THE E-TOC (Electric Tournament of
Champions) is an indoor competition that
tests the flying skills of the best pilots in the
country and the world. The thing that makes
it so special is that the pilots compete with
small, light, electric-powered foamie
airplanes.
Quique Somenzini displays his amazing
grace in the air, Jason Noll makes it look
easy and puts the capital “P” in precision,
and Devin McGrath redefines what
“freestyle” means. New pilots who will be
the next superstars in the RC hobby perform
too.
The new foamie designs combined with
motors that produced great thrust and
batteries that could make those motors work
culminated in the electric indoor craze. I
remember when foamie airplanes were
discussed only on chat boards and
constructed from meat trays. When more
powerful and lighter motors became
available, the foamie revolution started to
take off.
The introduction of Li-Poly batteries
allowed us to fly longer and lighter and
really make these small motors “work.”
Soon designers such as Mike Glass created
preprinted foamie kits that looked good,
built fast, and flew great.
Jim Martin of Hobby Lobby
International has been selling electricpowered
airplanes since the early 1970s, but
no one had addressed the problem of powerto-
weight ratio. Now we can have 2:1 power
and still fly seven to 15 minutes on an
average-size Li-Poly pack.
There is one more ingredient that has to
be mentioned, and it’s my favorite
number/letter combination: 3-D! The 3-D
craze was coming to full steam at roughly
the time the foamie market was opening up.
Many people didn’t like 3-D, but a lot of
people were drawn back into the hobby
because of it.
Now these 3-D maniacs could fly foam
models how they wanted and not feel so bad
about it when they crashed. With a little
foam-safe glue their aircraft could be back
in the air in a matter of minutes.
The flat-winged foamie designed for 3-D
could do high-alpha maneuvers, hover,
knife edge, and more. It was a beautiful
marriage that brought the hobby to another
level. Add all those things together, and the
natural progression was the birth of the ETOC.
For the average RC pilot, competing in the
E-TOC might be intimidating and it might
be a dream and goal for which to shoot.
With that in mind I thought it would be
interesting to talk to a new competitor in the
E-TOC this year and learn how he got there
and how he is going to prepare for the
event.
Jeremy Chinn is an old friend of mine.
We know each other through the Profile
Brotherhood, and I totally trust him when it
comes to designing RC airplanes. He is the
E-TOC competitor Jeremy Chinn has designed 40-size glow aircraft and this small foamie
that can perform 3-D with the best of them.
Jeremy’s latest design: a 7-ounce Thunderbird Kestrel. The
Depron model is suited for the AXI 2204-54, Berg receiver, and 3S
460 mAh Li-Poly pack.
The light Matchless indoor IMAC Yak-55 designed for precision
flying weighs 3.8 ounces with a Mighty Midget GOLD—F3P wind
motor.
Sometimes soldering takes three hands, as Jeremy demonstrates. To compete and design
in RC, be prepared to spend a lot of time at the bench and at the field.
It’s not just about the model, but also about the equipment chosen. Jeremy is all about
keeping things light, and the Berg 7P receiver keeps it reliable.
quality leader for Cummins Diesel by day
but eats and breathes RC the rest of time.
Jeremy’s designs are some of the best in
the 3-D realm, and he has many loyal
followers. Following are some questions I
asked Jeremy so we could get an idea of
where his RC interest started and how he
has made it to the E-TOC level. We will
also find out how he is going to prepare for
the E-TOC, the setup for his model, and
tips for going about getting some sponsors.
Jim: How long have you been flying?
Jeremy: I started flying models in ’79 or
’80 and started flying RC in ’85. I took a
short break from the hobby after I got
married in 1998, but I’ve been very heavily
involved in the hobby since.
Jim: What was your first airplane?
Jeremy: My first model was a Sterling
Stearman PT-17 for Fox .35 power and
control-line guidance, but I never finished
it. That kit was given to me by my uncle.
My first RC model was a House of
Balsa 2 x 4 glider. I would ride to the flying
field on my bicycle with the glider on my
back and fly until my receiver batteries
were dead. I think learning with a glider
was beneficial because it taught me
momentum conservation and how to land
smoothly.
Jim: Who helped you get into RC?
Jeremy: Brian Pate helped me get into RC
flying. He taught me not only to fly, but the
basics of model design and engines. The
things I learned from him helped me
through school and eventually helped me
get a job. My father was and is very
supportive of my involvement in the hobby.
Jim: When did you fall in love with 3-D?
Jeremy: I fell in love with 3-D the first
time I saw Pro Bro Mike “Gator” Smith
flying a Morris profile at my home club—
Memphis Prop Busters. The next time I
saw him flying it, he offered me the
transmitter. I was hovering the airplane on
that first flight. I still fly profiles and think
that they are by far the best 3-D trainer
available.
Jim: Was your 3-D style of flying accepted
at your local club?
Jeremy: Initially 3-D was not easily
accepted at my field. However, as we all
learned how to fly together, everyone came
to appreciate each others’ flying. Common
courtesy between those who flew each
flying style allowed us to have fun while
using the same field.
Jim: Did you teach yourself 3-D or did you
have a mentor?
Jeremy: Primarily I taught myself, but I did
have a lot of help and encouragement from
different members of the Profile
Brotherhood. Like I said earlier, I started
with profiles. They will take the abuse that
other styles of airplanes will not, which is a
primary factor in successfully learning to
fly 3-D.
Jim: When did you start designing your
own airplanes?
Jeremy: I first started designing my own
RC and free-flight airplanes in grade school
on big sheets of graph paper. In high school
I took drafting classes. Many of my first
plans had grades on them—most of them
were “A”s.
I’ve been designing ever since and have
designed everything from discus-launch
gliders to Pylon racers and 3-D foamies. I
typically only fly and compete with my own
designs.
Jim: Have you competed in the E-TOC
before?
Jeremy: This will be my first year
competing in the E-TOC but definitely not
my first time competing in an indoor
freestyle competition. I entered my first
freestyle competition on a dare from a friend.
I crashed in the first round, but I was hooked.
The following year I was an invited pilot
in the same competition. I took fourth place
and beat pilots I had dreamed of competing
against.
Jim: How many airplanes will you bring
with you to compete with?
Jeremy: I will bring at least two freestyle
airplanes and two precision airplanes. I’d
like to bring more than that if possible.
Foamies are great because they cost
relatively little for a very high-performance
model airplane.
Jim: What is the perfect balance of power
to weight for you?
Jeremy: I love 2:1 power-to-weight ratio to
really get crazy! For precision I like just
enough power to get the job done. Any
more than that is just extra weight that
hampers performance.
Jim: How would you describe your flying
style?
Jeremy: I would describe it as “purposely
aggressive.” I really like to push the limits
of an airplane, and I design my airplanes to
be pushed hard.
I enjoy precision flying, but I also like to
fly the airplane at the edge of control. If you
don’t know where the limits of the airplane
are, then you won’t know when you are
about to step over them, and stepping over
the limits of control usually means crashing.
Jim: How often do you practice?
Jeremy: My wife and I had our first child
in October of 2006, so finding practice time
is more challenging for me now than it has
been in past years. I practice daily on my
simulator and I’ll practice one hour each
morning in the local gym the month before
the competition.
To get the most out of my practice time I
go in with a defined purpose each time and
work on that maneuver or element or the
flow of the routine. Going in with a purpose
makes it much more productive.
Jim: How do you pick your music?
Jeremy: I like a wide variety of music in
my routines. A freestyle routine typically
needs to show the pilot’s skills in many
different phases of flight.
Since the music will define how the pilot
flies, it needs to have variety from smooth
music for precise, flowing sections to
aggressive music to match more aggressive
flight. The right tempo changes can really
separate a good routine from a mediocre
routine.
When it comes time to select music, I
pick the aggressive music and my wife
helps me pick the slow, smooth music. I’ll
imagine a routine set to the music while
listening to it. If the hair on the back of my
neck stands up, I know it’s good music!
Jim: Do you get nervous before you fly?
Jeremy: I get very nervous before I fly.
Don’t you?
Jim: When I started my own RC company,
you were one of the first pilots I asked to be
on my team. Tell us about the other
sponsors you have and tell all the pilots out
there who want sponsors how you made it
happen.
Jeremy: Besides being sponsored by Billy
Hell RC I’m sponsored by Castle Creations,
BSD Micro RC, 2DogRC, and E Cubed
R/C. I consider myself very lucky to be
sponsored by each of these fine companies.
Castle Creations has long been a leader
and innovator in the electric aircraft market,
while BSD Micro RC and E Cubed R/C
each have countless years in the industry.
2DogRC is a relatively new company with
great products and a great attitude.
For companies, pilot sponsorship is
primarily a marketing tool. It is an
opportunity to get their products and their
name in front of large groups of spectators,
magazine readers, and Internet viewers.
When looking for people to sponsor,
they are looking for pilots who will be
participating at events they’ve targeted so
they can reach their target audience. They
look for pilots with a positive, helpful
attitude to help foster a positive impression
of their business.
Sponsors are also looking for results. In
the auto industry they express this as “Win
on Sunday, sell on Monday!”
To get a sponsorship, my best
suggestion would be that of being
professional and organized. Before
approaching a potential sponsor, put
together a plan.
Your plan should include all events you
are invited to attend and those you would
like to attend. Include your basic goals and
what you plan to do to achieve them.
Include a flying résumé that describes
contest participations and placing.
Finally, be ready to “sell yourself.” You
need to be able to explain what value the
sponsor will get out of sponsoring you.
Once you have gotten the sponsorship
you had hoped for, do the right things to
support it. Practice regularly for the events
in which you plan to compete. Attend the
events you committed to attend. Always be
on your best behavior at events or when in
public, and be an example of good
sportsmanship. By doing these things, both
you and your sponsor will get the most out
of the sponsor/pilot relationship.
Jim: Is being invited to compete in the ETOC
the highlight of your RC experience?
Jeremy: When I was informed I was getting
the invite, I jumped up and down in my
garage, shouting for 10 minutes. It’s a very
scary thing: a 220-pound man jumping up
and down shouting excitedly in his garage.
On a more serious note, I consider it a
great honor to compete with the other pilots
in the E-TOC. Opportunities like this don’t
come around every day, and I plan to make
the most of this opportunity.
I thank Jeremy for taking the time to
answer these questions and wish him luck
in this year’s E-TOC competition. I know
I’ll be down in the pits doing what I can to
help and I’ll probably be almost as excited
as he will. It is always a great show and I
guarantee your hat will be blown off by the
flying you see.
For more information about the ETOC—
which will be held April 13-14 in
Toledo, Ohio—to watch videos of Jeremy
Chinn flying, and to see a detailed overview
of his airplane, go to www.rcspotlight.com/
AMA.
Fly it like you hate it! MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/03
Page Numbers: 81,82,83
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/03
Page Numbers: 81,82,83
THE E-TOC (Electric Tournament of
Champions) is an indoor competition that
tests the flying skills of the best pilots in the
country and the world. The thing that makes
it so special is that the pilots compete with
small, light, electric-powered foamie
airplanes.
Quique Somenzini displays his amazing
grace in the air, Jason Noll makes it look
easy and puts the capital “P” in precision,
and Devin McGrath redefines what
“freestyle” means. New pilots who will be
the next superstars in the RC hobby perform
too.
The new foamie designs combined with
motors that produced great thrust and
batteries that could make those motors work
culminated in the electric indoor craze. I
remember when foamie airplanes were
discussed only on chat boards and
constructed from meat trays. When more
powerful and lighter motors became
available, the foamie revolution started to
take off.
The introduction of Li-Poly batteries
allowed us to fly longer and lighter and
really make these small motors “work.”
Soon designers such as Mike Glass created
preprinted foamie kits that looked good,
built fast, and flew great.
Jim Martin of Hobby Lobby
International has been selling electricpowered
airplanes since the early 1970s, but
no one had addressed the problem of powerto-
weight ratio. Now we can have 2:1 power
and still fly seven to 15 minutes on an
average-size Li-Poly pack.
There is one more ingredient that has to
be mentioned, and it’s my favorite
number/letter combination: 3-D! The 3-D
craze was coming to full steam at roughly
the time the foamie market was opening up.
Many people didn’t like 3-D, but a lot of
people were drawn back into the hobby
because of it.
Now these 3-D maniacs could fly foam
models how they wanted and not feel so bad
about it when they crashed. With a little
foam-safe glue their aircraft could be back
in the air in a matter of minutes.
The flat-winged foamie designed for 3-D
could do high-alpha maneuvers, hover,
knife edge, and more. It was a beautiful
marriage that brought the hobby to another
level. Add all those things together, and the
natural progression was the birth of the ETOC.
For the average RC pilot, competing in the
E-TOC might be intimidating and it might
be a dream and goal for which to shoot.
With that in mind I thought it would be
interesting to talk to a new competitor in the
E-TOC this year and learn how he got there
and how he is going to prepare for the
event.
Jeremy Chinn is an old friend of mine.
We know each other through the Profile
Brotherhood, and I totally trust him when it
comes to designing RC airplanes. He is the
E-TOC competitor Jeremy Chinn has designed 40-size glow aircraft and this small foamie
that can perform 3-D with the best of them.
Jeremy’s latest design: a 7-ounce Thunderbird Kestrel. The
Depron model is suited for the AXI 2204-54, Berg receiver, and 3S
460 mAh Li-Poly pack.
The light Matchless indoor IMAC Yak-55 designed for precision
flying weighs 3.8 ounces with a Mighty Midget GOLD—F3P wind
motor.
Sometimes soldering takes three hands, as Jeremy demonstrates. To compete and design
in RC, be prepared to spend a lot of time at the bench and at the field.
It’s not just about the model, but also about the equipment chosen. Jeremy is all about
keeping things light, and the Berg 7P receiver keeps it reliable.
quality leader for Cummins Diesel by day
but eats and breathes RC the rest of time.
Jeremy’s designs are some of the best in
the 3-D realm, and he has many loyal
followers. Following are some questions I
asked Jeremy so we could get an idea of
where his RC interest started and how he
has made it to the E-TOC level. We will
also find out how he is going to prepare for
the E-TOC, the setup for his model, and
tips for going about getting some sponsors.
Jim: How long have you been flying?
Jeremy: I started flying models in ’79 or
’80 and started flying RC in ’85. I took a
short break from the hobby after I got
married in 1998, but I’ve been very heavily
involved in the hobby since.
Jim: What was your first airplane?
Jeremy: My first model was a Sterling
Stearman PT-17 for Fox .35 power and
control-line guidance, but I never finished
it. That kit was given to me by my uncle.
My first RC model was a House of
Balsa 2 x 4 glider. I would ride to the flying
field on my bicycle with the glider on my
back and fly until my receiver batteries
were dead. I think learning with a glider
was beneficial because it taught me
momentum conservation and how to land
smoothly.
Jim: Who helped you get into RC?
Jeremy: Brian Pate helped me get into RC
flying. He taught me not only to fly, but the
basics of model design and engines. The
things I learned from him helped me
through school and eventually helped me
get a job. My father was and is very
supportive of my involvement in the hobby.
Jim: When did you fall in love with 3-D?
Jeremy: I fell in love with 3-D the first
time I saw Pro Bro Mike “Gator” Smith
flying a Morris profile at my home club—
Memphis Prop Busters. The next time I
saw him flying it, he offered me the
transmitter. I was hovering the airplane on
that first flight. I still fly profiles and think
that they are by far the best 3-D trainer
available.
Jim: Was your 3-D style of flying accepted
at your local club?
Jeremy: Initially 3-D was not easily
accepted at my field. However, as we all
learned how to fly together, everyone came
to appreciate each others’ flying. Common
courtesy between those who flew each
flying style allowed us to have fun while
using the same field.
Jim: Did you teach yourself 3-D or did you
have a mentor?
Jeremy: Primarily I taught myself, but I did
have a lot of help and encouragement from
different members of the Profile
Brotherhood. Like I said earlier, I started
with profiles. They will take the abuse that
other styles of airplanes will not, which is a
primary factor in successfully learning to
fly 3-D.
Jim: When did you start designing your
own airplanes?
Jeremy: I first started designing my own
RC and free-flight airplanes in grade school
on big sheets of graph paper. In high school
I took drafting classes. Many of my first
plans had grades on them—most of them
were “A”s.
I’ve been designing ever since and have
designed everything from discus-launch
gliders to Pylon racers and 3-D foamies. I
typically only fly and compete with my own
designs.
Jim: Have you competed in the E-TOC
before?
Jeremy: This will be my first year
competing in the E-TOC but definitely not
my first time competing in an indoor
freestyle competition. I entered my first
freestyle competition on a dare from a friend.
I crashed in the first round, but I was hooked.
The following year I was an invited pilot
in the same competition. I took fourth place
and beat pilots I had dreamed of competing
against.
Jim: How many airplanes will you bring
with you to compete with?
Jeremy: I will bring at least two freestyle
airplanes and two precision airplanes. I’d
like to bring more than that if possible.
Foamies are great because they cost
relatively little for a very high-performance
model airplane.
Jim: What is the perfect balance of power
to weight for you?
Jeremy: I love 2:1 power-to-weight ratio to
really get crazy! For precision I like just
enough power to get the job done. Any
more than that is just extra weight that
hampers performance.
Jim: How would you describe your flying
style?
Jeremy: I would describe it as “purposely
aggressive.” I really like to push the limits
of an airplane, and I design my airplanes to
be pushed hard.
I enjoy precision flying, but I also like to
fly the airplane at the edge of control. If you
don’t know where the limits of the airplane
are, then you won’t know when you are
about to step over them, and stepping over
the limits of control usually means crashing.
Jim: How often do you practice?
Jeremy: My wife and I had our first child
in October of 2006, so finding practice time
is more challenging for me now than it has
been in past years. I practice daily on my
simulator and I’ll practice one hour each
morning in the local gym the month before
the competition.
To get the most out of my practice time I
go in with a defined purpose each time and
work on that maneuver or element or the
flow of the routine. Going in with a purpose
makes it much more productive.
Jim: How do you pick your music?
Jeremy: I like a wide variety of music in
my routines. A freestyle routine typically
needs to show the pilot’s skills in many
different phases of flight.
Since the music will define how the pilot
flies, it needs to have variety from smooth
music for precise, flowing sections to
aggressive music to match more aggressive
flight. The right tempo changes can really
separate a good routine from a mediocre
routine.
When it comes time to select music, I
pick the aggressive music and my wife
helps me pick the slow, smooth music. I’ll
imagine a routine set to the music while
listening to it. If the hair on the back of my
neck stands up, I know it’s good music!
Jim: Do you get nervous before you fly?
Jeremy: I get very nervous before I fly.
Don’t you?
Jim: When I started my own RC company,
you were one of the first pilots I asked to be
on my team. Tell us about the other
sponsors you have and tell all the pilots out
there who want sponsors how you made it
happen.
Jeremy: Besides being sponsored by Billy
Hell RC I’m sponsored by Castle Creations,
BSD Micro RC, 2DogRC, and E Cubed
R/C. I consider myself very lucky to be
sponsored by each of these fine companies.
Castle Creations has long been a leader
and innovator in the electric aircraft market,
while BSD Micro RC and E Cubed R/C
each have countless years in the industry.
2DogRC is a relatively new company with
great products and a great attitude.
For companies, pilot sponsorship is
primarily a marketing tool. It is an
opportunity to get their products and their
name in front of large groups of spectators,
magazine readers, and Internet viewers.
When looking for people to sponsor,
they are looking for pilots who will be
participating at events they’ve targeted so
they can reach their target audience. They
look for pilots with a positive, helpful
attitude to help foster a positive impression
of their business.
Sponsors are also looking for results. In
the auto industry they express this as “Win
on Sunday, sell on Monday!”
To get a sponsorship, my best
suggestion would be that of being
professional and organized. Before
approaching a potential sponsor, put
together a plan.
Your plan should include all events you
are invited to attend and those you would
like to attend. Include your basic goals and
what you plan to do to achieve them.
Include a flying résumé that describes
contest participations and placing.
Finally, be ready to “sell yourself.” You
need to be able to explain what value the
sponsor will get out of sponsoring you.
Once you have gotten the sponsorship
you had hoped for, do the right things to
support it. Practice regularly for the events
in which you plan to compete. Attend the
events you committed to attend. Always be
on your best behavior at events or when in
public, and be an example of good
sportsmanship. By doing these things, both
you and your sponsor will get the most out
of the sponsor/pilot relationship.
Jim: Is being invited to compete in the ETOC
the highlight of your RC experience?
Jeremy: When I was informed I was getting
the invite, I jumped up and down in my
garage, shouting for 10 minutes. It’s a very
scary thing: a 220-pound man jumping up
and down shouting excitedly in his garage.
On a more serious note, I consider it a
great honor to compete with the other pilots
in the E-TOC. Opportunities like this don’t
come around every day, and I plan to make
the most of this opportunity.
I thank Jeremy for taking the time to
answer these questions and wish him luck
in this year’s E-TOC competition. I know
I’ll be down in the pits doing what I can to
help and I’ll probably be almost as excited
as he will. It is always a great show and I
guarantee your hat will be blown off by the
flying you see.
For more information about the ETOC—
which will be held April 13-14 in
Toledo, Ohio—to watch videos of Jeremy
Chinn flying, and to see a detailed overview
of his airplane, go to www.rcspotlight.com/
AMA.
Fly it like you hate it! MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/03
Page Numbers: 81,82,83
THE E-TOC (Electric Tournament of
Champions) is an indoor competition that
tests the flying skills of the best pilots in the
country and the world. The thing that makes
it so special is that the pilots compete with
small, light, electric-powered foamie
airplanes.
Quique Somenzini displays his amazing
grace in the air, Jason Noll makes it look
easy and puts the capital “P” in precision,
and Devin McGrath redefines what
“freestyle” means. New pilots who will be
the next superstars in the RC hobby perform
too.
The new foamie designs combined with
motors that produced great thrust and
batteries that could make those motors work
culminated in the electric indoor craze. I
remember when foamie airplanes were
discussed only on chat boards and
constructed from meat trays. When more
powerful and lighter motors became
available, the foamie revolution started to
take off.
The introduction of Li-Poly batteries
allowed us to fly longer and lighter and
really make these small motors “work.”
Soon designers such as Mike Glass created
preprinted foamie kits that looked good,
built fast, and flew great.
Jim Martin of Hobby Lobby
International has been selling electricpowered
airplanes since the early 1970s, but
no one had addressed the problem of powerto-
weight ratio. Now we can have 2:1 power
and still fly seven to 15 minutes on an
average-size Li-Poly pack.
There is one more ingredient that has to
be mentioned, and it’s my favorite
number/letter combination: 3-D! The 3-D
craze was coming to full steam at roughly
the time the foamie market was opening up.
Many people didn’t like 3-D, but a lot of
people were drawn back into the hobby
because of it.
Now these 3-D maniacs could fly foam
models how they wanted and not feel so bad
about it when they crashed. With a little
foam-safe glue their aircraft could be back
in the air in a matter of minutes.
The flat-winged foamie designed for 3-D
could do high-alpha maneuvers, hover,
knife edge, and more. It was a beautiful
marriage that brought the hobby to another
level. Add all those things together, and the
natural progression was the birth of the ETOC.
For the average RC pilot, competing in the
E-TOC might be intimidating and it might
be a dream and goal for which to shoot.
With that in mind I thought it would be
interesting to talk to a new competitor in the
E-TOC this year and learn how he got there
and how he is going to prepare for the
event.
Jeremy Chinn is an old friend of mine.
We know each other through the Profile
Brotherhood, and I totally trust him when it
comes to designing RC airplanes. He is the
E-TOC competitor Jeremy Chinn has designed 40-size glow aircraft and this small foamie
that can perform 3-D with the best of them.
Jeremy’s latest design: a 7-ounce Thunderbird Kestrel. The
Depron model is suited for the AXI 2204-54, Berg receiver, and 3S
460 mAh Li-Poly pack.
The light Matchless indoor IMAC Yak-55 designed for precision
flying weighs 3.8 ounces with a Mighty Midget GOLD—F3P wind
motor.
Sometimes soldering takes three hands, as Jeremy demonstrates. To compete and design
in RC, be prepared to spend a lot of time at the bench and at the field.
It’s not just about the model, but also about the equipment chosen. Jeremy is all about
keeping things light, and the Berg 7P receiver keeps it reliable.
quality leader for Cummins Diesel by day
but eats and breathes RC the rest of time.
Jeremy’s designs are some of the best in
the 3-D realm, and he has many loyal
followers. Following are some questions I
asked Jeremy so we could get an idea of
where his RC interest started and how he
has made it to the E-TOC level. We will
also find out how he is going to prepare for
the E-TOC, the setup for his model, and
tips for going about getting some sponsors.
Jim: How long have you been flying?
Jeremy: I started flying models in ’79 or
’80 and started flying RC in ’85. I took a
short break from the hobby after I got
married in 1998, but I’ve been very heavily
involved in the hobby since.
Jim: What was your first airplane?
Jeremy: My first model was a Sterling
Stearman PT-17 for Fox .35 power and
control-line guidance, but I never finished
it. That kit was given to me by my uncle.
My first RC model was a House of
Balsa 2 x 4 glider. I would ride to the flying
field on my bicycle with the glider on my
back and fly until my receiver batteries
were dead. I think learning with a glider
was beneficial because it taught me
momentum conservation and how to land
smoothly.
Jim: Who helped you get into RC?
Jeremy: Brian Pate helped me get into RC
flying. He taught me not only to fly, but the
basics of model design and engines. The
things I learned from him helped me
through school and eventually helped me
get a job. My father was and is very
supportive of my involvement in the hobby.
Jim: When did you fall in love with 3-D?
Jeremy: I fell in love with 3-D the first
time I saw Pro Bro Mike “Gator” Smith
flying a Morris profile at my home club—
Memphis Prop Busters. The next time I
saw him flying it, he offered me the
transmitter. I was hovering the airplane on
that first flight. I still fly profiles and think
that they are by far the best 3-D trainer
available.
Jim: Was your 3-D style of flying accepted
at your local club?
Jeremy: Initially 3-D was not easily
accepted at my field. However, as we all
learned how to fly together, everyone came
to appreciate each others’ flying. Common
courtesy between those who flew each
flying style allowed us to have fun while
using the same field.
Jim: Did you teach yourself 3-D or did you
have a mentor?
Jeremy: Primarily I taught myself, but I did
have a lot of help and encouragement from
different members of the Profile
Brotherhood. Like I said earlier, I started
with profiles. They will take the abuse that
other styles of airplanes will not, which is a
primary factor in successfully learning to
fly 3-D.
Jim: When did you start designing your
own airplanes?
Jeremy: I first started designing my own
RC and free-flight airplanes in grade school
on big sheets of graph paper. In high school
I took drafting classes. Many of my first
plans had grades on them—most of them
were “A”s.
I’ve been designing ever since and have
designed everything from discus-launch
gliders to Pylon racers and 3-D foamies. I
typically only fly and compete with my own
designs.
Jim: Have you competed in the E-TOC
before?
Jeremy: This will be my first year
competing in the E-TOC but definitely not
my first time competing in an indoor
freestyle competition. I entered my first
freestyle competition on a dare from a friend.
I crashed in the first round, but I was hooked.
The following year I was an invited pilot
in the same competition. I took fourth place
and beat pilots I had dreamed of competing
against.
Jim: How many airplanes will you bring
with you to compete with?
Jeremy: I will bring at least two freestyle
airplanes and two precision airplanes. I’d
like to bring more than that if possible.
Foamies are great because they cost
relatively little for a very high-performance
model airplane.
Jim: What is the perfect balance of power
to weight for you?
Jeremy: I love 2:1 power-to-weight ratio to
really get crazy! For precision I like just
enough power to get the job done. Any
more than that is just extra weight that
hampers performance.
Jim: How would you describe your flying
style?
Jeremy: I would describe it as “purposely
aggressive.” I really like to push the limits
of an airplane, and I design my airplanes to
be pushed hard.
I enjoy precision flying, but I also like to
fly the airplane at the edge of control. If you
don’t know where the limits of the airplane
are, then you won’t know when you are
about to step over them, and stepping over
the limits of control usually means crashing.
Jim: How often do you practice?
Jeremy: My wife and I had our first child
in October of 2006, so finding practice time
is more challenging for me now than it has
been in past years. I practice daily on my
simulator and I’ll practice one hour each
morning in the local gym the month before
the competition.
To get the most out of my practice time I
go in with a defined purpose each time and
work on that maneuver or element or the
flow of the routine. Going in with a purpose
makes it much more productive.
Jim: How do you pick your music?
Jeremy: I like a wide variety of music in
my routines. A freestyle routine typically
needs to show the pilot’s skills in many
different phases of flight.
Since the music will define how the pilot
flies, it needs to have variety from smooth
music for precise, flowing sections to
aggressive music to match more aggressive
flight. The right tempo changes can really
separate a good routine from a mediocre
routine.
When it comes time to select music, I
pick the aggressive music and my wife
helps me pick the slow, smooth music. I’ll
imagine a routine set to the music while
listening to it. If the hair on the back of my
neck stands up, I know it’s good music!
Jim: Do you get nervous before you fly?
Jeremy: I get very nervous before I fly.
Don’t you?
Jim: When I started my own RC company,
you were one of the first pilots I asked to be
on my team. Tell us about the other
sponsors you have and tell all the pilots out
there who want sponsors how you made it
happen.
Jeremy: Besides being sponsored by Billy
Hell RC I’m sponsored by Castle Creations,
BSD Micro RC, 2DogRC, and E Cubed
R/C. I consider myself very lucky to be
sponsored by each of these fine companies.
Castle Creations has long been a leader
and innovator in the electric aircraft market,
while BSD Micro RC and E Cubed R/C
each have countless years in the industry.
2DogRC is a relatively new company with
great products and a great attitude.
For companies, pilot sponsorship is
primarily a marketing tool. It is an
opportunity to get their products and their
name in front of large groups of spectators,
magazine readers, and Internet viewers.
When looking for people to sponsor,
they are looking for pilots who will be
participating at events they’ve targeted so
they can reach their target audience. They
look for pilots with a positive, helpful
attitude to help foster a positive impression
of their business.
Sponsors are also looking for results. In
the auto industry they express this as “Win
on Sunday, sell on Monday!”
To get a sponsorship, my best
suggestion would be that of being
professional and organized. Before
approaching a potential sponsor, put
together a plan.
Your plan should include all events you
are invited to attend and those you would
like to attend. Include your basic goals and
what you plan to do to achieve them.
Include a flying résumé that describes
contest participations and placing.
Finally, be ready to “sell yourself.” You
need to be able to explain what value the
sponsor will get out of sponsoring you.
Once you have gotten the sponsorship
you had hoped for, do the right things to
support it. Practice regularly for the events
in which you plan to compete. Attend the
events you committed to attend. Always be
on your best behavior at events or when in
public, and be an example of good
sportsmanship. By doing these things, both
you and your sponsor will get the most out
of the sponsor/pilot relationship.
Jim: Is being invited to compete in the ETOC
the highlight of your RC experience?
Jeremy: When I was informed I was getting
the invite, I jumped up and down in my
garage, shouting for 10 minutes. It’s a very
scary thing: a 220-pound man jumping up
and down shouting excitedly in his garage.
On a more serious note, I consider it a
great honor to compete with the other pilots
in the E-TOC. Opportunities like this don’t
come around every day, and I plan to make
the most of this opportunity.
I thank Jeremy for taking the time to
answer these questions and wish him luck
in this year’s E-TOC competition. I know
I’ll be down in the pits doing what I can to
help and I’ll probably be almost as excited
as he will. It is always a great show and I
guarantee your hat will be blown off by the
flying you see.
For more information about the ETOC—
which will be held April 13-14 in
Toledo, Ohio—to watch videos of Jeremy
Chinn flying, and to see a detailed overview
of his airplane, go to www.rcspotlight.com/
AMA.
Fly it like you hate it! MA