Radio Control Scale Aerobatics - 2004/02

116 MODEL AVIATION
THE 2003 PRECISION Aerobatics
Nationals is in the history books. This year
some new and interesting products were
introduced, one of which was the prototype
Focus II Almost Ready to Fly (ARF). The
model arrived only a few days before the
Nationals, and Dave Guerin assembled it
for Lee Davis of Piedmont Models to
display.
The original Focus has become familiar
on the Pattern circuit. It began with
successes in 2001 and managed to climb the
ladder and win the Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale (FAI) finals this year in Don
Szczur’s hands.
Piedmont Models comprises a small but
industrious team of modelers who designed
and brought us two batches of Focus ARFs
and Almost Ready to Covers (ARCs).
Instead of a third batch, they decided to
produce a second Focus called the “Focus
II.” This is a more refined version of the
original airplane, and the changes were not
just cosmetic.
The modifications were a direct result of
feedback from the Focus user community.
The belly pan is still there as an option, but
now you can access the interior via a
removable canopy/top deck. Now the cowl
is more streamlined and shows some
Temptation lines. The fin is much thicker
and fully symmetrical. The model will
come in two versions: an ARC and an ARF.
The Focus II ARF and ARC have plug-on
wings that come in two balsa-covered foam
panels. The fuselage is made primarily from
plywood formers, balsa, and cored-out foam
decking. It has a prepainted fiberglass cowl
that is prefitted to the fuselage. The stabilizer
is of one-piece construction with separate
elevator halves. A strong fiberglass two-piece
undercarriage is supplied, complete with
wheel pants.
Another interesting model that was flown at the Nationals was the
new Double Vision biplane. Chip Hyde flew a pair in FAI and Dave
Villwock flew his in a couple rounds of Masters. Chip’s models
sported the new prototype YS 160 DZ engine.
The YS 160 DZ appears to be a bored-out 140. In true YS “use
everything you can from the last engine” development style, it shares
many of the 1.40’s major parts, including the crankshaft. It produces
serious horsepower and pulls Chip’s almost-11-pound airplane vertical
with ease. Chip used full power only after things such as vertical snap
rolls, etc.
Jerry Budd of Budd Engineering was present at the Nationals flying
the Webra 1.60. All of the Webra 1.45 users watched his airplane
intently and were talking about switching as soon as possible.
The new engine will drop into existing engine mounts and will give
a boost to airplanes that need more vertical performance. The 1.60
comes with an in-flight adjustable carburetor that allows you to match
the midrange mixture to the tuned pipe that is being used. They are
currently available from Horizon Hobby.
Eric Henderson, 303 Shady Ln., Marlton NJ 08053; E-mail: [email protected]
RADIO CONTROL AEROBATICS
Piedmont Models’ Lee Davis showed the prototype Focus II ARF at the 2003 Nats.
Chip Hyde flew a pair of innovative Double Vision biplanes in FAI at the Nationals, and
Dave Villwock flew his in the qualifying rounds of Masters.
1st U.S. R/C Flight School is selling an educational and muchneeded
new Intermediate (Precision) Aerobatics flight-training
manual.
02sig4.QXD 11/25/03 10:15 am Page 116
118 MODEL AVIATION
The aluminum transmitter case is a
common sight these days, but a new case is
available that looks like those black canvas
cases for laptop computers. I won the radio
bag in a blind raffle at the Poconos Pattern
contest. At first I didn’t want to use it
because my aluminum cases provided good
protection for my radios.
However, after a month of use I have
the following observations. The bag, by
Wing Tote, is lightweight. The dual zip
around the edge allows for easy access for
purposes such as charging leads without
removing the radio. Because it is a softfoam-
protected case, it does not scratch or
damage other items in your van or car.
There are two pockets on the front, with
a Velcro flap and a zipper. These pockets
proved to be handy for maneuver calling
cards, instruction manuals, and an AMA
rule book. Last but not least, the “black
bag,” with its name tag window, is
distinguishable in the radio-contest
impound among all of the aluminum—that
is, until more of them appear.
A fair amount of space in this column has
been dedicated to performing aerobatics.
Now a professionally written book about
aerobatics execution and wind correction is
available. A picture shows the size of the
book compared to a copy of Model
Aviation. The illustrations are as large as
the pages, and the text is easy to read. The
book claims the following.
“The new Intermediate (Precision)
Aerobatics flight training manual from 1st
U.S. R/C Flight School is an invaluable
reference for those seeking to quickly
advance their skills and serves as an
excellent guide for instructor-coaches.
“The manual ‘builds’ into the sport
flyers’ flight the natural progression of
refinements needed to take flying to a
whole new level of accomplishment and
enjoyment. With nearly half its content
addressing the proper uses of rudder to
prevail over engine torque and wind, it will
provide an immediate and significant boost
for the vast majority of flyers in the sport
whose flying skills have become stagnant.
“Rather than another step-by-step
rehash of the maneuvers, Intermediate
Aerobatics serves as a flight training
‘system’—honed over 15 years of
professional flight training at 1st U.S. R/C
Flight School—utilizing hundreds of
illustrations to guide the advancing flier
through his or her practice.
“Pilots will be amazed to learn how
much has been eluding their
comprehension, and then by how much
easier it is to fly the maneuvers staying
ahead of deviations instead of correcting
them after the fact!
“Where club strength is determined by
the success of its members, and if ‘nothing
sells better than a successful customer,’
clubs and hobby shops will also find this
book a valuable resource.”
Based on reading the book and going
out and trying the directions, I can tell you
that it contains good advice. I recommend
that you use the book with a friend.
Working in pairs, you could coach each
other through a whole series of
improvements in your flying.
Frequently-Asked Question: “I hear a lot
about presentation. What does that mean?”
In precision Aerobatics, it is not enough
just to perform maneuvers. They have to be
performed in a specific position: center or
end. Center maneuvers usually have a
predefined middle and are performed in such
a way that the middle of the maneuver is
positioned on the centerline of the aerobatic
box. End maneuvers are performed at, but
before, the end of the aerobatic box.
However, that is not what is meant by
presentation; it is better defined as
“positioning, timing, and flow.” Presentation
is how you string together all of the
maneuvers.
In a predetermined sequence you don’t
have any decisions to make about what
maneuver to do, but you do have a great
deal of room to decide how you do them.
The rules give you a guideline for how far
out the maneuvers should be flown (150-
175 meters). After that, it is all about
presenting the maneuvers.
Pilots try to keep “like maneuvers” at a
similar baseline and height. The size of a
loop is the one that they will also use in an
Immelmann Turn or a Cuban Eight. They
will try to maintain the same speed going
up and down as they do in level flight.
This is why you rarely see Pattern
airplanes flown flat out in level flight.
Good, clear gaps are left between
maneuvers to give the judges time and
allow the next maneuver to be more clearly
defined.
I have often said that all models have an
expiration date. I said farewell to my
original Focus yesterday. I had already
dodged one bullet when the elevator-stick
spring snapped during the 11⁄2 horizontal
snap. An aftermarket spring that I had
shortened even more could not take the 11⁄2
snapping anymore.
The week before, my buddy “Dixie
Chicks Earl” stopped me from taking off
without the $3,000 screw in the wing. I had
the engine running, and he spotted the
wing gap increasing. But dodge as I may,
the expiration date finally came.
The FAI P-03 schedule has three 11⁄2
snaps in it. I was trying to master them
when I heard a “clunk” coming from the
model. I rolled it level and throttled back,
but wait—nothing! The airplane was still at
three-quarters throttle. It flew straight for a
while, it started a slow turn a mile down the
road, and then I could not see it anymore. It
came back into view, performing a slowly
diving left turn. It almost made it into the
open area behind the field, and then it went
below the tree line. This was the most
helpless feeling I can remember.
Are you tired of having the same aluminum radio case as
everyone else? Try Wing Tote’s new lightweight case.
Not seen but present at the 2003 Nationals was the Webra 1.60
with which Jerry Budd of Budd Engineering flew.
02sig4.QXD 11/25/03 10:15 am Page 118
I searched for an hour and was
loading up the van when the police
arrived with a few pieces in their sportutility
vehicle. The rest was up five
different trees. The police were amused
and helpful in picking up the hundreds of
pieces of foam.
Postcrash analysis revealed that the
battery had come loose. (In fact, it tore
out the wires from the battery pack.) The
pack was mounted in the rear of the
fuselage approximately 10 inches behind
the wing. The snap-roll motion
eventually broke the Velcro strapping.
The next time it will be nylon cable ties!
FAI F3A World Championships Results:
Late-breaking news from Poland: Chip
Hyde flew a biplane and Jason Shulman
flew an electric-powered Pattern airplane
with dazzling power and performance.
Team results were: USA, first;
France, second; and Japan, third. Well
done, team! Recapturing the world team
title is a great achievement. The
individual results of the finals, which
were held August 9, 2003, were:
1) Christophe Paysant Le-Roux
2) Quique Somenzini
3) Chip Hyde
4) Tetsuo Onda
5) Yoicihiro Akiba
6) Masato Kusama
7) Jason Shulman
8) Roland Matt
9) Bernd Beshoener
10) Wolfgang Matt
Another great achievement was that
Christophe won all four final rounds.
Quique and Chip were separated by only
1.1 points. Newcomer and Junior Tetsuo
Onda flew well, which raised him to the
fourth position from ninth in the
semifinals.
Sean McMurtry, the third US team
member, was 11th in the semifinals and
just missed making it to the finals. Jason
Shulman flew his electric-powered model
to an unprecedented seventh place in a
World Championships. MA