Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University support
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) has campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida; Prescott, Arizona; and, through the Worldwide Campus, at more than 150 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, the Middle East, and online. These campuses teach the science, practice, and business of aviation and aerospace.
Prescott Senior Design class and CVMA assistance
The Prescott, Arizona, campus offers a Senior Design class that has received assistance from the Chino Valley Model Aviators (CVMA) club for the past six years. Professor Jim Helbling teaches the Aircraft Detail Design class, in which students are presented with a set of design requirements that must be satisfied.
- One challenge requires designing an aircraft that fits within a 4-foot square box and has a two-hour flight time while carrying a 10- to 15-pound payload.
- Another challenge is to design, build, and fly a jet version of the venerable DC-3.
Students break into teams that tackle different aspects of the projects. They perform trade studies and present two alternative solutions to Professor Helbling. He determines which concept will be structurally proof tested and flight tested based on wind-tunnel results. The class must use primarily full-scale building materials and techniques.
The students then design and build an RC model. CVMA provides suggestions on how to safely build an RC model, a flying field for safe testing, and an experienced RC pilot if needed. Student pilots must be AMA members. Models have ranged from a 50-pound monster to the most recent at 37 pounds. Some tests have been less than successful, while others flew beautifully. The important lessons are the design process and working as a team; the student’s grade is not contingent on the model flying successfully.
Our Chino Valley club is honored to be helping the future leaders of the aerospace community and their instructors. Club members who have provided guidance to the students include:
- Randy Meathrell — aeronautical engineer, 29 years at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works
- Bob Shanks — retired Air Force colonel and ERAU adjunct professor
- John Stewart — model test pilot, 30 years at Point Mugu Naval Air Station and China Lake
- Chuck Colwell — retired Hollywood director of photography, IMAA member
- Tony Pacini — model test pilot, Prescott Valley, Arizona
—Randy Meathrell [email protected] CVMA
Camp AMA experience
I learned about Camp AMA from an advertisement in Model Aviation. The camp seemed to be everything I was looking for, and it turned out to be better than advertised.
Check-in was during the XFC finals, held at the IAC. We watched the end of the finals, had a brief meeting, met the other campers, were assigned roommates, and then said goodbye to our parents for the next four days. We were taken to our hotel, had dinner, and called it a day.
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were all about flying. The weather was great all week except for the wind, which made for some challenging flying, but we were there to learn and train. We were even given the controls of a Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE designed by Mike McConville. We were also given a tour of AMA Headquarters and the National Model Aviation Museum.
Typical day schedule:
- 7:00 a.m. — Breakfast, then load up for the ride to AMA.
- Pickup aircraft (stored indoors) and ride out to the flying field.
- Fly until 1:00 p.m. — Break for lunch.
- 1:00–5:00 p.m. — Switch aircraft if desired and continue flying.
- Put aircraft away, ride back to the hotel, clean up.
- About 6:00 p.m. — Dinner (Applebee’s each night, order anything you want).
- After dinner — Return to hotel and do some indoor flying with small electric airplanes.
Lunch was provided by Texas Roadhouse each day. There was never a shortage of supplies, tools, or guidance. Everyone pitched in to help each other, and we formed some great friendships by the end of the week.
I recommend this camp to anyone who loves to fly RC aircraft, regardless of skill level. The camp is broken down into three groups: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. I learned a lot and will continue practicing the skills I was taught.
Jessy Symmes and Bill Pritchett were our camp coordinators; they were awesome and got us everywhere we needed to be.
This camp experience has been the best time I have had flying. I learned new flying skills, made new friendships, and experienced selfless giving of time, resources, and guidance by our leaders and peers. A few of us put together a YouTube channel where we posted videos of our experience: AMAtureRCSpinsider. This was an experience I will never forget.
—Tristen Lobbezoo
Lee Renaud Memorial Library — Frank Zaic collection
The Lee Renaud Memorial Library houses an extensive collection of Frank Zaic’s modeling materials, available for viewing with advance notice. Items include:
- Personal artifacts such as his Ace R/C Pulse Commander transmitter, tool kit, commemorative ribbons, plaques, lapel pins, buttons, and prize medals accumulated throughout his modeling career.
The library also holds the complete collection of Frank’s Model Aeronautic Year Books/Junior Aeronautics Year Books, which are held in high esteem within our community. Additional titles in the collection include:
- The National Model Airplane Meet in Pictures—A Pictorial Story (1939)
- Model Glider Design
- Circular Airflow and Model Aircraft
- Model Airplanes and the American Boy 1927–1936
- Model Aeronautic Encyclopedia Volumes 1 and 2
- Frank’s book of quotes, Frankly Speaking
Because the collection is now complete, we are no longer accepting donations of these books. A special thank-you goes to all of our members who have made donations to complete the collection.
Frank once said, “All of the pleasures and joys that we experience while we build and fly model airplanes are being handed to us by those who were here before us.” (Frank Zaic, Frankly Speaking, Northridge, CA, 1991. p. 75.)
Our organization is pleased to have these resources available to pass Frank’s modeling joys and experiences on to future generations.
—Kyle Huffman Archives Intern National Model Aviation Museum
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
