Scott uses his shop/office to
build and package aircraft.
70 Model Aviation May 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
Jay Smith
[email protected]
Model Aero
ABOUT US
“We want to provide
unique products that
people are going to
have success with.”
If the name Model Aero doesn’t ring a
bell with you, the name Polaris should
if you enjoy float flying. The Polaris is
based on the North Star design by Laddie
Mikulasko and was adapted to an electricpowered
foam model by Steve Shumate.
It is Model Aero’s most popular offering
and you would be hard-pressed to attend
a float flying event and not see at least one
Polaris taking to the sky.
The man behind Model Aero is Scott
DeTray, a lifelong modeler who again
became excited about flying model
aircraft thanks to advancements in
electric-powered models.
Scott inherited his interest in
aviation from his father, a Corsair
pilot during World War II, and
his brother who was heavily into
model rocketry. Scott began flying
a Galloping Ghost radio-control
system when he was 10 and
progressed through the hobby as
technology improved. Although his primary
interest was model airplanes, Scott also
dabbled in RC cars, boats, and rockets with
his brother.
When life’s other priorities beckoned,
modeling took a back burner until roughly
10 years ago, when Scott purchased a GWS
Tiger Moth and found that modern electric
power was everything he had hoped it
would be when he was a kid starting out in
RC.
After dabbling in electrics for a couple
of years, Scott tried his hand at designing a
pusher jet that was loosely based on the Bob
Violett Models KingCat. Scott’s AeroCat
was popular with his fellow club members,
who convinced him to kit it. After some
prodding, Scott began producing kits. He
chose Depron for construction because
it is easy to work with, sands well, and is
waterproof. Graphics were printed directly
on the foam.
Scott created a website to let the world
know about his exciting offering. The URL,
www.modelaero.com, was available, and
Model Aero was born!
According to Scott, the AeroCat was the
only production foam pusher jet that he was
aware of at the time. It was capable of 70
mph flight speeds and had unlimited vertical
climb, but could also fly slowly enough to
operate in an indoor venue.
Scott attended the first E-Fest indoor
event in Champaign, Illinois, to find out
if his AeroCat would receive the same
level of interest at an event that it had
received online. He not only sold every kit
he brought, but he caught the attention
of RealFlight. The simulator manufacturer
asked permission to include Scott’s model in
the RealFlight Expansion Pack 2.
The following year, Scott attended the
Toledo Expo to promote Model Aero’s next
aircraft and increase the company’s exposure
with modelers. Sales increased, as did Model
Aero’s number of offerings.
In 2008, Model Aero launched the Polaris.
Although Scott knew he had a winner—as
he did with the AeroCat. The number of
sales and the feedback he received on the
model was humbling—so humbling that
he made it a point during our conversation
to give credit to Laddie and Steve, whose
design skills and contributions made the
Polaris a reality.
www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 71
Win merchandise from
MA and Model Aero! For an opportunity to win the
Model Aero Polaris XL, submit
your answer to the following
question: How many different sizes of
the Polaris are available from Model
Aero? (You can find the answer on the
company’s website.)
To submit your entry via email, send
your answer, full name, postal address,
and telephone number to MA Editor
Jay Smith. Please put “About Us” in the
subject line. To enter via postal mail,
send the preceding information to MA
at AMA, to Jay Smith’s attention.
Entries will be accepted through
May 31, 2012. The winner will be
selected on or before June 4. One
entry per person is allowed. Those
that are lost, late, misdirected, garbled,
or incomplete for any reason will be
ineligible.
This contest is open to legal residents
of the 50 states, District of Columbia,
and US military members with APO/
FPO addresses. AMA employees are not
eligible to win.
The winner will be selected in a
random drawing, from among all eligible
entries with the correct answer, by an
Academy employee or employees. The
winner will be notified by telephone
or email. His or her name and state of
residence will be published in a future
issue of MA and posted on the AMA
website.
sources
AMA
5161 E. Memorial Dr.
Muncie IN 47302
(765) 287-1256
www.modelaircraft.org
The Polaris is the best-selling aircraft
in the Model Aero lineup and it is now
available in other sizes to satisfy the
large number of customer requests.
Increased sales allowed Scott to invest
in a laser cutter for Model Aero, which
improved quality. Now the company can
implement changes immediately during
production and can even make necessary
modifications after release.
Scott feels that nothing is more
important than ensuring that Model
Aero’s aircraft fly well and the customer
has a successful experience. The
company provides a recommended setup
that includes a motor, speed controller,
and battery that have been tested with
the model, ensuring success.
Scott shared his commitment to
quality products and customer service:
“The most important thing is to
provide very high-quality products. We
want to provide unique products that
people are going to have success with.
We have built the business on providing
excellent support and building the
customer relationship. We want longterm
customers.”
Scott plans to continue expanding
Model Aero’s product line without
sacrificing customer service. He shared
with me the company’s plans.
“We want to continue to grow while
still maintaining the service aspect of it.
We will continue to offer a couple of
inventive and interesting products each
year. With the popularity of the Polaris
and the AquaCat, we have seen that
multisurface vehicles are the niche we
wanted to stay in.”
Multisurface vehicles are models that
can run on land or water. Model Aero’s
newest release, the Drifter, is an airboat
designed to be at home on grass, water,
or snow.
Scott is excited about electricpowered
models and credits them for
bringing him back to flying. He said,
Scott DeTray (L) and Laddie
Mikulasko exhibit the
Polaris at the Toledo Expo.
“I am most excited about the virtually
unlimited possibility you have with
aircraft design. Thanks to advancements
in technology, you are only limited
by your imagination on what you can
design.”
I reviewed the Model Aero Cessna
310 and my experience with the
company was positive. The aircraft
brought together a nice-looking, twinengine
model with the simplicity and
indoor flying capability I was looking for.
If you are interested in multisurface
models, made in the US by a passionate
electric-power convert, take a look at
Model Aero and its ever-growing lineup
of Depron aircraft.
Sources :
Model Aero
(419) 966-2230
www.modelaero.com
Jay Smith
5161 E. Memorial Dr.
Muncie IN 47302
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/05
Page Numbers: 70,71,72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/05
Page Numbers: 70,71,72
Scott uses his shop/office to
build and package aircraft.
70 Model Aviation May 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
Jay Smith
[email protected]
Model Aero
ABOUT US
“We want to provide
unique products that
people are going to
have success with.”
If the name Model Aero doesn’t ring a
bell with you, the name Polaris should
if you enjoy float flying. The Polaris is
based on the North Star design by Laddie
Mikulasko and was adapted to an electricpowered
foam model by Steve Shumate.
It is Model Aero’s most popular offering
and you would be hard-pressed to attend
a float flying event and not see at least one
Polaris taking to the sky.
The man behind Model Aero is Scott
DeTray, a lifelong modeler who again
became excited about flying model
aircraft thanks to advancements in
electric-powered models.
Scott inherited his interest in
aviation from his father, a Corsair
pilot during World War II, and
his brother who was heavily into
model rocketry. Scott began flying
a Galloping Ghost radio-control
system when he was 10 and
progressed through the hobby as
technology improved. Although his primary
interest was model airplanes, Scott also
dabbled in RC cars, boats, and rockets with
his brother.
When life’s other priorities beckoned,
modeling took a back burner until roughly
10 years ago, when Scott purchased a GWS
Tiger Moth and found that modern electric
power was everything he had hoped it
would be when he was a kid starting out in
RC.
After dabbling in electrics for a couple
of years, Scott tried his hand at designing a
pusher jet that was loosely based on the Bob
Violett Models KingCat. Scott’s AeroCat
was popular with his fellow club members,
who convinced him to kit it. After some
prodding, Scott began producing kits. He
chose Depron for construction because
it is easy to work with, sands well, and is
waterproof. Graphics were printed directly
on the foam.
Scott created a website to let the world
know about his exciting offering. The URL,
www.modelaero.com, was available, and
Model Aero was born!
According to Scott, the AeroCat was the
only production foam pusher jet that he was
aware of at the time. It was capable of 70
mph flight speeds and had unlimited vertical
climb, but could also fly slowly enough to
operate in an indoor venue.
Scott attended the first E-Fest indoor
event in Champaign, Illinois, to find out
if his AeroCat would receive the same
level of interest at an event that it had
received online. He not only sold every kit
he brought, but he caught the attention
of RealFlight. The simulator manufacturer
asked permission to include Scott’s model in
the RealFlight Expansion Pack 2.
The following year, Scott attended the
Toledo Expo to promote Model Aero’s next
aircraft and increase the company’s exposure
with modelers. Sales increased, as did Model
Aero’s number of offerings.
In 2008, Model Aero launched the Polaris.
Although Scott knew he had a winner—as
he did with the AeroCat. The number of
sales and the feedback he received on the
model was humbling—so humbling that
he made it a point during our conversation
to give credit to Laddie and Steve, whose
design skills and contributions made the
Polaris a reality.
www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 71
Win merchandise from
MA and Model Aero! For an opportunity to win the
Model Aero Polaris XL, submit
your answer to the following
question: How many different sizes of
the Polaris are available from Model
Aero? (You can find the answer on the
company’s website.)
To submit your entry via email, send
your answer, full name, postal address,
and telephone number to MA Editor
Jay Smith. Please put “About Us” in the
subject line. To enter via postal mail,
send the preceding information to MA
at AMA, to Jay Smith’s attention.
Entries will be accepted through
May 31, 2012. The winner will be
selected on or before June 4. One
entry per person is allowed. Those
that are lost, late, misdirected, garbled,
or incomplete for any reason will be
ineligible.
This contest is open to legal residents
of the 50 states, District of Columbia,
and US military members with APO/
FPO addresses. AMA employees are not
eligible to win.
The winner will be selected in a
random drawing, from among all eligible
entries with the correct answer, by an
Academy employee or employees. The
winner will be notified by telephone
or email. His or her name and state of
residence will be published in a future
issue of MA and posted on the AMA
website.
sources
AMA
5161 E. Memorial Dr.
Muncie IN 47302
(765) 287-1256
www.modelaircraft.org
The Polaris is the best-selling aircraft
in the Model Aero lineup and it is now
available in other sizes to satisfy the
large number of customer requests.
Increased sales allowed Scott to invest
in a laser cutter for Model Aero, which
improved quality. Now the company can
implement changes immediately during
production and can even make necessary
modifications after release.
Scott feels that nothing is more
important than ensuring that Model
Aero’s aircraft fly well and the customer
has a successful experience. The
company provides a recommended setup
that includes a motor, speed controller,
and battery that have been tested with
the model, ensuring success.
Scott shared his commitment to
quality products and customer service:
“The most important thing is to
provide very high-quality products. We
want to provide unique products that
people are going to have success with.
We have built the business on providing
excellent support and building the
customer relationship. We want longterm
customers.”
Scott plans to continue expanding
Model Aero’s product line without
sacrificing customer service. He shared
with me the company’s plans.
“We want to continue to grow while
still maintaining the service aspect of it.
We will continue to offer a couple of
inventive and interesting products each
year. With the popularity of the Polaris
and the AquaCat, we have seen that
multisurface vehicles are the niche we
wanted to stay in.”
Multisurface vehicles are models that
can run on land or water. Model Aero’s
newest release, the Drifter, is an airboat
designed to be at home on grass, water,
or snow.
Scott is excited about electricpowered
models and credits them for
bringing him back to flying. He said,
Scott DeTray (L) and Laddie
Mikulasko exhibit the
Polaris at the Toledo Expo.
“I am most excited about the virtually
unlimited possibility you have with
aircraft design. Thanks to advancements
in technology, you are only limited
by your imagination on what you can
design.”
I reviewed the Model Aero Cessna
310 and my experience with the
company was positive. The aircraft
brought together a nice-looking, twinengine
model with the simplicity and
indoor flying capability I was looking for.
If you are interested in multisurface
models, made in the US by a passionate
electric-power convert, take a look at
Model Aero and its ever-growing lineup
of Depron aircraft.
Sources :
Model Aero
(419) 966-2230
www.modelaero.com
Jay Smith
5161 E. Memorial Dr.
Muncie IN 47302
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/05
Page Numbers: 70,71,72
Scott uses his shop/office to
build and package aircraft.
70 Model Aviation May 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
Jay Smith
[email protected]
Model Aero
ABOUT US
“We want to provide
unique products that
people are going to
have success with.”
If the name Model Aero doesn’t ring a
bell with you, the name Polaris should
if you enjoy float flying. The Polaris is
based on the North Star design by Laddie
Mikulasko and was adapted to an electricpowered
foam model by Steve Shumate.
It is Model Aero’s most popular offering
and you would be hard-pressed to attend
a float flying event and not see at least one
Polaris taking to the sky.
The man behind Model Aero is Scott
DeTray, a lifelong modeler who again
became excited about flying model
aircraft thanks to advancements in
electric-powered models.
Scott inherited his interest in
aviation from his father, a Corsair
pilot during World War II, and
his brother who was heavily into
model rocketry. Scott began flying
a Galloping Ghost radio-control
system when he was 10 and
progressed through the hobby as
technology improved. Although his primary
interest was model airplanes, Scott also
dabbled in RC cars, boats, and rockets with
his brother.
When life’s other priorities beckoned,
modeling took a back burner until roughly
10 years ago, when Scott purchased a GWS
Tiger Moth and found that modern electric
power was everything he had hoped it
would be when he was a kid starting out in
RC.
After dabbling in electrics for a couple
of years, Scott tried his hand at designing a
pusher jet that was loosely based on the Bob
Violett Models KingCat. Scott’s AeroCat
was popular with his fellow club members,
who convinced him to kit it. After some
prodding, Scott began producing kits. He
chose Depron for construction because
it is easy to work with, sands well, and is
waterproof. Graphics were printed directly
on the foam.
Scott created a website to let the world
know about his exciting offering. The URL,
www.modelaero.com, was available, and
Model Aero was born!
According to Scott, the AeroCat was the
only production foam pusher jet that he was
aware of at the time. It was capable of 70
mph flight speeds and had unlimited vertical
climb, but could also fly slowly enough to
operate in an indoor venue.
Scott attended the first E-Fest indoor
event in Champaign, Illinois, to find out
if his AeroCat would receive the same
level of interest at an event that it had
received online. He not only sold every kit
he brought, but he caught the attention
of RealFlight. The simulator manufacturer
asked permission to include Scott’s model in
the RealFlight Expansion Pack 2.
The following year, Scott attended the
Toledo Expo to promote Model Aero’s next
aircraft and increase the company’s exposure
with modelers. Sales increased, as did Model
Aero’s number of offerings.
In 2008, Model Aero launched the Polaris.
Although Scott knew he had a winner—as
he did with the AeroCat. The number of
sales and the feedback he received on the
model was humbling—so humbling that
he made it a point during our conversation
to give credit to Laddie and Steve, whose
design skills and contributions made the
Polaris a reality.
www.ModelAviation.com May 2012 Model Aviation 71
Win merchandise from
MA and Model Aero! For an opportunity to win the
Model Aero Polaris XL, submit
your answer to the following
question: How many different sizes of
the Polaris are available from Model
Aero? (You can find the answer on the
company’s website.)
To submit your entry via email, send
your answer, full name, postal address,
and telephone number to MA Editor
Jay Smith. Please put “About Us” in the
subject line. To enter via postal mail,
send the preceding information to MA
at AMA, to Jay Smith’s attention.
Entries will be accepted through
May 31, 2012. The winner will be
selected on or before June 4. One
entry per person is allowed. Those
that are lost, late, misdirected, garbled,
or incomplete for any reason will be
ineligible.
This contest is open to legal residents
of the 50 states, District of Columbia,
and US military members with APO/
FPO addresses. AMA employees are not
eligible to win.
The winner will be selected in a
random drawing, from among all eligible
entries with the correct answer, by an
Academy employee or employees. The
winner will be notified by telephone
or email. His or her name and state of
residence will be published in a future
issue of MA and posted on the AMA
website.
sources
AMA
5161 E. Memorial Dr.
Muncie IN 47302
(765) 287-1256
www.modelaircraft.org
The Polaris is the best-selling aircraft
in the Model Aero lineup and it is now
available in other sizes to satisfy the
large number of customer requests.
Increased sales allowed Scott to invest
in a laser cutter for Model Aero, which
improved quality. Now the company can
implement changes immediately during
production and can even make necessary
modifications after release.
Scott feels that nothing is more
important than ensuring that Model
Aero’s aircraft fly well and the customer
has a successful experience. The
company provides a recommended setup
that includes a motor, speed controller,
and battery that have been tested with
the model, ensuring success.
Scott shared his commitment to
quality products and customer service:
“The most important thing is to
provide very high-quality products. We
want to provide unique products that
people are going to have success with.
We have built the business on providing
excellent support and building the
customer relationship. We want longterm
customers.”
Scott plans to continue expanding
Model Aero’s product line without
sacrificing customer service. He shared
with me the company’s plans.
“We want to continue to grow while
still maintaining the service aspect of it.
We will continue to offer a couple of
inventive and interesting products each
year. With the popularity of the Polaris
and the AquaCat, we have seen that
multisurface vehicles are the niche we
wanted to stay in.”
Multisurface vehicles are models that
can run on land or water. Model Aero’s
newest release, the Drifter, is an airboat
designed to be at home on grass, water,
or snow.
Scott is excited about electricpowered
models and credits them for
bringing him back to flying. He said,
Scott DeTray (L) and Laddie
Mikulasko exhibit the
Polaris at the Toledo Expo.
“I am most excited about the virtually
unlimited possibility you have with
aircraft design. Thanks to advancements
in technology, you are only limited
by your imagination on what you can
design.”
I reviewed the Model Aero Cessna
310 and my experience with the
company was positive. The aircraft
brought together a nice-looking, twinengine
model with the simplicity and
indoor flying capability I was looking for.
If you are interested in multisurface
models, made in the US by a passionate
electric-power convert, take a look at
Model Aero and its ever-growing lineup
of Depron aircraft.
Sources :
Model Aero
(419) 966-2230
www.modelaero.com
Jay Smith
5161 E. Memorial Dr.
Muncie IN 47302
[email protected]
