Dave Chesney is not with us this month so that we can present this special report on the MAC Show. He will return with his regular column next month.
The Model and Craft Show is significant among the trade shows in that it offers a unique setting for helicopter manufacturers to show their products while also featuring outside flying demonstrations. The 1980 show was held April 26–27 at Long Beach Convention Center.
The Convention Center is well suited for our needs; the hall is large and comfortable. Outside flying demonstrations are flown over a picturesque lagoon complete with three islands. The audience has an elevated viewing location which gives them a good but safe place to watch the show. Flying demonstrations are a tradition at this show, and the people respond by coming out to see the helicopters. Three times each day the pilots take their machines out and show their abilities and skills.
The outside show started a little early this year when Larry Jolly, accompanied by his Heliboy, arrived outside the convention hall's back door. The significance of this lies in the fact that the helicopter had just finished the first such crossing of the Catalina channel. The 30-mile all-water trip was a test for pilot as well as helicopter and radio.
All concerned were able to cooperate, and the Avalon to Long Beach flight took only 62 minutes. The crossing was non-stop with the trusty O.S. 60 FSR using only 50 ounces of fuel. When I got things put away and back under control, I walked the showroom and talked to the exhibitors.
Airtronics' new Custom Sanwa heli-radio features dual rates on aileron/elevator/rudder, tail rotor/throttle mixing, and digital-readout stopwatch. They also showed a gyro and a rotor constant-speed device. The radio retails for approximately $600.
American RC Helicopters shared a booth with Marks Models. John Simone, top man at American, showed me the .60-size Commander, their Revolution .40-size, and a new helicopter, the .40-size Mantis.
Mantis features many interesting innovations that could make this the lowest priced RC chopper yet. Construction is mainly of wood and injection-molded nylon parts. The rotor system is the proven fixed-pitch Hiller head. John told me that a collective Beller system will also be available.
Kavan had a nice booth, loaded with helicopters and fliers. Ernie Huber, John Tucker, and Kim Tucker were all on hand to answer questions. Kavan showed their popular Jet Ranger, Alouette, and two new machines. The latest scale helicopter is a 1/6-scale Lockheed 286L rigid rotor. The model features a glass fuselage, retracting skids, and Kavan's new fly-barless rigid rotor system. The 286 is designed for a .60-size motor and is really a sharp looking machine—truly a fine effort. Their other new chopper is called the Ranger. Basically it's a metal-constructed, collective pitch, .60-size training helicopter featuring the profile of the Bell Jet Ranger. This interesting looking machine should be quite rugged. Kavan is also the U.S. distributor for Webra motors and Simprop radios.
Heli-Center West is the West Coast distributor for Schluter Helicopters as well as U.S. distributor for Hirobo scale helicopters and Gorham Model Products' new Cricket. On hand to man the booth were Dieter Schluter, John Gorham, Mike Cummings, Richard Keppel, and Bill Cripes. Dieter showed me his new scale Lockheed Cheyenne, featuring glass fuselage, autorotation clutch, retracting landing gear, collective Bell-Hiller rotor system, and .60-size motor. Also shown as an accessory for their popular Heliboy was a Hughes 500 fuselage, a Bolkow BO 105 fuselage, a Bell 222 fuselage, and a beautiful new Jet Ranger fuselage. John Gorham's Schluter Jet Ranger was painted in a 1980 Bell color scheme and is just about the prettiest 'copter I have ever seen.
Speaking of John Gorham, his new Cricket features a .25-size motor, fixed pitch, Hiller rotor system—designed specifically with the beginner in mind. John is pricing the Cricket at $175, and it may be just the 'copter for those who always wanted to try rotor craft but didn't like the high price. I had the pleasure to fly a Cricket and was very impressed. It flies only four pounds, and with Super Tigre .25 it responds as if it had collective pitch. Definitely a winner. We'll see more of Cricket, I'm sure.
D. C. Labs showed a scale Bell 222 fuselage intended for Kavan mechanics. They also showed a scale AH-1G Cobra fuselage for Heliboy mechanics. Both fuselages appeared to be accurate and well made. Their 222 was particularly impressive.
Several radios of interest to the helicopter flier were on display. Futaba showed their own 5JH, which has all the state-of-the-art features. Airtronics is now on their own and into radios. Airtronics radios, manufactured by Sanwa, have interesting features as well as economy prices. The standard Airtronics 4- and 6-channel transmitters feature exponential throw rates, servo reversing and a wide range of servo choice. Airtronics is also importing the Sanwa Custom Series radios. The helicopter radio features dual rate on elevator, aileron, tail rotor, throttle, tail rotor mixing, and a digital stopwatch.
The helicopter showing in the static competition was very sparse this year. Nonetheless, the two models entered were of the highest caliber. A Hirobo .60-size UH-1E Iroquois won top honors. This attractive helicopter was finished in standard Marine markings. The second place helicopter was a D.C. Labs Bell 222 finished in the blue prototype colors. Both machines were very nice.
The outside demonstrations were very exciting this year. Each show attracted an audience of over 2,000 people. American RC had 13-year-old Curtis Crocker demonstrating both the Revolution I and Commander. John Simone demonstrated the aerobatic capabilities of the Commander as well as flying under the bridge for the third year in a row. Heli-Center West had John Gorham demonstrating the Cricket as well as helicopter aerobatics with his Heliboy. Richard Keppel flew both his Helibaby and Heliboy. Larry Jolly flew his Schluter Bolkow BO 105 finished in German military colors.
Last, and certainly the most exciting, Ernie Huber flew his Kavan Jet Ranger. Ernie has always been right at the front as helicopters have progressed. This year he certainly floored the crowd as he nonchalantly turned his Jet Ranger inverted and flew all over the lagoon. Quite a show, Ernie... we all enjoyed it, and hope you come back next year. And speaking of next year, why don't you come out and visit us? The MAC Show is usually the last week in April or the first week in May. The weather is great, the flying exciting. Come on out and join us; we can do what we like best—talk and fly RC model helicopters!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
