IN the AIR - 2009/08

Several locations of the AMA facility
will encompass a variety of RC helicopterrelated
activities. A shuttle bus will run
between Site 3 and the primary IRCHA
venue—Site 4—so that guests and pilots
don’t miss a thing.
Seminars featuring the latest and
greatest helicopter- and modeling-related
topics are planned for Friday and
Saturday. See the list of subjects on the
IRCHA Web site; they’re continually
being updated. FAI seminars at Site 3 will
cover setup how-tos, what to expect at a
contest, and a full question-and-answer
session.
The IAN (IRCHA Amateur Nationals)
will be held in conjunction with Empire
Hobby and the organizers of the (XFC)
Extreme Flight Championships. We will
provide a link to review the guidelines and
registration process.
The Vintage Tent crew is prepared to
bring out some of the older
helicopters, as it did last year,
and possibly some helicopter
founding fathers, to share some
of the war stories from our
beginnings. There might even
be a mass Cricket hover. In
addition, all of the favorite
events from last year will
return; prepare to autorotate
and drag race!
To learn more about these
INtheAIR
AMA HEADQUARTERS AND MEMBER NEWS
August 2009 9
A Worldlier IRCHA Jamboree
The International Radio Controlled
Helicopter Association (IRCHA) will host
its huge Jamboree August 12-16, 2009, at
the AMA’s International Aeromodeling
Center in Muncie, Indiana. This is a place
to meet new friends and reconnect with old
ones. It’s also a place to gain knowledge
and share with your fellow helicopter
pilots.
The Jamboree will follow the 2009 F3C
World Helicopter Championships, which
will be held the week prior; the dates are
August 3-11. Every FAI-affiliated National
Aero Club (National Airsport Control
Organization) has been invited to enter a
team in this contest. And it is expected that
a considerable number of world-team pilots
will stay to enjoy the IRCHA event.
spectacular helicopter events, visit www.ir
cha.org and www.modelaircraft.org/
events/f3cwc.aspx. MA
—MA Staff
Drive the AMA’s Membership!
“Bringing Modelers Together Begins With You,” the AMA’s inaugural
membership drive, is currently underway! Not only is this an opportunity to
strengthen your organization by recruiting new members, but it is also an opportunity
for you, the AMA member, to make a difference—and you will be rewarded for doing
so.
For bringing new modelers into the AMA, awards will be given in four divisions:
members, clubs, districts, and hobby shops. Prizes include individual Life
Memberships, recognition in MA and Park Pilot magazines, free advertising in MA
for hobby shops, and more!
To learn more about this membership drive, check out the information that was
sent to your club and your associate vice president and that is posted on a special
section of the AMA Web site (www.modelaircraft.org).
This program will run until September 14 this year. Only a couple of months are
left to get out there and bring more members into your organization. Remember that
Bringing Modelers Together Begins With You! MA
—AMA Marketing Department
08sig1.QXD 6/23/09 10:35 AM Page 9
INtheAIR
10 MODEL AVIATION
Boeing Incorporates
Model Aircraft in
Demonstration of New
Emergency Response
Technology
representatives of the U.S. Office of Naval Research.
The exhibition used a network consisting of stationary and
mobile units on the ground, including small roving carts that
carried small mobile routers and an airborne network consisting
of RC model airplanes. The models were built from kits that
Hobbico, Inc. of Champaign, Illinois, produced and Hobbico
employees piloted.
The researchers broadcast video among the various nodes on
the network and found that the stationary and roving carts were
capable of receiving good-quality video data from the models at
any time—even when some network links were broken.
The technological innovation consisted of taking protocols that
were originally designed to work in static situations with
earthbound units and altering them in an online fashion so that
they would work in dynamic situations involving aerial vehicles
as well as ground units. Such dynamic situations have much
worse connectivity than static situations, making video
transmission a great deal more difficult.
According to Professor Neogi, the new technology should
have great value for some applications—particularly in the
context of search-and-rescue missions. She said:
“Firefighters could maintain situational awareness of a fire in
progress, including the positions of other firefighters and
resources, by obtaining information from handheld units. Bird’seye-
view video footage provided by small aircraft drones could be
made available to them, along with data provided from other
perspectives on the scene, such as small cameras installed on
firefighters’ hats.”
The technology could have even greater value in the context of
a larger disaster, such as an earthquake, in which rescuers might
otherwise have difficulty negotiating partially impassable road
systems or avoiding downed power lines.
“That was a big problem in Hurricane Katrina,” said Professor
Neogi. “They weren’t able to coordinate air and ground coverage
during the rescue operation.”
Professor Neogi, who is an expert in aerospace systems and
control, holds appointments in the Department of Aerospace
Engineering and the Coordinated Science Laboratory, as well as
the Information Trust Institute at Illinois. She is also co-leader of a
project studying theoretical safety assurance and security
assessment in the ITI’s Boeing Trusted Software Center. MA
—Jehny Applequist
University of Illinois ITI
A newly developed wireless multihop technology is set to
dramatically improve the ability of emergency-services personnel
to obtain reliable, high-quality video footage from surveillance
aircraft and combine it in real-time with other types of incoming
data. This will provide a potentially crucial new grasp of relevant
information during crisis situations.
Boeing Research & Technology, the advanced research-anddevelopment
organization at Boeing, staged a demonstration of the
technology, which was developed by Boeing researchers in
conjunction with Professor Natasha Neogi of the Information
Trust Institute (ITI) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign.
Dr. Jae H. Kim of Boeing Research & Technology led the
research project as principal investigator and program manager.
The U.S. Office of Naval Research funded the research that
resulted in the development of the technology.
The technology makes it possible to communicate via mobile
ad hoc networks (MANETs) that may form and break apart in
unpredictable ways, while still maintaining trustworthy
connectivity. That approach is unlike current surveillance
technologies, which place heavy reliance on ground units
controlled from a centralized point of command.
Instead, this technology allows decentralized control among a
scattered group of communicating nodes, which could include
both stationary and mobile units on the ground and airborne
networks of uninhabited aerial vehicles.
The Boeing demonstration took place April 23, 2009, at the
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base
in California. It was presented to an audience that included
Bruce Coons, executive director of
the Save Our Heritage Organisation,
based in San Diego, California, sent
the following letter to Gary B. Fogel: a
member of the Torrey Pines Gulls RC
Soaring society in San Diego. The
correspondence is dated April 6, 2009.
“On behalf of the SOHO (Save
Our Heritage Organisation) Board of
Directors, I am pleased to inform you
that you have been selected as a
recipient of a 2009 People in
Preservation Award. The jury was
most impressed by your efforts to
protect the Torrey Pines Gliderport
in La Jolla, California, from
encroachment. For your diligence and
ongoing efforts in saving this historic
Gliderport, SOHO is awarding you ‘The
Cliffhanger’ Award.
“The 2009 PIP Award Winners will
be available online and will be
showcased in an upcoming issue of Our
Heritage magazine.
“Congratulations again on winning.”
People in Preservation encourages
historic conservation. Gary and the
Torrey Pines Soaring Council received
this honor for their efforts to save
operations at the Gliderport in the face of
construction at nearby University of
California San Diego and plans for a
research facility for stem-cell research.
The Gliderport is a property on the
National Register of Historic Places.
SOHO is a non-profit organization
that was organized in 1969. According
to its mission statement:
“Through education, advocacy, and
stewardship SOHO’s mission is to
preserve, promote and support
preservation of the architectural,
cultural and historical links and
landmarks that contribute to the
community identity, depth and character
of our region.” MA
—Ashley Rauen
Communications Specialist
Heritage Preservation Society Honors AMA Member
08sig1.QXD 6/22/09 1:01 PM Page 10
INtheAIR
August 2009 11
• The cover shows the Elf Biplane Senior
(plans set 451): the subject of this month’s
feature RC construction article by Gary E.
Brown. It is an enlarged and modernized
version of Frank Ehling’s long-agodesigned
beauty, using three or four
channels and .29-.35 engines.
• John Hunton designed the other RC
model for this month. His Screamin’
Eaglet (plans set 448) is a modification of
the Eaglet: a great sport trainer by Carl
Goldberg Models. If you have progressed
beyond the trainer stage, this modification
to your airplane will make it into a great
second model with higher performance.
• The Civy Boy was a sensation at the Nats
and when it was featured in the 1949
Model Airplane News. A.A. Lidberg has
designed the miniature-size FF Civy Boy
74 (plans set 450): a 24-inch-span, CO2-
powered version that will take you on a
romantic trip back to the late 1940s. You
25 Years Ago in MA: August 1984
will enjoy building and flying this little bit
of history.
• The CL construction article for this month
is designed for a .40 four-stroke engine, to
keep flying site noise at a minimum. The
Softee (plans set 449) by Joe Johnson spans
50 inches and has a fully symmetrical,
constant-chord wing. This sport model will
build quickly and fly with the best of them.
• Larry Jolly reports on “Helicopters at the
MAC Show” in Long Beach, California.
This event has proven to be the premier
trade show for viewing RC helicopters.
• Joe Utasi shows you how to build a solidstate
battery backup that becomes operative
if the primary battery gives out. A parts list
and schematic are provided.
• Don Berliner presents part one of a
multipart article about the 75-year history of
air racing. His commentary and three-views
of the famous
air racers
might give
modelers the
impetus for
designing and
building some of
these aircraft as
models.
• Bill Hannan presents the article “Peanut
Parley,” covering a round-table
discussion by prominent FF Peanut Scale
designers/builders/fliers. This feature
gives us insight into what makes these
models (and people) tick.
• Weston Moore’s article shows us how
to make a transmitter impound rack,
complete with plans. It can handle as
many as 60 transmitters and folds for
easy storage. MA
—Rich LaGrange
AMA Librarian
The National Model Aviation Museum at the
International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) in Muncie,
Indiana, will feature special “Behind the Scenes” tours
this summer during the Nats and the F3C Helicopter
World Championships.
Learn about the processes that the museum staff goes
through when receiving and caring for donations. Tour the
Artifact Collections Storage and Archive Storage, and get
up-close looks at airplanes and artifacts that are not
currently on display.
Each tour group will be small, to promote one-on-one
questions and answers. A wealth of aviation history is
waiting to be discovered; don’t miss out on this
opportunity for fun and education.
The tours will be held Mondays and Fridays only, from
June 29-August 7. They will begin at 3 p.m., and the cost
is $10 per person.
The AMA Nats will take place through the end of the
month and end on August 2, and the F3C World Champs
will be contested August 3-11. Both exciting events take
place at the IAC. MA
—Michael Smith
Museum Director
“Behind the Scenes”
AMA Museum Tours
What is the easiest way to make your club recognizable to
outsiders with a single glance? How can you show your club
treasurer that you appreciate all his years of service? Are you
hosting a big club event and don’t know how to distinguish its
location?
If your club realizes the need for made-to-order apparel and
signage, AMA’s Custom Products will work for you: our
members. Custom Products offers screen-printing, award and
trophy engraving, and tailor-made vinyl banners and signs.
AMA members receive discounts on merchandise, which
makes this service a smart tool for meeting your club’s
promotional needs—at a lower cost!
Visit www.modelaircraft.org/products.aspx to see everything
Custom Products has to offer or E-mail products@modelair
craft.org for more information. MA
—AMA Staff
AMA Custom Products:
More Than Banners …
08sig1.QXD 6/23/09 9:19 AM Page 11
Extra and his T-Rex 3-D helicopter,
which was a big hit.
Flight displays weren’t the only thing
in store for the Scouts. CCR/CC member
Jeff Caldwell brought his computer
equipment with a RealFlight simulator
installed, so that the Scouts could learn
about flying an RC aircraft before
getting on the sticks of a real model.
To prepare the Scouts for their
model-flying experiences, club member
Gary Morton went over the control
system, the order of flying, and, most
important, safety with the aircraft. Gary,
Freddie Sanchez, Dan Reynolds, Ronald
Brown, Jeff Raiford, and others kept the
trainers in the air, so
that every student
got at least three
minutes of flying
time.
Each Scout was
assigned a number
and told to be ready
when it was called.
While some trainees
were flying, Ray
Miller held an
informative clinic
for other Scouts on
the topic of aviation
and building models.
INtheAIR
12 MODEL AVIATION
The Crescent City R/C Club
(CCR/CC) of New Orleans held a “Boy
Scout’s Day” April 18, 2009, and it
was a huge success. Eight troops, with
a total of 67 Scouts, attended the event.
Also present were 13 club members,
four members’ wives, and two guests.
The Scouts started arriving at the
flying site early Saturday morning. The
first to get to the field were welcomed
by the sight and sound of club member
Marty McGee’s turbine-powered jet.
That was the first of several
demonstration flights that Marty
provided for the Scouts’ enjoyment.
David Schwartz performed exhibition
flights with his Giant Scale Carden
Louisiana Club Flies With Boy Scouts
Thanks to the cooks and their
helpers, the attendees were treated to
hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and drinks
for lunch. At the end of the day, the
CCR/CC president, Steve Williams,
presented each Scout with a model,
courtesy of Hammond Hobbies and
Hobby Hut.
Everyone who participated in this
event seemed to enjoy it, whether it
was a Scout, an adult, or a club
member. Special thanks to those
CCR/CC members who gave of their
time and money to make this event a
great success. MA
—Crescent City Radio Control Club, Inc.
District VIII
The Skymasters Radio Control Club of
Michigan hosted representatives from
Horizon Hobby (Champaign, Illinois) at one
of our “meetings,” held Wednesday April 1,
2009. In addition, some of the 145 modelers
from 12 area clubs who joined us for this
informative evening traveled more than 100
miles to do so.
This was a special event. We met at the
Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Michigan,
which is the location of our weekly winter
indoor flying sessions.
More than 15 years ago, the Skymasters
abandoned the “traditional” meeting format in
favor of educational and entertaining
programs. The club expanded its horizons by
encouraging members of other clubs, and
even those who were merely interested in our
hobby/sport, to attend. You did not have to be
a Skymasters member to participate.
Thanks to the creative work of Greg
Cardillo, webmaster and photographer, the
Internet is used to keep everyone up to date
with our many monthly programs, flying
gatherings, and social events throughout the
year. Special efforts, such as plastic laminated
flyers and plenty of documents for stuffing
packages, help spread the word at local hobby
shops.
Pete Foss, our newsletter editor, creates a
professional document that we supply not
only to our members, but also to industry
leaders. Respecting the national demands on
industry representatives, we pay for their
hotel and food during their time with us.
Many times, they reward us with items to
raffle off to those in attendance, regardless
of whether or not they are club members.
The Skymasters focuses on
promotion. Taking the lead, we
worked with local hobby
retailers; local clubs including
the Romeo Skyhawks, Radio
Control Club of Detroit, and
Greater Detroit Soaring and
Hiking Society; and national
suppliers to arrange weekly
indoor flying at Ultimate
Soccer Arenas all winter.
Typically, more than 60
pilots enjoy flying in the dead
of winter in a 90,000-square-
Skymasters
Promote
Aeromodeling
foot building that is heated, well lit, and even
has a restaurant a few feet from the flight
stations. During the summer, we have weekly
“Student Nights” that include potluck
dinners.
Regardless of the day or time, visitors are
encouraged to try RC with one of our
members’ models. The Skymasters club
works with local organizations to help the
community and further expose people to the
wonderful world of model aviation.
Visit www.skymasters.org or contact me
at [email protected] for more
information. MA
—Joe Hass, Skymasters President
District VII
The turnout was large at the Skymasters’ meeting. Visitors
traveled from as far away as 100 miles to be in attendance.
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