RC Helicopters
Mark Fadely [[email protected]]
How about making RC an Olympic sport?
HELLO, AND THANKS for stopping by the helicopter section of MA this month. Whether it is your first time here or you look forward to reading my digressions every month, I hope you get something entertaining and/or useful from it.
I have been writing this column for almost two years. It is a challenge to come up with fresh, fun material each month. It has been rewarding to get positive feedback from readers through E-mail or when we have met at events.
It is fun to write about one of the coolest hobbies known to man. That description can be confirmed by the number of wildly popular small, electric-powered beginner helicopters that are being sold. I never realized that so many people wanted to fly RC helicopters until I saw how many were buying the little models.
Also included in this column:
- The world's largest RC event
- Meet Jamie Robertson
- The Hoosier Heli Rumble
The 2008 Summer Olympics was held in the helicopter manufacturing capital of the world. Yep, China. These days it is the birthplace of most mass-produced helicopters. Where were all these cool, ready-to-fly models when I was a kid? I must have been born in the wrong decade—or century. Ha-ha!
Maybe someday the Olympic Committee will make helicopters an official sport. That would be so cool. It may not be so far outside the realm of possibility. I think our hobby is headed for some big things in the not-so-distant future.
Andrew ("The Animal") Jesky, the 2008 Extreme Flight Championships (XFC) airplane champion, was recently featured on the ESPN2 sports channel. He flew a helicopter and did a great job demonstrating some hard-core 3-D.
I am writing this just before I head out to the biggest RC event in the world: the IRCHA (International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association) Jamboree. It will be held at AMA Headquarters in Muncie, Indiana, August 14-17. Look for a full report on this incredible four-day extravaganza in the next issue.
There were 712 pilots registered for the Jamboree last year. That number tops world attendance records in all facets of RC, whether it is airplanes, cars, boats, or even submarines. (Yes, there are radio-controlled subs!)
This has been an exciting year for helicopters. Late summer and early fall is when some of the best fun-flys of the year are held. By that time, pilots have had all year to hone their skills. They are biting at the bit to show off their new moves at area gatherings.
Many of you attend local get-togethers during the year. An event in my area is the Hoosier Heli Rumble in Lafayette, Indiana. Erik Anderson, the Rumble founder, puts on an awesome show each year with the help of his loyal fellow Lafayette Cloud Jockeys.
This year was special at Lafayette. A half dozen XFC veterans were in attendance, along with some other big names in RC.
On the topic of stars in RC, I caught up with Jamie Robertson on the flightline. His maturity level exceeds his 14-year age. He is a pleasure to talk with. We spent a few minutes discussing his experience as a first-time XFC competitor, and our conversation went as follows.
MF: What did you think of your first year at the XFC?
JR: It is pretty cool, and intense! I was nervous at first, but after my second flight it was all good.
MF: Your dad flew helicopters in the 1990s. I remember him doing demos at IRCHA when the event was in Ohio. What role does he play in your flying career?
JR: My dad helps me a lot with the machines. He does a lot of the mechanical work and setup.
MF: I noticed you had multitime World Champion Curtis Youngblood calling for you on your competition flights. What is that like?
JR: I fly for CurtisYoungblood.com, and he has taught me a lot of things about the competition.
MF: Like what kind of things?
JR: I can't tell ya! [We both laugh.]
Thanks, Jamie, and congratulations on a great finish in your first XFC. I wish you and your dad the best of luck; you make a great team.
Jamie is a nice young man who is going to have a big future in competition if he sticks with it. He is also the quarterback of his school's football team, so he is always balancing his time between sports. Talk about an all-star!
The 2008 Hoosier Heli Rumble was July 11-13. The Lafayette boys really know how to make a pilot feel welcome. They provided a catered barbecue on Saturday night that was out of this world.
The weather was spectacular this year. It was roughly 90°, but a light breeze kept it bearable at midday. Once the air cooled a bit in the afternoon, pilots hit the flightline for some of the best 3-D smackdown I have seen this year.
The club rents a large sound system that pumps out tunes nonstop. Mario Spina made a song mix especially for this year's show, and it included enough custom-mixed tracks to play for 2 1/2 days with no repeats. Thanks for providing that on your iPod, Mario.
Part of the Lafayette fun-fly's mystique is the unique competitions that originate there. The ideas and rules for the unusual events are often dreamed up late Friday night at a local pub.
This year, everyone thought it would be a wonderful idea to try helicopter combat. You tied a streamer to the model's tail and fought as you would in airplane combat. Some pilots thought it was risky and did not want to try it.
It turned out that there were no more incidents than you would see in airplane combat. Not even one helicopter was destroyed! All the pilots had a great time, and the crowd loved the excitement.
If you live within a drivable distance to Lafayette, I definitely say, "Get there next year!" It is a great time; ask anyone who has been.
I encourage you to write in with helicopter-related questions and information. There is a great deal going on in the field, and your experiences can benefit others if you share.
Technology is moving fast, constantly bringing new equipment to market. We can help each other learn to master our machines by sharing information.
That is it for this month. I'll meet you all back here next time. MF
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
