Radio Control Helicopters
Mark Fadely [[email protected]]
It's back!
WELCOME TO helicopter headquarters, everyone. August is the biggest month of the year for us. Why? Because the biggest RC event in the world happens this month, and it is for helicopters only.
I am referring to the IRCHA (International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association) Jamboree. AMA's National Flying Site is the place to be starting August 8. This year the AMA RC Helicopter Nats is scheduled to start that day, and then the IRCHA Jamboree will begin on Wednesday, August 11. It wraps up on Sunday, August 15.
- AMA RC Helicopter Nats: starts August 8
- IRCHA Jamboree: Wednesday, August 11 through Sunday, August 15
The Nats is a formal competition with various classes, so pilots of all skill levels can enter. The Jamboree is one huge fun-fly; the emphasis is certainly on fun.
Last year nearly 1,000 pilots from around the world registered at the Jamboree. Enthusiasts are drawn from such faraway places as Asia and Australia. There has always been something special about this event that keeps pilots coming back year after year.
One great part of this hobby is friendships made along the way. Some friends you may only see once a year, but that does not make them any less important. This is common at the Jamboree. Pilots get to know each other and long-term friendships are formed every summer. The Internet helps keep the lines of communication open during the year until they meet again in the unlikely town of Muncie, Indiana.
It is interesting and enlightening to see various types of helicopters from other parts of the world—and you get to see top pilots fly them. Factory demonstrations are one of the most popular activities at the fly-in. It is a different experience to see the models fly in person as opposed to in a video online.
The Jamboree is also a family event. Do not hesitate to bring your spouse and kids. There is a lot to do in the festive, carnival-like atmosphere.
Last year Empire Hobbies sponsored a casino night, where popular games such as blackjack and craps were played. (Okay, that's not really for the kids.) Some excellent vendors also attend, to serve state fair–style food. (Almost everybody loves ice cream.)
If your child is interested in RC helicopters, he or she can get help on-site during the event. There are simulators to use and even real models with buddy boxes, to give aspiring pilots a feel for the sticks.
With a half-mile-long flight line, many things at the Jamboree might catch your interest. The last several years, there has even been a group of ladies that does basket weaving at show center! There is something for everyone.
The area where the fly-in is held is designated Site 4 on the International Aeromodeling Center grounds. It is large! In the past, many pilots arranged to have golf carts delivered to the site. There have been hundreds of golf carts in use each year.
This year IRCHA management has arranged for a golf rental company to provide carts on-site. This will enable anyone older than 18 to rent transportation for their stay. There is so much to see and the area is so large that a cart is nearly a necessity.
The Jamboree used to be mainly a social event because of the long wait times to fly when our radios were using 72 MHz frequencies. That problem went away with the new 2.4 GHz systems. In recent years, more flying is done by more pilots than ever. The flight line can accommodate 20 flight stations. I said it was big!
If you make it to the event this year, you must stay for the Saturday Night Fly competition. If you have never seen helicopters fly in the dark, prepare to be amazed.
There is typically a prize of at least $500 for the Night Fly winner. The pilots hold nothing back, and spectacular night crashes are common. Small LEDs are attached to the models’ fuselages and even the blades. The machines light up like fireworks as they fly through the sky. Sometimes the AMA’s neighbors call the police and report UFO sightings during this event.
I look forward to seeing you all at this year’s IRCHA Jamboree.
Weak Signals R/C Expo (Toledo Show)
My good friend Andy “Pinoy” Panoncillo was able to spend all three days (April 9–11, 2010) at the Weak Signals R/C Expo, better known as the “Toledo Show.” Here’s his helicopter side of the story.
“Every year for about six or seven years I’ve been visiting the Toledo Show in Ohio. In the past it has been dominated mainly by fixed-wing related items. I really don’t mind that due to the fact that I’m a big supporter of fixed-wing aircraft anyway, but at the same time I’ve been wishing for more RC helicopter participation too.
“In the past you would be lucky to see a few helicopters and a couple of vendors with helicopter stuff. That was not true this year though.
“This time the Toledo Show amazed me with good participation in RC helicopters not only in display tables but also with distributors, vendors, and RC helicopter pilots.
“Besides that, even fixed-wing vendors had everything from batteries, speed controls, electric motors, servos, rotor/tail blades and numerous parts (replacements/upgrades) in support of the growing helicopter interests. They were really catering to RC helicopter buyers.
“Before this year you would go through several aisles and wouldn’t see anything that had to do with RC helicopters, but this year almost every other aisle you would find something. I guess my wishes are starting to come true.
“This is also one of the few times that my family and I spent three days in Toledo to enjoy the show and this year we all enjoyed it more than ever. The only drawback was the temptation to keep getting your wallet out.
“With all the helicopter vendors, displays and distributors it is certainly something to think about in terms of putting this event on your next year’s calendar as a ‘must attend.’ With this trend you know there will be even more good additions next year.”
Thanks for sharing the information about the Toledo Show with us, Andy. It seems like helicopters are hovering everywhere these days. Ha! Ha!
I hope all of you make it to the IRCHA Jamboree in a couple of weeks. It is one trip I think you will remember forever.
I’ll be back here next month. MF
Sources
- IRCHA Jamboree: (937) 845-9301 — www.ircha.org
- Weak Signals R/C Expo: www.toledoshow.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
