IN THE AIR
AMA’s Park Pilot Program Promotes New Flying Sites
Response from clubs asking for our Park Pilot Program site-acquisition kits has been excellent. These kits are designed to help you work with landowners to set up outdoor or indoor flying sites that are specifically for park flyer–type aircraft.
Park flyers allow easy, quiet access to sites that would never be considered for larger aircraft. This gives you the best of both worlds: more flight time and sites that are only minutes from your work or home.
To obtain more information, go to www.parkflyer.org or call (800) 435-9262.
—Tom Schwyn AMA Marketing Director
The Return of NatsNews
The 82nd annual AMA National Aeromodeling Championships (Nats) begins with Indoor FF competition in Johnson City, Tennessee, May 28, 2008. The outdoor RC, CL, and FF Nats will follow, beginning July 7, 2008, at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.
As always, the AMA staff hopes you will be able to attend the events. But we also understand that this may be impossible for a variety of reasons. So is there a way you can keep up on the progress of the Nats without attending each event?
Whether you want to keep tabs on your favorite competition category, find out about the progress of someone you know who is competing, or experience the thrill of seeing your name or picture in print if you are competing, sign up for NatsNews: the official daily newsletter.
This publication features comprehensive daily reports, arresting photos, in-depth stories, and all unofficial results. Subscriptions are free to all AMA members, and they will receive daily e-mail notifications of each posting.
Visit www.modelaircraft.org/subscribe to sign up or bookmark www.natsnews.org to find the publication.
—AMA staff
AMA Member Creates Radio Control Hall of Fame and Museum
Ed Crotty created the Radio Control Hall of Fame and Museum, recognizing greatness in American radio control. He recently developed and launched a website that provides information about his small museum.
Although several countries have made strides in the development of RC technology, this trend was carried out to a great extent in the United States. The website is dedicated to the pioneering individuals and equipment that made it all possible.
"It all started with a search for one transmitter," explained Ed. That turned into a new quest for information about the transmitter, to give it more meaning and context. Ed's project took off from there.
The Radio Control Hall of Fame and Museum developed into a multipurpose, multifunctioning entity. Its focus is on radio control itself—not the vehicles that use it. Hall of Fame inductions are based on the "Three Dreams of Radio Control": any control, multiple control, and proportional control. Ed said:
"As far as I know, I coined this phrase; maybe it's been used before. I think it sums up the aspirations of fliers over the formative years of RC. Don't know how many modelers see this the same way. However, several leaders in the field reviewed and approved the text before it went on the Internet.
"The intent [of the Hall of Fame and Museum] is to both preserve and present radio control history while honoring those who made it."
Preservation is carried out through the museum. It is a private collection of artifacts including thousands of documents, books, and photos; the equipment; an encyclopedia of RC; and the website. According to the site, the collection of more than 1,300 transmitters and many more receivers and actuators has grown to what may be the largest in the world.
To honor innovations in RC, the accomplishments of the radio designers and manufacturers who made this great hobby possible are relayed to Ed, who inducts them into the Radio Control Hall of Fame.
Although private, the museum, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is open to interested parties by special arrangement. The intent is to show more of the museum on the website so it will be available to people around the world.
The website is a great resource for anyone interested in RC. Ed reports that in the first month the site was active it was viewed in most states and 22 foreign countries.
Ed has done a wonderful job of researching and presenting his information. Please visit the Radio Control Hall of Fame and Museum at www.rchalloffame.org.
—Ashley Rauen AMA Communications Specialist
25 Years Ago in MA: June 1983
- On the cover is Neil Wischer—Bob Wischer's grandson—holding this month's feature RC construction project: the Pober Pixie (AMA plans number 410). Bob designed this 40- to 60-size scale aircraft to be a great sport flier as well as to compete in RC Sport Scale or Precision Scale.
- The Humm Bug (plans set 411) is this month's CL construction project. It is an unusual critter for CL fun-flying. Using a Telco CO2 engine and 10- to 15-foot lines, this big featherweight model can perform many aerobatic maneuvers in any indoor site that is big enough for the lines. Try it for an interesting change of pace.
- David Haught brings us an unusual and impressive FF scale construction project: the 1/2A-powered Fokker Spin III (plans set 409). Its landing gear and tail skid are fully shock absorbing, and it has a single-surface wing with an unusual airfoil.
- George Myers takes us to the 1983 WRAM Show, with pictures and descriptions you will not want to miss.
- If you want more than on-off control for your electric-powered model, Joe Utasi has designed a proportional ESC. This article is complete with instructions, schematic, and parts list.
- "Custom RC Sailplane Field Box" is an article by Terry D. Edmonds. A complete parts layout and instructions make this handy field accessory easy to build.
- Frank D. Macy's fascinating article about the late, great Jim Walker is an interview with Willard Willingham, who was an employee and sometimes test pilot for the American Junior Aircraft Company. The feature includes pictures of models many of us may remember from our childhoods.
—Rich LaGrange AMA Librarian
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
