Radio Control Scale Aerobatics - 2006/12

IT’S GETTING to
be that time of year
again! It’s the time
when you start
wrapping up a long
but hopefully
productive and
exciting outdoor
season and head to
your hobby shop to
stock up on foamsafe
glue and Depron.
I’m the new Scale Aerobatics columnist. I have huge shoes to
fill, following Mike Hurley and his great columns. I will do my
best to bring you what is new and neat in the RC Scale Aerobatics
modeling world, and I hope to answer some of your questions.
I started flying at the age of 7 out in sunny Las Vegas,
Nevada, on the same dry lakebed that many of the Tournament of
Champions (TOC) pilots used as their practice field. Because of
their influence I was determined to do what they did, and I
watched them all day long.
My father Frank Noll Jr. was also a huge inspiration, as was
MA’s newest columnist has a winning history
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Radio Control Scale Aerobatics Jason Noll
Jason is working with designer Eddie Weeks
on a system that is being tested on a DA-
100. Results thus far prove that the VP
system shows promise.
Left: The strength of composite aircraft
such as the 3W Yak-54 is a must for the
new-style, aggressive Freestyle aerobatics
performed at today’s world-level
competitions.
Below: Jason’s primary competition
aircraft: the Krill Model 39% Katana S. At
just 39 pounds, the high power-to-weight
ratio offers an enormous control
advantage.
Also included in this column:
• Wood vs. composite models
• Preparing for the next
invitational
• The author’s projects
Variable-pitch-propeller systems for Giant Scale aircraft have the potential to increase
efficiency while reducing noise at the same time.
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my late grandfather Frank Noll Sr. I
started flying with a Carl Goldberg 25-size
Eaglet trainer. I can remember it like it
was yesterday. My dad walked over to me
after months of my bugging him and
handed me a radio. He simply said, “This
does ... , this does ... , and this does ... ”
We walked out to the flightline, and he
took the airplane off for me. When it was
up to altitude he handed me the radio and
stood by while I flew for the first time—
without a buddy cord.
After roughly 10 minutes of his
correcting my every mistake, all of a
sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I saw
that he wasn’t there. I turned around for a
split second to find that everyone was
watching me from their cars.
I was able, with some verbal guidance
from my dad, to land the airplane
somewhere way out on one of the
thousands of flat-clay acres in the distance.
I only broke the propeller. From that point,
my father has shown me the ropes and has
taught me everything I know about being a
smooth, disciplined RC pilot.
I began competing in RC Aerobatics
(Pattern) in the early 1990s; that is where
I learned many lessons in the value of
flying straight lines and maneuver
geometry. From there I progressed to
Giant Scale Aerobatics and performed at
hundreds of air shows all over the world
with my dad.
My first flight on a Giant Scale airplane
was with a 1/4-scale Ohio R/C Ultimate 10-
300S. That was considered big then. When
International Miniature Aerobatic Club
(IMAC) competition hit the circuit, I was
instantly hooked.
The successes I earned flying in IMAC
have provided me with invitations to
numerous Don Lowe Masters
Championships, Tucson Shootouts,
Extreme Flight Championships (XFC), and
Electric Tournament of Champions (ETOC)
invitational competitions. As with
anything in life, you have to pay your
dues, learn from your mistakes, and, in this
case, earn the respect of all the top fliers.
In the spring of 2006 I married my
amazing wife Amanda, who you might
know through Hobbico. She, my daughter
Savannah, and my father have been my
biggest fans in the last two years, allowing
me to take my flying even further.
I can’t forget about Don Anderson, who
was my biggest supporter at Hobbico. He
allowed me to travel to all the events
before my resignation there last summer.
We need more people like Don in this
hobby.
That’s enough about me; let’s talk
about what has been going on in the last
few months.
It seems that Freestyle has moved to the
next level in the last year, with highintensity,
high-“G” maneuvers instead of
the traditional slow and graceful approach.
All I have to say is, Wow!
Airplanes have to be much stronger
these days to handle the pilots’ demands. I
saw more wings flexing at the 2006 XFC
than I have seen in my whole life.
Composite airplanes take advantage of the
evolution in materials technology. They
allow an RC pilot to do virtually anything
he/she can imagine.
There is nothing wrong with wood
aircraft; they just do not last as long as
composite models would in these
situations. For instance, a wood airplane
would have to be lightened to make the
same weight as a composite airplane just
because of its natural structure.
You might get one to two seasons out
of a wood airplane if you push it hard,
whereas a composite airplane will last for
a seemingly infinite number of seasons. I
have chosen to fly composite models for
exactly that reason.
A few sources for composite aircraft
are Krill Model, Composite-ARF, and 3W
Modellmotoren. A few wood-airplane
suppliers are Hangar 9, Carden Aircraft,
Aeroworks, and Quique’s Aircraft
Company.
Another factor in your choice of
model is the time and cost required for
building. A Carden Yak-54 kit costs
$1,199. If you don’t have the workspace
or the time to build it, you usually have
to pay a builder “kit cost” to have it
framed up. The next step is to buy
covering and have it applied, which adds
anywhere from $800 to $1,000.
Last, you have to paint the model. A
typical paint job costs $300-$400 plus the
cost of the paint, which typically runs an
additional $200, depending on the brand
and how many colors you choose to use.
In all you can have a Carden kit framed
up and painted to “ARF” stage for roughly
$3,800. The airplane’s overall quality will
be slightly better if you choose to do this,
or you can do it yourself to save some
money.
Another option is an airplane such as
the Krill Katana, which is all composite
and painted in the mold. This model can be
purchased for roughly $2,700, and it will
arrive almost as complete as the Carden in
the preceding.
The question is, do you want a wood
“showroom”-quality airplane or a
composite airplane that will give you
longevity? It’s a personal choice.
In the last few months I have been
practicing for the Don Lowe Masters
World Aerobatic Championships. I want to
give it my best since this is another
invitational event. I try to fly three to four
hours a day. That typically boils down to
approximately 15 gallons of gas burned
each week.
My main focus when practicing is to
make each flight count, just as if I were
flying in the contest. If I make a mistake in
a maneuver, I keep flying as if it never
happened and the judges still have their
eyes keen on my flight.
You cannot turn around, look at the
judges, put your hands in a “T” shape and
call time out. If you blow a maneuver in
the contest, you get a zero for it, but you
cannot let that one incident destroy the
whole flight.
Consistency is the key to winning a
large contest such as the Don Lowe
Masters. You may not have the best flight,
but you need to keep going.
While I am burning that much gas in a
week, I make it a habit to do a twice-daily
checkup on the airplane. This consists of
pulling off the cowl; making sure the
header bolts, muffler bolts, and engine
bolts are tight; and making sure nothing is
rubbing, cracking, or chafing on anything
else.
This is also a good time to check all
servos to make sure all the screws are tight
and unusual slop hasn’t developed. Lately
I have been using JR 8611As, which have
been absolutely flawless for me. At the
same time they have made me feel more
connected with the airplane because of the
tremendous torque and amazing centering.
Between practicing sessions I have been
designing my 2007 indoor aircraft that
Fancy Foam Models will be selling
shortly. This will be an airplane you can
take out of the box and directly to the floor
of the E-TOC. It weighs only 6.5 ounces,
and there will be two versions: one for
freestyle and one for sequence work.
It seems that Pattern is probably going
to take off and be the next exciting indoor
gig. Airplanes for this type of flying will
be CNC-cut for better accuracy, also
allowing control surfaces and fuselage
stiffeners to be prebeveled. They will be
available in two visible, catchy preprinted
schemes.
Another thing I have been working on
lately are variable-pitch (VP) propeller
systems on large gas engines. Right now I
have a VP unit designed by Eddie Weeks
on a DA-100 engine. This setup has been
well thought out, and much effort has been
put into it. This is going to put a whole
new twist on things.
Eddie has designed a first-class unit
that will lead the way for more exciting 3-
D aerobatics. I will write more about this
in my next column, so don’t miss out.
I am off to practice again. I’m looking
forward to receiving all your comments! MA
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