The Inside Loop-2011/12
Living in Muncie, Indiana, has its benefits, but for me, winter is not one of them. Having moved to Indiana from Florida, I miss the ability to fly outdoors year-round.
I'm trying to embrace the "winter build season" and whittle away at a closet full of future projects. I even have an airplane in need of repair after a disagreement with terra firma. Winter also brings indoor flying and swap meets; I am certainly appreciative of that!
One of the biggest benefits to living in Muncie is flying at AMA's International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) and attending many of the events. Aside from the Nats, the largest event, judged by pilot participation, is the IRCHA Jamboree. This helicopter-only gathering draws nearly 1,000 pilots each year and has been held at the IAC for 10 years.
IRCHA Jamboree
I have attended the event for four years straight and I find myself looking forward to it more each time. For me, helicopters have gone from being an oddity to something really cool. At IRCHA, I get to see the latest high-performance and scale helicopters flown by the world's top pilots. Modelers of all skill levels get together and share their passion with like-minded individuals.
Whether you missed the Jamboree or just want to reminisce about the great time you had flying your helicopters, Mark Fadely has captured all the excitement of what some would consider "the helicopter pilots' Woodstock."
Helicopter features in this issue
- A rotor-related construction article by Jim Ryan. Although Jim might be best known for his 400-size electric warbirds, he has also embraced RC helicopters and designed and built the AH-56 Cheyenne.
- Jim Ryan's AH-56 Cheyenne was impressive at the 2011 Toledo Expo and earned first place in the Helicopter Class. The model made its flying debut at IRCHA and garnered much interest.
- Chuck Bucci's story of how his love of RC helicopters inspired him to build a full-scale Rotorway in his garage. His dream took flight this summer and makes me wish I had my own personal helicopter—especially during rush hour!
- A review by Roth Heyes of the A Main Hobbies Frenzy V2, a glow-powered machine available at a bargain price.
If helicopters are not your thing, we have the next installment from Dave Scott on mastering straight lines and course adjustments, plus an article on a competition with a collegiate flair to hold you over until next month.
So... if someone asks you, "Helicopters are cool, right?" give them this issue and invite them to IRCHA 2012.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
