Radio Control Helicopters-2011/12

104 MODEL AVIATION
GUEST COLUMNIST Santiago “Chago”
Panzardi wrote this report on the 2011
International Radio Controlled Helicopter
Association (IRCHA) Speed Cup, which
was held as part of the IRCHA Jamboree.
The event took place at the International
Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.
On August 12, 2011, a great tradition
envisioned by the founder of the IRCHA
Jamboree, Don Chapman, returned.
Twenty-six contestants were present for
the revival of the speed trials, ready to
take on the 200-meter course.
This was no small feat. Flying a
helicopter at high speeds in a straight line
not only pushes the hardware, but also
pilot concentration, skill, and eyesight.
The rules state that the helicopter must
enter the speed course in level flight, but
the pilot can choose a turnaround of his or
her choice as long as the heli is on a level
IRCHA tradition returns
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Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
given. Electrics were all business in the
first minute because power depleted from
the batteries every second.
The final score was the average speed
of the two best 200-meter passes, in both
directions, set in the 4-minute window.
The 2011 IRCHA Speed Cup had four
official classes: Electric, Nitro (glow),
Gasser (spark ignition), and composite
propulsion. The propulsion class was for
models using both a main rotor and a
second motor or mechanics to propel the
aircraft forward.
For safety purposes, all pilots were
familiar with AMA or FAI schedules.
Flying the length of the course and
making turnarounds was easy, but for a
few others who were only accustomed to
flying 3-D in a 200 x 200-foot box, it was
a monumental challenge. The Speed Cup,
as does any event, requires practice to
master something as simple as flying a
path as it reaches the timing marker.
Diving through the course is not allowed,
and the model has to maintain its runs
between 5 and 20 meters.
At both ends of the course, two judges
with electronic stopwatch triggers stayed
behind sighting poles and started and
stopped the digital chronometers. They
also made calls for diving into the course
or flying too high, thus gaining an
advantage.
Each pilot had 4 minutes to complete
the runs from takeoff to landing. The time
limit was set because of the number of
entries and the desire to run up to three
rounds in the three hours allocated for the
event.
There was quite a contrast in time use
between pilots of internal combustion and
electric-powered engines. Gassers took
their time and did as many runs as
possible until the 30-second warning was
Far Right: Timo and
Matt at the IRCHA
Jamboree.
Dave Keterhut (L)
with his 121-mph
Compass 7HV.
David Penger at
the 2011 IRCHA
Jamboree.
Right: Timo Wendtland and
Matt Finne tweaking the tail
rotor blades.
December 2011 105
straight line at high speed.
We spent Thursday afternoon
testing the course and teaching the
volunteer judges how to operate the
timing/scoring equipment. A few
contestants showed up to practice.
The pilots’ meeting was held
Friday at 1:30 p.m., with the first
run at 2 p.m. I flew the first run to
show the pilots the correct and
incorrect ways of entering the
course, but it was Danny Melnik
with his Heinselit Three Dee Rigid
(TDR) who set the first scorching
pass at more than 110 mph. The
distinction between the highpowered
electric helicopters and
the rest became obvious as many
set marks near 100 mph or higher,
while the best gassers and nitropowered
helis were in the mid-80s.
Shannon Schrey and Rob
New IRCHA Record Holders:
Top 10 overall (all electric):
Bruce Thompson
showing his ninthplace
finish on the
scoreboard.
Bruce Thompson’s
mean machine!
Top Gasser: Adam Mancini 86.7 mph SpectraG FBL
(piloted by Raja Bortoch)
Top Nitro: Dennis Groves 88 mph TRex700 FB
Top Electric: David Penger 128 mph Diabolo FBL
Top Composite: Bruce Thompson 112 mph Modifed TRex700 FBL
with tractor motor
1. David Penger 128.0 mph Minicopter Diabolo
2. Danny Melnik 127.2 mph Henseleit TDR
3. Timo Wendtland 125.3 mph Henseleit TDR
4. Miles Dunkel 124.0 mph Minicopter Diabolo
5. Shannon Schrey 123.76 mph Henseleit TDR
6. Dave Ketelhut 121.0 mph Compass 7HV
7. Rob McQuillen 119.9 mph Henseleit TDR
8. Matt Finne 117.2 mph Henseleit TDR
9. Bruce Thompson 112.0 mph Modified T-Rex 700 plus tractor propeller
10. Justin Stuart 98.54 mph Avant Aurora (Rigidcore)
McQuillen, another pair of TDRs, posted
respectable first-round passes at more
than 100 mph, and went faster in the
second round. But it was pilot number
11, David Penger from Germany, flying
a Minicopter Diabolo, who set a
scorching 128-mph average for both
directions, distancing himself from the
rest. The Minicopter Diabolo debuted at
the event.
Several other pilots including Timo
Wendtland, Miles Dunkel, and Dave
Ketelhut, set fast speeds but were short
of David Penger’s mark.
Bruce Thompson entered the
composite class with a front-mounted
electric airplane motor on his T-Rex 700
(still in development). Most thought the
front propeller and spinner were a joke,
but as he entered the course and switched
on the 3,000-watt Scorpion front motor,
the helicopter roared at more than 100
mph, and all present realized this was no
joke.
Bruce’s final attempt yielded a 112-
mph average from his well-engineered
hybrid. Bruce said it would go faster, but
that was the fastest he felt comfortable
flying.
As round one ended, most pilots
decided to wait to defend their times in
round two. Shannon Schrey, Dave
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Ketelhut, and Rob McQuillen set better
times with averages of 123.7, 121.0, and
119.9 mph respectively, but it was Danny
Melnik who came closest to the top with a
127.2-mph average. Still, David Penger’s
128 mph stood as the fastest overall
speed, and as the new IRCHA Speed Cup
record-holder.
I want to send a huge thanks to IRCHA
for sponsoring the event, all the
manufacturers that contributed prizes,
Heath Hamilton and Douglas Krueger for
serving as judges, and Ken Jennings for
lending us his timing equipment and
running scores throughout the event.
Thank you to the following sponsors:
Esprit Model, Hobbico, Empire Hobby,
Captron HeliCommand, Bobby Jacks
Small Engines & Hobbies, Heli
Wholesaler, HeliDirect, Castle Creations,
and lastly, RunRyder for letting us use its
website to promote the event. MA
Sources:
International Radio Controlled Helicopter
Association
www.ircha.org
RunRyder
http://runryder.com