Author: Chris Mulcahy
Edition: Model Aviation - 2014/03
Page Numbers: 25,26,27,28,29
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NMPRA Q-40 World Championship

Old Julian Airport Hosts 74 Pilots Who Like to Go Fast and Turn Left

by Chris Mulcahy

I was first introduced to pylon racing a number of years ago at a club field where the pilots raced two-pole AT-6 Texans. The course consisted of two poles, one at either end of the field, and we would race several laps around them flying House of Balsa AT-6 Texan kits (later ARFs) with Thunder Tiger GP-25 engines.

That was my first taste of racing. I heard stories about high-performance, three-pole pylon racing using airplanes that could easily fly 200 mph. It sounded exciting, but like something I would only read about in magazines. When the House of Balsa Texan was discontinued, the pylon racing scene seemed to fade away, and that was the only time I ever raced.

Fast forward to 2012, when a couple of friends invited me to fly at a place I didn't even know existed: Old Julian Airport (OJA), nestled in Julian, North Carolina. Owned by Mike Langlois of Aero Racing Engines, OJA is a beautiful flying site specifically set up for three-pole pylon racing. Mike, Jim Katz, and a host of volunteers have groomed the property into a one-of-a-kind racing facility, complete with a lighting system and a short, paved runway affectionately nicknamed ... well, you'll have to visit to find out what it's called.

With help from friends I scrounged together a Quickie 500 racer and competed in my first three-pole race. During the race weekend I also had my first glimpse into the world of Quarter 40, or Q-40, and watched in awe as these incredibly fast airplanes raced in tight formation around the pylons. I was instantly hooked, and marveled that this beautiful site was so close to home. Imagine my surprise and excitement when I found out that the first National Miniature Pylon Racing Association (NMPRA) Q-40 World Championship race was to be held at OJA.

Q-40 is a different ball game from the Quickie 500. Q-40 models are scaled-down airplanes based on full-scale racers and feature composite airframes. They use either a Nelson Q40 or Jett Q40 engine and can reach speeds of 200 mph. The race course consists of three pylons: Pylon 1 is positioned roughly 500 feet down from the start/finish line, then about a 600-foot leg back up to Pylons 2 and 3, which are separated by roughly 100 feet. Pilots and callers stand near Pylons 2 and 3.

The caller’s job is to launch the airplane and let the pilot know when to turn at Pylon 1. The caller is assisted by lights at Pylon 1 that indicate when the airplane has passed; the length of time the light stays on tells the caller how far beyond the pylon the airplane has gone. Pylon racing is a team effort, and a good caller can be worth his or her weight in gold. If the pilot cuts the pylon too short, he or she must fly an extra lap. A second cut results in disqualification from that race.

Races are intense: the event is 10 laps long (11 if you get a cut) and usually over in slightly more than one minute. Positions can change rapidly within a single race.

For this inaugural world championship, 74 pilots arrived from across the globe, including Mexico, England, Canada, and the Netherlands, along with crews from across the U.S. Pilots brought or shipped race models, field equipment, and most had backup airplanes. In the days preceding the race, OJA was a hive of activity with pilots testing, checking, and retesting equipment. OJA has a nice, shady pit area, and large rental tents provided extra refuge from the sun.

The race format kept the action moving: while pilots were racing at the flightline, the next group was called into the ready box and ferried to the flightline via tractor and trailer. The only pause in racing was for lunch. An army of well-trained volunteers staffed everything from the pylons to the food tent, and everyone appreciated their help.

Pilots tested their airplanes early in the morning amid low-lying fog—at one point you could only see heads! After a brief pilots' meeting, the racing began. The race matrix was randomly generated and laid out all the heats so everyone knew when they would race.

On the flightline there are four lanes marked in colors that match a sticker on each model's wing: low green and low red (stickers on the airplane's left wing), and high green and high red (stickers on the right wing). This gives spotters, callers, and judges a clear indication of which airplane is which during the race.

When all four pilots are ready, the starter begins a 60-second countdown. Pilots and callers have that time to start models and get into position. If an airplane doesn't start, the pilot sits out the race and receives zero points. Points are awarded as follows: 4 points for first place, then 3, 2, and 1 for the other finishes.

To avoid unnecessary collisions during takeoff, the start is slightly staggered: for example, green takes off first, followed quickly by red; the split-second sequence is rotated throughout the weekend. After engines are running, callers drop their flight boxes and position themselves. When the clock hits zero, callers release or push the airplanes and run back to their pilots—this is a crucial part of the race because callers must also tell pilots when to turn after Pylon 1 as they sprint back.

The sound of four Q-40 airplanes at full throttle on the start line felt like watching a full-scale race: engines screaming around the pylons. The airplanes raced tightly, flying so close together that midairs seemed inevitable. When a Q-40 aircraft crashes there often isn't much left—there were some spectacular collisions. For safety, the pit area is well removed from the race course.

Throughout the weekend pilots demonstrated a willingness to help fellow racers and a palpable sense of camaraderie. Everything ran smoothly, but the fun didn't stop when the sun went down.

After the airplanes were cleaned and put away for the night, everyone was invited to a banquet at Mike Langlois' shop—the home of Aero Racing Engines where Nelson engines are manufactured. Racers and volunteers enjoyed great food and conversation before presentations. AMA President Bob Brown offered remarks about the event.

Some big names from the pylon-racing world attended and several were inducted into the NMPRA Hall of Fame that night. Lloyd Burnham (NMPRA board), Dub Jett, Mike Helsel, Darrol Cady, Jerry Small, and Henry Nelson were among those inducted. It was nice to see Henry Nelson standing with Mike Langlois in the shop where the engines are now made.

The following day saw fast and furious racing—some pilots defending positions, others trying to make up lost points. CD Jim Katz ran a tight ship and races flowed smoothly. Before we knew it, the racing was over and results were finalized in record time.

Awards were presented 10 deep, with additional awards for overall fast time, fast-time caller, precision landing, and the fast-time fly-off winner. The 2013 NMPRA Q-40 World Champion was Gary Schmidt of Team Futaba. The fast-time award went to Lee Von Der Hay with an incredible time of 0:58.44—10 laps in slightly more than 58 seconds.

It was a great weekend with some of the best racing and people in the hobby. We will be hearing much more from the OJA site in the future.

—Chris Mulcahy [email protected]

WINNERS

  1. Gary Schmidt — Utah
  2. Mike Helsel — South Carolina
  3. Randy Bridge — Florida
  4. Dub Jett — Texas
  5. Joe Hodgin — North Carolina
  6. Bill Johanson — South Carolina
  7. Marcus Blanchard — South Carolina
  8. Moe Vereecke — Missouri
  9. AJ Seaholm — South Dakota
  10. Salvador Barrios — Mexico
  • Fast time: Lee Von Der Hay (0:58.44), California
  • Fast-time caller: Terence Palaschuk — Saskatchewan, Canada
  • Precision landing: Steve Baker — Maryland
  • Fast-time fly-off: Matias Salar — California

SOURCES

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.