In the Air - 2012/03

www.ModelAviation.com March 2012 Model Aviation 9
You Made My Year!
I just got the January 2012 issue of
Model Aviation today and I had to
look three or four times at page 97 (top
right). I was thinking, “Wow, that looks
like Central Hobbies. Holy smokes! It is
and the guy behind the counter is me!”
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr.
Riggs and you couldn’t ask for a nicer
guy. Next to my kids being born, this
was an unexpected shock. All of us at
Central Hobbies in Billings [Montana]
would like to invite Mike back, or
anyone who has the love of RC to stop
in and say hi.
Thank you all again for the
unexpected stardom (ha ha). Merry
Christmas and God Bless.
—Ed Harvilak
via www.ModelAviation.com
Small-Field Flying Plans
In the December 2011 Model Aviation,
there was a column called “Small-
Field Flying.”
It said that plans were ready for
download for Carl Hock’s Min-E-Bipe.
Where can I get these plans?
Thank you
—Ken Watts
via www.ModelAviation.com
You can download the plans at www.
parmodels.com/Plans/Mini-E-Bipe.htm.
—Jay Smith
MA Editor
If you have a letter to the editor, please submit it to MA Editor Jay Smith at
5161 E. Memorial Drive, Muncie IN 47302, or email to [email protected].
AeroMailOperation Homefront—Michigan
Hockey Helping Heroes
Operation Homefront-Michigan is an organization dedicated
to helping the families of deployed US military personnel
with basic needs. Whether it is a new starter for a car or fi xing
a broken faucet, the organization’s members try to ease the
burden on those family members left behind.
One of the organization’s fundraisers was an evening of
exhibition hockey on February 18, 2011, at Cranbrook Schools
in Bloomfi eld Hills, Michigan. Keeping with the military theme,
the organizers had a group of active-duty personnel on hand, as
well as an Honor Guard for the national anthem. They wanted
to do a fl yby typical of larger venues, but how could it be done
at night and indoors?
Rick Loewenstein, one of the organizers, contacted Ken
Myers, the author of the well-known Ampeer newsletter. After
Rick explained his desires, Ken described what today’s aircraft
could do. Ken said, “There is only one local organization that
can pull this off. Call the Skymasters.”
Rick reached Chris Hass and made an appointment to
visit the hockey arena. Chris fl ew a demonstration fl ight to
let the organizers know fi rsthand what today’s generation
of indoor aircraft can do in a confi ned space. The organizers
asked Chris to fl y a 2-minute routine to Bruce Springsteen’s
“Born in the USA.”
After the national anthem played on February 18, the guard
moved to the side to give Chris the full arena. There was a
short introduction, and then Chris launched into a high-energy
routine that included fl ying through speaker arrays, light
fi xtures, and banners. Rolling harriers, hovering, and a host of
3-D maneuvers were all included.
Chris fl ew his own design, an Edge foamie, with which
he hoped to compete in the 2011 Electric Tournament of
Champions in Toledo, Ohio. The Edge is equipped with lights,
and the beautiful patriotic color scheme was designed and
applied by noted Scale modeler, George Maiorana.
At the end of the fl ight, Chris hovered the Edge and plucked
the airplane out of the air. The crowd enjoyed the entire fl ight,
clapping in time with the music, and there was a round of
applause at the end.
Head coach Andy Weidenbach called the fl ight “awesome.”
Organizer Rick Loewenstein said, “The evening was a complete
success and the feedback was fabulous.” The fundraising goals
were exceeded.
One interesting and unexpected side note: The Edge sat
on the ice for approximately 10 minutes before the fl ight. In
that time, the warm, 4.8-ounce aircraft melted just enough of
the ice to get stuck to its surface. That has to be a new one in
the world of foamies.
—Joe Hass
www.ModelAviation.com MARCH 2012 Model Aviation 11
History Preserved: What’s New?
The National Model Aviation Museum not only collects old
artifacts, but also amasses newer models and equipment as
technologies develop and evolve, in an attempt to document
history as it is happening.
Trying to preserve history as it is happening is diffi cult because
often people are less willing to part with new equipment than
with older equipment. Trying to decide what should go into the
collection without the benefi t of hindsight and the knowledge
of what might turn out to be signifi cant is also challenging.
Most newer items are added to the collection sparingly, and
are seldom donated by individuals. In late 2011, the museum
received two model aircraft that showcase the hobby’s
development and changing technology.
MA editor, Jay Smith, donated an Überlite 2-in-1 RTF set,
designed by FlyZone and ItCanFly, to the museum collection
after he fi nished reviewing it for the magazine. The set consists
of an electric motor on a removable power/control fl ight
module that can fi t into multiple airframes. The set comes with
two airframes: a monoplane with a 16.1-inch wingspan, and a
biplane with a 14-inch wingspan.
A 2.4 GHz radio system is also
included. The transmitter has a
mixing dial that allows it to operate
multiple forms of control surfaces,
making it as interchangeable as the
fl ight module.
Horizon Hobby donated the LR-
1A Pogo prototype model used in
the research and advertising for its
ARF kit of the same name. With a 49-inch wingspan, a fl ying
weight of 3.13 pounds, and a Power 15 or Power 25 motor,
it was created to meet the requirements for the new Electric
Formula One Pylon Racing event.
Designed by Jerry Small, in collaboration with Pete Bergstrom
of Horizon Hobby and the National Miniature Pylon Racing
Association, the model can also serve as a general sport fl ier.
Various components can be purchased in white, allowing one
to customize the color scheme.
These new artifacts help us tell the stories of model aviation,
even if it just occurred yesterday.
—Maria VanVreede
Museum Collections Manager
Horizon Hobby donated
the LR-1A Pogo prototype.
The Überlite
2-in-1 RTF set
was designed
by FlyZone and
ItCanFly.12 Model Aviation MARCH 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
AMA in ACTION
Advocating for Members Air inthe
FAA Meets with the AMA
Membership
On Saturday, January 7, 2012,
representatives of the FAA met
with the AMA membership in an open
forum at the AMA Expo in Ontario,
California. Lynn Spencer and James
Sizemore from the Unmanned Aircraft
Program Offi ce (UAPO) provided an
update on the small Unmanned Aircraft
Systems (sUAS) rulemaking process
and addressed many of our members’
concerns regarding FAA’s intent to
regulate model aviation. The open
forum was captured on video and can
be viewed on AMA’s website at www.
modelaircraft.org/aboutama/gov.aspx.
In the meeting we learned that
publication of the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NPRM) for the sUAS
rule has again been delayed. Going
into the 2011/2012 holiday season, it
was believed the proposed rule would
be released sometime in January or
February. However, citing “unanticipated
issues requiring further analysis,” the rule
failed to clear the Offi ce of the Secretary
of Transportation (OST) before the
in model aircraft operations. In doing
so, the standards must contain suffi cient
detail so, that if followed, the provisions
of the standard will reasonably sustain
safe model aircraft operations.
The workgroup is continuing to
develop the model aircraft standards, and
this work will likely continue for many
more months to come. As we move
closer to a fi nal product, the proposed
standards will be presented to the
membership and opened for comments
and suggestions.
Although publication of the sUAS
NPRM has been delayed, the proposed
sUAS rule is very much alive and release
of the NPRM is only a matter
of time. Current information
regarding the NPRM can be
found on the AMA website.
After the rule is published,
AMA will provide guidance
and information regarding how
to respond to the call for public
comment.
Please make sure everyone
you know is aware of the impending
regulation, and ensure everybody who
shares our love for this hobby is wellinformed
and participates in the response
to the proposed sUAS rule. Timely
updates regarding the sUAS rulemaking
can also be found on Facebook by Liking
‘AMAGov,’ and on Twitter at
Twitter.com/AMAGov.
—Rich Hanson
Government and Regulatory Affairs
year’s end.
Projections are
that the rule will
clear OST by the
end of January.
It will then be
sent to its fi nal
stop at the Offi ce
of Management and Budget (OMB).
The OMB will evaluate the regulation
for potential adverse impact on small
businesses and small government entities.
OMB’s review could take as much as
90 days, which would put publication
of the NPRM in May 2012. There is
some optimism that OMB’s review will
not take the full 90 days and
the current best guess on the
release date for the NPRM
places it in the spring of 2012.
In the week leading up to the
Expo, UAPO representatives
met for 2½ days with the
Model Aircraft Standards
workgroup to continue
development of AMA’s model
aircraft standards. It is understood
that the sUAS rule will allow for
organizations such as AMA to develop
their own set of standards for model
aircraft operations, and if accepted and
adopted by the FAA, these standards
can be used as an alternative means of
complying with the provisions of the
sUAS rule.
Where the sUAS rule may be relatively
restrictive in its sanctioning of model
aircraft activities, the standards are aimed
at providing more latitude and fl exibility