Author: Mark Fadely
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/08
Page Numbers: 114,115,116,117
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Radio Control Helicopters

Byline

Mark Fadely [[email protected]]

Ray Nemovi fulfills dream despite a life-changing accident

Hi and welcome back to the helicopter corner of MA.

August is a big month in the helicopter world. I hope all of you can make it out to the biggest event in RC: the International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association (IRCHA) Jamboree. It runs for five days beginning August 10, 2011, and ends on August 14. If you have ever thought about going to this great event, this is the year you should make it. You’ll have no regrets.

I think you will enjoy reading what our guest this month has to say. He is quite a special individual who has overcome many obstacles in his life. Let’s give our friend, Ray Nemovi, a very warm welcome to our pages. I have known Ray for 10 years and we met at the IRCHA Jamboree.

Interview

MF: Can you give us a basic bio, Ray? Your name, age, where you live, marital status, helicopters you fly, sponsors, etc.?

RN: Ray Nemovi, 36 years old from San Diego, California. I’m still single.

I fly a T‑Rex 700N converted to electric using a conversion kit I made several years back. It's powered by a 1915‑series 1.5Y Neu inrunner electric motor and a Castle Creations Phoenix Ice 120 speed controller governed at 2,000 head speed.

I recently decided to switch my radio system completely to Futaba so I could take advantage of the serial bus system, which makes wiring clean. I also wanted to use the new CGY 750 flight control system and I’m very happy to have made the decision this close to the Extreme Flight Championships (XFC). My sponsors are Castle Creations, Curtis Youngblood Enterprises (CY Enterprises), Neu Motors and Pure‑Tech Products, but mainly my own company, Magnetic Energy Propulsion.

MF: How long have you flown helicopters and what drew you to them in the first place?

RN: I’ve been flying model helicopters for more than nine years now. I was drawn to helicopters because as a child I dreamed of being a pilot.

I was involved in a skydiving accident on Labor Day of 2000. I was just going pro when I had a parachute malfunction. I was paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. I suffered a very bad injury that severed my spinal cord and caused many other internal injuries.

I remember seeing HobbyTown USA one day coming back from the hospital and I decided to go check it out and find something to help keep my mind away from the pain and the life-changing accident. This was the beginning of the journey that has led me to this point in my life.

MF: What aspects are the most exciting to you in the hobby?

RN: Model helicopters are exciting because of the level of difficulty involved. For many people it may be a toy, and as long as you can make it do tricks, it is cool. Just like many other hobbies and sports, most people enjoy the use of it.

There are also those who want to go the extra mile and challenge themselves. You can clearly see an artist at work with some of the pilots and their machines. The model is an extension of their coordination and imagination. Just being able to step up to the flight line with my fellow pilots brings me much excitement.

MF: Why do you like to compete?

RN: I like to compete because I like the challenge. I’m one of those guys who has been told I can’t do something or I’m not good enough. I was told I’d never walk and I’ve been told I’m not that good of a helicopter pilot. I could have packed my bags and thrown in the towel long ago but how else will one rise above something if they don’t challenge themselves?

I believe flying model helicopters is one of the most challenging things known to mankind. “Real” helicopters sure are, and it takes a special kind of person to handle such machines. I now have about 40 hours of flight time or so in a helicopter and I’m getting ready to fly solo. It was much easier for me to fly the real thing over the models.

MF: Has anything from other aspects of your life helped you in learning to fly helicopters?

RN: My accident has had a life-altering effect on my way of thinking. We can do anything we set our minds to. We have infinite intelligence and we can easily do anything once we’re determined and focused.

We have learned many things and made many tools to help us along the way. You just have to take the time to research and find the best route to get to where you want to go.

I spent three-plus years finding ways to walk again. I looked into medicine, surgery, exercise, and anything else I could find that would help me. There are books and YouTube videos out there from people who found ways of making miracles happen.

I had to become the person I wanted to be and each day work toward making that dream a reality. I made daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly plans of what I was going to do to achieve my goals. It was very hard at first but with anything in life, it takes some time to gain momentum.

Just like those who try to go on a diet, there is no magic pill and it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s so hard and you’re ready to give up in only a few days. There is more support by friends and family to just give up, rather than pushing you along the way, because of how hard it is. As I gained momentum with my health and now see such amazing results, I’ve decided to apply that same focus and energy toward my skill level with model helicopters and XFC. I have to say that my level of learning is progressing so rapidly that I’m now more excited, enjoying myself, and having fun with it despite this major competition being around the corner.

MF: What is different about your approach to flying now versus when you first started?

RN: One thing that has changed my whole approach to flying radio‑controlled helicopters is getting my private pilot’s rotary license. Taking ground school exposed me to a major part of flying that I would’ve never understood. There are so many forces outside our control and it really helps one with maintaining total control of the model at all times. It is one thing you could never do unless you’re willing to risk yourself, others, damage property, or simply lose your flying privilege.

The first thing I had to learn was how to hold a solid hover. Unlike fixed wing, a helicopter is designed to be flown precisely. You don’t have a runway and you usually have to fly into and land in a tight spot, the bow of a ship, or a platform. You have to be the best decision maker all the time. You have to be the mechanic, the pilot, the psychologist, and anyone else who can help you through any issue or task at hand.

Flying the aircraft is just a small part of the process. There is the radio communication where you have to find your different frequencies based on your airspace to keep contact with air traffic, which means you may have to release a control and pull a map to find information needed.

You’re always visually looking for obstacles to avoid. Once you’re ready to fly, you have to be 100% committed and focused.

I decided to treat my model flying in the same manner. I see amazing results because I now have many new tools that keep me from crashing and I can break down my flying into simple segments consisting mostly of basic hover work that leads to complex maneuvers. I must understand where the winds are coming from so I can be able to control my forward flights and keep consistent altitude, speed, and control.

I’m a totally different pilot now. I feel that I’m the commanding pilot of the aircraft, certified to fly the model as if it were the real thing.

MF: Do you use a simulator to practice?

RN: I do use the RealFlight simulator to practice as much as I can because it’s a great tool. Despite the fact that you're looking at the screen and it's not as realistic, it does fly like the real thing.

You can test ideas, work on stick inputs, and manage your control surfaces and timing. The rebuild/reset button is also free, which makes it a must.

MF: This is your second XFC. Tell us what you learned from the first go-round?

RN: What I've learned from my first attempt at XFC is that I thought I could just show up and do well. I thought I could just wing it like a fun‑fly. I was not prepared nor did I know how to prepare for it. In my mind I thought I had what it takes. But in reality, I was not prepared for what I did not know.

I was a nervous wreck and I also had a borrowed model. Besides a great learning experience, there isn't much to talk about.

MF: How do you keep yourself motivated and not fall victim to burnout?

RN: I like to challenge myself. I give myself tasks to complete. I make it fun and I do it for myself now. I'll master one hover orientation and I try to see how I can fly the model in that orientation. There is so much to learn and so much to create.

If you learn how to fly the model, I'll promise it stays fun. I'm helping a few members at my local club and as a test from what I've learned, I've told them crashing is not part of flying and learning and if they want my help, they have to be 100% committed to my way of teaching. One of them has more than 800 flights in 10 months on a T‑Rex 600N at almost 10 minutes a flight. He has had no crashes, no mechanical failures, and he's absolutely tuned in with the model.

MF: Any advice for beginners?

RN: The hobby is supposed to be fun and to be enjoyed. At any point if you feel that you're not having fun, stop and assess the situation.

I do hope I've been able to give you a tool that helps you like it's helped me. I've explained many aspects of the hobby and flying throughout my answers to your questions.

Never be cocky and always be courteous to others. Be willing to help others only if you're qualified and can promise results. Be willing to give and to receive as this is not a one‑way road.

Find a reasonable club to be a part of and don't be the one who flies at dirt lots and parking lots. Be safe and become a member of your local flying site unless you have open land or a reasonable place to fly.

You generally have a better chance of finding good help at a flying club versus on your own or without knowledgeable pilots around. Join some of the forums like RunRyder, RC Heli Resource, and HeliFreak. Keep an eye out for local fun‑fly events to attend as they will expose you to great pilots, skills, and products. Read the reviews and releases of products. Knowledge is key and you need to gain as much as possible so you can make it as fun and as easy as possible.

MF: Thanks so much, Ray. We really appreciate your time sharing a great story of personal achievement.

See you all back here next month.

MF

Sources

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