his is an editorial I have wanted to
write for MA for several years. I have
finally been able to bring onboard as
a columnist a man whom I consider to be not
only among the smartest people I know, but
also one of the most model-airplane-savvy
individuals I’ve yet to meet.
Actually he started writing his bimonthly
column two months ago, but I didn’t have the
space to do him justice in that issue’s
editorial. Let’s correct that now. I’m referring
to Dean Pappas.
I first met Dean at Teterboro Airport in
north New Jersey in 1977, where I was
performing a demonstration CL Aerobatics
(Stunt) flight. After I had flown Dean walked
up and introduced himself. He then proceeded
to ask several highly insightful questions
about my airplane-and-engine combination.
I was taken back a bit by his obvious
grasp of the package and its finest points. I
found it hard to believe that someone with
this much knowledge about CL Stunt wasn’t
a well-known builder/flier in his own right.
Dean explained that his real passion was
RC Aerobatics (Pattern) flying but that he had
flown a bunch of sport CL as well. He was
the protégé of the legendary Norm Casella—
of Pulsar Bipe fame—in those days, and he’d
already begun to design his own Pattern
models.
We chatted for a while that day and I felt
an instant connection with him as a friend and
co-enthusiast. A few years later, after I had
taken over the reigns at Flying Models
magazine, I was looking for an RC Pattern
columnist and remembered my meeting with
Dean. I gave him a call and we met at my
local RC field for an interview/flying session.
To say that Dean impressed me that day
with his flying ability would be an
understatement of monumental proportions;
he was, and remains to this day, a gifted pilot.
(Dean was a Tournament of Champions
invitee in 1988 and a Nats top 10 Pattern flier
throughout the 1980s).
But as we spoke about his possible
employment as a columnist I became even
more impressed by the way his mind worked.
Dean has a way of abstracting and
extrapolating that enables him to bring his
vast knowledge and obvious intelligence to
bear on virtually any subject.
Simply put, he knows a lot about a lot!
And, he can draw on the far reaches of his
knowledge and apply it to modeling subjects
in a most natural manner.
Dean loves model airplanes—all types of
model airplanes. He doesn’t see a distinction,
for example, between the art of Indoor FF and
RC Pylon Racing. He sees the commonalities
and the points at which all of the modeling
disciplines interconnect.
Dean got the FM job! And now, some 24
years later, he’s still churning out the most
interesting stuff in that monthly slot.
When I came onboard here I knew that we
Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
T
already had a highly competent and
knowledgeable RC Pattern columnist in Eric
Henderson, so hiring Dean for that position
just didn’t make any sense. Still, I wanted to
find a way to give Dean a forum in which he
could expand and enrich our collective
modeling lives with his thoughts.
Last year Dean wrote a most helpful and
information-rich series of articles for our
“From the Ground Up” section. Those
articles were very well received and I
wanted to find a way to let Dean continue.
We spoke about many potential formats, and
then one day Dean called and bounced off of
me the words “If it flies ... !”
If it flies, Dean is interested in it. And
that’s exactly the way I feel too! We decided
to let him loose with only one rule: write
interesting stuff about model airplanes and
show how knowledge and techniques from
one discipline might be adapted to others. In
other words, Dean has the assignment to
show how we are all connected by
modeling.
I could go on for many pages about the
many wonderful, original, and
groundbreaking things in which Dean has
been involved in the modeling world, and I
could write many more pages on the many
lessons I’ve personally learned from him. I
could write a book about how Dean has
become a true brother to me and a valued
member of our family.
I think, instead, it’s best that you read
Dean’s column and form your own close
friendship with him. I have no doubt that
you will.
I can be reached via phone at (610) 614-
1747 or by E-mail at [email protected].
My address is Box 68, Stockertown PA
18083. MA
Modeling Spoken Here
Published by The Academy of Model Aeronautics
Rob Kurek
Director of Publications
Editorial offices: (765) 287-1256, extension
224 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays); Fax: (765)
281-7907
Contributing Editors
Dave Brown
President
Doug Holland
Executive Vice President
Staff
(765) 287-1256 | www.modelaircraft.org
Fax: (765) 289-4248
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Burton Dr., Liberty Township OH 45044
(513) 755-7494 | Fax: (513) 755-7495
Executive Director Jim Cherry
Model Aviation is an official publication of The Academy
of Model Aeronautics, Inc., an associate member of the
National Aeronautic Association (NAA). NAA is the official
U.S. representative of the Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale (FAI), the world governing body for sport
aviation, and represents the U.S. at FAI meetings. NAA
delegated to the AMA supervision of FAI-related
aeromodeling activities such as record attempts,
competition sanctions, and selection of U.S. teams for
World Championships. (ISSN 0744-5059, USPS 087-930
Publications Agreement No. 40688541) is owned
exclusively by The Academy of Model Aeronautics, Inc., a
nonprofit organization, and published monthly at 5161
East Memorial Drive, Muncie IN 47302. Periodical rate
postage paid at Muncie IN and at additional mailing
offices. Canadian return address: Station A, PO Box 54,
Windsor ON N9A 615
Account Executive Angela Martin
Administrative Assistant Yolanda Jones
Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
Associate Editor Michael Ramsey
Director of Design/Production Carla Kunz
Executive Editor Elizabeth Helms
Graphic Designer Sarah Shaw
Managing Editor Shelia Ames Webb
Production Associate Jennifer Orebaugh
Stan Alexander
Bob Angel
Darwin Barrie
Bill Boss
Paul Bradley
Sal Calvagna
Mark Fadely
Dave Garwood
Dave Gee
Greg Gimlick
John Glezellis
Jim T. Graham
Eric Henderson
Jim Hiller
Louis Joyner
John Kagan
Rich Lopez
Dave Mark
D.B. Mathews
Dennis Norman
Dean Pappas
Richard L. Perry
Greg Rose
Red Scholefield
Gene Smith
Joe Wagner
Technical Editor Bob Aberle
... Dean has the assignment
to show how we are all
connected by modeling.
6 MODEL AVIATION
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Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/10
Page Numbers: 6