The Inside Loop 2010/08

That made Pat’s project all
the more sweet.
Editor Michael Ramsey
[email protected]
6 MODEL AVIATION
lose your eyes and dream about
being inside an airplane where
you’re the pilot. What do you see
in your mind’s eye?
For me, it’s bright blue skies and puffy,
white clouds on a calm afternoon. I’m
strolling through the sky not 500 feet from the
green trees and an endless sea of hilly
landscape.
The yoke in my right hand steadies the
floating control in perfect trim, my left two
fingers caress the shoulder-high throttle, and
my feet hum as they lay against the rudder
pedals. In the backseat are my boys, staring
wide-eyed out the weathered Plexiglas. The
sun is high enough to tell us that the fuel tank
floating full at that moment is ours to spend.
When I open my eyes, the airplane I was
mind-flying is as clear as crystal. I know that
someday that dream will become a reality.
But for now, the J-3 Cub I dream about so
vividly will have to be in reality a miniature
replica. Because of that dream, for you this
month we have a precious gem to share that
you can make your very own.
Pat Tritle’s model work is inspirational. I
feel like I know him better with each of his
creations—even if I don’t build it. The J-3
Cub he created for us is no less inspirational,
even though a lot of people think that the Cub
is kitsch in the arena of aeromodeling.
I always have a Cub in my fleet. I’ve
owned many and pass them on thinking that
I’ve grown out of them. Not long after,
though, I yearn for a J-3, and lucky for us
there’s always a new one on the market to try.
When I looked at the AMA Plans Service
list of stock, it surprised me that we didn’t
have a good Cub on the list. That made Pat’s
project all the more sweet. He would help us
make our collection more complete.
His Cub was a three-channel model at the
time. I offhandedly asked Pat if he thought his
40-inch model could be made with ailerons.
Not a week later, the plans were updated and
photos arrived with all of the upgrades that
were nonchalantly mentioned. Man, am I
jealous of him—and grateful.
On the dream flip side, for you speed
demons, racing is a hot activity that’s great for
anyone who needs to practice his or her airgasping
technique. I was just out on-site to
check out the “No Bull” air racing trials of the
Extreme Flight Championships and I couldn’t
believe how many times I had to catch my
breath. Now there’s something else I want to
try (darn it)!
Moreover, the safety precautions taken to
put the race together were impressive. The
course was set so that all the aircraft energy
was directed away from the spectators. All the
down-on-the-deck work by the RC pilots
were well away from the crowd, yet so easy to
appreciate.
Every race experience I’ve witnessed has
been an utmost exercise in safety at both
model and full-scale events. The Reno Air
Races held every year in the Nevada desert is
a pinnacle of safety practice, yet it remains the
greatest, and most expensive, resource for
adrenalin delivery.
Michael Brown took a walk on the other
side of the spectator benches to cover the
event as a photojournalist. The images he
captured fly off of the page.
When I learned to drive a car, taking a
course in defensive driving meant you could
get your student driver’s permit six months
early. Of course I took the class. Aeromodeling
safety starts at the bench (or classroom) too.
Don Apostolico’s pickup article about his
anticrash technique will show that RC piloting
in a predictive manner makes sense and isn’t
too hard. Defensive RC flying starts with
choosing the right equipment and having the
proper tools. Skimping or cutting corners will
only lead to disaster, and redundancy is as
practical as keeping a spare tire in the trunk of
the family SUV.
Friends of mine and I joked recently that in
the old days we built airplanes so much faster
than we do today. Are we getting old?
I debated that age is less of a factor than
intelligence. I’d like to believe that today
we’re building smarter. Don’s article will get
you there sooner than the decades it took me.
Maybe you don’t have the tools right now,
but you can get the skill. Surely members of
your AMA club can help with that, and maybe
even lend you the tools. That’s a real plus
about being a club member, isn’t it?
Okay, you can be obsessive about
redundancy for sure. Don tells us what order
of redundancy is most essential. We’re giving
you the lucky top 13 now. In a way, it’s like
we’re teaching you how to buy the right
amount of insurance.
After all, the better your aircraft works, the
better you’ll sleep at night dreaming about
those blue-sky afternoons.