The Inside Loop - 2010/05

6 MODEL AVIATION
ore than one person made a point
to share their thoughts about what
it was like to attend the 2010 AMA
Expo. In general, the phrase used was “best
show ever.” This is, of course, important news
to us, but why? Check out the report from
Chris Brooks, AMA’s intrepid public relations
manager, on page 18.
It’s easy to tell that Chris is a people
person and darn good at capturing in
photographs candid proof of why the show
was significant this year. He shared the
experience much like the public did and palled
up with speakers who used their own time to
share how aeromodeling influenced their lives
and helped them become important
contributors to the aerospace industry.
Isn’t that what we all dream about when
flying our models? We imagine ourselves in
the cockpit of our airplane or helicopter as it
streaks, flips, and/or rolls through the air. Not
to mention breathe a heart-pounding sigh of
pride when the gear touches the ground again
with grace and its manifest of parts still intact.
Have you gotten what made the show so
great? What affected me the most about the
story Chris told was how the special guests
mingled and took time to help the droves of
kids in the make-and-take areas and stay on
the show floor corner chats.
We naturally see these people as
celebrities, but they see us aeromodelers as
people who are just like them. In fact, all of
the speakers still participate in the hobby/sport
of modeling in some form. In some way, they
learn from us as well.
In short, the AMA Expo experience
showed better how it’s the people who make
the difference. When we all work and play
together to appreciate the thrill of flight,
wonderful things happen. AMA and its
members proved that from any angle, levels of
enjoyment and success are unlimited.
When technology takes a leap, a flying
object is involved, be it a craft with wings,
rotors, or rockets. And as big as the hobby is
getting, some of our members still think small.
That is, how small RC model aircraft can
be built and still perform as if the builders
dropped a ton of money into them. This month
we present to you three RC projects, none of
which will require a credit check; many of you
may already have the equipment on hand.
Three experts looked at the ultramicro
interest from different angles. So let’s break
them down and you can decide which project
is right for you. Also consider how you can
take what has been learned and apply it to
your own design idea. We arranged them in
the magazine in order of complexity.
First up is Joe Hass’s tribute to the Peck-
Polymers favorite that proved that kites didn’t
have to be on a string to fly well. The
Stringless Wonder Revisited takes the same
plans shape, but balsa and tissue is traded for
Depron foam.
The same-weight rubber motor was
replaced with a ParkZone Ember power
Editor Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
The Inside Loop
Published by The Academy of Model Aeronautics
Rob Kurek
Director of Publications
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281-7907
Contributing Editors
Dave Mathewson
President
Mark Smith
Executive Vice President
Staff
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body for sport aviation, and represents the U.S. at FAI
meetings. NAA delegated to the AMA supervision of FAIrelated
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Account Executive Angie Martin
Administrative Assistant Yolanda Jones
Assistant Editor Jay Smith
Communications Specialist Ashley Rauen
Director of Design/Production Carla Kunz
Editor Michael Ramsey
Graphic Designer Sarah Shaw
Managing Editor Shelia Ames Webb
Production Associate Jennifer Orebaugh
Senior Editor Elizabeth Helms
Stan Alexander
Bob Angel
Bill Boss
Paul Bradley
Sal Calvagna
Scott Causey
Lee Estingoy
Mark Fadely
Dave Garwood
Dave Gee
Greg Gimlick
A.C. Glenn
Albert Glenn
John Glezellis
Jim T. Graham
Donald Grissom
Jim Hiller
Louis Joyner
John Kagan
Rich Lopez
Joe Malinchak
Dennis Norman
Dean Pappas
Richard L. Perry
Red Scholefield
Gene Smith
Joe Wagner
Editor Emeritus Bob Hunt
Technical Editor Bob Aberle
… satisfy the urge to soar.
CFO/Treasurer Doug Holland
M
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system. But now the modeler gets to steer
around pylons and dive under light fixtures.
Joe went even further and built a giant-scale
RC version that, for the same effort, offers
better performance and outdoor thrills.
MA’s technical editor, Bob Aberle, has
been just as jazzed about the ParkZone RC
module package. His “Scratch” aircraft series
now has one more in the successful line with a
version that pays tribute to its build material,
Depron foam.
The Scratch Foamy appears traditional,
and, because of that, is great for indoor pilots
who need training flying in tight spaces. The
construction is a blend of new and classic
techniques, plus Bob brings the advantages of
brushless performance to the “brick” radio
system.
Our offering of indoor airplane
construction projects concludes with an
ultimate aerobat: the Ultra-Micro Diabolo
from John Glezellis. As MA’s RC Scale
Aerobatics columnist, John uses his piloting
time any way he can to maintain and improve
his skill as a world-class Aerobatics
competitor.
Because time is always a factor, John made
the model as simple as possible. There are just
four foam pieces to cut, and minimal carbonfiber
support to fit. The result is a fourchannel,
full aerobatic model that can be flown
in a very small room.
John played with various power systems,
but, as did Joe and Bob, he found the
ParkZone module system to be the best option.
However, his takes advantage of the latest
offering: the Ultra-Micro 4-Site power system.
It’s good to see that even though the option
to buy an RTF aircraft is there, our members
are still scrounging and playing to satisfy the
urge to soar. MA
Executive Director Jim Cherry
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