters and hundred-dollar digital
servos will not make you a better pilot.
You cannot spend your way to proficiency.
The best way to proficiency is practice,
practice, practice!”
If your club’s newsletter has a digital
version and you don’t mind being
plagiarized by lazy columnists, please
follow Randy’s lead and send me a copy.
Then brace yourself for the paparazzi and
autograph hounds who may arrive.
With apologies to Norm Furutani,
following is part of an Internet posting of his
that tickled my funny bone. Taft is a
California FF site that is famous for frequent
small tornadoes and miles of open land.
“... Once in Taft I came upon a Honda,
motor running, no one in sight. Thinking
someone was hurt, I drove around the area
looking.
“About a half hour later, I could see a
guy off in the distance, with an airplane,
walking in big circles. I went over and, sure
enough, he had lost his bike! I don’t tell these
stories to non-fliers; they think I’m crazy!”
I know Norm, and he really isn’t crazy—
just a little eccentric.
The point of the story is that many
hazards we might face have little to do with
our models. Just being out at the field is
reason enough to keep our eyes open, and
working with motorbikes, lawn mowers, or
trailers calls for a bit of care.
Don’t spread it around, but a fiendishly
simple folding chair once got the best of
me, and I still bear the scar. Of course,
nowadays when I tell the story I mention
escaped lions and swordplay since
admitting that I was vanquished by lawn