INtheAIRLATE-BREAKING NEWS FROM THE ACADEMY
Spread Spectrum System
Flies for First Time at AMA
In the accompanying photo (taken by MA Associate Editor Michael Ramsey) I
am shown flying a spread spectrum 2.4 GHz system for the first time at the AMA
International Aeromodeling Center.
Horizon Hobby provided AMA with the Spektrum DSM. The Academy will test
it in the next few months to gain as much knowledge as possible about this type of
system and pass that knowledge along to the membership.
The system performed perfectly during this first flight! MA
—Steve Kaluf
Technical Director
Turbine-Powered
Models Permitted in
Experimental Class
At its October meeting AMA’s
Executive Council approved changes to
the Academy’s Experimental Radio
Controlled Aircraft Program. These
changes and additions were initially
proposed by the JPO (Jet Pilot’s
Organization) and submitted to the AMA
Safety Committee, which subsequently
recommended them to the Executive
Council.
Until the passage of these changes,
turbine-powered models were not allowed
to be flown in the Experimental class
(which includes models weighing 55-100
pounds). The new regulations lift that
restriction. Appendix A of the
Experimental rules now reads:
“An Experimental Turbine Powered
Class model shall be a model that has a
dry weight of 55 pounds or less. The flight
weight, with full fuel tanks, shall be
greater than 55 pounds, but no more than
75 pounds.”
Items in addition to inspection and
operational requirements in the
Experimental aircraft program are now
part of the process. These include a
division of turbine aircraft and their pilots
into two classifications.
An additional change in the
Experimental rules involves dropping the
restriction that models of this
classification cannot be flown in
competition Scale events. However, rules
in AMA’s Competition Regulations still
state a maximum of 55 pounds for event
512: RC Expert Sport Scale. The Scale
Contest Board is considering a proposal to
modify that rule.
Implementation of the changes to the
Experimental class regarding competitive
events is subject to the Scale Contest
Board’s approval. If it is granted, turbinepowered
models weighing as much as 75
pounds and propeller-driven models
weighing as much as 100 pounds with fuel
will be permitted, subject to the
Experimental aircraft program rules.
If you are interested in the program
details, go to www.modelaircraft.org,
select “Membership Services,” and choose
“AMA Documents (PDF)” to review
document 520-A. You may also contact
AMA Headquarters at (765) 287-1256,
extension 251. MA
—AMA Safety Committee
Renew your membership or join
AMA, and you’ll automatically be
entered for a chance to win the grand
prize: a Hangar 9 Giant Scale TOC
Ultimate biplane ARF, a JR 10X
radio, and a Desert Aircraft
DA-150 engine—a $6,000
value! You will also be
eligible for monthly prizes
of AMA merchandise
valued at $200.
Renew or join by March
31, 2006, to have a chance at
winning this dream project!
Check www.modelaircraft.org for
terms and conditions and further
details. MA
—Tom Schwyn
Marketing Director
AMA’s “Come Fly with Us” Sweepstakes
January 2006 9
10 MODEL AVIATION
• There is a construction article for nearly
everyone, including a beautiful RC 1/4-
scale 1928 Church Midwing designed by
Norm Rosenstock, full-size plans for the
1/2A Avro C.6A CL autogiro by Frank
H. Scott, and Mark Drela’s Upstart 4 for
FF Indoor, which uses carbon fiber for
reinforcing. Mark writes about how to
work with carbon fiber, and full-size
plans for the Upstart are included.
• Dan Pruss reports on the 1980 LSF
(League of Silent Flight) Regional
Tournament, which involved 14 sites
throughout the US and Canada. Two-
Meter sailplanes are coming on stronger
than ever, and that is the category to
watch. The previous three LSF
Tournaments have given proof that the
class is here to stay.
• Ken Wilson provides readers with a
photo tour of the US Naval Aviation
Museum at the Naval Air Station in
Pensacola, Florida. Scale modelers will
appreciate the full-color photographs of
many of the museum’s unique aircraft.
• AMA President Earl F. Witt announces
that the AMA Executive Council has
approved the purchase of property in
Reston, Virginia, to be the site for
construction of a permanent AMAowned
Headquarters facility. This site
was chosen instead of the original
proposal to relocate to Springfield, Ohio.
Twenty-Five Years Ago in MA:
January 1981
INtheAIR
2006 Safety Code
Correction
The brief description of changes to
“Item 6” of the “Radio Control” section of
the 2006 Safety Code that was published
on page 9 of the November MA conveys
an incorrect impression of the actual text
in the code.
The description indicates that a
distance of 25 feet must be maintained
between pilots. The intent of the change is
in keeping with the current rule and
addresses the distance between pilots and
aircraft—not between pilots. The correct
text reads:
“7. With the exception of events flown
under official AMA Competition
Regulations rules, excluding takeoff and
landing, no powered model may be flown
outdoors closer than 25 feet to any
individual, except for the pilot and the
pilot’s helper(s) located at the flight line.”
The complete 2006 AMA Safety Code
can be found on the AMA Web site and
will be published in the December MA.
We regret any inconvenience this
misleading information may have
caused. MA
—AMA Safety Committee
Teamwork is Key in Alabama Club’s Procuring a New Site
In 2003 the Alabaster Radio Control Association of
Alabaster, Alabama, was notified that it would lose its club
flying field by the first month of 2004. The group immediately
appointed a “new site” committee to locate a new field as soon
as possible.
Since the committee was unable to locate any potential sites,
then-club president Ray Antonio contacted the city of Alabaster
to see if there were any opportunities within the city for the new
field. This opened the door to more meetings.
The club went through meetings with various city officials,
including those of the Parks and Recreation board; informal and
informal presentations, which included flight demonstrations
and DVDs for the city councilmen; and a presentation by the
club of its proposed plans for the property and what the club
could do for the community of Alabaster.
After months of effort by members, the club was notified that
the city of Alabaster would permit the Alabaster R/C
Association to use the property at Limestone Park for an RC
flying field. The formal agreement was signed March 19, 2004.
Site construction began with the city’s moving dirt for the
field. After that was accomplished, the club members used their contacts to finish the rest of the project. The grand opening for the field was held
during the club’s annual Freedom Fly-In on August 6, 2005.
“The club is successful only if the members pull together, work together, and get involved,” said 2005 Alabaster R/C Association President
Bobby Pakbaz.
January 2006 11
INtheAIR
Wind Tunnel Technology at AMA Museum
AMA National Model Aviation Museum volunteers Don Sanqunetti and Tom
Gurbach have constructed a wind-tunnel exhibit for the hands-on gallery in the
museum.
The flight-demonstrator wind tunnel is based on a set of drawings for the tunnel
shell and a set of the internal components that Dave Robelen (Farmville, Virginia)
provided. Dave has designed and built several of these for museums. He explains:
“ … the wind tunnel is based on conventional wind tunnel design, where a fan
draws air through an inlet with an air straightening honeycomb along with a turbulence
screen. The airflow is accelerated with a venturi effect as it passes through the test
chamber. The velocity of this airflow is continuously variable through control over the
DC drive motor.”
The user will be able to fly the model airplane installed in the test chamber with the
use of a radio-control transmitter.
The volunteers will modify the base’s design to be similar in appearance to the
RCAD (Remote Controlled Aircraft Demonstrator) and flight-simulator exhibits that
already reside in the museum’s hands-on area. MA
—Jessica Booth
Cloud 9 newsletter editor
The updated prices for MA plans
classifications are:
A: $5
B: $9
C: $14
D: $19
E: $28
Specials will be determined based on the
square footage of the plans.
The AMA Plans Service makes the
following disclaimers.
• Plans prices in the John Pond Old Time
Plan Service catalog are no longer valid
after January 1, 2006. Call AMA
Headquarters for correct pricing or visit
the AMA Web site.
• AMA shipping and handling rates will
remain the same.
• Orders received with insufficient payment
will be returned unfilled to the sender.
• The AMA Plans Service does not certify
that plans sold will meet the eligibility
requirement for a particular competition
event. The buyer must determine
eligibility. See published rules for the
specific event or consult the appropriate
SIG for assistance in this area.
• Plans prices shown on the AMA Web site
prior to January 1, 2006, are no longer
valid.
See page 191 for more information about
MA plans. MA
—John Zgunda
Plans Service Coordinator
New AMA Plans Price Structure
District VIII Member
Receives AMA Fellow Award
District VIII Associate Vice President
(AVP) Doug “Chief” Powell (Wichita Falls,
Texas) was given AMA’s most prestigious
honor—the AMA Fellow award—at the
Southwest Aeromodeling Conference
(SWAC) in Fort Worth, Texas, November
11, 2005.
Doug has served for more than 10 years
as the RC contest coordinator for District
VIII and was one of the founders, and
former vice president, of the Radio Control
Combat Association, or RCCA—an AMA
SIG. He was the first chairman of the RC
Combat Contest Board and was a member
of the Special Event Contest Board.
Appointed an AVP for District VIII in
2003, Doug has been the moderator of the
district’s E-mail list since its inception. He
wrote:
“This puts my name on a list with a
whole lot of guys whom I have looked up
to, admired, and respected for as long as I
can remember gluing pieces of balsa wood
together. I sincerely thank AMA and the
entire Executive Council for this great
honor.” MA
—MA staff
Doug “Chief” Powell, with his wife Jean,
displays the AMA Fellow award he
received at the 2005 SWAC. Photo by
Dr. Sandy Frank.
—Jhon Russell
AMA District V Associate Vice President
Caption: Alabaster R/C Association members install sod for the club’s
new flying field in the summer of 2005.
