114 MODEL AVIATION
obstacles in your way. It is hard enough to avoid midairs with other
airplanes when it is crowded.
Many people
pitch in to make this
a fun happening for
pilots and spectators
alike. This year the
organizers did some
local advertising that
drew more than 3,600 spectators! It was a great job promoting the
event and our hobby!
One nice change for this year was not inside the Armory; it was
outside. The weather in Champaign was much warmer than in past
Short E-Fest report
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Futaba GY520 Gyro
Hobbico’s Heli-Max Novus CX fits in the palm of your hand, features
2.4 GHz control, and has digital servos for four-channel operation.
Curtis Youngblood demonstrates his new Next-D Rave, which is
capable of handling 350mm main blades for a bigger “feel.”
Jared Granzow puts his T-Rex 250 through its paces. He can
effectively fly a 250-size model in 3-D style.
Jason Fuller, a fourth-generation RC flier, was one of many
children flying aircraft alone in the micro area.
WELCOME BACK to rotary central. Thanks for stopping by this
month. If you follow this column, you know that much of my
babbling is about the surprising developments in small, electricpowered
helicopters. These little machines keep getting better.
I just returned from the mother of all electric RC events: E-Fest.
There were enough mini and micro electric helicopters to power a
small city. It was incredible!
In all, 308 pilots attended the gathering, and more than half of
them flew helicopters of some kind. E-Fest 2009 marked the fourth
anniversary of an incredible event that is held in a fantastic venue.
Each year it has become bigger and better.
Frank Noll and his orange-clad crew (people from Futaba, Great
Planes, and Hobbico) handle the logistics to make E-Fest happen. It
takes place in the warm interior of the University of Illinois Track
and Field Amory in Champaign, Illinois.
The Armory offers 100-foot-high ceilings and a floor area that is
200 feet wide by 400 feet long. That is a big space; however, it fills
up fast when 308 pilots want to fly.
When it was built in 1914, the Armory was the largest free-span
structure in the world. It is nice to be able to fly with no posts or
05sig4.QXD 3/24/09 12:16 PM Page 114
May 2009 115
fest tradition: the 3-D Smackdown contest.
The crowd loves this contest because casualties are heavy. A
small group of brave pilots step up each year to compete in the most
radical indoor 3-D event of its kind. Five-hundred dollars was up for
grabs for the pilot who could cheat death and the rubberized flooring
of the Amory. There is an unwritten expectation that machine and
floor will meet at some time, even during successful flights.
The competition began with a few thuds, followed by a steady
rain of helicopter bits. The experience is even more nerve-racking
for the pilots who have to follow flights that end in crashes.
The 3-D Smackdown is judged by applause from the audience. It
came down to a couple of young pilots who are separated only by
two years in age: Kyle Stacy, 13, and Jamie Robertson, 15.
The crowd chose Kyle during its second round of applause
voting. His Miniature Aircraft Furion barely edged out Jamie’s
Next-D Rave in some of the most high-energy indoor flying I have
ever seen. Great job, guys! That was fun to watch!
I thank everyone who helped make the 2009 E-Fest possible. It
was the most enjoyable edition of the fly-in that I have attended. If
you get a chance to go to this event in 2010, by all means do.
First Look at the Futaba GY520 Gyro: I was one of the lucky few
to be able to test the new Futaba GY520 at E-Fest. This thing is
tiny! It is a great size and weight for smaller electric machines.
I removed the GY401 that was on my Furion and installed the
GY520. You can program this new-generation gyro to work with
tail servos of different types and speeds. This great feature doesn’t
limit you to using one dedicated servo. It will work well with a
cheaper analog servo you may already own, but a digital servo is
recommended to get the optimal performance.
The GY520 is amazingly lightweight, at only 10 grams! Futaba
reduced the size and weight significantly, because the unit is using a
new sensing technology called Micro Electro-Mechanical System
(MEMS).
Although the sensor is much smaller, it actually performs better
than the older versions. The speed at which it processes has been
upgraded too. It can handle rotational speeds of up to 800° per
second.
You can program the GY520 from a compatible Futaba
transmitter (10C, 12Z, 12FG, or 14MZ), or it can be programmed
via the push button on the gyro or by using the optional CIU-2 USB
interface and your PC.
After you decide how you will change the settings, you can tell it to
work in F3C or 3D mode. All of the other common parameters can be
set this way, too. The menu has these choices: Normal/Reverse
Rotation, Limit Setting, Analog/Digital Servo, Response Selection,
and Data Reset.
Bob Noll (L) congratulates Kyle Stacy, 13, who flew his Miniature
Aircraft Furion to a win in the 3-D Smackdown contest.
Len Sabato of Advantage Hobbies supplies Eric Brandenburg’s
Beam. Eric is the company’s contest pilot and is involved in flybarless
head designs.
years. Temperatures in the mid-50s made it comfortable.
I have attended the last three E-Fests, and it has always been held
on one of the coldest weekends of the year. Last year, I think I got a
mild case of frostbite in the 10° air, just going back and forth
carrying my helicopters into the building.
Frank Noll wants to hold the event in the early part of February
for a reason. “I want the pilots to really appreciate this opportunity
to fly indoors when the Midwest is at its coldest,” he said. We do
appreciate it, Frank. Thank you for that.
You might ask what it is like being out on the floor at E-Fest.
Imagine 15 helicopters, six 3-D airplanes, and roughly 30 other
aircraft, in the air at the same time! God bless digital spread
spectrum radio equipment.
With all the pilots and aircraft, you might think that flying would
be a hassle and wait times would be long. Surprisingly, it is the
contrary. When pilots are ready to fly, they grab their stuff and get
in line at the flight stations. The pit boss directs each flier to the next
open flight station.
The wait is usually approximately two minutes per person, and
pilots seem content with the system. I have never witnessed flaring
tempers or impatient pilots at E-Fest.
What kind of helicopters showed up at this place? You name it
and it was probably there. If it is electric, small, and has rotors, it
was there.
The most striking thing was the number of kids in attendance. I
would guess there was nearly triple the number of youngsters
compared with last year, ranging from 3-year-olds to teenagers. I
spoke with quite a few excited boys and girls who were having a
blast flying their helicopters.
Horizon Hobby loaned out its popular mCX coaxial helicopter to
any kids who wanted to fly. Consequently, the micro-flying area
was overrun with miniature pilots giggling, flying, and enjoying
themselves. That was so cool to see.
One innovative boy made an all-foam aircraft carrier that was
“anchored” in the middle of the micro area all day. All the “kids,”
even the ones older than 40, had so much fun trying to land on and
take off from the carrier.
It was fun and games until the glass skylights darkened and the
sun set. Then it was time to pull out the serious equipment that the
elite 3-D pilots brought with them. I am referring to another E-
05sig4.QXD 3/24/09 12:56 PM Page 115
When I lifted off for the first time with
the GY520 in my Furion 450, it had no bad
tendencies. Everything felt good, so I
decided to do some left and right pirouettes
at various speeds. This was a good test,
because I could feel the GY520’s more
consistent handling versus my old GY401.
The machine’s tail felt more locked in
and responsive, with no whipping or overor
under-speeding. I did a couple of
hurricanes and tick-tocs, and it felt
excellent.
My friend, Eric Brandenburg, was there,
so I let him try it to see what he would
think. Eric took off with the Furion and flew
it for a couple minutes, while throwing
everything he could think of at the GY520.
Although it was not his machine, he did
backward hurricanes, tailslides, pirouetting
flips, and some hard-core stuff. Eric liked
it and didn’t notice any bad effects.
Futaba has a real winner with this
diminutive piece of hardware. I can’t wait
to get out and fly it some more.
That is all I have time for this month, so
enjoy the flying weather and drop me a
note telling me what is going on in your
helicopter world. MA
Sources:
Great Planes E-Fest
www.gpe-fest.com
Futaba
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/05
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/05
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
114 MODEL AVIATION
obstacles in your way. It is hard enough to avoid midairs with other
airplanes when it is crowded.
Many people
pitch in to make this
a fun happening for
pilots and spectators
alike. This year the
organizers did some
local advertising that
drew more than 3,600 spectators! It was a great job promoting the
event and our hobby!
One nice change for this year was not inside the Armory; it was
outside. The weather in Champaign was much warmer than in past
Short E-Fest report
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Futaba GY520 Gyro
Hobbico’s Heli-Max Novus CX fits in the palm of your hand, features
2.4 GHz control, and has digital servos for four-channel operation.
Curtis Youngblood demonstrates his new Next-D Rave, which is
capable of handling 350mm main blades for a bigger “feel.”
Jared Granzow puts his T-Rex 250 through its paces. He can
effectively fly a 250-size model in 3-D style.
Jason Fuller, a fourth-generation RC flier, was one of many
children flying aircraft alone in the micro area.
WELCOME BACK to rotary central. Thanks for stopping by this
month. If you follow this column, you know that much of my
babbling is about the surprising developments in small, electricpowered
helicopters. These little machines keep getting better.
I just returned from the mother of all electric RC events: E-Fest.
There were enough mini and micro electric helicopters to power a
small city. It was incredible!
In all, 308 pilots attended the gathering, and more than half of
them flew helicopters of some kind. E-Fest 2009 marked the fourth
anniversary of an incredible event that is held in a fantastic venue.
Each year it has become bigger and better.
Frank Noll and his orange-clad crew (people from Futaba, Great
Planes, and Hobbico) handle the logistics to make E-Fest happen. It
takes place in the warm interior of the University of Illinois Track
and Field Amory in Champaign, Illinois.
The Armory offers 100-foot-high ceilings and a floor area that is
200 feet wide by 400 feet long. That is a big space; however, it fills
up fast when 308 pilots want to fly.
When it was built in 1914, the Armory was the largest free-span
structure in the world. It is nice to be able to fly with no posts or
05sig4.QXD 3/24/09 12:16 PM Page 114
May 2009 115
fest tradition: the 3-D Smackdown contest.
The crowd loves this contest because casualties are heavy. A
small group of brave pilots step up each year to compete in the most
radical indoor 3-D event of its kind. Five-hundred dollars was up for
grabs for the pilot who could cheat death and the rubberized flooring
of the Amory. There is an unwritten expectation that machine and
floor will meet at some time, even during successful flights.
The competition began with a few thuds, followed by a steady
rain of helicopter bits. The experience is even more nerve-racking
for the pilots who have to follow flights that end in crashes.
The 3-D Smackdown is judged by applause from the audience. It
came down to a couple of young pilots who are separated only by
two years in age: Kyle Stacy, 13, and Jamie Robertson, 15.
The crowd chose Kyle during its second round of applause
voting. His Miniature Aircraft Furion barely edged out Jamie’s
Next-D Rave in some of the most high-energy indoor flying I have
ever seen. Great job, guys! That was fun to watch!
I thank everyone who helped make the 2009 E-Fest possible. It
was the most enjoyable edition of the fly-in that I have attended. If
you get a chance to go to this event in 2010, by all means do.
First Look at the Futaba GY520 Gyro: I was one of the lucky few
to be able to test the new Futaba GY520 at E-Fest. This thing is
tiny! It is a great size and weight for smaller electric machines.
I removed the GY401 that was on my Furion and installed the
GY520. You can program this new-generation gyro to work with
tail servos of different types and speeds. This great feature doesn’t
limit you to using one dedicated servo. It will work well with a
cheaper analog servo you may already own, but a digital servo is
recommended to get the optimal performance.
The GY520 is amazingly lightweight, at only 10 grams! Futaba
reduced the size and weight significantly, because the unit is using a
new sensing technology called Micro Electro-Mechanical System
(MEMS).
Although the sensor is much smaller, it actually performs better
than the older versions. The speed at which it processes has been
upgraded too. It can handle rotational speeds of up to 800° per
second.
You can program the GY520 from a compatible Futaba
transmitter (10C, 12Z, 12FG, or 14MZ), or it can be programmed
via the push button on the gyro or by using the optional CIU-2 USB
interface and your PC.
After you decide how you will change the settings, you can tell it to
work in F3C or 3D mode. All of the other common parameters can be
set this way, too. The menu has these choices: Normal/Reverse
Rotation, Limit Setting, Analog/Digital Servo, Response Selection,
and Data Reset.
Bob Noll (L) congratulates Kyle Stacy, 13, who flew his Miniature
Aircraft Furion to a win in the 3-D Smackdown contest.
Len Sabato of Advantage Hobbies supplies Eric Brandenburg’s
Beam. Eric is the company’s contest pilot and is involved in flybarless
head designs.
years. Temperatures in the mid-50s made it comfortable.
I have attended the last three E-Fests, and it has always been held
on one of the coldest weekends of the year. Last year, I think I got a
mild case of frostbite in the 10° air, just going back and forth
carrying my helicopters into the building.
Frank Noll wants to hold the event in the early part of February
for a reason. “I want the pilots to really appreciate this opportunity
to fly indoors when the Midwest is at its coldest,” he said. We do
appreciate it, Frank. Thank you for that.
You might ask what it is like being out on the floor at E-Fest.
Imagine 15 helicopters, six 3-D airplanes, and roughly 30 other
aircraft, in the air at the same time! God bless digital spread
spectrum radio equipment.
With all the pilots and aircraft, you might think that flying would
be a hassle and wait times would be long. Surprisingly, it is the
contrary. When pilots are ready to fly, they grab their stuff and get
in line at the flight stations. The pit boss directs each flier to the next
open flight station.
The wait is usually approximately two minutes per person, and
pilots seem content with the system. I have never witnessed flaring
tempers or impatient pilots at E-Fest.
What kind of helicopters showed up at this place? You name it
and it was probably there. If it is electric, small, and has rotors, it
was there.
The most striking thing was the number of kids in attendance. I
would guess there was nearly triple the number of youngsters
compared with last year, ranging from 3-year-olds to teenagers. I
spoke with quite a few excited boys and girls who were having a
blast flying their helicopters.
Horizon Hobby loaned out its popular mCX coaxial helicopter to
any kids who wanted to fly. Consequently, the micro-flying area
was overrun with miniature pilots giggling, flying, and enjoying
themselves. That was so cool to see.
One innovative boy made an all-foam aircraft carrier that was
“anchored” in the middle of the micro area all day. All the “kids,”
even the ones older than 40, had so much fun trying to land on and
take off from the carrier.
It was fun and games until the glass skylights darkened and the
sun set. Then it was time to pull out the serious equipment that the
elite 3-D pilots brought with them. I am referring to another E-
05sig4.QXD 3/24/09 12:56 PM Page 115
When I lifted off for the first time with
the GY520 in my Furion 450, it had no bad
tendencies. Everything felt good, so I
decided to do some left and right pirouettes
at various speeds. This was a good test,
because I could feel the GY520’s more
consistent handling versus my old GY401.
The machine’s tail felt more locked in
and responsive, with no whipping or overor
under-speeding. I did a couple of
hurricanes and tick-tocs, and it felt
excellent.
My friend, Eric Brandenburg, was there,
so I let him try it to see what he would
think. Eric took off with the Furion and flew
it for a couple minutes, while throwing
everything he could think of at the GY520.
Although it was not his machine, he did
backward hurricanes, tailslides, pirouetting
flips, and some hard-core stuff. Eric liked
it and didn’t notice any bad effects.
Futaba has a real winner with this
diminutive piece of hardware. I can’t wait
to get out and fly it some more.
That is all I have time for this month, so
enjoy the flying weather and drop me a
note telling me what is going on in your
helicopter world. MA
Sources:
Great Planes E-Fest
www.gpe-fest.com
Futaba
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/05
Page Numbers: 114,115,116
114 MODEL AVIATION
obstacles in your way. It is hard enough to avoid midairs with other
airplanes when it is crowded.
Many people
pitch in to make this
a fun happening for
pilots and spectators
alike. This year the
organizers did some
local advertising that
drew more than 3,600 spectators! It was a great job promoting the
event and our hobby!
One nice change for this year was not inside the Armory; it was
outside. The weather in Champaign was much warmer than in past
Short E-Fest report
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Futaba GY520 Gyro
Hobbico’s Heli-Max Novus CX fits in the palm of your hand, features
2.4 GHz control, and has digital servos for four-channel operation.
Curtis Youngblood demonstrates his new Next-D Rave, which is
capable of handling 350mm main blades for a bigger “feel.”
Jared Granzow puts his T-Rex 250 through its paces. He can
effectively fly a 250-size model in 3-D style.
Jason Fuller, a fourth-generation RC flier, was one of many
children flying aircraft alone in the micro area.
WELCOME BACK to rotary central. Thanks for stopping by this
month. If you follow this column, you know that much of my
babbling is about the surprising developments in small, electricpowered
helicopters. These little machines keep getting better.
I just returned from the mother of all electric RC events: E-Fest.
There were enough mini and micro electric helicopters to power a
small city. It was incredible!
In all, 308 pilots attended the gathering, and more than half of
them flew helicopters of some kind. E-Fest 2009 marked the fourth
anniversary of an incredible event that is held in a fantastic venue.
Each year it has become bigger and better.
Frank Noll and his orange-clad crew (people from Futaba, Great
Planes, and Hobbico) handle the logistics to make E-Fest happen. It
takes place in the warm interior of the University of Illinois Track
and Field Amory in Champaign, Illinois.
The Armory offers 100-foot-high ceilings and a floor area that is
200 feet wide by 400 feet long. That is a big space; however, it fills
up fast when 308 pilots want to fly.
When it was built in 1914, the Armory was the largest free-span
structure in the world. It is nice to be able to fly with no posts or
05sig4.QXD 3/24/09 12:16 PM Page 114
May 2009 115
fest tradition: the 3-D Smackdown contest.
The crowd loves this contest because casualties are heavy. A
small group of brave pilots step up each year to compete in the most
radical indoor 3-D event of its kind. Five-hundred dollars was up for
grabs for the pilot who could cheat death and the rubberized flooring
of the Amory. There is an unwritten expectation that machine and
floor will meet at some time, even during successful flights.
The competition began with a few thuds, followed by a steady
rain of helicopter bits. The experience is even more nerve-racking
for the pilots who have to follow flights that end in crashes.
The 3-D Smackdown is judged by applause from the audience. It
came down to a couple of young pilots who are separated only by
two years in age: Kyle Stacy, 13, and Jamie Robertson, 15.
The crowd chose Kyle during its second round of applause
voting. His Miniature Aircraft Furion barely edged out Jamie’s
Next-D Rave in some of the most high-energy indoor flying I have
ever seen. Great job, guys! That was fun to watch!
I thank everyone who helped make the 2009 E-Fest possible. It
was the most enjoyable edition of the fly-in that I have attended. If
you get a chance to go to this event in 2010, by all means do.
First Look at the Futaba GY520 Gyro: I was one of the lucky few
to be able to test the new Futaba GY520 at E-Fest. This thing is
tiny! It is a great size and weight for smaller electric machines.
I removed the GY401 that was on my Furion and installed the
GY520. You can program this new-generation gyro to work with
tail servos of different types and speeds. This great feature doesn’t
limit you to using one dedicated servo. It will work well with a
cheaper analog servo you may already own, but a digital servo is
recommended to get the optimal performance.
The GY520 is amazingly lightweight, at only 10 grams! Futaba
reduced the size and weight significantly, because the unit is using a
new sensing technology called Micro Electro-Mechanical System
(MEMS).
Although the sensor is much smaller, it actually performs better
than the older versions. The speed at which it processes has been
upgraded too. It can handle rotational speeds of up to 800° per
second.
You can program the GY520 from a compatible Futaba
transmitter (10C, 12Z, 12FG, or 14MZ), or it can be programmed
via the push button on the gyro or by using the optional CIU-2 USB
interface and your PC.
After you decide how you will change the settings, you can tell it to
work in F3C or 3D mode. All of the other common parameters can be
set this way, too. The menu has these choices: Normal/Reverse
Rotation, Limit Setting, Analog/Digital Servo, Response Selection,
and Data Reset.
Bob Noll (L) congratulates Kyle Stacy, 13, who flew his Miniature
Aircraft Furion to a win in the 3-D Smackdown contest.
Len Sabato of Advantage Hobbies supplies Eric Brandenburg’s
Beam. Eric is the company’s contest pilot and is involved in flybarless
head designs.
years. Temperatures in the mid-50s made it comfortable.
I have attended the last three E-Fests, and it has always been held
on one of the coldest weekends of the year. Last year, I think I got a
mild case of frostbite in the 10° air, just going back and forth
carrying my helicopters into the building.
Frank Noll wants to hold the event in the early part of February
for a reason. “I want the pilots to really appreciate this opportunity
to fly indoors when the Midwest is at its coldest,” he said. We do
appreciate it, Frank. Thank you for that.
You might ask what it is like being out on the floor at E-Fest.
Imagine 15 helicopters, six 3-D airplanes, and roughly 30 other
aircraft, in the air at the same time! God bless digital spread
spectrum radio equipment.
With all the pilots and aircraft, you might think that flying would
be a hassle and wait times would be long. Surprisingly, it is the
contrary. When pilots are ready to fly, they grab their stuff and get
in line at the flight stations. The pit boss directs each flier to the next
open flight station.
The wait is usually approximately two minutes per person, and
pilots seem content with the system. I have never witnessed flaring
tempers or impatient pilots at E-Fest.
What kind of helicopters showed up at this place? You name it
and it was probably there. If it is electric, small, and has rotors, it
was there.
The most striking thing was the number of kids in attendance. I
would guess there was nearly triple the number of youngsters
compared with last year, ranging from 3-year-olds to teenagers. I
spoke with quite a few excited boys and girls who were having a
blast flying their helicopters.
Horizon Hobby loaned out its popular mCX coaxial helicopter to
any kids who wanted to fly. Consequently, the micro-flying area
was overrun with miniature pilots giggling, flying, and enjoying
themselves. That was so cool to see.
One innovative boy made an all-foam aircraft carrier that was
“anchored” in the middle of the micro area all day. All the “kids,”
even the ones older than 40, had so much fun trying to land on and
take off from the carrier.
It was fun and games until the glass skylights darkened and the
sun set. Then it was time to pull out the serious equipment that the
elite 3-D pilots brought with them. I am referring to another E-
05sig4.QXD 3/24/09 12:56 PM Page 115
When I lifted off for the first time with
the GY520 in my Furion 450, it had no bad
tendencies. Everything felt good, so I
decided to do some left and right pirouettes
at various speeds. This was a good test,
because I could feel the GY520’s more
consistent handling versus my old GY401.
The machine’s tail felt more locked in
and responsive, with no whipping or overor
under-speeding. I did a couple of
hurricanes and tick-tocs, and it felt
excellent.
My friend, Eric Brandenburg, was there,
so I let him try it to see what he would
think. Eric took off with the Furion and flew
it for a couple minutes, while throwing
everything he could think of at the GY520.
Although it was not his machine, he did
backward hurricanes, tailslides, pirouetting
flips, and some hard-core stuff. Eric liked
it and didn’t notice any bad effects.
Futaba has a real winner with this
diminutive piece of hardware. I can’t wait
to get out and fly it some more.
That is all I have time for this month, so
enjoy the flying weather and drop me a
note telling me what is going on in your
helicopter world. MA
Sources:
Great Planes E-Fest
www.gpe-fest.com
Futaba
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com
