Control Line Combat
Rich Lopez <[email protected]>
Support the FAI CL World Championships. Go Team USA!
Some of you may already know that I have been selected as team manager for the 2008 US CL team that will compete in the World Championships. The event will begin at the end of July in France.
In addition to coordinating all the paperwork for the team and supporters, one of my major responsibilities is to raise funds for the F2A (Speed), F2B (Aerobatics), F2C (Team Race), and F2D (Combat) team members. Team USA has some good corporate friends that help out with some of the more logistically difficult tasks, such as getting practice fuel to Landres, France.
Given the tight security restrictions placed on air travelers, getting 18 gallons of flammable liquids across the Atlantic can be problematic and costly. Shirley and Willard Hammond of Powermaster Fuels graciously agreed to provide fuel, at no cost, to the team through their distributor in France. Remi Epron will see to it that the fuel is delivered to the venue before our arrival.
I thank the Hammonds for the support they have provided to our teams and to the AMA this year and in years past. I will certainly purchase Powermaster fuels to show my appreciation.
Donations and Fundraising
Bill Rich of the Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association made a donation of $100 to support one of the CL team's junior members. Robin Hunt also made a $100 donation, and Paul Vallins of Cascade Aircraft donated $500 to defray the cost of team uniforms.
Most of the funds raised come from the sales of souvenir caps and T-shirts that carry the World Championships team logo. If you want to help support the team, you can purchase:
- T-shirt (S, M, L, XL, or XXL) — $20
- Cap — $15
- Add $9.80 for US Postal Service Priority Mail charges for up to seven items in a box
You can buy items from me or my assistant team manager, Howard Rush. Keith Trostle in Arizona, Bob Whitney in Florida, and Jason Allen in Pennsylvania have been selling these items at various contests. Some merchandise will be available at the AMA Nats.
The AMA is generous in supporting teams by paying World Championships entry, lodging, and banquet fees, as well as providing a travel allowance of $400 per team member. Every AMA SIG, which represents a specific discipline, contributes additional funds to each of its team members to defray additional airfare and model and ground transportation costs. With the strength of the euro against the dollar, each team member will have considerable out-of-pocket expenses. As you can imagine, your help in supporting the team is greatly appreciated.
Combat season and contests
March Madness F2D Contest (Phoenix, AZ)
The Combat season got off to a great start with the March Madness F2D Contest in Phoenix, Arizona. On Friday, March 7, seven pilots started the weekend with a laid-back 1/2A competition. James McKinney, the Miniature Aircraft Combat Association (MACA) promoter, bashed his way to a first-place finish. He put the hurt on George Cleveland's and Richard Stubblefield's fleet of models to take top honors.
Twenty-one F2D pilots evacuated their cold-weather states for a warm weekend in the Arizona sun. Senior citizens who enjoy Combat competition can still finish on the podium, as George Cleveland and Richard Stubblefield demonstrated by finishing first and second. Alexander Prokofiev of the Latvian team finished third.
Buyback system
In 2007, this contest's Arizona sponsors offered a buyback into the contest formula. At the 2008 contest, if you lost three consecutive matches, you could fly in the fourth round for an additional $25 — in essence, you were able to buy a fourth loss. If you lost in the fourth round, you could buy back into the fifth round for $50. For $75, you could buy back into the sixth round.
I have mixed feelings about this system. On the one hand, it offers a pilot the ability to do more flying; on the other hand, it gives an unfair advantage to guys with money. The extra fees went to the World Championships Combat team fund. This is one of those innovations that will need to be looked at carefully in the future.
Go to the MACA Web site to view a large number of photographs of the March Madness contest.
Upcoming contests and regional notes
As I write in early April, many F2D pilots are getting ready for the second annual Jacksonville, Florida F2D contest organized by the Duane brothers. Another big F2D contest will be held in Houston, Texas, May 10–11.
While the New England-area modelers have a strong following for speed-limit contests, most other parts of the country are primarily focused on F2D. The 1/2A event seems to have turned into a warm-up, flown mostly just for fun.
The AMA Nats has taken a nosedive in terms of participation. The last time there was a good turnout in Combat at that contest was in 2004, when it immediately followed the World Championships in Muncie. I loved traveling to various states when the Nats moved to different parts of the country every year, though I recognize that this must have put a strain on organizers trying to find host clubs with the manpower to judge and run all the events.
As a Combat community, we all need to support the existing contests with our attendance and by volunteering to help organize and run the events.
Equipment and suppliers
The economic problems affecting our country are now having an impact on our overseas equipment suppliers. Igor Kolosov of ViKo Models sent e-mail messages to the Combat group forum and to his customers indicating that he was raising prices.
Several years ago, you could buy Igor's standard RTF F2D model for $28; the new price is $42. Engine mounts that once sold for $12 will cost $18. Everything is relative, and when you consider other hobbies and sports we could be involved in, ours is still very inexpensive.
Mike Willcox, a former World Champion and many-time Team USA member, has great contacts with overseas equipment suppliers. He has updated his Web site to show a number of products available through him. Mike can get engines, models, propellers, and other items to help you get your model into the air. He has also made many videos of various competitions that are suitable to show at club meetings and to share with those who are unfamiliar with what we do.
Returning pilots
Former Combat fliers have been showing up after years of absences. Gene Pape of Eugene, Oregon, recently made an appearance at the San Diego sod farm, where the locals fly.
I have heard rumors that the infamous Richard Brasher, formerly of Redwood City, California, wants to get back into competition. He was an exceptionally talented pilot who pioneered foam models, the most notable of which was the Rotation Station.
Paul Smith came out of hibernation to fly models in Michigan and Canada. Perhaps we can get Phil Granderson, John Salvin, and Mike Petri back in the thick of the Combat scene!
Sources
- Howard Rush
14321 SE 63rd St. Bellevue, WA 98006
- MACA March Madness photos
maca.hobby-site.com:3535/gallery.html
- Mike Willcox
web.mac.com/emomedia/Evil_Emo_Creations/Welcome.html
- Rich Lopez
8334 Colegio Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90045
- ViKo Models
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
