The Inside Loop - 2011/06
Editor
Editor: Jay Smith [email protected]
Winter building and indoor flying
Before moving to Muncie, Indiana, I was spoiled as an RC pilot living in the state of Florida. Having the ability to fly year-round was great, but it also left me with no winter building season. Now I spend one third of the year flying indoors, I pass a lot of time on the RC flight simulator, and I build, of course!
Toledo Expo and ETOC
Attending the Toledo Expo in Toledo, Ohio, in April is an exciting way to start off the flying season. This year the SeaGate Centre was packed with vendors showcasing their latest products. We have included some of the cool items that were on display in the "Worth a Closer Look" section of this month's issue.
If spending the day at the trade show was not enough to satisfy your curiosity, there was the ETOC competition and fun-fly held just minutes away at Central Catholic High School. Gernot Bruckman put on an amazing show and won the event for the second year in a row.
The fun-fly area allowed noncompeting pilots a chance to do some flying as well. Thanks to Mark Freeland of Retro RC, I even got some stick time on one of his designs.
Nationals and AMA 75th Anniversary
This year we have many events planned in our own backyard at AMA, one of which is the 2011 Nationals (Nats). It will be held from June 25 through August 11. We encourage everyone to attend, but if you can't make it, we will have daily coverage in NatsNews, available online.
Also during the Nats we will be celebrating AMA's 75th Anniversary. This special gathering will take place July 14–17. Members who attend and fly at the event will be eligible for cash prizes, so if you ever wanted to get paid to fly RC, now's your chance!
F3A World Championship
Another occasion to mark on your calendar is the F3A World Championship from July 23 through August 1. I find it exciting to be a part of a World Championship and to have the opportunity to speak to competitors from across the globe.
Scale Squadron Fly-In
Any event, no matter the size or location, should be about having fun. Randy Wilbur shares with us the Scale Squadron Fly-In. Held in June in California, this memorial to Jerry Ortega, one of the founding fathers of the club, continues to grow in participation.
Pilots were invited to a barbecue with some full-scale WWII thoroughbreds as scenery. Plans are already underway for this year's fifth annual gathering on June 4 and 5.
Filming aircraft and RC filmmaking
After an event is over, it is always great to have some video that can be used later to promote it or to share with those who could not attend. Filming aircraft in flight can certainly be a challenge, and if not done properly, can be almost painful to watch.
With that in mind, I enlisted the help of an RC filmmaker, Fred Midgett of Higher Plane Productions. Fred shares with us his insight, not only on equipment, but the tips and tricks he has learned from years of experience. Everyone at AMA who shoots flight videos has learned from it, and I hope you will too.
Product reviews
Also included in this June issue are four product reviews—twice as many as usual. We had so many great products to evaluate, I couldn't hold onto them for another month.
Closing / Feedback
Going forward, we will continue to fine-tune the magazine to satisfy the interests of the majority of our members. If you have any suggestions on the look or content of future issues of Model Aviation, please let me know.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
