124 MODEL AVIATION
WELCOME BACK to your RC helicopter headquarters. The
year 2008 is almost over; can you believe it? How was it for you?
With all the bad news in today’s world, it sure is nice to have a
fun hobby such as RC helicopters to which we can escape. There
is nothing like lifting off into the air on that perfect day.
I remember one special, warm summer morning earlier this
year. I was flying my helicopter when the air was still and the
ground was wet with dew. Those quiet, solitary moments remind
me of my childhood when I was flying balsa gliders in my
parents’ back yard.
I would give the models a toss and then stand back watching,
in fascination, the forces that
allowed them to float in midair.
I built and flew all kinds of
balsa airplanes, experimenting
with many designs that educated
me about the basics of
aerodynamics.
I graduated to bigger, better
models as the years passed. My
appetite for more realistic,
better-flying aircraft steered my
interests toward scale. A
miniature replica that appears
identical to its full-scale
counterpart has sort of a magical
allure.
Many beautiful scale
airplanes made their way in and
out of my hangar/bedroom.
When one left (usually in
pieces), another one quickly filled the vacant spot.
When I returned to the hobby, I could not wait to try RC
helicopters. Airplanes were fun, but helicopters seemed so much
more complex and challenging; boy, was I right. They were
complex, little, mind-boggling, flying erector sets.
There’s just something about Scale helicopters
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Sandy Jaffe’s Vario MD 900
Above: Thunder Tiger’s new
Innovator MD-530 is all electric
and advertised as a beginner’s
RTF. Innovator models feature
2.4 GHz technology, digital
servos, and PC-link setup
options.
Right: Sandy Jaffe’s Vario MD
900 had its maiden flight in
April 2008. The attention to
detail and brilliant color choice
make it a real eye-catcher.
Above: On the MD 900 “NOTAR” (no tail rotor), a fan
blowing air down the center of the tailboom generates
side thrust to control yaw. An adjustable exit provides
the right amount of correctional force.
Right: Flight Care let Sandy Jaffe into its hangar to
measure and photograph the air ambulance so he could
replicate it. This model weighs 14 pounds.
01sig4.QXD 11/24/08 1:07 PM Page 124
Interest in 3-D flying was blossoming in the mid-1990s,
and Scale helicopter activity was diminishing. I jumped into
the 3-D party with both feet. I thought, “Man, these
whopper chopper things sure are fun!”
But Scale helicopters have started to make a comeback.
A lot of work goes into building one. The typical Scale
model used to be a true builder’s kit. Most of the modern
pilots did not want to take the time to build a scale aircraft
when everyone was having so much fun flying aerobatic 3-
D ARF helicopters.
Now several manufacturers are offering scale helicopter
ARFs. This usually means that the fuselage is built and
painted, and everything is in the box, enabling the
mechanics of a popular 3-D helicopter to be transformed into a
beautiful scale machine.
Thunder Tiger is one of the companies that is amping up its
scale department. It has introduced quite a lineup of excellent
prepainted fuselages that make it easy and affordable for anyone
to get into scale flying.
Century Helicopter Products has produced nice prepainted
scale helicopter bodies through the years. Having the
manufacturer do most of the work is great for many pilots, but
some builders still want to take on the responsibility, and make
their own custom scale creations, as so many scale pilots before
them.
Sandy Jaffe is one of those guys who loves to build. He is also
one of the best craftsmen I have ever seen.
At the 2008 IRCHA [International Radio Controlled
Helicopter Association] Jamboree, Sandy had his newest Scale
creation on display. You cannot miss this model in the air; it has
a huge, bright-red fuselage with white markings.
Sandy is from State College, Pennsylvania, and he got the
inspiration for his helicopter at an air-ambulance company in
nearby Coatesville. He visited the hangar where the full-scale
aircraft is stationed.
The people in charge were nice enough to let Sandy inspect
their helicopter by climbing in and around it. He made
measurements, took pictures, and used all the gathered
information to build a perfect miniature replica. This detailed
documentation is an important element in Scale competitions.
Sandy used an MD 900 NOTAR (no tail
rotor) kit from the Vario company. No tail
rotor? That’s right. You may have seen one
of these helicopters before, but many
people are unaware of it.
The tail of a NOTAR machine
effectively works as does any normal
helicopter with tail rotor. Instead of the air
being grabbed by a conventional bladed
tail-rotor disk, the NOTAR system uses a
fan attached to the power system to blow
air down the center of the tailboom. The air
then is blown out the tailboom in the rear,
with side force generated by an adjustable
opening. It is amazing and works great.
Uli Streich started Vario approximately
35 years ago. He was a full-scale helicopter
mechanic who had a passion for the
machines on which he worked.
He still has that passion today; his
company makes some of the most respected
scale model helicopter kits in the world.
Sandy said that his Vario kit is excellent in
every detail.
Sandy decided to use a Rossi .91
nitromethane engine to power the MD 900.
His radio is a standard JR PCM system.
The Vario models are builders’ kits,
though, which means that factory finishing
is not done. You must prepare, assemble,
and paint the entire fuselage. Then the
whole assembly has to be fitted to whatever
mechanics you choose. For most modelers,
a top-quality scale helicopter project takes a
few months to complete.
Getting modern RC pilots into Scale is a
tough job. Everyone seems to enjoy
watching those models fly, but many are
too busy to put the necessary time into
building them. Whenever one goes up at the
flying field, most other pilots gather around
to take pictures and ask questions. The only
difference between the pilot flying and the
pilots watching is the willingness to go
through all the time and trouble it takes to
build a full-on scale kit.
It is refreshing to see some of the major
companies going after the ARF scale
market. Look at how many beautiful large
scale ARF airplanes are being sold; I’ll bet
the helicopter companies are already selling
quite a few of their new scale ARFs.
Think about it. You do not have to be
flip-flopping all over God’s creation to
have fun flying a helicopter. I know that
hovering is kind of boring for pilots who
are so advanced, but hovering and gently
flying an awesome scale machine is a
different story. I have piloted quite a few
different types of scale models, and I get a
thrill out of it.
Can you fly a 25-pound scale model in a
slow, realistic way in any wind conditions?
Can you hover perfectly over one spot and
do a full 360° pirouette that takes 30
seconds to complete? Now that is difficult.
There are as many challenges in the Scale
arena as with any other aspect of RC
helicopters.
If I have piqued your interest in pursuing
some scale-related venture, I’m happy. It
was an eye-opening experience to see all
the scale introductions into the hobby this
past year. Next year is going to be the best
yet in RC helicopters!
I’ll be back next month. MA
Sources:
Thunder Tiger helicopters:
Ace Hobby Distributors
(866) 322-7121
www.acehobby.com
Century Helicopter Products
(800) 686-8588
www.centuryheli.com
IRCHA
http://ircha.org/
Vario helicopters:
East Coast Scale Helicopters
(508) 520-1140
www.eastcoastvario.com
126 MODEL AVIATION
Viewfinder
Baby Boomerang
Although many visitors flooded
into Las Vegas, Nevada, for the
SEMA [Specialty Equipment Market
Association] Show, which is basically
one gigantic car show, another special
event began soon after: the inaugural
Sin City Jets Rally, which took place
November 2-4, 2007. There is nothing
like seeing hot, new automobiles and
fast-moving RC jets.
The Las Vegas Radio Control
Club hosted the jet rally at the
William G. Bennett Aircraft Park, and
the weather that weekend was perfect
for T-shirts.
Alex Zayika and Mike Krouse
built the Baby Boomerang that is
shown in flight. Power is provided by
a JetCat P-70 turbine and a
combination of JR and Futaba radio
gear. MA
—Darrell Hennek
www.tnbproductions.com
E-mail your high-resolution
“Viewfinder” photo and a short note
telling the airplane or helicopter story
to [email protected].
01sig4.QXD 11/24/08 1:12 PM Page 126
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/01
Page Numbers: 124,125,126
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/01
Page Numbers: 124,125,126
124 MODEL AVIATION
WELCOME BACK to your RC helicopter headquarters. The
year 2008 is almost over; can you believe it? How was it for you?
With all the bad news in today’s world, it sure is nice to have a
fun hobby such as RC helicopters to which we can escape. There
is nothing like lifting off into the air on that perfect day.
I remember one special, warm summer morning earlier this
year. I was flying my helicopter when the air was still and the
ground was wet with dew. Those quiet, solitary moments remind
me of my childhood when I was flying balsa gliders in my
parents’ back yard.
I would give the models a toss and then stand back watching,
in fascination, the forces that
allowed them to float in midair.
I built and flew all kinds of
balsa airplanes, experimenting
with many designs that educated
me about the basics of
aerodynamics.
I graduated to bigger, better
models as the years passed. My
appetite for more realistic,
better-flying aircraft steered my
interests toward scale. A
miniature replica that appears
identical to its full-scale
counterpart has sort of a magical
allure.
Many beautiful scale
airplanes made their way in and
out of my hangar/bedroom.
When one left (usually in
pieces), another one quickly filled the vacant spot.
When I returned to the hobby, I could not wait to try RC
helicopters. Airplanes were fun, but helicopters seemed so much
more complex and challenging; boy, was I right. They were
complex, little, mind-boggling, flying erector sets.
There’s just something about Scale helicopters
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Sandy Jaffe’s Vario MD 900
Above: Thunder Tiger’s new
Innovator MD-530 is all electric
and advertised as a beginner’s
RTF. Innovator models feature
2.4 GHz technology, digital
servos, and PC-link setup
options.
Right: Sandy Jaffe’s Vario MD
900 had its maiden flight in
April 2008. The attention to
detail and brilliant color choice
make it a real eye-catcher.
Above: On the MD 900 “NOTAR” (no tail rotor), a fan
blowing air down the center of the tailboom generates
side thrust to control yaw. An adjustable exit provides
the right amount of correctional force.
Right: Flight Care let Sandy Jaffe into its hangar to
measure and photograph the air ambulance so he could
replicate it. This model weighs 14 pounds.
01sig4.QXD 11/24/08 1:07 PM Page 124
Interest in 3-D flying was blossoming in the mid-1990s,
and Scale helicopter activity was diminishing. I jumped into
the 3-D party with both feet. I thought, “Man, these
whopper chopper things sure are fun!”
But Scale helicopters have started to make a comeback.
A lot of work goes into building one. The typical Scale
model used to be a true builder’s kit. Most of the modern
pilots did not want to take the time to build a scale aircraft
when everyone was having so much fun flying aerobatic 3-
D ARF helicopters.
Now several manufacturers are offering scale helicopter
ARFs. This usually means that the fuselage is built and
painted, and everything is in the box, enabling the
mechanics of a popular 3-D helicopter to be transformed into a
beautiful scale machine.
Thunder Tiger is one of the companies that is amping up its
scale department. It has introduced quite a lineup of excellent
prepainted fuselages that make it easy and affordable for anyone
to get into scale flying.
Century Helicopter Products has produced nice prepainted
scale helicopter bodies through the years. Having the
manufacturer do most of the work is great for many pilots, but
some builders still want to take on the responsibility, and make
their own custom scale creations, as so many scale pilots before
them.
Sandy Jaffe is one of those guys who loves to build. He is also
one of the best craftsmen I have ever seen.
At the 2008 IRCHA [International Radio Controlled
Helicopter Association] Jamboree, Sandy had his newest Scale
creation on display. You cannot miss this model in the air; it has
a huge, bright-red fuselage with white markings.
Sandy is from State College, Pennsylvania, and he got the
inspiration for his helicopter at an air-ambulance company in
nearby Coatesville. He visited the hangar where the full-scale
aircraft is stationed.
The people in charge were nice enough to let Sandy inspect
their helicopter by climbing in and around it. He made
measurements, took pictures, and used all the gathered
information to build a perfect miniature replica. This detailed
documentation is an important element in Scale competitions.
Sandy used an MD 900 NOTAR (no tail
rotor) kit from the Vario company. No tail
rotor? That’s right. You may have seen one
of these helicopters before, but many
people are unaware of it.
The tail of a NOTAR machine
effectively works as does any normal
helicopter with tail rotor. Instead of the air
being grabbed by a conventional bladed
tail-rotor disk, the NOTAR system uses a
fan attached to the power system to blow
air down the center of the tailboom. The air
then is blown out the tailboom in the rear,
with side force generated by an adjustable
opening. It is amazing and works great.
Uli Streich started Vario approximately
35 years ago. He was a full-scale helicopter
mechanic who had a passion for the
machines on which he worked.
He still has that passion today; his
company makes some of the most respected
scale model helicopter kits in the world.
Sandy said that his Vario kit is excellent in
every detail.
Sandy decided to use a Rossi .91
nitromethane engine to power the MD 900.
His radio is a standard JR PCM system.
The Vario models are builders’ kits,
though, which means that factory finishing
is not done. You must prepare, assemble,
and paint the entire fuselage. Then the
whole assembly has to be fitted to whatever
mechanics you choose. For most modelers,
a top-quality scale helicopter project takes a
few months to complete.
Getting modern RC pilots into Scale is a
tough job. Everyone seems to enjoy
watching those models fly, but many are
too busy to put the necessary time into
building them. Whenever one goes up at the
flying field, most other pilots gather around
to take pictures and ask questions. The only
difference between the pilot flying and the
pilots watching is the willingness to go
through all the time and trouble it takes to
build a full-on scale kit.
It is refreshing to see some of the major
companies going after the ARF scale
market. Look at how many beautiful large
scale ARF airplanes are being sold; I’ll bet
the helicopter companies are already selling
quite a few of their new scale ARFs.
Think about it. You do not have to be
flip-flopping all over God’s creation to
have fun flying a helicopter. I know that
hovering is kind of boring for pilots who
are so advanced, but hovering and gently
flying an awesome scale machine is a
different story. I have piloted quite a few
different types of scale models, and I get a
thrill out of it.
Can you fly a 25-pound scale model in a
slow, realistic way in any wind conditions?
Can you hover perfectly over one spot and
do a full 360° pirouette that takes 30
seconds to complete? Now that is difficult.
There are as many challenges in the Scale
arena as with any other aspect of RC
helicopters.
If I have piqued your interest in pursuing
some scale-related venture, I’m happy. It
was an eye-opening experience to see all
the scale introductions into the hobby this
past year. Next year is going to be the best
yet in RC helicopters!
I’ll be back next month. MA
Sources:
Thunder Tiger helicopters:
Ace Hobby Distributors
(866) 322-7121
www.acehobby.com
Century Helicopter Products
(800) 686-8588
www.centuryheli.com
IRCHA
http://ircha.org/
Vario helicopters:
East Coast Scale Helicopters
(508) 520-1140
www.eastcoastvario.com
126 MODEL AVIATION
Viewfinder
Baby Boomerang
Although many visitors flooded
into Las Vegas, Nevada, for the
SEMA [Specialty Equipment Market
Association] Show, which is basically
one gigantic car show, another special
event began soon after: the inaugural
Sin City Jets Rally, which took place
November 2-4, 2007. There is nothing
like seeing hot, new automobiles and
fast-moving RC jets.
The Las Vegas Radio Control
Club hosted the jet rally at the
William G. Bennett Aircraft Park, and
the weather that weekend was perfect
for T-shirts.
Alex Zayika and Mike Krouse
built the Baby Boomerang that is
shown in flight. Power is provided by
a JetCat P-70 turbine and a
combination of JR and Futaba radio
gear. MA
—Darrell Hennek
www.tnbproductions.com
E-mail your high-resolution
“Viewfinder” photo and a short note
telling the airplane or helicopter story
to [email protected].
01sig4.QXD 11/24/08 1:12 PM Page 126
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/01
Page Numbers: 124,125,126
124 MODEL AVIATION
WELCOME BACK to your RC helicopter headquarters. The
year 2008 is almost over; can you believe it? How was it for you?
With all the bad news in today’s world, it sure is nice to have a
fun hobby such as RC helicopters to which we can escape. There
is nothing like lifting off into the air on that perfect day.
I remember one special, warm summer morning earlier this
year. I was flying my helicopter when the air was still and the
ground was wet with dew. Those quiet, solitary moments remind
me of my childhood when I was flying balsa gliders in my
parents’ back yard.
I would give the models a toss and then stand back watching,
in fascination, the forces that
allowed them to float in midair.
I built and flew all kinds of
balsa airplanes, experimenting
with many designs that educated
me about the basics of
aerodynamics.
I graduated to bigger, better
models as the years passed. My
appetite for more realistic,
better-flying aircraft steered my
interests toward scale. A
miniature replica that appears
identical to its full-scale
counterpart has sort of a magical
allure.
Many beautiful scale
airplanes made their way in and
out of my hangar/bedroom.
When one left (usually in
pieces), another one quickly filled the vacant spot.
When I returned to the hobby, I could not wait to try RC
helicopters. Airplanes were fun, but helicopters seemed so much
more complex and challenging; boy, was I right. They were
complex, little, mind-boggling, flying erector sets.
There’s just something about Scale helicopters
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Sandy Jaffe’s Vario MD 900
Above: Thunder Tiger’s new
Innovator MD-530 is all electric
and advertised as a beginner’s
RTF. Innovator models feature
2.4 GHz technology, digital
servos, and PC-link setup
options.
Right: Sandy Jaffe’s Vario MD
900 had its maiden flight in
April 2008. The attention to
detail and brilliant color choice
make it a real eye-catcher.
Above: On the MD 900 “NOTAR” (no tail rotor), a fan
blowing air down the center of the tailboom generates
side thrust to control yaw. An adjustable exit provides
the right amount of correctional force.
Right: Flight Care let Sandy Jaffe into its hangar to
measure and photograph the air ambulance so he could
replicate it. This model weighs 14 pounds.
01sig4.QXD 11/24/08 1:07 PM Page 124
Interest in 3-D flying was blossoming in the mid-1990s,
and Scale helicopter activity was diminishing. I jumped into
the 3-D party with both feet. I thought, “Man, these
whopper chopper things sure are fun!”
But Scale helicopters have started to make a comeback.
A lot of work goes into building one. The typical Scale
model used to be a true builder’s kit. Most of the modern
pilots did not want to take the time to build a scale aircraft
when everyone was having so much fun flying aerobatic 3-
D ARF helicopters.
Now several manufacturers are offering scale helicopter
ARFs. This usually means that the fuselage is built and
painted, and everything is in the box, enabling the
mechanics of a popular 3-D helicopter to be transformed into a
beautiful scale machine.
Thunder Tiger is one of the companies that is amping up its
scale department. It has introduced quite a lineup of excellent
prepainted fuselages that make it easy and affordable for anyone
to get into scale flying.
Century Helicopter Products has produced nice prepainted
scale helicopter bodies through the years. Having the
manufacturer do most of the work is great for many pilots, but
some builders still want to take on the responsibility, and make
their own custom scale creations, as so many scale pilots before
them.
Sandy Jaffe is one of those guys who loves to build. He is also
one of the best craftsmen I have ever seen.
At the 2008 IRCHA [International Radio Controlled
Helicopter Association] Jamboree, Sandy had his newest Scale
creation on display. You cannot miss this model in the air; it has
a huge, bright-red fuselage with white markings.
Sandy is from State College, Pennsylvania, and he got the
inspiration for his helicopter at an air-ambulance company in
nearby Coatesville. He visited the hangar where the full-scale
aircraft is stationed.
The people in charge were nice enough to let Sandy inspect
their helicopter by climbing in and around it. He made
measurements, took pictures, and used all the gathered
information to build a perfect miniature replica. This detailed
documentation is an important element in Scale competitions.
Sandy used an MD 900 NOTAR (no tail
rotor) kit from the Vario company. No tail
rotor? That’s right. You may have seen one
of these helicopters before, but many
people are unaware of it.
The tail of a NOTAR machine
effectively works as does any normal
helicopter with tail rotor. Instead of the air
being grabbed by a conventional bladed
tail-rotor disk, the NOTAR system uses a
fan attached to the power system to blow
air down the center of the tailboom. The air
then is blown out the tailboom in the rear,
with side force generated by an adjustable
opening. It is amazing and works great.
Uli Streich started Vario approximately
35 years ago. He was a full-scale helicopter
mechanic who had a passion for the
machines on which he worked.
He still has that passion today; his
company makes some of the most respected
scale model helicopter kits in the world.
Sandy said that his Vario kit is excellent in
every detail.
Sandy decided to use a Rossi .91
nitromethane engine to power the MD 900.
His radio is a standard JR PCM system.
The Vario models are builders’ kits,
though, which means that factory finishing
is not done. You must prepare, assemble,
and paint the entire fuselage. Then the
whole assembly has to be fitted to whatever
mechanics you choose. For most modelers,
a top-quality scale helicopter project takes a
few months to complete.
Getting modern RC pilots into Scale is a
tough job. Everyone seems to enjoy
watching those models fly, but many are
too busy to put the necessary time into
building them. Whenever one goes up at the
flying field, most other pilots gather around
to take pictures and ask questions. The only
difference between the pilot flying and the
pilots watching is the willingness to go
through all the time and trouble it takes to
build a full-on scale kit.
It is refreshing to see some of the major
companies going after the ARF scale
market. Look at how many beautiful large
scale ARF airplanes are being sold; I’ll bet
the helicopter companies are already selling
quite a few of their new scale ARFs.
Think about it. You do not have to be
flip-flopping all over God’s creation to
have fun flying a helicopter. I know that
hovering is kind of boring for pilots who
are so advanced, but hovering and gently
flying an awesome scale machine is a
different story. I have piloted quite a few
different types of scale models, and I get a
thrill out of it.
Can you fly a 25-pound scale model in a
slow, realistic way in any wind conditions?
Can you hover perfectly over one spot and
do a full 360° pirouette that takes 30
seconds to complete? Now that is difficult.
There are as many challenges in the Scale
arena as with any other aspect of RC
helicopters.
If I have piqued your interest in pursuing
some scale-related venture, I’m happy. It
was an eye-opening experience to see all
the scale introductions into the hobby this
past year. Next year is going to be the best
yet in RC helicopters!
I’ll be back next month. MA
Sources:
Thunder Tiger helicopters:
Ace Hobby Distributors
(866) 322-7121
www.acehobby.com
Century Helicopter Products
(800) 686-8588
www.centuryheli.com
IRCHA
http://ircha.org/
Vario helicopters:
East Coast Scale Helicopters
(508) 520-1140
www.eastcoastvario.com
126 MODEL AVIATION
Viewfinder
Baby Boomerang
Although many visitors flooded
into Las Vegas, Nevada, for the
SEMA [Specialty Equipment Market
Association] Show, which is basically
one gigantic car show, another special
event began soon after: the inaugural
Sin City Jets Rally, which took place
November 2-4, 2007. There is nothing
like seeing hot, new automobiles and
fast-moving RC jets.
The Las Vegas Radio Control
Club hosted the jet rally at the
William G. Bennett Aircraft Park, and
the weather that weekend was perfect
for T-shirts.
Alex Zayika and Mike Krouse
built the Baby Boomerang that is
shown in flight. Power is provided by
a JetCat P-70 turbine and a
combination of JR and Futaba radio
gear. MA
—Darrell Hennek
www.tnbproductions.com
E-mail your high-resolution
“Viewfinder” photo and a short note
telling the airplane or helicopter story
to [email protected].
01sig4.QXD 11/24/08 1:12 PM Page 126