Control Line Scale
Bill Boss [[email protected]]
Scale rules change
The Scale Contest Board ratified an emergency rules-change proposal that will affect all CL Scale flying. The change revises the table that specifies the pull test for all CL Scale models at various weights and line lengths. There is also a table listing lap times for various line lengths, assuming the model’s speed is 60 mph.
Every CL Scale modeler should go to the AMA website (www.modelaircraft.org) and download a copy of this rules change. The download provides all the details and the reasons for the modifications; that information is too extensive to include here.
Northwest Control Line Regionals (Eugene Prop Spinners)
The Northwest Control Line Regionals, hosted by the Eugene Prop Spinners, was a great success in 2007, as it has been in past years. The contest was held Memorial Day weekend (May 25–27) and, for the second year, at the Eugene Airport.
Good weather and a spacious airport site allowed the use of seven circles and drew 86 entrants who participated in 202 categories. Contestants and spectators reported a great time. Relevant to this column are the Scale-event results and the fact that Precision Scale was contested.
Craig Bartlett reported the entry counts:
- Precision Scale: 4 entries
- Sport Scale: 2 entries
- Profile Scale: 1 entry
The Precision entrants were Mike MacCarthy, Don Chandler, Leonid Derbarmdiker, and Mike Potter. The results in Precision were:
- Mike MacCarthy — Grumman S-2 firebomber turboprop variant (50" wingspan). The model had working bomb-bay doors and dropped an orange-colored powder to simulate fire-retardant material. Powered by two O.S. .25 engines.
- Leonid Derbarmdiker — Yak-12M liaison airplane.
- Mike Potter — Boeing XB-47D single-turboprop prototype (46" span), powered by two O.S. .15 engines.
- Don Chandler — Alon Ercoupe.
Don Chandler was declared the Scale Champion for the meet, with his Precision Scale finish, a victory in Sport Scale flying a P-47, and a first place in Profile Scale.
Precision vs Designer
I am glad to see Precision Scale rules still included in the 2007–2008 CL Scale rules I downloaded from the AMA website. However, during the last rules-change cycle a proposal was passed to eliminate the Precision event from AMA’s Competition Regulations rule book. Although the rules remain, there are no scoresheets. I checked the N.A.S.A. website (www.nasascale.org), where all the CL Scale scoresheets can be found, and saw none for the Precision event.
It’s unclear where a club would stand if it included Precision Scale in a future contest. Would it need special permission from AMA, as it would for any other nonsanctioned event?
CL Designer Scale was touted as "The Ultimate Event," but how can it compare to Precision, which is judged "up close and personal" in all categories? In Designer, craftsmanship is judged up close but all other judging is done at 15 feet. Designer has not proven to have any better participation than Precision.
Does it matter if a model was built from a kit with great external detail added, or built from scratch as a Designer airplane with great external detail? You never see the inside structure of the completed model.
I suspect Precision was dropped because of the stringent rules and the time required to judge such models properly. It’s a shame to eliminate Precision in favor of Designer, which has not improved participation. Removing Precision also eradicated a step that could have led modelers toward the Designer event. Now there is nothing between Sport and Designer to encourage Scale modelers to progress.
In addition, Fun Scale and Team Scale have been added to the Competition Regulations. While they may be enjoyable to fly, have they added significantly to the challenge of building a Scale model in the way Precision did?
Flight stand
A flight stand can be used for a number of things. The primary purpose of the one shown this month is to hold your model for testing and flight preparation.
Marty Rosenbaum made the stand shown in the photo. It measures 23" wide, 36" high, and 6" deep when folded for storage. The 6"-deep measurement allows it to be stored in small spaces and transported easily to the field.
Marty finished the stand with one coat of sanding sealer and one coat of Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane. All joints are glued and screwed for greater strength. The table allows you to keep all your equipment in one place at the field and work at table height.
Although the stand is primarily for RC, CL fliers can use it as a field-equipment stand. One model-cradle attachment provides a nice workbench for Outdoor and Indoor FF flyers—especially for the small models flown in gym-like areas.
The flight stand is aimed at the model-airplane flier, but its mobility and size also make it useful as a handy workbench around the house. The two platforms provide ample space for tools. I have even used it alongside the barbecue grill for holding food to be cooked.
If you are interested in this stand, contact Marty:
- Address: 68 Lakewood Ave., Monticello, NY 12701
- Tel.: (845) 866-4296
- E-mail: [email protected]
He will supply a price quote for the stand and shipping charges (which vary by ZIP code).
Help wanted
Fran Gallaway sent an e-mail asking for help with electric-powered CL flight. He has roughly an acre of land that would make a good flying circle he could devote to CL, but he is hesitant about using glow or gas engines because of the noise.
Fran has searched the Internet but has not found much information on power systems for CL. Please send any information to him at [email protected]. Please copy me on any help provided to Fran as well.
Contacts and submissions
Please send ideas, notices of upcoming CL Scale events, contest reports, and especially photos of CL Scale activity to me:
- E-mail: [email protected] (address at the top of the column)
- Mail: 77-06 269th St., New Hyde Park, NY 11040
Bill Boss
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
